cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nursing Students' Knowledge of the Nurse's Role in the Management of Dysphagia.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate nursing students' knowledge of the nurse's role in the interprofessional management of dysphagia. Design A quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest educational intervention was used in this study. Methods Thirty-eight pretest and 37 posttest undergraduate nursing students participated. An addendum to the original study assessed knowledge retention in a separate group of nursing students who had received a similar educational intervention 1.5 years prior. Findings Statistically significant changes were found between pretests and posttests. The knowledge retention group performed more poorly in some areas, suggesting that initial instruction was not reinforced beyond the novice level. Conclusions Educating nursing students about the nurse's role in the management of dysphagia will increase their knowledge, but this knowledge must be reinforced for integration into clinical practice. More research is needed to determine what education nursing students receive on dysphagia and what the role of the nurse is in the management of dysphagia. Clinical relevance Dysphagia negatively impacts clinical and rehabilitation outcomes. Because nurses may lack sufficient training in the management of dysphagia, healthcare organizations should offer such training to new hires and then periodically thereafter. Likewise, practicing nurses who serve as preceptors should be prepared to train nursing students and new nurses how to safely manage dysphagia.
USING ATTITUDES AND ANXIETIES TO PREDICT END-OF-COURSE OUTCOMES IN ONLINE AND FACE-TO-FACE INTRODUCTORY STATISTICS COURSES

An abbreviated form of the Statistics Anxiety Rating Scale (STARS) was administered to online and face-to-face introductory statistics students. Subscale scores were used to predict final exam grades and successful course completion. In predicting final exam scores, self-concept, and worth of statistics were found to be statistically significant with no significant difference by campus (online versus face-to-face). Logistic regression and random forests were used to predict successful course completion, with campus being the only significant predictor in the logistic model and face-to-face students being more likely to successfully complete the course. The random forest model indicated that self-concept and test anxiety were overall the best predictors, whereas separately test anxiety was the best predictor in the online group and self-concept was the best predictor in the face-to-face group. First published November 2018 at Statistics Education Research Journal Archives
Patellar Fractures After the Harvest of a Quadriceps Tendon Autograft With a Bone Block: A Case Series.

Background:The quadriceps tendon is a versatile graft option, and the clinical implications of a quadriceps tendon harvest need to be further defined.Purpose:To review surgical considerations for t...
Synthesis and Nanoscale Characterization of (NH4)4ThF8 and ThNF

Synthesis of (NH4)4ThF8 by a solid state reaction of ThO2 and NH4HF2 and the formation of ThNF by ammonolysis of (NH4)4ThF8 and ThF4 under different experimental conditions were investigated. The s...
Passive cooling in an urban setting

Radiative cooling can be used to reduce building air-conditioning requirements. In urban environments, nearby buildings partially block access to the sky, which hinders radiative cooling, but a thermal beam-shaping design can help solve this problem.
Whole‐body magnetic resonance imaging in late‐onset Pompe disease: Clinical utility and correlation with functional measures

Whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (WBMRI) has clinical utility in measuring the amount of fatty infiltration in late-onset Pompe disease (LOPD). Muscle strength and function testing also provide valuable insight to the progression of myopathy seen in these patients. The main purpose of this study was to determine how closely muscle strength and functional testing correlate to the amount of fatty infiltration seen on WBMRI. LOPD patients were followed longitudinally and WBMRI, muscle strength testing using the modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) scale, muscle function testing using the Gait, Stairs, Gowers, Chair (GSGC) score, and labs including urinary glucose tetrasaccharide (Glc4) were performed at each visit. The amount of fat seen on WBMRI was quantified using proton density fat fraction (PDFF) and correlated to appropriate muscle strength and functional tests. Nineteen patients with LOPD aged 10 to 67 years were followed for a 1 to 2 year duration. There was a small increase of 1.26% (±2.57%) in overall PDFF per year in patients on ERT. Muscle strength (mMRC) and functional testing (GSGC) correlated highly with PDFF (r = -.7596, P < .0001 and r = .8267, P < .0001, respectively). Time to carry out individual tasks of the GSGC also correlated highly with PDFF of the muscles involved. Glc4 levels were normal on most visits (27/39) despite varying severity of muscle weakness in patients. Muscle strength and GSGC scores correlate highly with PDFF values from WBMRI. They may be used in assessing severity of muscle disease and to follow LOPD patients over time.
Infection-induced Signals Generated at the Plasma Membrane Epigenetically Regulate Wnt Signaling in Vitro and in Vivo

