cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development of High-Spectral-Resolution Planar Laser-Induced Fluorescence Imaging Diagnostics for High-Speed Gas Flows

AEROSPACE LETTERS are brief communications (approximately 2000 words) that describe new and potentially important ideas or results, including critical analytical or experimental observations that justify rapid publication. They are stringently prescreened, and only a few are selected for rapid review by an Editor. They are published as soon as possible electronically and then appear in the print version of the journal.
Synthetic Biology: Advancing the Design of Diverse Genetic Systems

A major objective of synthetic biology is to make the process of designing genetically encoded biological systems more systematic, predictable, robust, scalable, and efficient. Examples of genetic systems in the field vary widely in terms of operating hosts, compositional approaches, and network complexity, ranging from simple genetic switches to search-and-destroy systems. While significant advances in DNA synthesis capabilities support the construction of pathway- and genome-scale programs, several design challenges currently restrict the scale of systems that can be reasonably designed and implemented. Thus, while synthetic biology offers much promise in developing systems to address challenges faced in the fields of manufacturing, environment and sustainability, and health and medicine, the realization of this potential is currently limited by the diversity of available parts and effective design frameworks. As researchers make progress in bridging this design gap, advances in the field hint at ever more diverse applications for biological systems.
Alkali resistance enhancement of basalt fibers by hydrated zirconia films formed by the sol-gel process

Basalt fibers were dip-coated in zirconium-n-propoxide, unstabilized or stabilized by chelation with ethyl acetoacetate. The thermal transformations of the hydrated zirconia coatings formed were investigated by dynamic x-ray diffraction and differential thermal analysis. The changes in the surface chemical compositions of coated and uncoated fibers, following alkali immersion extending to 90 days, were characterized by EDXA and IR spectral analysis. Fiber strengths were also measured after immersion in 0.1 M NaOH for different durations. It was found that the transition of the amorphous zirconia coating to the tetragonal crystalline phase is shifted to higher temperatures by chelation of the zirconium alkoxide. Alkali corrosion of the uncoated basalt fibers results in dissolution of the oxides of Si, Al, and Ca, and the formation of unsoluble hydroxides of Fe, Mg, and Ti from the chemical constituents of basalt. These reactions are suppressed by the protective zirconia coating on basalt fibers formed by the unstabilized zirconium alkoxide. However, the coating formed from zirconium propoxide stabilized by ethyl acetoacetate does not form an effective barrier against alkali attack since it is easily detached from the fiber surface during alkali immersion. The tensile strength of uncoated basalt fibers is drastically reduced by alkali attack. But the strength of zirconia-coated basalt fibers is maintained even after 90 days of alkali immersion. The vastly improved alkaline durability of the coated fibers shows the potential of zirconia-coated basalt fibers for cement reinforcement.
Intrauterine administration of plant oils inhibits luteolysis in the mare.

Summary Reasons for performing the study: The maternal recognition of pregnancy (MRP) signal in the mare has not been determined, although oestrogens have been proposed as a potential candidate. Objectives: To determine effects of intrauterine administration of oestrogen and various oils on cyclic luteolysis in the mare. Hypothesis: Intrauterine oestradiol or fatty acids may suppress luteolysis in the cycling mare when administered during late dioestrus. Methods: A single 1 ml dose of slow-release oestradiol (10 mg/ml) in fractionated coconut oil was infused into the uterine lumen of cycling mares on Days 6, 8, 10, 12 or 14 post ovulation (n = 12 in each group). Four further groups, each of 12 mares, received an intrauterine infusion of either 1 ml of fractionated coconut oil, peanut oil, mineral oil or a slow-release preparation of oestradiol (10 mg/ml) in mineral oil on Day 10 post ovulation. Serial blood samples were assayed for progesterone concentrations to monitor luteal function. Results: Intrauterine administration of oestradiol in fractionated coconut oil showed peak efficacy at Day 10 when luteolysis was delayed in 11/12 (92%) mares. The ability of the treatment to delay luteolysis was not significantly different when administered on Days 8 (9/12; 75%), 12 (10/12; 83%) or 14 (6/12; 50%) of dioestrus, but declined significantly when given on Day 6 (3/12; 25%). Oestradiol was not needed to initiate luteostasis since fractionated coconut oil alone or peanut oil administered at Day 10 induced the same high rate of luteal persistence (11/12; 92% for both oils). In contrast, mineral oil did not prolong luteal lifespan, either when administered alone (2/12; 17%) or combined with oestradiol (3/12; 25%). Conclusion: These results do not unequivocally rule out a possible involvement of embryonic oestrogens in MRP in the mare but suggest it is unlikely. The results demonstrate that plant oils can postpone luteolysis, suggesting they may modulate synthesis or release of prostaglandins from the mare's endometrium. Potential relevance: Administration of fractionated coconut or peanut oil on Day 10 post ovulation provides an effective and practical method of prolonging luteal function (‘pseudopregnancy’) thereby suppressing unwanted oestrous behaviour. Further studies to elucidate the mechanism by which this is achieved may increase understanding of both luteostasis and MRP signal in the mare.
Second-look laparotomy in ovarian cancer: Evaluation of pathologic variables

