cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Primary healthcare provider's lost opportunity to help abused women.

Purpose To determine how often primary care providers have the opportunity to assess and intervene for intimate partner violence (IPV) in a population of women who are known to be experiencing IPV. Data Sources A convenience sample of 149 abused women presenting to the justice system for protection orders or to file assault charges against an intimate partner were interviewed about the date and reason for her last healthcare visit, whether she had been screened for IPV, and the presence of selected conditions, medication use, and hospitalizations. Conclusions Although 86% (n=128) of the women had sought healthcare services within the previous year, only 24% (n=36) had been assessed for IPV. Implications for Practice Abused women use healthcare services at higher rates and have more health conditions than non-abused women. Despite recommendations of professional organizations, health providers have low rates of screening for IPV. Universal screening for IPV by nurse practitioners could substantially interrupt ongoing abuse.
Salient sources of early adolescents' self-efficacy in two domains

Abstract The purpose of this study was to use a mixed methodological approach to investigate upper-elementary and middle school students' ( N = 2511) descriptions of what makes them feel more confident in math and in reading. Qualitative methods were used to code students' responses to open-ended prompts according to Bandura's hypothesized sources of self-efficacy and other emergent themes. Quantitative analyses revealed that mastery experience and social persuasion were the most frequently reported sources. Responses also referred to social comparative information, teacher practices, and help availability. Fifty percent of respondents indicated a different primary source of self-efficacy in reading than in math, suggesting the domain-sensitivity of self-efficacy development. Girls described social sources more often than did boys. Responses differed according to students' previous level of self-efficacy (i.e., high or low). Implications for educators and future research are discussed.
Masam – a flexible stand density management model for meeting diverse structural objectives in multiaged stands

A flexible approach for density control of multiaged stands (stands with two or more age classes) managed with the single-tree selection system is presented. This density management approach divides stands into components such as age classes, canopy strata, or species, and allocates growing space among components to control stocking. Growing space is represented by leaf area. Users specify a total stand growing space occupancy, the number of desired components, number of trees per component, and the percentage of occupied growing space allocated to each component. A series of equations can be developed and assembled in a simple spreadsheet to design and assess density management alternatives. Organization of these equations is presented as the Multiaged Stocking Assessment Model (MASAM) and is used to design several example prescriptions for several species. Model outputs which aid in implementation of designed prescriptions include stand-level totals for basal area, stand density index, and average annual volume growth for a cutting cycle. Other outputs may include component totals for basal area, stand density index, average tree vigor, and quadratic mean diameter. This approach provides flexibility in designing density management regimes for multiaged stands with a variety of stand structural characteristics including two or more age classes or strata, or stands with a preponderance of large or small trees.
Set-breaking as a learned response.

72 undergraduates were given an experimental problem structured to provide competing associations which should interfere with successful solution. Half of this group was given prior training in the solution of problems whose answers are commonly considered to be “unconventional” in an attempt to engender a “set-breaking set” which would facilitate solution of the experimental problem. The trained group did appear superior in time to solution and frequency of solution. Other ways to facilitate problem solution were noted, and the existence of an independent “set-breaking set” was inferred. The superior performance of the males was tentatively attributed to a greater degree of motivation or relevant past experience.
Insights from a novel model of slow-transit constipation generated by partial outlet obstruction in the murine large intestine

The mechanisms underlying slow-transit constipation (STC) are unclear. In 50% of patients with STC, some form of outlet obstruction has been reported; also an elongated colon has been linked to pat...
Retardation of rotational reorientation dynamics in polymers near the glass transition: a novel study over eleven decades in time using second-order non-linear optics

Abstract A novel protocol has been developed using second harmonic generation to quantify the rotational, reorientation dynamics of second-order non-linear optical chromophores in amorphous polymers. Dynamics are monitored over 11–12 decades in time, from microseconds onwards, allowing characterization both well above and below the glass transition temperature, T g . The time dependence of the orientational component of the second order macroscopic susceptibility, χ (2) , can be represented by a Kohlrausch-Williams-Watts equation from which average rotational reorientational time constants, 〈τ〉, are determined. For the Disperse Red 1-poly(isobutyl methacrylate) (PIBMA) system studied here, 〈τ〉 is shown to be coupled to the α-relaxation dynamics of PIBMA. Retardation of these dynamics is investigated by physical aging (below T g ) and covalent attachment to the polymer (above and below T g ). Physical aging for several days near T g can result in a two orders of magnitude increase in 〈τ〉, above the value obtained for the quenched state. Covalent attachment of Disperse Red 1 chromophores also increases 〈τ〉 relative to the doped-chromophore systems; this effect is shown to be due to the increase in T g for the cases of 1 and 6 mol% attachment. The implications of these effects for the design of temporally stable SHG polymeric materials are discussed.
Mechanism of Capacitation of Rabbit Spermatozoa