Wnt signaling regulates immunomodulatory functions during infection and inflammation. Employing NCCIT and HCT116 cells, having high endogenous Wnt signaling, we observed elevated levels of low-density lipoprotein receptor–related protein 5/6 (LRP5/6) and Frizzled class receptor 10 (FZD10) and increases in β-catenin, doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1), CD44 molecule (CD44), and aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 family member A1 (ALDH1A1). siRNA-induced knockdown of these receptors antagonized TOPflash reporter activity and spheroid growth in vitro and elevated Wnt-inhibitory factor 1 (WIF1) activity. Elevated mRNA and protein levels of LRP5/6 and FZD10 paralleled expression of WNT2b and WNT4 in colonic crypts at days 6 and 12 post-infection with Citrobacter rodentium (CR) and tended to decline at days 20–34. The CR mutant escV or the tankyrase inhibitor XAV939 attenuated these responses. A three-dimensional organoid assay in colonic crypts isolated from CR-infected mice revealed elevated levels of LRP5/6 and FZD10 and β-catenin co-localization with enhancer of zeste 2 polycomb repressive complex 2 subunit (EZH2). Co-immunoprecipitation in the membrane fraction revealed that axin associates with LRP5/6 in CR-infected crypts, and this association was correlated with increased β-catenin. Colon tumors from either CR-infected ApcPMin/+ or azoxymethane/dextran sodium sulfate (AOM/DSS)-treated mice had high LRP5/6 or FZD10 levels, and chronic Notch blockade through the γ-secretase inhibitor dibenzazepine down-regulated LRP5/6 and FZD10 expression. In CR-responsive CT-26 cells, siRNA-induced LRP5/6 or FZD10 knockdown antagonized TOPflash reporter activity. Elevated miR-153-3p levels correlated with LRP5/6 and FZD10, and miR-153-3p sequestration via a plasmid-based miR inhibitor system attenuated Wnt signaling. We conclude that infection-induced signals from the plasma membrane epigenetically regulate Wnt signaling.
Structures of microRNA-precursor apical junctions and loops reveal non-canonical base pairs important for processing

Metazoan pri-miRNAs and pre-miRNAs fold into characteristic hairpins that are recognized by the processing machinery. Essential to the recognition of these miR-precursors are their apical junctions where double-stranded stems meet single-stranded hairpin loops. Little is known about how apical junctions and loops fold in three-dimensional space. Here we developed a scaffold-directed crystallography method and determined the structures of eight human miR-precursor apical junctions and loops. Six structures contain non-canonical base pairs stacking on top of the hairpin stem. U-U pair contributes to thermodynamic stability in solution and is highly enriched at human miR-precursor apical junctions. Our systematic mutagenesis shows that U-U is among the most efficiently processed variants. The RNA-binding heme domain of pri-miRNA-processing protein DGCR8 binds longer loops more tightly and non-canonical pairs at the junction appear to modulate loop length. Our study provides structural and biochemical bases for understanding miR-precursors and molecular mechanisms of microRNA maturation.
A Retrospective Study of Students Referred to a Psychiatric Clinic at a College Counseling Center in Appalachia.

Objectives This study describes the clinical problems and psychiatric diagnoses of college students who sought services at a student counseling clinic and were subsequently referred for evaluation by a psychiatrist. Several important psychiatric problems present before leaving for college that could mandate the selection of a college with psychiatric services at the university or nearby community. This study confirms the importance of having psychiatric consultation available in addition to the range of counseling services found in a campus mental health clinic. Methods We conducted a retrospective chart review of 150 patients who were referred for psychiatric care from an on-campus mental health clinic at an Appalachian university (Marshall University). Demographic and clinical data were collected, entered into SPSS version 24, and analyzed. Results The most common diagnosis was that of a depressive disorder (76.7%). The next most common was an anxiety disorder (60.7%). In addition, 43.3% of students had suicidal ideation within 1 month preceding their appointment with the psychiatrist, 24% had attempted suicide at least once in their life, and 36% had a history of nonsuicidal self-harm. Almost 81% had prior psychiatric diagnoses, and of those, 22% had a history of inpatient psychiatric care. Conclusions These results indicate that this student sample referred for psychiatric treatment has significant psychiatric illness. Our findings also confirm the need for the availability of psychiatric consultation as a part of college mental health services. Those students most in need of psychiatric consultation had almost all received psychiatric treatment and almost half had suicidal ideation in the month preceding the appointment with the psychiatrist. The specific problems that may lead a student applying to college to take into consideration the availability of psychiatric services include a previous psychiatric hospitalization, previous suicidal ideation that had already come to the attention of a mental health professional, or a previous diagnosis of depressive disorder or anxiety disorder.
Cigarillo and multiple tobacco product use and nicotine dependence in adolescents and young adults