From 1977 through 1982, 135 patients with ovarian cancer, having a mean age of. 53.7 years and no clinical evidence of disease after approximately 1 year of treatment, underwent a “second-look” laparotomy. Of the 135 patients, 58 (43%) had histologic confirmation of disease at the second-look procedure. Persistent disease was positively correlated with the original stage and negatively correlated with the extent of the original reductive surgery. The original histologic grade or cellular subtype did not significantly influence the findings at reexploration. Patient survival, as judged by percentage of patients alive 3 years after the second-look laparotomy, was dependent on the following surgical/pathologic parameters; tumor size at reexploration, peritoneal cytologic features, residual tumor after reexploration, and histologic grade.
Learning in Government Agencies: The Bureau of Land Management National Training Center

T he Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages about 245 million acres of public lands for multi- ple uses throughout the western United States and Alaska. Of this total acreage, the BLM administers livestock grazing on about 157 million acres. To manage and administer the rangeland management program, the BLM em- ploys specialists that have some combination of technical and/ or administrative responsibilities. Depending on their functions and duties, some positions are classi ed in a professional series and require a degree in rangeland management or a closely re- lated eld, whereas other positions do not have an education requirement. Regardless of a position’s educational requirement, all BLM employees involved in the rangeland management pro- gram bene t from additional or specialized training. The BLM’s National Training Center (NTC) located in Phoenix, Arizona provides this bene t. The NTC does not duplicate training that can be obtained at a college or university. Instead the NTC sup- plements what is taught at the university by providing training that is tailored to meet BLM’s need to have employees that are versed in BLM’s roles, responsibilities, procedures, and authori- ties so that they are fully capable of implementing a successful rangeland management program in concert with multiple other uses on the BLM’s vast western holdings. DOI: 10.2458/azu_rangelands_v34i3_Draper
Molecular distortion and ferroelasticity in K2Hg(CN)4 investigated by Raman scattering

Abstract The results of the temperature dependence of the Raman spectrum in K2Hg(CN)4 indicate that a trigonal distortion of the Hg(CN)=4 ions exists in the room-temperature phase and thus its crystal structure is not cubic as previously reported. The ferroelasticity of the low-temperature phase and the phase transition at 110.5 K are apparently triggered by the molecular distortion.
Association between Functional Severity and Amputation Type with Rehabilitation Outcomes in Patients with Lower Limb Amputation

The purpose of this study was to determine independent influences of functional level and lower limb amputation type on inpatient rehabilitation outcomes. We conducted a secondary data analysis for patients with lower limb amputation who received inpatient medical rehabilitation (N = 26,501). The study outcomes included length of stay, discharge functional status, and community discharge. Predictors included the 3-level case mix group variable and a 4-category amputation variable. Age of the sample was 64.5 years (13.4) and 64% were male. More than 75% of patients had a dysvascular-related amputation. Patients with bilateral transfemoral amputations and higher functional severity experienced longest lengths of stay (average 13.7 days) and lowest functional rating at discharge (average 79.4). Likelihood of community discharge was significantly lower for those in more functionally severe patients but did not differ between amputation categories. Functional levels and amputation type are associated with rehabilitation outcomes in inpatient rehabilitation settings. Patients with transfemoral amputations and those in case mix group 1003 (admission motor score less than 36.25) generally experience poorer outcomes than those in other case mix groups. These relationships may be associated with other demographic and/or health factors, which should be explored in future research.
Cluster formation as a measure of interpretability in multiple testing.

Multiple test procedures are usually compared on various aspects of error control and power. Power is measured as some function of the number of false hypotheses correctly identified as false. However, given equal numbers of rejected false hypotheses, the pattern of rejections, i.e. the particular set of false hypotheses identified, may be crucial in interpreting the results for potential application. In an important area of application, comparisons among a set of treatments based on random samples from populations, two different approaches, cluster analysis and model selection, deal implicitly with such patterns, while traditional multiple testing procedures generally focus on the outcomes of subset and pairwise equality hypothesis tests, without considering the overall pattern of results in comparing methods. An important feature involving the pattern of rejections is their relevance for dividing the treatments into distinct subsets based on some parameter of interest, for example their means. This paper introduces some new measures relating to the potential of methods for achieving such divisions. Following Hartley (1955), sets of treatments with equal parameter values will be called clusters. Because it is necessary to distinguish between clusters in the populations and clustering in sample outcomes, the population clusters will be referred to as P-clusters; any related concepts defined in terms of the sample outcome will be referred to with the prefix outcome. Outcomes of multiple comparison procedures will be studied in terms of their probabilities of leading to separation of treatments into outcome clusters, with various measures relating to the number of such outcome clusters and the proportion of true vs. false outcome clusters. The definitions of true and false outcome clusters and related concepts, and the approach taken here, is in the tradition of hypothesis testing with attention to overall error control and power, but with added consideration of cluster separation potential. The pattern approach will be illustrated by comparing two methods with apparent FDR control but with different ways of ordering outcomes for potential significance: The original Benjamini-Hochberg (1995) procedure (BH), and the Newman-Keuls (Newman, 1939; Keuls, 1952) procedure (NK).
Marital Patterns and Use of Mother Tongue at Home among Native-Born Asian Americans

