cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
MALTREATMENT OF CHILDREN THE BATTERED CHILD SYNDROME

In February 1966, the Committee on Infant and Preschool Child published a statement concerning the status of the problem of the battered child. The present Committee has reevaluated the statement in light of increased knowledge and experience over the past 6 years. The 1966 statement concerned itself primarily with two issues: (1) a historical review and definition of the battered child syndrome, and (2) discussion and recommendations concerning identification and protection of the abused child. While a great deal of study and activity has taken place with regard to the problem of the battered child and there have been some positive results (e.g., every state in the union now has some form of reporting mechanism of the suspected or proven case of child abuse), the consensus of the Committee and its consultants is that the total problem has become magnified and is uncontrolled by present methods of management. The Committee reaffirms and supports the following recommendations of the 1966 report: 1. Physicians should continue to be required to report suspected instances of child abuse immediately to the agency legally charged with the responsibility of investigating child abuse, preferably the county or state department of welfare or health or its local representatives, or to the nearest law enforcement agency. 2. The responsible agency must have ample personnel and resources to take action immediately on receipt of the report. 3. Reported cases should be evaluated promptly, and appropriate service should be provided for the child and family. 4. The child should be protected by the agency by continued hospitalization, supervision at home, or removal from home through family or juvenile court action.
Adaptive testing of controllers for autonomous vehicles

The authors discuss techniques for the evaluation of complex software systems, and for the identification of classes of vehicle faults that are most likely to impact negatively on the performance of a proposed autonomous vehicle controller. The approach involves subjecting a controller to an adaptively chosen set of fault scenarios within a vehicle simulator, and searching for combinations of faults that produce noteworthy performance by the vehicle controller. The search uses a genetic algorithm. The approach is illustrated by evaluating the performance of a subsumption-based controller for an autonomous vehicle. The preliminary evidence suggests that this approach is an effective alternative to manual testing of sophisticated software controllers. >
Radar breadboard for DSP scatterometer

The design and test results for the radio frequency (RF) portion of a breadboard polarimetric scatterometer operating at 13.402 GHz are presented. To evaluate the feasibility of a programmable digital signal processing (DSP) approach for a follow-on scatterometer similar to SeaWinds an integrated breadboard has been developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Early breadboards of this type have been identified as valuable assets in developing effective subsystem requirements for the eventual flight instrument. Many compatibility and partitioning issues between the RF and DSP hardware are addressed with empirical results derived from the aforementioned breadboard. The RF portion of the breadboard consists of a dual channel receiver, heterodyning the received signal of 13.402 GHz down to an IF of 37 MHz and a single channel transmitter, that converts the I/Q baseband transmit waveform up to Ku band. The breadboard makes provision for emulating capabilities such as programmable attenuators, loop-back calibration, and saturation effects in an actual instrument's power amplifier. It also provides control interfaces to allow early verification of software control algorithms.
Electrical tunability of soft parametric resonance by hot electrons in graphene

We show that the onset of soft parametric resonance (SPR) at ω=ηωF, where ωF=eFovf/ℏωOP for hot carriers interacting with optic phonons ℏωOP in graphene is independent of temperature, whereas η ∼ 0.56 is practically independent of the DC field Fo, which makes SPR tunable over a sizeable range of Fo. Our model based on the linearization of the time-dependent Boltzmann transport equation (BTE) predicts a secondary resonance at ω∼ωF, emerging from a weak shoulder in the ac current at T = 300 K, when the temperature decreases to T = 77 K and lower. The two resonances behave differently as scattering at low energy strengthens.
Characterization of a monoclonal antibody that binds equally to all apolipoprotein and lipoprotein forms of human plasma apolipoprotein B. II. Isolation of apolipoprotein B-containing lipoproteins from human plasma.

Abstract Monoclonal antibody (‘Pan B’ antibody) that binds equally to all major forms of human plasma apolipoprotein B was used in an immunoaffinity chromatography procedure to isolate apolipoprotein B-containing lipoproteins from hyperlipidemic human plasma. These lipoproteins were compared with lipoproteins in native plasma, with lipoproteins isolated by polyclonal antibodies and with lipoproteins isolated by the conventional ultracentrifugational method. Judged by the apolipoprotein and lipid composition, lipoproteins isolated with ‘Pan B’ antibody were virtually identical to those isolated by ultracentrifugation or polyclonal antibodies. Lipoproteins isolated by ‘Pan B’ antibody were comparable in size and shape to the lipoproteins in native plasma and to the lipoproteins isolated by polyclonal antibodies or ultracentrifugation. The immunoaffinity column with monoclonal ‘Pan B’ antibody retained all apolipoprotein B-containing lipoproteins and showed significantly higher capacity than polyclonal immunoaffinity column. The column with the highest capacity allowed the isolation from whole plasma of 0.144 mg of apolipoprotein B per ml of gel in less than 2 h.
Improved properties of barium strontium titanate thin films grown on copper foils by pulsed laser deposition using a self-buffered layer