Abstract Introduction Multiple tobacco product (MTP) use is a growing public health concern, particularly among adolescents and young adults. This study identifies subgroups of MTP use among cigarillo users and examines associations with nicotine dependence (ND). Methods 1089 youth (ages 14–28) who currently smoke cigarillos completed a web-based survey regarding their current use of cigarillos, little cigars, traditional cigars, cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and waterpipe/hookah. Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to identify patterns of product use by type and amount. The LCA also assessed the relationship between the latent classes and a 38-item measure of ND, controlling for relevant demographics. Results Most participants (88.2%) reported using two or more tobacco products in the past 30 days. The best-fitting LCA solution revealed 7 classes: (1) Mixed-Light tipped cigarillo and light cigarette users, 28.9%; (2) Light tipped cigarillo users, 15.8%; (3) Light untipped cigarillo users, 14.3%; (4) Heavy tipped cigarillo users, 13.4%; (5) E-cigarette and waterpipe users, 11.9%; (6) Heavy users of tipped and untipped cigarillos and light users of cigarettes, 9.8%; and (7) Dabblers who primarily used traditional cigars, but were also likely to use a variety of other products, 6.1%. Classes comprised of those using multiple products—particularly those that included cigarettes—had significantly higher levels of ND than other classes (Tukey’s HSD P Conclusions Distinct patterns of MTP use are evident among young cigarillo smokers. Smoking multiple products, particularly smoking cigarillos in combination with cigarettes, is associated with higher ND compared to other product use patterns.
Public science in the private garden: Noblewomen horticulturalists and the making of British botany c. 1785–1810:

This study considers three noblewomen - Lady Amelia Hume (1751-1809), Jane Barrington (1733-1807), and Mary Watson-Wentworth, Marchioness of Rockingham (c. 1735-1804) - whose contributions to plant studies were so important that Linnean Society President James Edward Smith dedicated three books to them. Their skills in cultivating newly imported exotic plants rivaled those of elite nurserymen, and taxonomists of the highest caliber came to depend on them to unlock information encoded within flowers to enable classification and publication. Eventually, the women played strategic roles within national scientific studies of the world's plants orchestrated by Smith, Joseph Banks, and William Roxburgh. The stories of Hume, Barrington, and Rockingham complicate our understandings of the gendered, professional, and disciplinary hierarchies of knowledge that constituted British science in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. They also resituate the domestic hothouse as a publicly engaged laboratory and museum.
Can we use administrative data to quantify informal housing additions at the parcel level? An analysis of Austin, USA

Scholarship on informal housing is broadening to include more studies of cases in the Global North, with many of them taking advantage of ready data availability to produce quantitative estimates o...
Mississippian Heartland and Its Plains Relationship

The Cahokia site near East St. Louis, Illinois, was a gateway on the northwestern frontier of the Mississippian heartland. Its exact relationship to other Middle Mississippi cultures and to culture...
Approximation of the ruin probability using the scaled Laplace transform inversion

The problem of recovering the ruin probability in the classical risk model based on the scaled Laplace transform inversion is studied. It is shown how to overcome the problem of evaluating the ruin probability at large values of an initial surplus process. Comparisons of proposed approximations with the ones based on the Laplace transform inversions using a fixed Talbot algorithm as well as on the ones using the Trefethen-Weideman-Schmelzer and maximum entropy methods are presented via a simulation study.
Chapter 6 – Electrical Fields: Their Nature and Influence on Biological Systems