This article examines marital patterns and use of mother tongue at home among native-born Asian Americans using the 2005-2007 American Community Survey 3-Year Public Use Microdata Sample. There are variations in mother-tongue use across Asian ethnic groups, but variations among different types of marriage are even greater. Those who marry within their ethnicity (in-married) have a greater likelihood of mother-tongue use at home than those who intermarry. Among the in-married, those having 1.5- and first-generation co-ethnic spouses are far more likely to use a mother tongue than those having native-born, co-ethnic partners. Results of logistic regression analyses indicate that marital patterns are the strongest predictor of mother-tongue use at home, and that ethnic variations in mother-tongue use are significantly reduced when marital patterns are taken into account.
A MULTISCALE FRAMEWORK FOR CHARACTERIZATION AND MODELING DUCTILE FRACTURE IN HETEROGENEOUS ALUMINUM ALLOYS

This paper develops three components contributing to the overall framework of multiscale modeling of ductile fracture in aluminum alloys. The first module is morphology-based domain partitioning (MDP) as a pre-processor to the multiscale modeling. This module delineates regions of statistical homogeneity and inhomogeneity with a systematic three-step process that is based on geometric features of morphology. The second module is detailed micromechanical analysis of particle fragmentation and matrix cracking of heterogeneous microstructures. A locally enriched VCFEM or LE-VCFEM is developed to incorporate ductile failure through matrix cracking in the form of void growth and coalescence using nonlocal Gurson–Tvergaard–Needleman (GTN) model. The third module develops a homogenized anisotropic plasticity-damage model in the form of GTN model for macroscopic analysis. Parameters in this GTN model are calibrated from results of homogenization of microstructural variables obtained from microstructural RVE. Numerical examples elucidate the strength of components of the overall framework.
The separation procedure

The various stages of the separation are carefully planned but despite this, variations which will change the schedule of the procedure may exist. In general the operation commences on the opposite side from the main procedure and then the twins are turned for the remainder of the operation. Each type of conjoined twin is different but basically thoracopagus involves the hearts, omphalopagus involves the liver and small intestine and ischiopagus involves the large intestine and genito-urinary system. Our results are presented together with interesting cases from which lessons have been learned.
Suprapubic bladder tap aspiration in an elderly female.

Abstract Suprapubic bladder aspiration is a rarely used technique for obtaining urine samples in the adult Emergency Department (ED). We report a case of an elderly woman in whom suprapubic aspiration (SPA) was safely performed using bedside ultrasound guidance. More conventional urine collection methods were precluded by the constraint on positioning imposed by the patient’s flexion contractures. Ultrasound-guided SPA is a safe technique, that probably should be employed more frequently in the adult ED.
Use of Long Rods and a Short Arthrodesis for Burst Fractures of the Thoracolumbar Spine. A Long-Term Follow-up Study

Thirteen patients who had a burst fracture of the thoracolumbar spine (the twelfth thoracic to the fifth lumbar vertebra) were managed with the use of long rods and a short arthrodesis (the so-called rod-long, fuse-short technique). The patients were followed for an average of seventy-four months (range, thirty-four to 118 months). Six months after the operation, the rods were removed and the fusion mass was explored. At that time, twelve patients had a solid fusion at all levels of the arthrodesis. Of the eighty-eight facet joints that had been spanned by the rods but had not been included in the arthrodesis, two had nevertheless progressed to fusion, as determined radiographically. Physiological motion was present in forty-three of the forty-four segments for which a fusion had not been intended. Before the operation, the average anterior height of the fractured vertebrae was 61 per cent of the estimated height before the injury; this improved after the operation to an average of 83 per cent (median, 87 per cent) of the height before the injury. At the latest follow-up examination, the anterior height was an average of 78 per cent of the estimated height before the injury (median, 82 per cent; range, 51 to 93 per cent), a slight decrease compared with the value immediately after the operation. Kyphosis of the injured segment before the operation, measured for twelve of the thirteen patients, averaged 15 degrees (median, 12 degrees; range, 0 to 33 degrees); as a result of the operation, this improved an average of 15 degrees, to 0 degrees of kyphosis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Contrasting Restructuring in Denmark and the American Midwest

Abstract Danish Journal of Geography 96: 81–94, 1996. Since the beginning of the 1980s, the global economy has undergone a number of sweeping changes. This paper compares the experiences of two regions undergoing restructuring as part of this global shift, Denmark and the state of Indiana in the American Midwest. The distinct cultural histories of Denmark and Indiana have resulted in dramatically different forms of restructuring in the two regions: high wage, lower employment negotiated restructuring in Denmark and low wage, higher employment neo-liberal restructuring in Indiana. The comparison serves to underline the economic, social, and political characteristics of each approach.
Automated guidance for student inquiry.