Ba{sub 0.6}Sr{sub 0.4}TiO{sub 3} (BST) films were deposited by pulsed laser deposition on copper foils with low-temperature self-buffered layers. The deposition conditions included a low oxygen partial pressure and a temperature of 700 C to crystallize the films without the formation of secondary phases and substrate oxidation. The results from x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy indicated that the microstructure of the BST films strongly depended on the growth temperature. The use of the self-buffered layer improved the dielectric properties of the deposited BST films. The leakage current density of the BST films on the copper foil was 4.4 x 10{sup -9} A cm{sup -2} and 3.3 x 10{sup -6} A cm{sup -2} with and without the self-buffered layer, respectively. The ferroelectric hysteresis loop for the BST thin film with buffer layer was slim, in contrast to the distorted loop observed for the film without the buffer layer. The permittivity (7 0 0) and dielectric loss tangent (0.013) of the BST film on the copper foil with self-buffered layer at room temperature were comparable to those of the film on metal and single-crystal substrates.
Extensions of transductive learning for distributed ensemble classification and application to biometric authentication

We consider ensemble classification when there is no common labeled data for designing the function which aggregates classifier decisions. In recent work, we dubbed this problem distributed ensemble classification, addressing when local classifiers are trained on different (e.g., proprietary, legacy) databases or operate on different sensing modalities. Typically, fixed (untrained) rules of classifier combination such as voting methods are used in this case. However, these may perform poorly, especially when (i) the local class priors, used in training, differ from the true (test batch) priors and (ii) classifier decisions are statistically dependent. Alternatively, we proposed several transductive methods, optimizing the combining rule for objective functions measured on the test batch. We proposed both maximum likelihood (ML) and constraint-based (CB) objectives and found that CB achieved superior performance. Here, we develop CB extensions (i) for sequential decisionmaking and (ii) exploiting additional class information contained in the local classifier feature vectors. The new sequential method is applied to biometric authentication. We demonstrate these new CB methods achieve better ensemble decision accuracy than methods which apply fixed rules in combining classifier decisions.
Ethical issues in behavior modification

Behavior modifiers are currently confronted with ethical issues traditionally faced by those with the power of behavior control. Arguments both in favor of and opposed to the development of a code of ethics designed to regulate such power are discussed. It is concluded that the development of a code of ethics is desirable, and guidelines for so doing are presented. Finally, courses of action for behavior modifiers are suggested in addition to the development of a code of ethics.
Modern MAP Inference Methods for Accurate and Fast Occupancy Grid Mapping on Higher Order Factor Graphs

Using the inverse sensor model has been popular in occupancy grid mapping. However, it is widely known that applying the inverse sensor model to mapping requires certain assumptions that are not necessarily true. Even the works that use forward sensor models have relied on methods like expectation maximization or Gibbs sampling which have been succeeded by more effective methods of maximum a posteriori (MAP) inference over graphical models. In this paper, we propose the use of modern MAP inference methods along with the forward sensor model. Our implementation and experimental results demonstrate that these modern inference methods deliver more accurate maps more efficiently than previously used methods. I. INTRODUCTION Mobile robot problems like navigation, path planning, localization and collision avoidance require an estimate of the robot's spatial environment; this underlying problem is called robot mapping (2). Even in environments in which maps are available, the environment may change over time necessitating a mapping ability on the mobile robot. Robot mapping hence remains an active field of research (3)- (5) as it is an important problem in application areas like indoor autonomous navigation, grasping, reconstruction and augmented reality. Although robot mapping can be performed in many ways—metric or topological; with range sensors, like sonar (6), laser scanners (6) and RGBD (7), or bearing-only sensors (8), (9)—metric mapping with range sensors is the most common. Bearing-only sensors provide estimates up to scale; topological maps still require local metric estimates for certain problems like navigation. We hence focus on metric mapping with range sensors, specifically, laser scanners. Occupancy grid mapping (OGM) is a popular and useful range-based mapping method (10), (11). It affords a simple implementation and avoids a need to explicitly seek and match landmarks in the environment (12), (13). In contrast, it discretizes the environment into cells, squares (2D) or cubes (3D), and associates a random variable with each cell
Homeostatic plasticity in hippocampal slice cultures involves changes in voltage-gated Na+ channel expression.