Publisher Summary The combination of amino acids that make up a protein and the collection of proteins that make up a cell confer a net charge on each cell, thereby causing it to experience a force in the presence of an electric field. Through the development of techniques able to detect extracellular ionic currents electric fields are generated within the developing embryo at a time when cells position themselves to form the varying tissues and structures of that organism. Moreover, the flow of ionic currents at areas of tissue damage generates electric fields at a time when a repair/regenerative response are mounted. Although the physiological relevance of these electric fields have yet to be clearly defined, their dramatic effects on a variety of cell types, both in vitro and in vivo, suggest that they are one of the natural forces that drive cell motility. By increasing knowledge on how physiologic electrical fields modify cell behavior, the chapter guides embryonic development and how they can be successfully applied to enhance the repair and regeneration of a variety of tissues.
Complex Formation between Bacitracin Peptides and Isoprenyl Pyrophosphates THE SPECIFICITY OF LIPID-PEPTIDE INTERACTIONS

Abstract The technique used previously to observe complex formation between bacitracin, Mg++, and C55-isoprenyl pyrophosphate has been employed to measure association constants. The constant for the bacitracin A, Mg++, C55-isoprenyl pyrophosphate complex was 106 m-1. The binding constants for other bacitracin peptides were lower and correlated with their antibiotic activities. C15-farnesyl pyrophosphate also formed a complex with K ∼ 106 m-1 but K for C5-isopentenyl pyrophosphate and for inorganic pyrophosphate was much smaller. The metal ion also influenced the strength of the association constant (Zn++ g Cd++ g Mg++). The pH dependency of complex formation indicated that a defined ionization state was required for maximum stability. These data indicate that both hydrophobic and polar interactions are involved in complex formation.
A terrain avoidance algorithm based on the requirements of terrain awareness and warning systems

This paper describes a method in which databases of terrain and obstacles maintained by government agencies are combined into a single database with the final goal of implementation into a sense-and-avoid algorithm currently in development at the University of North Dakota. With the new regulations set forth by the Federal Aviation Administration, strict requirements have to be met before unmanned aerial vehicles are allowed integration into the national airspace. Amongst these requirements is an ability to automatically avoid large obstacles, i.e., buildings, hills, mountains, and airports.
Industrial demand for natural gas: Inter-industry variation in New York state

Abstract This study investigates the variability in demand for natural gas by manufacturing industries in New York State. The study uses a dynamic model, using the three-stage least squares method, which allows for the calculation of both long-and short-run elasticities. The demand model, the price equations for the major natural gas using industries, and the estimation results are presented and analysed. It differs from previous studies of natural gas demand in that it is done at the SIC two-digit industry level using state specific data rather than highly aggregated national data.
Dynamic Compressed Hypertoctrees with Application to the N-Body Problem

Hyperoctree is a popular data structure for organizing multidimensional point data. The main drawback ofthi s data structure is that its size and the run-time ofo perations supported by it are dependent upon the distribution of the points. Clarkson rectified the distribution-dependency in the size ofh yperoctrees by introducing compressed hyperoctrees. He presents an O(n log n) expected time randomized algorithm to construct a compressed hyperoctree. In this paper, we give three deterministic algorithms to construct a compressed hyperoctree in O(n log n) time, for any fixed dimension d. We present O(log n) algorithms for point and cubic region searches, point insertions and deletions. We propose a solution to the N-body problem in O(n) time, given the tree. Our algorithms also reduce the run-time dependency on the number of dimensions.
Indexing alternatives for multiversion locking

In this paper, we present several options for extending single-version indexing schemes for use with multiversion two-phase locking. The proposed options are orthogonal to the underlying indexing structure (e.g., hashing or B+ trees). The options differ in where they place references to individual versions; this version selection information is placed either with the data or in the leaf entries of one or more indices. We also briefly summarize the results of a performance study showing that storing version selection information with the data is usually the best option because it keeps indices smaller, thus enabling a larger fraction of the indices to remain cached in the buffer pool.
Towards Single Probe Retrieval

A short survey on minimization techniques for reducing the numbers of probes in open addressing schemes is given. Further, universal classes of hash functions (in the sense of Carter-Wegman) are discussed briefly. Finally, methods for constructing single probe retrieval functions are presented such as Sprugnoli’s, Cichelli’s and the author’s approach (Reciprocal Hashing). Investigations belong to the Information Management Research Project (AIM) at the IBM Scientific Center, Heidelberg
From Mental Health to Juvenile Justice: What Factors Predict This Transition?