RABBIT spermatozoa must be exposed to the environment of the female tract for several hours before acquiring the capacity to fertilize ova1,2. This phenomenon was termed capacitation1, and appears to be a general requirement for fertilization in several species3,4. Chang4 later discovered that spermatozoa capacitated in utero could be decapacitated by brief incubation in seminal plasma. Decapacitation appeared to be due to a definite substance in seminal plasma5.
Mechanistic studies of nitrite reactions with metalloproteins and models relevant to mammalian physiology

Abstract This review provides a summary of reaction mechanisms involving the interactions of nitrite ion with metal centers relevant to physiology. The majority of the systems that have been investigated are heme proteins and models, where nitrite reacts with the central metal ions to generate important iron-NOx intermediates and subsequent NOx products. We also discuss reactions with other potentially relevant systems. Nitrite is formed as a product of NO autoxidation in aqueous media and can be formed by the bacterial reduction of ingested nitrate as well. It is now generally accepted that under certain conditions nitrite, which is present in mammalian fluids and tissue at micromolar concentrations, can serve as a biological reserve of the bioregulatory agent nitric oxide. However, it is possible that nitrite serves other functions as well. The goal of this review is to evaluate the present state of understanding regarding these pathways and the delicate interplay between nitrite and the various NOx species of biological relevance.
Robust segmentation of 4D cardiac MRI-tagged images via spatio-temporal propagation

In this paper we present a robust method for segmenting and tracking cardiac contours and tags in 4D cardiac MRI tagged images via spatio-temporal propagation. Our method is based on two main techniques: the Metamorphs Segmentation for robust boundary estimation, and the tunable Gabor filter bank for tagging lines enhancement, removal and myocardium tracking. We have developed a prototype system based on the integration of these two techniques, and achieved efficient, robust segmentation and tracking with minimal human interaction.
Differential genetic responses to ionizing irradiation in individual families of Japanese medaka, Oryzias latipes.

Abstract Although no statistically significant hereditary effects have yet been detected in the children of survivors from the atomic bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, recent animal studies have found that exposure to ionizing radiation can cause genomic and epigenomic instability in the exposed individuals, as well as their offspring, and therefore, may have much larger genetic effects than predicted by earlier studies. When individuals are exposed to various environmental insults, including radiation, individual sensitivity to the insults often varies. Variance in germ-line response to radiation among individuals has been widely recognized, but it is difficult to address due to the use of inbred strains and the limited number of offspring that can be produced by a pair of mice, the common model used to study genetic effects of radiation. Herein is the first study to examine individual family responses to ionizing radiation using a parent-pedigree approach in an outbred strain of a vertebrate model, the Japanese medaka fish. Changes in frequencies of radiation-induced germline mutations at nine microsatellite loci were examined in the same families before and after exposure to one of four acute doses of ionizing radiation (0.1, 0.5, 2.5, 5 Gy, plus sham-exposed controls). Families varied significantly in pre-exposure mutation frequencies and responses to irradiation, but germline mutations were elevated in at least one family after 0.1, 0.5, and 5 Gy exposures. Variance among individuals in sensitivity to radiation is well documented for many endpoints, and our work now extends these endpoints to include germ-line mutations. Further studies are needed to elucidate dose response, effects at varying stages of spermatogenesis, and the mechanisms underlying the variance in these individual responses to radiation.
Boiling water aging of a miscible blend of polycarbonate and a copolyester

Extruded films and injection molded bars of a copolyester based on 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol condensed with a mixture of isophthalic and terephthalic acids, of a bisphenol-A based polycarbonate, PC, and of the miscible blends of these compounds were exposed to boiling water for up to 15 days. The ductility and strengths of film specimens rich in PC were found to degrade as a result of PC hydrolysis. These properties of specimens rich in copolyester were found to decline as a result of crystallization of the copolyester. Best overall performance was obtained for 50/50 blends of PC and copolyester. All amorphous materials showed a transition from ductile to brittle behavior at the same weight average molecular weight as previously observed for pure PC. This feature plus the observation that PC hydrolyzes in the blend at the same rate as it does in the pure state allows most of the superior performance of the 50/50 blends to be explained in terms of blend molecular weight.
Nonlinear Stability for Multidimensional Fourth-Order Shock Fronts

We consider the question of stability for planar wave solutions that arise in multidimensional conservation laws with only fourth-order regularization. Such equations arise, for example, in the study of thin films, for which planar waves correspond to fluid coating a pre-wetted surface. An interesting feature of these equations is that both compressive, and undercompressive, planar waves arise as solutions (compressive or undercompressive with respect to asymptotic behavior relative to the un-regularized hyperbolic system), and numerical investigation by Bertozzi, Munch, and Shearer indicates that undercompressive waves can be nonlinearly stable. Proceeding with pointwise estimates on the Green's function for the linear fourth-order convection–regularization equation that arises upon linearization of the conservation law about the planar wave solution, we establish that under general spectral conditions, such as appear to hold for shock fronts arising in our motivating thin films equations, compressive waves are stable for all dimensions d≧2 and undercompressive waves are stable for dimensions d≧3. (In the special case d=1, compressive waves are stable under a very general spectral condition.) We also consider an alternative spectral criterion (valid, for example, in the case of constant-coefficient regularization), for which we can establish nonlinear stability for compressive waves in dimensions d≧3 and undercompressive waves in dimensions d≧5. The case of stability for undercompressive waves in the thin films equations for the critical dimensions d=1 and d=2 remains an interesting open problem.
Effects of cationic species on visual color formation in model Maillard reactions of pentose sugars and amino acids.