Neurons preserve stable electrophysiological properties despite ongoing changes in morphology and connectivity throughout their lifetime. This dynamic compensatory adjustment, termed ‘homeostatic plasticity’, may be a fundamental means by which the brain normalizes its excitability, and is possibly altered in disease states such as epilepsy. Despite this significance, the cellular mechanisms of homeostatic plasticity are incompletely understood. Using field potential analyses, we observed a compensatory enhancement of neural excitability after 48 h of activity deprivation via tetrodotoxin (TTX) in hippocampal slice cultures. Because activity deprivation can enhance voltage-gated sodium channel (VGSC) currents, we used Western blot analyses to probe for these channels in control and activity-deprived slice cultures. A significant upregulation of VGSCs expression was evident after activity deprivation. Furthermore, immunohistochemistry revealed this upregulation to occur along primarily pyramidal cell dendrites. Western blot analyses of cultures after 1 day of recovery from activity deprivation showed that VGSC levels returned to control levels, indicating that multiple molecular mechanisms contribute to enhanced excitability. Because of their longevity and in vivo-like cytoarchitecture, we conclude that slice cultures may be highly useful for investigating homeostatic plasticity. Furthermore, we demonstrate that enhanced excitability involves changes in channel expression with a targeted localization likely profound transform the integrative capacities of hippocampal pyramidal cells and their dendrites.
Validity of serum total cholesterol level obtained within 24 hours of acute myocardial infarction

The relation of a serum cholesterol level obtained during acute myocardial infarction (AMI) to the patient's usual baseline level is unclear. Many physicians tend to ignore cholesterol levels measured during AMI and will wait several months before obtaining a repeat cholesterol measurement; in many instances this delays interventional programs. Using the Framingham study cohort of patients, the records of all persons sustaining AMI were reviewed. Eighty-three patients were identified who had total cholesterol (TC) levels recorded within 2 years of AMI, within 24 hours of hospitalization for AMI and within 2 years after hospital discharge. In these persons, there was no statistically significant difference in the TC values measured at these 3 times. Thus, TC levels drawn within the first 24 hours of AMI accurately reflect a baseline level and can be used in instituting intervention programs.
Methods To Increase Fidelity of Repetitive Extragenic Palindromic PCR Fingerprint-Based Bacterial Source Tracking Efforts

The goal of the study was to determine which similarity coefficient and statistical method to use to produce the highest rate of correct assignment (RCA) in repetitive extragenic palindromic PCR-based bacterial source tracking. In addition, the use of standards for deciding whether to accept or reject source assignments was investigated. The use of curve-based coefficients Cosine Coefficient and Pearson's Product Moment Correlation yielded higher RCAs than the use of band-based coefficients Jaccard, Dice, Jeffrey's x, and Ochiai. When enterococcal and Escherichia coli isolates from known sources were used in a blind test, the use of maximum similarity produced consistently higher RCAs than the use of average similarity. We also found that the use of a similarity value threshold and/or a quality factor threshold (the ratio of the average fingerprint similarity within a source to the average similarity of this source's isolates to an unknown) to decide whether to accept source assignments of unknowns increases the reliability of source assignments. Applying a similarity value threshold improved the overall RCA (ORCA) by 15 to 27% when enterococcal fingerprints were used and 8 to 29% when E. coli fingerprints were used. Applying the quality factor threshold resulted in a 22 to 32% improvement in the ORCA, depending on the fingerprinting technique used. This increase in reliability was, however, achieved at the expense of decreased numbers of isolates that were assigned a source.
MEMS-Scale Turbomachinery Based Vacuum Roughing Pump

This study forms part of a program to develop a micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) scale turbomachinery based vacuum pump and investigates the roughing portion of such a system. Such a machine would have many radial stages with the exhaust stages operating near atmospheric conditions while the inlet stages operate at near vacuum conditions. In low vacuum such as those to the inlet of a roughing pump, the flow can still be treated as a continuum; however, the no-slip boundary condition is not accurate. The Knudsen number becomes a dominant nondimensional parameter in these machines due to their small size and low pressures. As the Knudsen number increases, slip-flow becomes present at the walls. The study begins with a basic overview on implementing the slip wall boundary condition in a commercial code by specifying the wall shear stress based on the mean-free-path of the gas molecules. This is validated against an available micro-Poiseuille classical solution at Knudsen numbers between 0.001 and 0.1 with reasonable agreement found. The method of specifying the wall shear stress is then applied to a generic MEMS scale roughing pump stage that consists of two stators and a rotor operating at a nominal absolute pressure of 500 Pa. The zero flow case was simulated in all cases as the pump down time for these machines is small due to the small volume being evacuated. Initial transient two-dimensional (2D) simulations are used to evaluate three boundary conditions, classical no-slip, specified-shear, and slip-flow. It is found that the stage pressure rise increased as the flow began to slip at the walls. In addition, it was found that at lower pressures the pure slip boundary condition resulted in very similar predictions to the specified-shear simulations. As the specified-shear simulations are computationally expensive it is reasonable to use slip-flow boundary conditions. This approach was used to perform three-dimensional (3D) simulations of the stage. Again the stage pressure increased when slip-flow was present compared with the classical no-slip boundaries. A characteristic of MEMS scale turbomachinery are the large relative tip gaps requiring 3D simulations. A tip gap sensitivity study was performed and it was found that when no-slip boundaries were present the pressure ratio increased significantly with decreasing tip gap. When slip-flow boundaries were present, this relationship was far weaker.
The scope of social attention deficits in autism: Prioritized orienting to people and animals in static natural scenes