In 4 classroom experiments we investigated uses for technologies that automatically score student generated essays, concept diagrams, and drawings in inquiry curricula. We used the automatic scores to assign typical and research-based guidance and studied the impact of the guidance on student progress. Seven teachers and their 897 students participated. We documented the impact of guidance using pretests, embedded assessments, posttests, logged computer interaction data, and student and teacher interviews. We compared guidance designed to promote knowledge integration to 3 alternatives typically used in middle school classrooms. The knowledge integration guidance was more effective than generic guidance and specific guidance, and as effective as guidance designed by experienced teachers who also participated in professional development that emphasized knowledge integration. Results suggest that using automatic scores to assign knowledge integration guidance can provide an inquiry teaching partner: this guidance helps students use evidence to sort out ideas and can free teachers to support students who need extra help. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)
ERYTHROBLASTOSIS FETALIS: IV. Further Observations on Kernicterus

The clinical syndrome of kernicterus in erythroblastosis fetalis is reviewed. Data are presented which indicate that there is a tendency for the familial occurrence of kernicterus in siblings. Kernicterus is shown to be directly related to the intensity of maternal sensitization, and to the degree of immaturity of the infant. It is more common in male infants than in female. Evidence is presented that the occurrence of kernicterus in a baby with erythroblastosis fetalis cannot be accurately predicted on the basis of degree of clinical illness at birth, nor on the basis of laboratory examination of the baby9s blood at birth. The possible relationship of kernicterus to hyperbilirubinemia and to other predisposing factors in erythroblastosis fetalis is discussed.
Value of Academic Grades in Estimating Student Teaching Success

Abstract A comparison was made between academic grades and student teaching grades to determine the value of academic grades in estimating student teaching success of male students majoring in physical education at the University of California, Los Angeles. Analytical tools used in this study were student (Fisher) t ratios and variance ratios. Scholarship record achievement levels for admission to the student teaching program were established for male subjects.
Would Increased Regulation Reduce the Number of Information Breaches

Private Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is increasingly stored and lost by a variety of organizations. The retail, healthcare, technology, banking, and gaming industries as well as many government agencies have been particularly hard hit by high visibility security breaches that compromised millions of individual's records. Decisions to protect information are not always based on good risk management practices and can often be affected by the need to comply with an industry or government regulation. We examine the effectiveness of regulation within several industries to determine whether increased regulation would result in a reduction in information compromises.
Macro vs. Micro? Arguing for the Whole and Not the Chunk!

Has micro-designing of online courses in higher education become more important than macro-designing the online course? Has chunking of content surpassed the need to be holistic enabling deep learning and comprehension? This discussive position paper offers an insight into macro and micro designing of online courses in contemporary higher education, with able support from two case studies and Reigeluth's elaboration theory.
A Dermestid, Trogoderma glabrum, Infests Comb Honey

Reports of unusual damage by an insect to comb honey were received initially in June 1966, from Osage County, Kans. Upon examination, it was apparent that the damage was caused by some larvae other than those of wax moths.
Shadow Banking in China: Implications for Financial Stability and Macroeconomic Rebalancing

Shadow banks have grown exponentially in China since 2008 and their impacts on financial stability and real economic growth are highly controversial. This article analyzes the trend, operations, and causes of the surge in shadow banking institutions and activities. In addition, the article investigates the financial and “real” impacts of the shadow banks. Regarding financial impacts, the article discusses the potential risks at the institutional and systemic levels. Given the interconnectedness between shadow banks and the formal banking sector, risks in the shadow banks can easily be transmitted to the major commercial banks. On the one hand, albeit the potential risks, the article finds that the Chinese banking sector is unlikely to encounter a crisis, given the current structure of the Chinese banking system and regulatory framework. On the other hand, despite much lauded “contributions” of shadow banks to the real economy, especially small- and medium-sized enterprises, the article argues that the ben...
A physics-based intravascular ultrasound image reconstruction method for lumen segmentation

Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) refers to the medical imaging technique consisting of a miniaturized ultrasound transducer located at the tip of a catheter that can be introduced in the blood vessels providing high-resolution, cross-sectional images of their interior. Current methods for the generation of an IVUS image reconstruction from radio frequency (RF) data do not account for the physics involved in the interaction between the IVUS ultrasound signal and the tissues of the vessel. In this paper, we present a novel method to generate an IVUS image reconstruction based on the use of a scattering model that considers the tissues of the vessel as a distribution of three-dimensional point scatterers. We evaluated the impact of employing the proposed IVUS image reconstruction method in the segmentation of the lumen/wall interface on 40MHz IVUS data using an existing automatic lumen segmentation method. We compared the results with those obtained using the B-mode reconstruction on 600 randomly selected frames from twelve pullback sequences acquired from rabbit aortas and different arteries of swine. Our results indicate the feasibility of employing the proposed IVUS image reconstruction for the segmentation of the lumen. HighlightsA method for generating an alternative IVUS images reconstruction is proposed.The method takes into consideration the physics of the interactions between the ultrasound wave and the tissues of the vessel.The proposed reconstruction could improve the results of existing automatic segmentation methods.
Assessing Quality of Care for the Myelodysplastic Syndromes