Effects of cationic species on Maillard browning were examined after heating (ca. 100 °C) aqueous pH 7.2 buffered solutions of amino acids and pentose sugars. Metallic ions of Group I metals (Li, Na, K, Rb and Cs) produced a small increase in browning (A420), but somewhat greater effects were observed with ions of Group II metals Ca and Mg. Browning was suppressed by triethylammonium ion, but unaffected by a salt of the stronger base, guanidine. The quaternary amine salt choline chloride produced enhanced browning and served as a model for phospholipid involvement in Maillard reactions. With α,ω-diamino acids increases in browning were observed which related to lowered pK2 values resulting from positively charged ω-substituents in these molecules.
BRIEF FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS AND TREATMENT OF A VOCAL TIC

This study sought to extend functional methodology to the assessment and treatment of habits. After a descriptive assessment indicated that coughing occurred while eating, a brief functional analysis suggested that social attention was the maintaining variable. Results demonstrated that treatment, derived from the assessment and analysis data, rapidly eliminated the cough. We discuss the appropriateness of using functional analysis procedures for deriving treatments for habits in a clinical setting.
Students Take the Lead: A Glimpse at Grand Conversations in a 2nd-Grade Classroom

Children bring their own background knowledge and experiences to their engagement with a story, yet teachers often fail to tap into their deeper understandings. This article shares the authors' experiences in introducing “grand conversations” to a group of 2nd-grade students and shows how one can facilitate authentic, student-led literary discussions to uncover deeper meaning. Interactive strategies during literary reading can help engage students as they discuss the theme's relevance to their own lives. Findings from the study indicate how such conversations can help learners make deep connections among story, their personal lives, and the outside world. This can be an important strategy in building children's identities as they try to interact with and understand themselves in respect to the world around them.
Unraveling Exciton Relaxation and Energy Transfer in LH2 Photosynthetic Antennas

A long-standing uncertainty has been resolved concerning the early time evolution of light excitations in LH2 antennas of purple photosynthetic bacteria. Both isolated and native membrane-embedded LH2 antenna complexes were comprehensively studied using femtosecond time-resolved transient absorption spectroscopy together with conventional absorption and fluorescence emission spectroscopies at low temperatures. The results show that exciton relaxation within isolated LH2 complexes is characterized by subpicosecond time constants, while spectral evolution associated with energy transfer between the antenna complexes in photosynthetic membranes is characterized by time constants ≥ 1 ps.
Marine biodiversity: patterns and processes

The biodiversity of the oceans is a hot topic, as witnessed by the announcements I received for three international symposia/workshops on marine biodiversity in the fall of 1998. It is also a broad topic encompassing the description of global diversity patterns, molecular studies of gene flow on single shores, and application of “integrated coastal zone management” to species preservation in multiple-use ecosystems. A book capturing the timeliness and breadth of this topic, while highlighting research needs and conservation concerns, would indeed be useful for enlightening the public, educating students, and focusing researchers in this important, if amorphous, field. Marine Biodiversity: Pattern and Process is designed to fill this niche. The premise of the volume, as eloquently argued by Sir Crispin Tickell, is that marine ecosystems are suffering the onslaught of humanity at a time when we have but a glimmering of the extent and vulnerability of their biodiversity. The editors thus bring together key studies evaluating the patterns and processes underlying biodiversity in coastal zones to the abyss, from equatorial waters to polar seas.
Magnetic Moment of Positive and Negative Muons

Techniques for measuring mu meson magnetic moments were refined and applied to positive and (bound) negative muons in materials. An apparatus diagram and tabular and graphical representations of data are given. Statistical accuracy of several pants per million is permitted in reasonably short runs, and the observation of environmental effects is made possible through increased sensitivity. (L.N.N.)
An atomic-resolution mechanism of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl–CoA synthase