A central feature of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is an impairment in ‘social attention’—the prioritized processing of socially relevant information, e.g. the eyes and face. Socially relevant stimuli are also preferentially attended in a broader categorical sense, however: observers orient preferentially to people and animals (compared to inanimate objects) in complex natural scenes. To measure the scope of social attention deficits in autism, observers viewed alternating versions of a natural scene on each trial, and had to ‘spot the difference’ between them—where the difference involved either an animate or inanimate object. Change detection performance was measured as an index of attentional prioritization. Individuals with ASD showed the same prioritized social attention for animate categories as did control participants. This could not be explained by lower level visual factors, since the effects disappeared when using blurred or inverted images. These results suggest that social attention – and its impairment in autism – may not be a unitary phenomenon: impairments in visual processing of specific social cues may occur despite intact categorical prioritization of social agents.
New Molecular Genetic Tests in the Diagnosis of Heart Disease

With the increasing use of next-generation sequencing applications, there has been an increase in identification of genetic causes of cardiac disease. This technology has also enabled the transition of these genes into the clinical setting and the rapid growth of large gene tests for the diagnosis of heart disorders. The ability to combine tests to include similar, but distinct, diseases has shown that many genes can be responsible for a wide variety of both syndromic and nonsyndromic disorders. This article discusses the current state of molecular genetic diagnosis for cardiac disorders, focusing on diseases with mendelian inheritance.
Taxonomic Status of Thelytokous Forms of Trichogramma (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae)

Thelytokous populations, consisting only of females that produce female offspring without mating, have long caused problems for systematists. In the wasp genus Trichogramma , these forms cause additional problems because the identity of most species is based on male characters. The discovery that antibiotics and high temperatures can permanently change the mode of reproduction of the majority of thelytokous forms of Trichogramma to arrhenotoky now makes it possible to use male anatomy and reproductive compatibility as criteria for species identity. Thelytokous strains of Trichogramma chilonis Ishii, T. deion Pinto & Oatman, T. pretiosum Riley, and T. platneri Nagarkatti were rendered arrhenotokous (“cured”) by antibiotic treatments and were crossed to conspecific arrhenotokous reference cultures. Results of these crosses as well as morphometrics of the males show that cured cultures do not differ from field-collected arrhenotokous lines. Thelytokous forms should not be named solely because of their mode of reproduction. Adequately sampling for conspecific arrhenotokous populations, and crossing experiments of cured strains with already described arrhenotokous species, or both, should precede decisions on their taxonomic status.
Current Status of Lung Cancer Screening

Recent results have demonstrated a major reduction in lung cancer mortality through computed tomography screening and no benefit from chest radiograph (CXR) screening. This presents a huge potential for benefit but also poses challenges regarding management of details to minimize harm. Many unresolved questions remain that must be addressed to implement computed tomography screening for lung cancer in a thoughtful and responsible way.
A new construction method of the scientific and technological innovation team and its multi-agent simulation

For overcoming the shortcomings of the existing method of the construction of scientific and technological innovation team, this paper proposes a new method. In the new method, the selected candidate has the higher similarity not only with the knowledge that team needs, but also with the selected persons previously. Therefore, this method may increase the knowledge communication greatly. By the simulation based on the Repast platform to compare the old method and our proposed method of the construction of scientific and technological innovation team, we validate the novel approach of scientific and technology innovative has the advantage.
Use of poly(octadec-1-ene-maleic anhydride) for interfacing bilayer membranes to solid supports in sensor applications

Spin-coated layer of poly(maleic anhydride) has been used to planarize photolithographically prepared substrates for bilayer-based sensors. It is possible to deposit the same material on top of the spun-on layer as a Langmuir-Blodgett film. The electrical equivalent circuit model of this structure has been proposed and experimentally tested.
Essentialism, Culture, and Power: Representations of Social Class

This article argues that beliefs about social class are influenced by power and social location. Using an essentialist theory of power this study explores the asymmetries in the representations of social class among Brahmins (N= 99) and Dalits (former “Untouchables,”N= 100) in India. The results show that a significantly higher number of Brahmins believed that a poor man's brain transfer to a rich man would not affect his actions, whereas they believed the poor man's actions would be affected by the brain transplant from the rich man. Dalits did not selectively endorse essentialist notions of identity. The implications of the findings are discussed in conjunction with current empowerment and affirmative action programs for Dalits in India.
Experimental control of a chaotic semiconductor laser.