We identify youth who are at risk for a critical transition from mental health to juvenile justice. A statewide longitudinal sample of Medicaid-eligible youth (aged 10–17) in the public mental health system (n = 5,455), during approximately one fiscal year (July 1, 1994–August 30, 1995), was used to determine the risk factors for, and timing of, a subsequent juvenile justice detention or commitment during the three subsequent fiscal years (1994–1997). Logistic regression and Cox Proportional Hazards modeling were used. Risk factors for juvenile justice detention or commitment included being: male, black or Hispanic, in junior high school, involuntarily admitted to mental health, having a DSM-IV diagnosis of conduct disorder, alcohol problems, a constellation of risk behavior, and receiving prior mental health services. Factors that accelerate the timing of detention or commitment in the juvenile justice system after a mental health visit included most of the general risk factors except risk behavior and involuntary admission were no longer significant and having a DSM-IV nonalcohol drug use diagnosis, antisocial behavior, and school problems became significant. Our study helps to identify youth who are at risk for multiple system use so that they may be provided appropriate services to prevent multiple system use.
Be The One That You Want: Asian Americans in Television Culture, Onscreen and Beyond

To be invisible in visual culture is to not have power in society. Asian Americans have not been completely invisible in the history of American popular culture, but what visibility they possess has taken delimiting and disempowering forms: in derogatory political cartoons during the building of the transcontinental railroad, in divisive newspaper and magazine articles during World War II, in a smattering though consistent set of appearances in Hollywood films (as servile, sinister, or even by white performers in yellowface), in explicit dehumanizing news images of defeated or victimized bodies during the Vietnam conflict, and "oh, yea…in M*A*S*H."
Control Principles of Complex Networks

A reflection of our ultimate understanding of a complex system is our ability to control its behavior. Typically, control has multiple prerequisites: It requires an accurate map of the network that governs the interactions between the system's components, a quantitative description of the dynamical laws that govern the temporal behavior of each component, and an ability to influence the state and temporal behavior of a selected subset of the components. With deep roots in nonlinear dynamics and control theory, notions of control and controllability have taken a new life recently in the study of complex networks, inspiring several fundamental questions: What are the control principles of complex systems? How do networks organize themselves to balance control with functionality? To address these here we review recent advances on the controllability and the control of complex networks, exploring the intricate interplay between a system's structure, captured by its network topology, and the dynamical laws that govern the interactions between the components. We match the pertinent mathematical results with empirical findings and applications. We show that uncovering the control principles of complex systems can help us explore and ultimately understand the fundamental laws that govern their behavior.
The effectiveness of lysostaphin therapy for experimental coagulase-negative Staphylococcus endophthalmitis.

Purpose: To quantitatively determine the effectiveness of lysostaphin therapy for experimental endophthalmitis mediated by coagulase-negative Staphylococcus species, the leading cause of postsurgical endophthalmitis. Methods: Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of lysostaphin were determined for 54 isolates representing the following species: S. epidermidis, S. warneri, S. haemolyticus, S. cohnii, S. simulans, and S. capitis. The effectiveness of lysostaphin therapy was tested in an experimental model of endophthalmitis by intravitreally injecting log phase bacteria (100 colony-forming units; cfu) into rabbit eyes (n ≥ 3 eyes per group). At 8 hr postinfection (PI), lysostaphin (250 μg) was injected intravitreally, and the number of cfu/ml of vitreous was determined at 24 hr PI. Results: Average MIC for S. epidermidis was 0.7 μ g/ml for 90% of the 33 strains tested. Six methicillin-resistant strains of S. epidermidis (MRSE) had an average MIC of 0.74 μ g/ml. All other species had MIC values of ≤1.1 μg/...
The Rise and Fall of Goritz's Feasts

A T HIS FESTIVAL IN 1513 the talking statue Pasquino took the character of Apollo to celebrate the election of Leo X and to predict a golden age of patronage and poetry. "I used to be an exile," Pasquino/Apollo remarks, "But I'm back in Leo's reign. / So burn your midnight oil, boys, / And follow in my train, / For no one leaves my Leo / Without a handsome gain. / Bards will sing for prizes, /And they'll not sing in vain."2 The new era lived up to Pasquino's expectations, for the Roman humanists were rewarded and entertained not only in the papal court but also, less formally, in the vigne of numerous Maecenases and fellow poets, where they came together in literary groups, or sodalities, to dine, exchange their poetry, and celebrate the shared ideals of the humanist community. 3 The literary and convivial spirit of the age seemed to find its perfect expression in the hospitality ofJohannes Goritz. Goritz had arrived in Rome from his native Luxembourg sometime during the reign of Alexander VI and soon became well established in the Curia, first as a registrar of supplications and later as a papal protonotary. Each year he celebrated the feast of Saint Anne (July 26) at the altar he had commissioned in her honor in the church of S.
IT skills in a tough job market