The quest to obtain details about enzyme mechanisms is a common goal among a wide range of scientific disciplines. Those goals range from characterizing a variety of chemistries catalyzed, to more applied goals, such as the development of potent inhibitors used to treat disease. In the study of enzymes, a continuum of scrutiny prevails in which the level of atomic detail aids understanding. Often the combination of a high-resolution structure of the enzyme along with detailed chemical and kinetic characterization leads to a working mechanism, or further strengthens an existing one. As the first committed step in cholesterol biosynthesis, the reaction catalyzed by 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl–CoA (HMG-CoA) synthase is a recent success story. The structure of an abortive inhibited complex (1) gives a structural perspective to a wealth of mechanistic data (2–5) and offers a starting point for inhibitor design critical to cholesterol-lowering approaches (6). However, this level of understanding doesn't explain the intricacies of how the protein uses each and every interaction, as well as protein dynamics, in its catalytic role. In several cases, experiments that provide reliable structural models of the enzyme during its mechanism have started to provide the necessary data points to present a more complete and interesting picture, and ultimately may lead an atomic-resolution “movie” of what is going on. The work of Theisen et al. (7) in this issue of PNAS provides two revealing frames of the mechanistic movie catalyzed by HMG-CoA synthase. In the physiological direction, the mechanism of HMG-CoA synthase begins with acetyl-CoA binding, followed by the straightforward acetylation of …
Luminescent Phases in Willemite Films

Red-, yellow-, and green-luminescent films have been formed by evaporation of powdered Zn2SiO4[Mn]. The yellow-emitting form was formed by firing the evaporated film plus additive in air at relatively low temperatures (750°C). The red form was produced on Vycor substrates at higher temperatures (1100°C). Infrared reflection studies and x-ray diffraction analyses of these films indicate that the red-emitting form is SiO2[Mn] and that the yellow form is amorphous Zn2SiO4[Mn]. The luminescence of both of these phosphors is probably due to interstitial manganese ions. The strong chemical reaction between the luminescent film and the glass substrate is brought out.
Comparison of flocculated and dispersed single‐wall carbon nanotube‐based coatings using nonionic surfactants

Single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) are promising filler materials for advanced polymer composites, but the impressive properties that have been predicted theoretically have not been realized experimentally. This gap is generally attributed to aggregation and nonideal dispersion of the SWNTs. Here, nonionic surfactants based on poly(ethylene oxide) are used to disperse SWNTs in either water or ethanol using sonication. The dispersed aqueous SWNTs are stable, while the analogous ethanol system yields loosely flocculated SWNTs. After drying these dispersions, the electrical conductivity of the flocculated system is at least an order of magnitude greater than the dispersed system at the same SWNT loading with conductivity greater than 20 S/cm obtained for the flocculated systems containing unsorted, commercial SWNTs. These flocculated systems can be readily sprayed to create conductive coatings. Despite their high electrical conductivity, these coatings provide only modest electromagnetic interference shielding (<20 dB) when testing large areas (30.5 × 30.5 cm2), which suggests significant heterogeneity or defects in these coatings that are not readily visible by eye or scanning electron microscopy. This defect mechanism is consistent with a decrease in shield efficacy at high SWNT loadings, despite no statistical change in the electrical conductivity of the coating. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2013. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers
Tunable laser Stark-difference spectra of CD3OH

Abstract We present Doppler resolution limited spectra of the P ( J ) and R ( J ) multiplets for J ≦ 10 of the 10-μm CO stretch band of 12 CD 3 16 OH using a tunable diode laser. Relative frequencies within the multiplets accurate to ±0.0002–0.0005 cm −1 are obtained, but no absolute frequencies are given. We are able to assign most of the hindered rotation and K substructure in these multiplets. The assignments are based on analyses of Stark-difference spectra combined with the ground-state microwave data and the intensity variations which are expected theoretically. The ground and excited state A , K = 1 asymmetry splitting parameters are measured to be δ 1 ″ = (8.5450 ± 0.0080) × 10 −3 cm −1 and δ 1 ′ = (9.7706 ± 0.0080) × 10 −3 cm −1 , respectively. The ground-state value agrees well with the microwave results. A rapid-scan system for recording data and a computer-aided technique for calibrating and plotting the spectra are described.
Emergency department visits in children with hemophilia

Background The pediatric emergency department (ED) management of bleeding and other complications of hemophilia constitutes an increasingly important component of hemophilia therapy. This retrospective study examined the overall ED use by children with hemophilia in a single center, with a particular aim to investigate visits related to injury or bleeding, and those related to blood stream infection in patients with a central venous catheter (CVC). Methods Electronic medical records of patients with hemophilia presenting to Children's Hospital of Michigan ED were reviewed. Different categories of ED visits over a 5-year period (January 2006–December 2010) were examined. Results There were 536 ED visits from 84 male patients (median age 4 years, range 0–21) with hemophilia over the 5-year period. The reasons for ED visits were: injury or bleeding (61.2%); suspected CVC-related infection (11.8%); causes unrelated to hemophilia (19.2%); and routine clotting factor infusion (7.8%). Eighteen visits from six patients were secondary to injury or bleeding in a patient not yet diagnosed with hemophilia. An intracranial hemorrhage was detected in five visits. Overall, 5.4% of all visits represented distinct episodes of bloodstream infection. Conclusion The pediatric ED is an indispensable component of the overall hemophilia care, because: (1) patients with potentially lethal problems such as ICH or CVC-related infection may present to the ED for their initial management; (2) previously undiagnosed patients with hemophilia may also present to the ED for their first bleeding episodes, initiating the diagnostic investigations; (3) the ED provides after-hours treatment service for many episodes of injury or bleeding, and also for clotting factor infusion. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2013; 60: 1188–1191. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Analysis of fluorescence lifetime and quenching of FITC-conjugated antibodies on cells by phase-sensitive flow cytometry