We have experimentally controlled the chaotic output of a single-mode semiconductor laser pumped near threshold and subject to optical feedback. We used a novel technique called dynamic targeting, which was theoretically proposed by Wieland [Opt. Lett.22, 469 (1997)]. Optical feedback causes the semiconductor laser to undergo a bifurcation cascade that exhibits regions of stability, periodicity, chaos, and coherence collapse. By adjusting the feedback phase simultaneously as the feedback strength was varied we steered the laser into the stable maximum gain mode, and thus we stabilized the system at maximum intensity.
Dynamic effects of aurora-generated gravity waves on the mid-latitude ionosphere

Abstract This paper gives a brief review of aurora-generated large-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances, and presents results of numerical simulations of one such event. Numerous observations and several theoretical studies have shown that large-scale gravity waves are generated in the high-latitude thermosphere during geomagnetic disturbances. Traveling to middle and low latitudes within the thermosphere, these waves interact with the ionosphere to produce large-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances. Relatively large amplitude waves generated by the Joule heating due to high-latitude ionospheric electric currents can propagate many thousands of kilometers at speeds of 300–1000 m/s, with periods of 30 min to several hours and horizontal wavelengths of thousands of kilometers. They affect the ionosphere not only by imparting vertical motion to the ionization, but also by altering the chemical reaction rates and heat transfer rates. Numerical simulations of the event of 18 September 1974 show that a Joule heat source of 2–4 × 10 15 J can generate gravity waves capable of reproducing the observed ionospheric disturbances at the Millstone Hill and Arecibo incoherent scatter observatories.
3D Metal-Organic Frameworks Based on Elongated Tetracarboxylate Building Blocks for Hydrogen Storage

Two 3D metal−organic frameworks (MOFs) with a new biphenol-derived tetracarboxylate linker and CuII and ZnII metal-connecting points were synthesized and characterized by single-crystal X-ray crystallographic studies. The two isostructural MOFs exhibit distorted PtS network topology and show markedly different framework stability. The porosity and hydrogen uptake of the frameworks were determined by gas adsorption experiments.
Bulge-Induced Bends in RNA: Quantification by Transient Electric Birefringence

Abstract Bulges represent one of the most common non-helical elements in RNA, often displaying a strong degree of phylogenetic conservation, both in location and sequence, within larger RNA molecules. Thus, knowledge of the conformation and flexibility of RNA bulges is an important prerequisite for understanding the rules governing the formation of tertiary structure within the larger molecules. In the current investigation, the magnitudes of the bends induced in a 148 base-pair duplex RNA molecule by single, centrally located bulges of varying size (n=1 to 6) and base composition (Anand Unseries) have been determined through the use of transient electric birefringence (TEB). The TEB approach is highly sensitive to the changes in the global shape of RNA (or DNA) helices that accompany the introduction of points of bending or flexibility near the center of the helix. In the current instance, bulge angles deduced from TEB measurements ranged from ∼7° to ∼93°, with the angle increasing with increasingnfor both Anand Unseries. For both Anand Unseries in the absence of Mg2+, the angle increment per added nucleotide varied from ∼20° to ∼8° asnincreased from 1 to 6. These angle increments remained unchanged for the Anseries in the presence of Mg2+; however, the angle increments for the Unseries were reduced by a factor of 2 for all values ofn. Thus the current observations have identified structural transitions in one of the simplest non-helical elements in RNA, transitions that are dependent on both sequence and counterion valence. Finally, the measured bend angles are strongly correlated with the degree of reduction in electrophoretic mobility of bulge-containing RNA helices. The observed correlation was used to obtain a semi-empirical relationship between bend angle and mobility in order that additional angles might be assigned, by interpolation, through the use of gel data alone.
On the Preparation of Environmental Impact Statements

The legislative background required in the preparation of environmental statements is reviewed. The actual procedures followed in developing statements for AEC at Argonne is described in some detail, and the future course of such activities is discussed.
Theoretical studies of very high frequency quantum transport in nanostructures

Lu this paper we discuss two issues important to high frequency quantum transport in ultrasmall systems. First, we discuss the question of the intrinsic high frequency cutoff in quantum systems and show that neither the traversal time proposed by Buttiker and Landauer nor the scattering time proposed by Wigner is adequate. This is confirmed in a model for a resonant tunneling device. We also consider the effect of charging, the role of 1W time constant, and point out the connection between this and the X-ray edge problem. Second, we study the connection between AC quantum transport and quantum chaos, and present some numerical results.
Wegener granulomatosis in children and adolescents: Clinical presentation and outcome

We prospectively studied and compared clinical features, treatment, course of illness, and long-term morbidity and mortality rates for Wegener granulomatosis in 23 childhood-onset patients with those of 135 adult-onset patients who were studied concurrently. Treatment was usually provided with glucocorticoids and cyclophosphamide. The mean follow-up period was 8.7 years for childhood-onset and 7.6 years for adult-onset Wegener granulomatosis. Most aspects of Wegener granulomatosis were similar in childhood-onset and adult-onset patients. Permanent morbidity from disease occurred in 86% of both groups. However, some features were significantly different. Wegener granulomatosis in childhood-onset patients was complicated five times more often by subglottic stenosis and twice as often by nasal deformity. Treatment-related permanent morbidity occurred in 22% of childhood-onset patients and 45% of adult-onset patients. After similar periods of cyclophosphamide therapy and follow-up, cyclophosphamide-related malignancles were less likely (0% vs 11%) to have developed in childhood-onset patients. Although 89% of patients treated with glucocorticoids and cyclophosphamide had remission, prolonged delay in achleving remission and relapses led in both patient groups to freedom from active disease for approximately 50% of the total patient-years. As a result, morbidity was substantial and has led to comparative studies of alternative therapies.
Academic Physicians Use Placebos in Clinical Practice and Believe in the Mind–Body Connection