IT professionals know they must keep their skills up to date. But doing so requires knowing what skills are in demand.
PARALLEL PROCESSING TECHNIQUES IN STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING APPLICATIONS

In the past two decades, the development of algorithms for structural engineering applications has received a boost due to the advent of parallel computers. Considerable research is being done in order to rewrite algorithms originally designed to run on sequential machines as well as to develop new methods that take advantage of the parallelism offered by the multiprocessing computers. This work is concerned with some of the parallel algorithms that have been developed in this field. More specifically, it is a survey of parallel algorithms that are of interest to structural engineering. Such algorithms include parallel solvers (direct and iterative) for linear systems of algebraic equations, techniques for the parallelization of the finite element method, and concurrent time-stepping algorithms for the solution of the equations of evolution arising in structural dynamic problems. One should keep in mind that parallel processing is a rapidly evolving field and it is the focus of intensive research worldwid...
Modeling of Magnesium Powders Explosion in a 20L Sphere

In order to understand the whole process of dust explosions of magnesium powders, a model to describe the evolution of the pressure in the 20L sphere was proposed. This model took into account the nitrification and oxidation of magnesium powder during the explosion. Moreover, the thermal conduction through the wall of the sphere was also taken into account in this model. The model was found to match the experimental data closely.
A four phase micro-mechanical model for asphalt mastic modulus

Abstract In this paper, existing formulations for predicting the stiffening effects of graded aggregate particles at moderate and high concentrations in a viscoelastic matrix (asphalt) are evaluated. These functions encompass dilute, micro-mechanical, and phenomenological solutions, but each is found to produce qualitatively and quantitatively unsatisfactory results at all particle concentrations. These shortcomings are hypothesized result from the inability of these models to consider a third phase of the composite, a physico-chemically influenced layer at the aggregate surface. A model to account for this layer is developed and applied to predict the stiffening of asphalt mastics across a range of volumetric concentrations. The model is found to predict the stiffening responses at moderate concentrations well, but under predicts the responses at the highest concentrations. At these concentrations, particulate contact and internal structure development occurs and provides an additional stiffening mechanism that the four phase model does not account for. The under predictions at these higher concentrations are thus expected and rational.
Carbon nanotube composites synthesized by ion-assisted pulsed laser deposition

Abstract We have synthesized thin CNx films on Si (100) substrate at high temperatures (600 and 700°C) by nitrogen ion-assisted pulsed laser deposition (PLD). The bonding characteristics and microstructure determinations have been accomplished using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), respectively. The radial distribution function (RDF) analysis of the electron diffraction patterns was performed to determine the short range atomic order in these films. The results reveal the presence of carbon predominantly in the trigonally-coordinated state with small fractions of nitrogen (upto 20 at.%) bonded to carbon. The electron diffraction and the high resolution images in cross-section view reveal that there is a textured growth of nanotube or graphite-like ribbons. The plan-view specimens show high resolution images with bended layers similar to that of onion or nanotube like features. The kinetics of the ions assisting the growth is assumed to be important to grow the basal planes (00l) of graphite perpendicular to the substrate. The large anisotropic surface energies in two perpendicular directions in graphite suggest that ions can create nonequilibrium conditions to alter the growth mode of graphitic planes. The importance of ion-assisted PLD to grow novel nanotube or fullerenelike structure in the form of thin film composites for electron field emission devices is emphasized.
The importance of placing measures of health locus of control beliefs in a theoretical context

variance in health behavior from HLC beliefs and HV, even if one considers the interac- tion of those two constructs. We have steadfastly called for the inclusion of other important constnrcts (e.g. specific behavioral beliefs) in any prediction equation which attempts to explain health behavior. An individual's health behavior is multidetermined;
REDISTRIBUTION AND MIXING OF SOIL GRAVELS BY TREE UPROOTING

Gravel distributions within treethrow mounds and adjacent undisturbed soils in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania were examined to determine the pedoturbation effects of tree uprooting. Erosion of fine materials from the fresh root plate and subsequent treethrow mound leaves gravels as a lag deposit forming surface gravel armors. Continued slow erosion of remaining nongravelly materials diminishes topograhic expression of the mound. In time, gravel armors remain as the only evidence of past uprooting events.
Russian foreign policy: Promise or peril?