Fluorescent antibodies are often used to measure the number of receptor sites on cells. The quantitative estimate of the number of receptor sites using this procedure assumes that the fluorescence intensity on a cell is proportional to the number of bound antibodies. Quenching may invalidate this assumption. For many fluorophores, intermolecular interactions and energy transfer between molecules in close proximity to one another results in self-quenching. This effect can occur in antibody probes with a high fluorochrome to protein (F/P) ratio. It can also occur due to close proximity antibodies relative to one another on a highly labeled cell surface. Since self-quenching is accompanied by a change in the fluorescence decay and a decrease in the fluorescence lifetime, it may be conveniently identified using fluorescence lifetime spectroscopy. In this paper we apply the phase-sensitive detection method to investigate the impact of self-quenching on fluorescence lifetimes by flow cytometry, using a model system consisting of FITC conjugated anti-mouse Thy1.2 antibodies bound to murine thymus cells. We show that in addition to the expected variation of lifetimes as a function of F/P ratio of the probes, the fluorescence lifetime diminishes also as a function of antibody labeling concentration on the cell surface. This is consistent with self-quenching effects expected at high densities of FITC molecules.
Lead-210 and pollen geochronologies on Lake Superior sediments

Rates of sedimentation in two Lake Superior deposits were determined by both ragweed pollen and 210Pb geochronologies. The former yields an average rate over the time since the first appearance of enhanced concentrations of the pollen as a consequence of human settlement. Sedimentation rates derived on these two bases can be brought into accord if the first appearance of ragweed pollen in the sediments was around 1830 and if the sedimentation rates have been uniform over the past century.
A comparison of physical distribution of recombination in chromosome 1R in diploid rye and in hexaploid triticale

Polymorphism for six C-bands on chromosome 1R was used to study the frequency and distribution of recombination along the chromosome in a diploid rye (Secale cereale L.) and in a hexaploid triticale (X Triticosecale Wittmack) derived from it. In rye, the total recombination frequency in five segments of chromosome 1R was 93.7%. Recombination was concentrated in the distal regions of both chromosome arms and was infrequent in the proximal regions. In hexaploid triticale the total recombination frequency in the same chromosome was reduced to 51.7%. In both backgrounds the distal half of the long arm showed similar recombination frequencies, 51.4% and 45.7% for rye and triticale, respectively. The remaining about two-thirds of the chromosome length showed 42.3% recombination in rye but only 6% recombination in triticale. The results demonstrate that the genetic background in which mapping is performed not only affects the total amount of recombination, but also its distribution along the chromosome length.
Nanomaterials and singlet oxygen photosensitizers: potential applications in photodynamic therapy

In this review, we address a highly interdisciplinary field: the use of nanomaterials as carriers for singlet oxygen photosensitizers and their potential applications in photodynamic therapy. In particular, recent advances in the use of nanoparticles including inorganic oxide-, metallic-, and polymer-based nanocomposites as photosensitizer carriers are highlighted. We review advantages and shortcomings of these diverse approaches as far as their application for photodynamic therapy is concerned. Fullerenes and their derivatives are also included, focusing on recent studies on their structure, properties, and ability to generate singlet oxygen.
Learning active facial patches for expression analysis

In this paper, we present a new idea to analyze facial expression by exploring some common and specific information among different expressions. Inspired by the observation that only a few facial parts are active in expression disclosure (e.g., around mouth, eye), we try to discover the common and specific patches which are important to discriminate all the expressions and only a particular expression, respectively. A two-stage multi-task sparse learning (MTSL) framework is proposed to efficiently locate those discriminative patches. In the first stage MTSL, expression recognition tasks, each of which aims to find dominant patches for each expression, are combined to located common patches. Second, two related tasks, facial expression recognition and face verification tasks, are coupled to learn specific facial patches for individual expression. Extensive experiments validate the existence and significance of common and specific patches. Utilizing these learned patches, we achieve superior performances on expression recognition compared to the state-of-the-arts.
Late Quaternary Pollen Record from Cheyenne Bottoms, Kansas