Background The placebo and the placebo effect are often investigated in the context of clinical trials. Little data exist on the use of placebos in the course of routine health care.
Health Administrator Perspectives on Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome Prevention and Services at Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Abstract Objective: Due to the disproportionate impact of human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) among African American young adults, the authors explored (1) number of historically black college and university (HBCU) campuses with existing HIV prevention policies and services and (2) perceived barriers for implementing HIV prevention services. Methods: Semistructured telephone surveys were conducted with health administrators from 25 HBCUs. Results: Twenty-four of 25 (96%) health administrators responded. Twelve of 24 administrators (50%) reported having no formal HIV prevention policies or services on campus, 11 of 24 (46%) described having formal HIV prevention policies and services (eg, condom distribution, HIV testing), and 1 was unsure. Seven of 11 (64%) administrators who reported having policies or services indicated that the availability of condoms on campus facilitated HIV/AIDS prevention by promoting safer sex. Perceived barriers to more effectively providing...
Rapid and Simple Procedure for Homogenizing Leaf Tissues Suitable for Mini‐Midi‐Scale DNA Extraction in Rice

Abstract We describe a rapid and simple procedure for homogenizing leaf samples suitable for mini/midi‐scale DNA preparation in rice. The methods used tungsten carbide beads and general vortexer for homogenizing leaf samples. In general, two samples can be ground completely within 11.3±1.5 sec at one time. Up to 20 samples can be ground at a time using a vortexer attachment. The yields of the DNA ranged from 2.2 to 7.6 µg from 25–150 mg of young fresh leaf tissue. The quality and quantity of DNA was compatible for most of PCR work and RFLP analysis.
LiteWorp: Detection and isolation of the wormhole attack in static multihop wireless networks

In multihop wireless systems, such as ad hoc and sensor networks, the need for cooperation among nodes to relay each other's packets exposes them to a wide range of security attacks. A particularly devastating attack is known as the wormhole attack, where a malicious node records control and data traffic at one location and tunnels it to a colluding node far away, which replays it locally. This can either disrupt route establishment or make routes pass through the malicious nodes. In this paper, we present a lightweight countermeasure for the wormhole attack, called LiteWorp, which relies on overhearing neighbor communication. LiteWorp is particularly suitable for resource-constrained multihop wireless networks, such as sensor networks. Our solution allows detection of the wormhole, followed by isolation of the malicious nodes. Simulation results show that every wormhole is detected and isolated within a very short period of time over a large range of scenarios. The results also show that the fraction of packets lost due to the wormhole when LiteWorp is applied is negligible compared to the loss in an unprotected network. Simulation results bring out the configuration where no framing is possible, while still having high detection rate. Analysis is done to show the low resource consumption of LiteWorp, the low detection latency, and the likelihood of framing by malicious nodes.
Quantifying Volatile Organic Compounds in Porous Media: Effects of Sampling Method Attributes, Contaminant Characteristics and Environmental Conditions

Understanding how sampling methods can impact the accuracy of volatile organic compound (VOC) measurements in samples of soil and subsurface porous media is often critical to sound decision making during characterization and remediation of VOC contaminated sites. In this study, the accuracy of VOC measurements was investigated using an experimental apparatus packed with sandy porous media and contaminated with known levels of VOCs, which could be sampled using different methods under variable, but controlled, conditions. Five sampling methods were examined representing different degrees of porous media disaggregation and duration of atmospheric exposure (MDE) that can occur during sample acquisition and preservation in the field. Three pervasive VOCs were studied (1,1,1-trichloroethane, trichloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene) at low and high concentration levels. Five porous media temperatures were examined ranging from 5 to 80 degrees C to represent ambient or thermal remediation conditions and two water saturation levels were used to mimic vadose zone and groundwater zone conditions. The results of this research demonstrated that sampling method attributes can impact the accuracy of VOC measurements in porous media by causing negative bias in VOC concentration data ranging from near 0 to 90% or more. The magnitude of the negative bias is dependent on the attributes of the sampling method used (i.e., level of MDE) and interactions with key contaminant properties and environmental conditions (i.e., VOC KH, porous media temperature, water saturation level).
Usefulness of transesophageal echocardiography in diagnosing lipomatous hypertrophy of the atrial septum with comparison to transthoracic echocardiography.