Measuring the quality of care for patients with chronic cancers is difficult, especially for heterogeneous malignancies such as the myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). Recent work suggests that improvements may be needed in the quality of diagnostic, treatment, and end-of-life care for patients with these syndromes. Moreover, rigorous assessment of factors that are necessary to deliver high-quality care such as preferred method of decision-making and pre-treatment quality of life are often overlooked. Finally, a key component of quality care is that it is received equitably across different patient populations, yet several recent studies suggest that there are financial, educational, race-ethnic, and age-related barriers to equitable MDS care.
Management of Benign Pleural Effusions Using Indwelling Pleural Catheters: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Background The indwelling pleural catheter (IPC), which was initially introduced for the management of recurrent malignant effusions, could be a valuable management option for recurrent benign pleural effusion (BPE), replacing chemical pleurodesis. The purpose of this study is to analyze the efficacy and safety of IPC use in the management of refractory nonmalignant effusions. Methods We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis on the published literature. Retrospective cohort studies, case series, and reports that used IPCs for the management of pleural effusion were included in the study. Results Thirteen studies were included in the analysis, with a total of 325 patients. Congestive heart failure (49.8%) was the most common cause of BPE requiring IPC placement. The estimated average rate of spontaneous pleurodesis was 51.3% (95% CI, 37.1%-65.6%). The estimated average rate of all complications was 17.2% (95% CI, 9.8%-24.5%) for the entire group. The estimated average rate of major complications included the following: empyema, 2.3% (95% CI, 0.0%-4.7%); loculation, 2.0% (95% CI, 0.0%-4.7%); dislodgement, 1.3% (95% CI, 0.0%-3.7%); leakage, 1.3% (95% CI, 0.0%-3.5%); and pneumothorax, 1.2% (95% CI, 0.0%-4.1%). The estimated average rate of minor complications included the following: skin infection, 2.7% (95% CI, 0.6%-4.9%); blockage and drainage failure, 1.1% (95% CI, 0.0%-3.5%); subcutaneous emphysema, 1.1% (95% CI, 0.0%-4.0%); and other, 2.5% (95% CI, 0.0%-5.2%). One death was directly related to IPC use. Conclusions IPCs are an effective and viable option in the management of patients with refractory BPE. The quality of evidence to support IPC use for BPE remains low, and high-quality studies such as randomized controlled trials are needed.
A 13C and 15N Solid State NMR Study of the Reactions of Acetone Oxime Adsorbed on FeZSM-5

The reactions of acetone oxime, a proposed reaction intermediate for the SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) of NO with propane on FeZSM-5, have been studied with 13C and 15N solid state MAS NMR (magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance). FeZSM-5 with three different loading levels was prepared by the sublimation method. The thermal reactions of acetone [2-13C] oxime adsorbed on FeZSM-5 samples with different iron loadings were monitored by 13C MAS NMR by heating to the desired temperature and then cooling to room temperature for data acquisition. For the sample with the lowest iron loading (Fe/Al = 0.11), acetic acid and N-methyl-2-propanamine were formed by the decomposition of acetone oxime. For the samples with the higher iron loadings (Fe/Al = 0.69 and 0.91), acetone, N,N′-methyl-2,2-propanediamine, and N-methyl-2-propanimine were formed by the decomposition of acetone oxime. 15N MAS NMR was used to investigate reactions of 15NO and acetone oxime on the FeZSM-5 samples. The formation of gas phase N2 and N2O was observed.
Abstract P253: Proton Pump Inhibitor Use is Positively Associated with Incidence of Cardiovascular Disease

Introduction: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are used by an estimated 29 million Americans. PPIs increase the levels of asymmetrical dimethylarginine, a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease ...
Action of Mutagenic Agents

The biochemical processes which ensure the stability of genetic material transmitted from one generation to another are complex. A delicate balance exists between the fidelity and stability of this material which enables organisms to proliferate in their environment. Unfortunately, widespread use has been made of both man-made and naturally occurring chemical formulations which can interfere with these genetic processes. There is growing concern that these agents may be significantly contributing to the health burden of man by increasing the frequency of genetic diseases.
Incidence and Duration of Urinary Catheters in Hospitalized Older Adults Before and After Implementing a Geriatric Protocol

This study examined the incidence and duration of urinary catheters in acute care older adults before and after the implementation of a protocol developed to make clinicians aware of the appropriate use of catheters and the parameters for catheter removal. A total of 187 patients (99 pre-intervention, 88 post-intervention) age 65 and older admitted to a community hospital were assessed for the insertion of an indwelling urinary catheter using retrospective record review. A significant reduction was found in the incidence of indwelling urinary catheters in the post-intervention sample (from 33% to 15.3%, p = 0.006). There was a 20.4% reduction in the mean duration of urinary catheterization (from 4.9 days to 3.9 days). The catheter device-days were significantly reduced (from 136 to 44, p < 0.000). This study supports the use of a nurse-driven protocol to reduce the incidence of catheterization and improve the quality of care for hospitalized older adults.
Corporate goodness and profit warnings