A sediment and pollen record from Cheyenne Bottoms, a large (166 km2) enclosed basin in central Kansas, provides evidence for local and regional vegetation and climate change during the late Quaternary (ca. 30,000 yr.). Although radiocarbon dating of the carbonate-rich lacustrine sediments remains problematic, a basic chronological framework for the section is established. Two major litho- and biostratigraphic units, a Farmdalian zone (ca. 30,000 to 24,000 yr B.P.) and a Holocene zone (ca. 11,000 yr B.P. to present), are separated by a major unconformity spanning the Woodfordian (ca. 24,000 to 11,000 yr B.P.). Pollen and sedimentary data indicate a period of basin-wide drying preceding this unconformity. The sustained absence of sediment accumulation within this playa-like basin suggests that early Woodfordian conditions were increasingly arid with strengthened surface winds. Before this, persistent shallow water marshland dominated the local basin-bottom vegetation. Regional upland vegetation was an open grassland-sage steppe throughout the Farmdalian with limited populations of spruce, juniper, aspen, birch, and boxelder in riparian settings and escarpments. Throughout the Holocene, water levels within the basin fluctuated. Changes in wetland vegetation resulting from water level fluctuation have increased during the last 3,000 yr indicating that periodic episodes of wetland loss and rebound are not unique to postsettlement conditions but are an ongoing phenomenon at Cheyenne Bottoms.
Tracheal intubation prevented with administration of Fab antivenom after severe crotaline envenomation.

e Abstract—Background: Crotaline snake envenomations are common, but severe crotaline envenomations are infrequent. Death from severe envenomation is usually from upper airway edema and respiratory failure. Published reports of severe respiratory compromise and anaphylactoid reactions are rare. Currently, FabAV (Crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab [Ovine] [CroFab]) is the mainstay of crotaline envenomation treatment; however, FabAV has been approved for only mild and moderate envenomations. Case report: We describe a case of a male with severe systemic effects and airway compromise after crotaline envenomation. The patient’s systemic effects and upper airway edema substantially improved after antivenom infusion and before epinephrine administration. Endotracheal intubation was averted, clinical deterioration was avoided, and improvement occurred after prompt FabAV use. Conclusion: Fab antivenom likely prevented endotracheal intubation in our case of severe crotaline envenomation. Published by Elsevier Inc.
Epitaxial Aluminum‐Doped Zinc Oxide Thin Films on Sapphire: II, Defect Equilibria and Electrical Properties

The electrical transport properties of epitaxial ZnO films grown on different orientations of sapphire substrates have been measured as a function of partial pressure of oxygen. After equilibration, the carrier concentration is found to change from a p-1/4O2 to a p-3/8O2 dependence with increasing oxygen partial pressure. The partial pressure dependence is shown to be consistent with zinc vacancies being the rate-controlling diffusive species. In addition, the carrier concentration in ZnO films grown on A-, C-, and M-plane sapphire are the same but that of R-plane sapphire is systematically lower. Electron Hall mobility measurements as a function of carrier concentration for all the substrate orientations exhibit a transition from “single-crystal” behavior at high carrier concentrations to “polycrystalline” behavior at low carrier concentrations. This behavior is attributed to the effective height of potential barriers formed at the low-angle grain boundaries in the epitaxial ZnO films. The trap density at the grain boundaries is deduced to be 7 × 1012/cm2. The electron mobility, at constant carrier concentration, varies with the substrate orientation on which the ZnO films were grown. The difference is attributed to the difference in dislocation density in the films produced as a result of lattice mismatch with the different sapphire orientations.
A Role for NF-κB Subunits p50 and p65 in the Inhibition of Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Shock

To evaluate the possibility that NF-kappaB subunits p50 and p65 have a role in limiting the systemic inflammatory response induced by endotoxin, we compared the susceptibility of wild-type (WT), p65+/-, p50-/-, and p50-/-p65+/- (3X) mice to LPS-induced shock. Interestingly, whereas p65+/- mice were no more sensitive than WT mice to LPS-induced shock, 3X mice were exquisitely sensitive to the toxic effects of LPS. Mice lacking p50 alone displayed an intermediate phenotype. Sensitivity to LPS was a property of the innate immune system and was characterized by elevated circulating levels of TNF in both p50-/- and 3X mice. The ability of LPS to induce shock depended upon TNF, and 3X mice were significantly more sensitive to the toxic effects of TNF than were p50-deficient mice. The expression of several LPS-inducible proinflammatory genes, including IFN-gamma, was significantly higher within the spleens of p50-/- mice than in the spleens of WT mice, and interestingly, the expression of IFN-gamma was augmented still further within the spleens of 3X mice. These results demonstrate that NF-kappaB subunits p50 and p65 have critical inhibitory functions during the systemic response to LPS and raise the possibility that these functions could be essential in preventing mortality associated with systemic inflammatory response syndromes.
An N-heterocyclic carbene as a bidentate hemilabile ligand: a synchrotron X-ray diffraction and density functional theory study

The N-heterocyclic carbene ligand IMes was shown by synchrotron crystallography and DFT computations to adopt a hemilabile bidentate coordination mode in CpM(CO)2(IMes)+B(C6F5)4− (M = Mo, W), with a CC bond of one mesityl weakly coordinated to the metal.
Planning two-fingered grasps for pick-and-place operations on polyhedra