Abstract Lipomatous hypertrophy of the atrial septum (LHAS) is an infrequently observed entity characterized by an unencapsulated proliferation of mature and multivacuolated adipose tissue within the interatrial septum. 1–3 It has been suggested that LHAS is associated with an increased incidence of supraventricular dysrhythmias, sudden death, obesity, abnormal P waves on electrocardiography, and advanced age. 1–5 Whereas initial descriptions of this entity were from autopsy studies, 1–3,5 in vivo diagnosis of LHAS has been described using transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). 4,6–8 Recently, it was found that transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) may be superior to TTE in the detection of abnormalities associated with the atrial septum. 9 Thus, we hypothesized that TEE would be a superior technique to detect LHAS in a referral population and would enable the characterization of a group of patients with this entity.
Some constructions of spherical 5-designs☆

Abstract Spherical designs were introduced by Delsarte, Goethals, and Seidel in 1977. A spherical t-design in, Rn is a finite set X ⊂ Sn−1 with the property that for every polynomial p with degree ⩽ t, the average value of p on X equals the average value of p on Sn−1. This paper contains some existence and nonexistence results, mainly for spherical 5-designs in R3. Delsarte, Goethals, and Seidel proved that if X is a spherical 5-design in R3, then |X| ⩾ 12 and if |Xz.sfnc; = 12, then X consists of the vertices of a regular icosahedron. We show that such designs exist with cardinality 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, and every integer ⩾ 26. If X is a spherical 5-design in Rn, then |X| ⩾ n(n + 1); if |X| = n(n + 1), then X has been called tight. Tight spherical 5-designs in Rn are known to exist only for n = 2, 3, 7, 23 and possibly n = u2 − 2 for odd u ⩾ 7. Any tight spherical 5-design in Rn must consist of n(n + 1) 2 antipodal pairs of points. We show that for n ⩾ 3, there are no spherical 5-designs in Rn consisting of n(n + 1) 2 + 1 antipodal pairs of points.
Enhanced Multi-Site Hybrid Simulations Using an Internet-based Grid System for Construction and Civil Engineering Facilities

KOCED(Korea Construction Engineering Development) is formed to provide a shared infrastructure for construction and civil engineering facilities across Korea. Users can perform remote experiments on these distributed facilities using the KOCEDgrid, which is an Internet-based grid computing system. We present technologies to support enhanced hybrid simulation on the KOCEDgrid. A new realtime controller and viewer provide a user-friendly interface to an enhanced environment for hybrid simulation, which has been built on a new version of the grid middleware and on a new hybrid modeling tool. Users can now conduct experiments more flexibly and combine more than one piece of experimental equipment. The elimination of unnecessary communication overheads has reduced simulation times.
Photoemission Investigation of the Band Structure of Ferromagnetic Ni-Al Alloys

Photoemission measurements probing the electronic band structure of ferromagnetic Ni-Al alloys have been made with ultraviolet light, from 4.5 to 11.4 eV, to determine the optical density of electronic states down to about 6 eV below the Fermi level. Photoemission data were taken at room temperature on two Ni-Al alloys of compositions 92.0 and 95.4 at.% Ni. The results are interpreted in terms of the rigid-band model and scattering phenomena. The optical density of states is assumed to be the same for all the Ni-Al alloys investigated. Results obtained from a pure Ni sample cleaned by argon bombardment and heat treatment are the same as those of Blodgett from a pure Ni sample formed by evaporation onto a substrate.
Toward a Mathematical Description of Bone Biology: The Principle of Cellular Accommodation

Mathematical theories for bone biology or more specifically, bone mass regulation, should be viewed with considerable interest because they provide powerful tools for prediction of bone mass changes in response to mechanical or humeral stimuli. Frost [1] put forward one such theory when he postulated that bone mass is a controlled mechanical feedback system called the ``mechanostat.'' He suggested that certain hormones and biochemical agents act on bone biology by changing the thresholds (or minimum effective strains) of the mechanostat. Critical examination of the mechanostat theory indicates that it does not conform well with certain experimental observations. In the present paper, a new theory is presented that addresses some of the flaws in the mechanostat. The new theory is based upon the assumption that bone cells react strongly to transients in their environment, but eventually ``accommodate'' to steady state signals. This cellular accommodation, represented by a relaxation function, forms the basis for mathematical rate equations that describe bone mass changes in response to external stimuli. Importantly, the cellular accommodation theory can have the property of ``path dependence,'' meaning that final bone mass will be dependent upon the temporal sequence of preceding mechanical loading/hormonal events. Bone tissue demonstrates path dependence in its responses to mechanical loading and anabolic agents. Theoretically, it is possible to exploit the nonlinear character of path dependence to maximize the osteogenic effect of various therapeutic regimens. An experimental approach to test this possibility is described.
Scalable multiagent learning through indirect encoding of policy geometry