Is a firm that is known for positively engaging stakeholders expected to voluntarily disclose bad financial news? If it makes the announcement, does its corporate goodness help to mitigate the stock price reaction? We examine these issues using a sample of profit warnings, and a sample of firms with negative earnings surprises that did not warn. Firms that have positive corporate social responsibility ratings are more likely to provide earnings warnings than other firms. When they do provide a profit warning, the event negative abnormal returns are of significantly smaller magnitude than the returns of other firms providing warnings. This effect does not occur for social firms that decide not to warn. They suffer the same negative stock price impact on the earnings announcement day as other firms.
The Effect of Grain Size on the Corrosion Behavior of Mg-RE Alloy ZE10A

Mg-RE alloy Electron717 (ZE10A, UNS M11600) has a nominal composition of 1.2wt % Zn, 0.25wt% Zr, <0.5%Zr, 0.007wt%Mn, 0.004wt %Fe, 0.001wt%Ni and balance Mg. The alloy was investigated in three different heat-treated conditions such as (1) as received (AR) (average grain size dav = 7.90 µm), (2) solution treated at 525°C for 8 hours (ST8 with dav: 26.24 µm) and (3) solution treated at 525°C for 24 hours (ST24 with dav: 41.37 µm). Anodic and cathodic polarizations were carried out in three different electrolytes (pH unadjusted) such as: a) 0.6M NaCl, b) 0.5M NaNO3, and c) 0.1 M Na2SO4. The results are compared with commercial purity magnesium with an average grain size of 16 μm. The effect of grain size on the corrosion rate was observed for ZE10A alloy in the 0.1 M NaNO3 solution. Increase in the grain size increased the corrosion current density. The grain size effect diminished when polarized to high anodic potentials. Commercial purity magnesium showed lower corrosion current density than the ZE10A specimens in all the solutions tested in this study.
Fundamentals of Glass Handling

Since you have been kind enough to include me in your conference program, I feel it in order to make clear what my activities on behalf of Owens-Illinois have to do with your areas of responsibility in the citrus industry. For better than 30 years, I have been a part of a department in the Glass Container Division of Owens-Illinois whose responsibility is to concern itself with problems that relate to the use or performance of what we make. This operation handles customer problems relating to product preservation and container handling. In addition, we design, build, lease and occasionally sell specialized glass packing equipment.Paper published with permission.Compilation Copyright © 2018 ASME
Assessing hearing and cognition challenges in consumer processing of televised risk information: Validation of self-reported measures using performance indicators.

Public health researchers face important challenges if they wish to include measures of hearing or cognitive ability in risk communication studies. We sought validity evidence for self-report measures of hearing and cognitive ability by comparing those measures to performance-based measures and risk information recall. We measured hearing ability (with audiologist-assisted assessment and self report), cognitive ability (with an established performance task and self report), and reactions to direct-to-consumer prescription drug promotion with adults 18 and older (n = 1064) in North Carolina, USA, in 2017. We found moderate correspondence between self-reported hearing loss and audiologist-assessed hearing loss. Both measures also showed a small negative association with recall of presented risk information. Cognitive ability results suggested less substantial correspondence between self report and performance task and the measures differed in predicting risk recall. Our results suggested a moderately efficient measure for hearing ability for research on risk information exposure and retention, and yet also suggested the need for caution regarding future use of self-reported cognitive ability as a substitute for a performance-based measure.
Molecular and Chemical Analysis of Signal Perception by Agrobacterium

Signal perception in the Agrobacterium:plant cell interaction leading to vir gene activation involves at least two gene products, ChvE and VirA. The working model is that the periplasmically localized ChvE protein, upon recognizing certain sugars, interacts with the VirA protein found in the inner membrane, increasing its sensitivity to phenolics such as acetosyringone. Using site specific mutagenesis and recently described phenolic derivatives that are inhibitors of vir gene induction we are testing the hypothesis that VirA is the phenolic binding protein. We have found that mutations in VirA that lie outside the predicted ChvE binding domain drastically alter the sensitivity of the system to phenolics, most likely by affecting the transduction of the ChvE mediated information. In addition we have utilized radiolabelled α-bromoacetophenones that are known to be specific, irreversible inhibitors of vir induction, as affinity labels to identify possible phenolic binding proteins.
2 – Sources, Production, and Regulation of Allochthonous Dissolved Organic Matter Inputs to Surface Waters