The authors focus on the crucial step in a pick-and-place operation, the choice of grasp. They describe an approach to choosing grasps, implemented in the task-level planning system HANDEY, which attempts to deal in a general fashion with the interaction between the choice of grasp and the choice of paths to reach the grasp. The approach is based on the systematic use of the configuration-space representation of the motion constraints on the robot. A very simple and efficient algorithm for approximating the configuration-space constraints leads to a practical method. >
A (Blurry) Vision of the Future: How Leader Rhetoric about Ultimate Goals Influences Performance

One key responsibility of leaders involves crafting and communicating two types of messages--visions and values--that help followers understand the ultimate purpose of their work. Although scholars have long considered how leaders communicate visions and values to establish a sense of purpose, they have overlooked how these messages can be used to establish a shared sense of purpose, which is achieved when multiple employees possess the same understanding of the purpose of work. In this research, we move beyond the traditional focus on leader rhetoric and individual cognition to examine leader rhetoric and shared cognition. We suggest that a specific combination of messages--a large amount of vision imagery combined with a small number of values--will boost performance more than other combinations because it triggers a shared sense of the organization's ultimate goal, and, in turn, enhances coordination. We found support for our predictions in an archival study of 151 hospitals and an experiment with 62 groups of full-time employees. In light of these findings, we conducted exploratory analyses and discovered two dysfunctional practices: leaders tend to (1) communicate visions without imagery and (2) over-utilize value-laden rhetoric
Discovering and Experiencing the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus.

ABSTRACT This paper is intended to offer calculus students and teachers the opportunity to motivate and discover the (first) Fundamental Theorem of Calculus in an experimental, experiential, inductive, intuitive, vernacular-based manner. Starting from the observation that a distance travelled at a constant speed corresponds to the area inside a rectangle, a precursor of the FTC is quickly and painlessly motivated and discovered. Its validity is then investigated both experimentally and theoretically. Once its plausibility is established, pictures and words are wedded to generalize this discovery to a standard statement of the fundamental theorem.
Microscale and Nanoscale Thermal Characterization Techniques

Miniaturization of electronic and optoelectronic devices and circuits and increased switching speeds have exasperated localized heating problems. Steady-state and transient characterization of temperature distribution in devices and interconnects is important for performance and reliability analysis. Novel devices based on nanowires, carbon nanotubes, and single molecules have feature sizes in 1–100 nm range, and precise temperature measurement and calibration are particularly challenging. In this paper we review various microscale and nanoscale thermal characterization techniques that could be applied to active and passive devices. Solid-state microrefrigerators on a chip can provide a uniform and localized temperature profile and they are used as a test vehicle in order to compare the resolution limits of various microscale techniques. After a brief introduction to conventional microthermocouples and thermistor sensors, various contact and contactless techniques will be reviewed. Infrared microscopy is based on thermal emission and it is a convenient technique that could be used with features tens of microns in size. Resolution limits due to low emissivity and transparency of various materials and issues related to background radiation will be discussed. Liquid crystals that change color due to phase transition have been widely used for hot spot identification in integrated circuit chips. The main problems are related to calibration and aging of the material. Micro-Raman is an optical method that can be used to measure absolute temperature. Micron spatial resolution with several degrees of temperature resolution has been achieved. Thermoreflectance technique is based on the change of the sample reflection coefficient as a function of temperature. This small change in 10−4–10−5 range per degree is typically detected using lock-in technique when the temperature of the device is cycled. Use of visible and near IR wavelength allows both top surface and through the substrate measurement. Both single point measurements using a scanning laser and imaging with charge coupled device or specialized lock-in cameras have been demonstrated. For ultrafast thermal decay measurement, pump-probe technique using nanosecond or femtosecond lasers has been demonstrated. This is typically used to measure thin film thermal diffusivity and thermal interface resistance. The spatial resolution of various optical techniques can be improved with the use of tapered fibers and near field scanning microscopy. While subdiffraction limit structures have been detected, strong attenuation of the signal reduces the temperature resolution significantly. Scanning thermal microscopy, which is based on nanoscale thermocouples at the tip of atomic force microscope, has had success in ultrahigh spatial resolution thermal mapping. Issues related to thermal resistance between the tip and the sample and parasitic heat transfer paths will be discussed.
Remotely measuring chlorophyll content in corn leaves with differing nitrogen levels and relative water content