Multiagent systems present many challenging, real-world problems to artificial intelligence. Because it is difficult to engineer the behaviors of multiple cooperating agents by hand, multiagent learning has become a popular approach to their design. While there are a variety of traditional approaches to multiagent learning, many suffer from increased computational costs for large teams and the problem of reinvention (that is, the inability to recognize that certain skills are shared by some or all team member). This paper presents an alternative approach to multiagent learning called multiagent HyperNEAT that represents the team as a pattern of policies rather than as a set of individual agents. The main idea is that an agent’s location within a canonical team layout (which can be physical, such as positions on a sports team, or conceptual, such as an agent’s relative speed) tends to dictate its role within that team. This paper introduces the term policy geometry to describe this relationship between role and position on the team. Interestingly, such patterns effectively represent up to an infinite number of multiagent policies that can be sampled from the policy geometry as needed to allow training very large teams or, in some cases, scaling up the size of a team without additional learning. In this paper, multiagent HyperNEAT is compared to a traditional learning method, multiagent Sarsa(λ), in a predator–prey domain, where it demonstrates its ability to train large teams.
Psychiatric Diagnoses and the Use of Psychiatric Medication in Pediatric Ventricular Assist Device Recipients

Purpose Mental health issues in the pediatric VAD population are poorly understood. Data from the adult VAD population suggests a high prevalence of psychiatric distress, often resulting in prophylactic or adjunctive treatment with psychiatric medications. We investigated the prevalence of psychiatric diagnosis and psychiatric medication usage in pediatric VAD recipients. Methods and Materials A retrospective study of the Pediatric Health Information System, a large administrative database of 43 US children’s hospitals, was performed for patients 6-20 years of age undergoing VAD placement from 2000-2010. Results 70 of 238 patients (29.4%) with VADs had documented psychiatric diagnoses, most commonly adjustment disorders (n=24). 59 of 238 (24.8%) patients with VADs received psychiatric medication (excluding benzodiazepines) during hospitalization, most commonly antidepressants (n=41). Of the patients who received psychiatric medication, 34 of them (56%) had documented psychiatric diagnoses. Of the 70 patients with documented psychiatric diagnoses, 33 of them (47%) received psychiatric medication. None of the patients who received antidepressant medication had documented diagnoses of depression. Patients who had a stroke were more likely to have been treated with psychiatric medications (p=0.04). Hospital length of stay (LOS) and total charges were greater among patients treated with psychiatric medications (p Conclusions One quarter of pediatric VAD patients received psychiatric diagnoses and one quarter were treated with psychiatric medications. Nearly half of patients receiving psychiatric medication did not have documented psychiatric diagnoses. Psychiatric diagnoses and medications were associated with longer hospital LOS and greater hospital charges. Further research is needed to understand patterns of and indications for psychiatric medication usage, as well as the burden and treatment of psychiatric disorders in this population.
Response of Atlantic Salmon Fry to Feed-Grade Lecithin and Choline

Abstract First-feeding Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) were fed different levels (0, 2, 4, 6, and 8% of diet) of feed-grade lecithin with and without 0.3% supplemental choline in a diet containing a sodium proteinate form of autoclaved isolated soybean protein. After 14 weeks at 9.2°C, Atlantic salmon fed 6% lecithin with or without added choline had gained the most weight. Fish fed supplemental choline without lecithin gained significantly more weight (P ≤ 0.05) than did fish fed the basal diet, but choline did not increase weight gain at any level of lecithin. Feed conversion (weight fed/weight gain) improved with increasing lecithin up to 4% and improved even more for fish fed 6% lecithin and 0.3% choline. Only 4% lecithin with or without choline was needed to yield the highest concentration of body fat, but carcass dry matter was highest and ash and protein were lowest in fry fed 8% lecithin alone or 6% lecithin and 0.3% choline. Neither lecithin nor choline influenced mortality, which was low in all gr...
Cost-effectiveness analysis of an antimicrobial stewardship team on bloodstream infections: a probabilistic analysis

Objectives We sought to determine the cost-effectiveness of Antimicrobial Stewardship Teams (ASTs) on the reduction of morbidity and mortality associated with nosocomial bacteraemia. Methods A decision analytic model compared costs and outcomes of bacteraemic patients receiving standard treatment with or without an AST consult. Patients with a bacteraemic event during their hospital admission were included in the model. Effectiveness was estimated as quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) over the lifetime of patients. Model variables and costs, along with their distributions, were obtained from the literature and expert opinion. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were calculated to estimate the cost per QALY gained from the hospital perspective. Uncertainty in ICERs was evaluated with probabilistic sensitivity analyses. The cost-effectiveness of clinical decision support systems was evaluated as a secondary analysis. Results Implementing an AST for bacteraemia review cost $39,737 (95% CI $27,272-53, 017) and standard treatment cost $39,563 (95% CI $27,164-52,797). The difference in effectiveness between the two strategies was 0.08 QALYs, and the base case ICER from the probabilistic analysis was $2367 per QALY gained [95% CI dominant (less costly, more effective) to $24,379]. Results from the probabilistic sensitivity analysis demonstrated there was more than a 90% likelihood that an AST would be cost-effective at a level of $10,000 per QALY. Conclusions Maintaining an AST to improve care for bacteraemia is cost-effective from the hospital perspective. The estimate of $2367 per QALY gained for the AST intervention compares favourably with many currently funded healthcare interventions and services.