Publisher Summary The objective of this chapter is to examine and synthesize the published literature with respect to the sources and production of terrestrially derived Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC), its relationship with Dissolved Organic Nitrogen (DON), and the mechanistic controls on their export from terrestrial ecosystems to surface waters. Allochthonous dissolved organic matter is a source of organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur to aquatic systems that is derived from the surrounding terrestrial ecosystem. Dissolved Organic Matter (DOM) is produced as precipitation moves through the atmosphere, washes through vegetation, infiltrates the soil organic horizon, and percolates downward through mineral soil horizons. Organic forms of carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorus contribute to bulk DOM. The contribution of mineral soil solution DOM to allochthonous inputs will depend on: (1) watershed slope, (2) depth of water table, (3) antecedent soil moisture, and (4) barriers to organic soil solution infiltration of the mineral soil. Delivery of terrestrially derived DOC and DON to the surface waters depends on the balance between production and loss from solution, and the opportunity for hydrological transport. Large fluxes of atlochthonous DOM to surface waters occur when there is a barrier precluding water infiltration of the soil column. Saturated soils— such as wetlands and peatlands also tend to produce runoff with higher DOC concentrations.
Eight-Fold Path to Marxism and Back

This paper analyses eight paths leading to establishment of a Marxist thought-process in a person. It also enumerates the ways that lead a thinking Marxist out of this affliction.
Disparities in intimate partner violence prenatal counseling: setting a baseline for the implementation of the Guidelines for Women's Preventive Services.

Prenatal health care counseling is associated with positive health outcomes for mothers and infants. Moreover, pregnant women are considered a vulnerable population at risk of being victims of intimate partner violence. Pregnancy provides a unique opportunity to identify and refer women experiencing intimate partner violence to community resources; however, in prior research, most women reported that their prenatal care providers did not talk to them about intimate partner violence. Given the importance for providers to offer prenatal health care counseling on intimate partner violence, it is concerning that there is scant knowledge on Asian, Native Hawaiian, and other Pacific Islander mothers' experiences in this area. The study's objectives were (a) to determine the proportion of mothers who received prenatal health care counseling on intimate partner violence; and, (b) to examine racial differences of those who received prenatal health care counseling on intimate partner violence. Hawai'i's Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) data from 2004-08 were analyzed for 8,120 mothers with information on receipt of intimate partner violence prenatal health care counseling. Overall, 47.7% of mothers were counseled on intimate partner violence. Compared to Whites, Native Hawaiians, Japanese, Chinese, and Koreans were significantly less likely to report receiving prenatal health care counseling in intimate partner violence, but the opposite association was observed for Samoans. Intimate partner violence continues to be a significant problem for women, thus, this study's findings may be used as important baseline data to measure the progress made given the implementation of the new Guidelines for Women's Preventive Services in intimate partner violence screening and counseling. Language: en
Validity of the Sock Test for Sitting Balance: A Functional Sitting Balance Assessment

This paper summarizes the results of a study of the discriminant and concurrent validity of a functional sitting balance assessment tool, the Sock Test for Sitting Balance. This instrument was designed by OTs for use in the acute-care setting. Results of the study confirms the tool’s discriminant validity, advances concurrent validity, and includes normative data. Results of the study are interpreted through the lens of balance theory and the theory of Occupational Adaptation. Primary Author and Speaker: Ingrid Franc Contributing Authors: Mary Baxter
Transcriptional Mapping of T Cell Memory Reveals That Chronic Viral Infection Arrests Memory Differentiation.

Human T cells responding to cancer and chronic viral infection are dysfunctional and ineffective. In contrast, T cells responding to acute viral infection provide highly-effective long-term immunity. The basis for this difference is not known. However understanding the T cell defects in cancer and chronic viral diseases is critical to optimizing immunotherapy for these diseases. We hypothesized that it is impaired differentiation of naive T cells into memory T cells that causes the dysfunctional response in cancer and chronic viral infection, because of a high, persistent antigen load. To test this hypothesis, we studied CD8 T cell memory differentiation in 2 murine models of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infection: an acute infection in which virus-specific T cells are fully functional; and a chronic infection model in which T cells are dysfunctional. In order to define how the defective T cells in chronic infection differ from fully-functional T cells in acute infection, we generated gene expression profiles from naive (day 0), effector (day 7 [d7]) and memory (day 30 [d30]) T cells using oligonucleotide microarrays. In acute infection, these differentiation states were so distinct that 100% of naive, effector and memory T cell samples could be correctly classified, using a k-Nearest Neighbor prediction classifier (kNN) with leave-one-out cross validation. Next, we determined where d30 T cells from chronic infection lay relative to the “differentiation-space” of acute infection. None of the d30 T cell samples from the chronic model were classified as memory by kNN prediction; instead, all were misclassified as effectors, i.e. at an earlier stage of differentiation. However, d30 T cells from chronic infection were not simply persistent effectors. Direct comparison of chronic d30 T cells with d7 effectors revealed marked differences in gene expression pattern. This suggests that the dysfunctional chronic d30 cells had adopted a discrete differentiation state similar to, but distinct from, effectors. Lastly, we identified biologically-related sets of genes that were enriched in naive-to-memory differentiation in acute, but not chronic infection, using gene-set enrichment analysis. In the acute model, Stat-5 target genes were significantly enriched in memory cells relative to naive cells (p=0.004 by permutation testing). In contrast, Stat-5 target genes were far less enriched in d30 T cells from the chronically-infected model. Our results show that T cells exposed to high, persistent antigen-load fail to complete normal memory differentiation and are arrested in a distinct, effector-like phase, which is characterized by reduced Stat-5 signaling. We are currently mapping memory T cell differentiation in humans to determine if a similar molecular basis explains the T cell defects seen in cancer and chronic viral infection. Mapping the memory differentiation states of antigen-specific T cells will provide a novel approach to interrogating the efficacy of immunotherapies for cancer and chronic viral infections in humans.
Frozen Bodies: animating the Franklin Relics through Lieutenant John P. Cheyne’s stereoscopic photographs and Charles Dickens’s The Frozen Deep