Measuring a crop's physiological parameters provides information for interpreting its response to the environment. Remote sensing is quickly becoming recognized as a valuable tool that has the potential to assess a wide variety of physiological properties over a large area in a short amount of time. This study examined the relationship of corn (Zea mays L.) leaf spectral response to its chlorophyll content and relative water content. The effects of N stress and water stress were examined on each of these physiological parameters. Over the years, several spectral indices have been introduced for a wide variety of applications. A number of these indices were evaluated for their ability to predict the parameters in question. The normalized difference between the first derivatives at 525 and 570 nm, as well as the wavelength location of the red edge, showed a strong association with chlorophyll content (r 2 = 0.81 and 0.80, respectively). Even stronger relationships to chlorophyll content were observed with the ratios of 600/680 nm (r 2 = 0.83) and 630/680 nm (r 2 = 0.83). Thus, our results suggest that spectral reflectance measurements hold promise for the assessment of some physiological parameters at the leaf level. Further investigation is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of such techniques at the canopy level.
Surgical treatment of trauma-induced periodic alternating nystagmus

Abstract Purpose To report a new treatment for acquired periodic alternating nystagmus in which medical therapy with baclofen was not tolerated. Design Interventional case report and literature review. Intervention Simultaneous adjustable bilateral retroequatorial horizontal rectus muscle recessions. Main outcome measures Ocular alignment and ocular motility recordings. Results A 30-year-old man had blurred vision after an emergency left temporal craniotomy for gunshot wounds. Ophthalmologic examination revealed periodic alternating nystagmus that was documented by an infrared electronystagmogram. Baclofen was started but was not tolerated. Bilateral lateral and medial retroequatorial rectus muscle recessions were performed and were successful in the treatment of this patient. Conclusion Simultaneous bilateral retroequatorial horizontal rectus recessions may be an effective treatment for intractable acquired periodic alternating nystagmus.
Selective voting in convex-hull ensembles improves classification accuracy

Objective: Classification algorithms can be used to predict risks and responses of patients based on genomic and other high-dimensional data. While there is optimism for using these algorithms to improve the treatment of diseases, they have yet to demonstrate sufficient predictive ability for routine clinical practice. They generally classify all patients according to the same criteria, under an implicit assumption of population homogeneity. The objective here is to allow for population heterogeneity, possibly unrecognized, in order to increase classification accuracy and further the goal of tailoring therapies on an individualized basis. Methods and materials: A new selective-voting algorithm is developed in the context of a classifier ensemble of two-dimensional convex hulls of positive and negative training samples. Individual classifiers in the ensemble are allowed to vote on test samples only if those samples are located within or behind pruned convex hulls of training samples that define the classifiers. Results: Validation of the new algorithm's increased accuracy is carried out using two publicly available datasets having cancer as the outcome variable and expression levels of thousands of genes as predictors. Selective voting leads to statistically significant increases in accuracy from 86.0% to 89.8% (p<0.001) and 63.2% to 67.8% (p<0.003) compared to the original algorithm. Conclusion: Selective voting by members of convex-hull classifier ensembles significantly increases classification accuracy compared to one-size-fits-all approaches.
Nutritional status of folate and colon cancer risk: evidence from NHANES I epidemiologic follow-up study.

Abstract PURPOSE: This manuscript utilized the NHANES I Epidemiologic Follow-up Study (NHEFS), a national probability sample of the U.S. non-institutionalized population, to examine whether the intake of folate at baseline is associated with colon cancer risk. METHODS: The NHEFS consists of 14,407 subjects with 20 years of follow-up. Sociodemographic status, dietary information, family history of colon cancer, alcohol and aspirin use, smoking status, and body mass index (BMI) are included in the Cox proportional hazard model to examine confounding effects. RESULTS: After adjusting for confounders, a marginally significant association was observed between folate intake and reduced colon cancer risk. Gender and alcohol consumption appears to have an interactive effect with this association. The stratified results suggest that dietary folate is significantly inversely associated with colon cancer in men (relative risk (RR) = 0.40, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.18, 0.88) who consumed more than 249 μg/day of folate and that there is a significant dose-response relationship (p = 0.03). The association did not reach statistical significance in women. Using a composite dietary profile, we found that there is a significantly increased risk for men who consumed low-folate, low-methionine, and high alcohol diets when compared to male non-drinkers who consumed high-folate and high methionine diets (RR = 2.67, 95% CI = 1.16, 6.16). CONCLUSIONS: This study found significant association between folate intake and reduced colon cancer risk among men and non-drinkers, but not women or drinkers. The study supports a synergistic interaction between intakes of folate, methionine and alcohol and colon cancer risk.
Spin-valve effects in nickel/silicon/nickel junctions

We report on fabrication and characterization of a planar spin-valve device which has two sets of interdigited nanoscale Ni fingers as two electrodes in Schottky contact with Si. The finger width is 75 nm for one set and 150 nm for the other. A large length-to-width ratio of the fingers results in a single domain magnetization and a sharp magneto-resistance (MR) response. The switching field of the finger is determined by the finger width and spacing due to magnetostatic interaction. MR measurements reveal spin-valve effects in the Ni/Si/Ni junctions with MR changes of 0.3-0.6% at room temperature. The effects are discussed within a spin-valve model.