Bits and buttons keep turning up in a trail of Victorian breadcrumbs strewn across the tundra. Some artifacts, like files and tins, have been repurposed by the Inuit as sledge runners and knives, a...
Micro-Scale 2D Thermal Gradiometer

We investigate thin film thermocouples (TFTC) as thermal gradient sensors at the micro-scale and using thermocouples perpendicular to each other with separation distances of 20- $100~\mu \text{m}$ . Pairs of ${x}$ -direction and $y$ -direction thermocouples sense the thermal gradient while another calibrates the Seebeck coefficient to be S = 22.27 ± $0.01\mu$ V/K. The smallest detectable temperature difference is 10mK, and the sensitivity is 0.5/ $\mu$ m. The minimal Johnson-noise limited performance for thermocouple devices with typical integrated-circuit dimensions is 1.4 nV/ $\sqrt{{\mathrm {Hz}}}$ . Our design further reduces the number of leads L needed to measure N thermocouples to $L=N$ and allows direct measurement of thermal gradient instead of interpolation. Our design implements a local metal layer A at the gradiometer distinct from an extended metal layer B. This design is robust against any erroneous Seebeck contribution caused by minor film thickness variations in the extended leads. This device can be applied for embedded thermal management systems that require high resolution and rapid-response thermal management, such as stacked three-dimensional (3D) integrated circuits.
Compartmental Force and Contact Location Sensing in Instrumented Total Knee Replacements

For the past three decades, total knee replacement has become the main solution for progressed knee injuries and diseases. Due to a lack of postoperative in vivo data, a universal correlation between intra- and postoperative soft tissue balance in the knee joint has not been established. In this work, an instrumented knee implant design with six piezoelectric transducers embedded in the tibial bearing is proposed. The aim of the presented device is to measure the total and compartmental forces as well as to track the location of contact points on the medial and lateral compartments of the bearing. A numerical analysis using finite element software is first performed to obtain the best sensory system arrangement inside the bearing. The chosen design is then used to fabricate a prototype of the device. Several experiments are designed and performed using the prototype, and the ability of the proposed system to track the location and magnitude of applied compartmental forces on the bearing is evaluated. The experimental results show that the instrumented knee bearing is able to accurately measure the compartmental force quantities with a maximum error of 2.6% of the peak axial load, and the contact point locations with a maximum error of less than 1 mm.
Clinical Outcomes of Patients with Porcelain Gallbladder Diagnosed on CT

Purpose To evaluate diagnostic accuracy and clinical outcomes of patients with porcelain gallbladder (GB) diagnosed on CT. Materials and Methods In this IRB-approved, HIPAA-compliant study, consecutive patients with porcelain gallbladder reported on CT between December 1, 2000 and August 31, 2017 in a tertiary academic center were included. Two radiologists independently reviewed CT images and confirmed presence of porcelain gallbladder. Discrepant cases were reviewed by a third reader with 15 years of experience in abdominal imaging. Porcelain gallbladder diagnosis was confirmed by surgery/pathology or follow-up imaging. Results Porcelain gallbladder was reported in 133 CT studies. Radiologist review and pathology results confirmed porcelain gallbladder in 90/133 (68%) patients (age 71.6 ± 13.8 years, 57% female). One third (42/133; 32%) of CT reports were false positive; 1/133 (1%) remained indeterminate. Frequent pitfalls included: stones filling the whole gallbladder lumen in 39/43 (91%), sludge in 3/43 (7%) and mucosal enhancement in 2/43 (5%). In 5/90 (6%) patients, concurrent gallbladder cancer was noted on the initial CT scan. No patient developed subsequent gallbladder cancer during 6.6 ± 4.6 years of follow-up. One third (30/90, 33%) of patients with porcelain gallbladder have deceased during the follow-up period, all from unrelated causes. Conclusion At the time of presentation with porcelain gallbladder, 6% of patients had concurrent gallbladder cancer. No patient with porcelain gallbladder alone diagnosed on CT developed gallbladder cancer during a follow-up of 6.6 ± 4.6 years. Porcelain gallbladder is overcalled on CT, with frequent pitfalls including gallstones filling the whole gallbladder lumen, sludge, and wall enhancement.