Russia's political and economic problems have been important factors pushing Moscow toward a much more anti‐Western course. How does this bode for U.S.‐Russian relations in the near term?
On The Acceleration Of Maximum Likelihood Algorithms

Maximum likelihood algorithms have the potential of producing improved estimates with high accuracy. The computational requirements often become prohibitively expensive, however, because of the slow rates of convergence of these algorithms. This paper discusses three classes of acceleration techniques by which convergence to the maximum likelihood solution can be sped up. Some characteristics of these acceleration methods are examined.
Entropy Coefficient and Thermal Time Constant Estimation From Dynamic Thermal Cycling of a Cylindrical LiFePO4 Battery Cell

This paper presents a method for estimating (i) the reciprocal of the thermal time constant of a lithium-ion battery cell and (ii) the cell’s entropy coefficients for different states of charge. The method utilizes dynamic battery temperature cycling for parameter estimation. The paper demonstrates this method specifically for a cylindrical lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) cell. Identifying battery thermal parameters is important for accurate thermo-electrochemical modeling and model-based battery management. Entropy coefficients have been identified in previous research for various battery chemistries using calorimetric and potentiometric measurements requiring quasi-equilibrium conditions. This work, in contrast, fits the entropy coefficients and the reciprocal of the thermal time constant of a first-order thermal model to datasets collected in a noninvasive, dynamic experiment. This reduces the time required for parameter identification by a factor of 3 compared to traditional quasi-equilibrium experiments.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Introduction to critical point theory with application to fluid mechanics

The concepts of critical point theory are introduced and used to establish a model for thcrmodynamic behavior in the vicinity of a vapor/liquid critical point Emphasis is on the mathematical formulation for properties of interest in fluid mechanics, such as specific heats, the speed of sound, and the fundamental derivative of gas dynamics, F. New results include development of asymptotic critical point paths, a demonstration that the classical conditions for a critical point still holds, and a derivation for F. Parametric results are provided for steam. These results demonstrate that F becomes infinite at the critical point
Osteomyelitis Associated With Disseminated Blastomycosis in Nine Dogs

Blastomycosis, a common disease entity of dogs in the southeastern United States, may be encountered elsewhere. Blastomyces dermatitidis, the cause of this disease, is a soil-borne fungal organism. B. dermatitidis is introduced into the host by inhalation of infective spores. This results in a primary lung infection. Dissemination of the organism occurs by lymphohematogenous means and may involve any body tissue. Other tissues frequently involved are the skin, male genitals, lymph nodes, eyes, and bone. Osteomyelitis was diagnosed in nine dogs with disseminated blastomycosis. Six of nine dogs had solitary bone lesions. All nine dogs had a clinical lameness. Only two dogs had clinical signs of respiratory disease. A total of 25 bone lesions were observed in these dogs, with 19 lesions located in the tubular bones of the extremities. Typically, osteolytic lesions appeared at the ends of long bones; only two lesions were observed proximal to the stifle. No extremity lesions were seen proximal to the elbow. Approximately half of the bone lesions had an associated periosteal response or soft tissue enlargement, while no sinus or fistulous tracts were observed. Blastomycosis was confirmed in all dogs by a positive reaction to the gel immunodiffusion test and/or identification of the B. dermatitidis organism. 0rganisms were retrieved and identified from a variety of tissues, including three bone biopsy specimens and one joint aspirate. In seven of nine dogs, initial diagnosis was by identification of the organism. The radiographic differential diagnoses included primary bone neoplasia, soft tissue neoplasia with secondary bone involvement, fungal osteomyelitis, and bacterial osteomyelitis. These differential diagnoses were based on the distribution, localization, and aggressiveness of the lesions observed. The 32 percent incidence of blastomycosis-associated osteomyelitis reported here is significantly higher than reported previously.
Atypical angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphomas masquerading as systemic polyclonal B-immunoblastic proliferation

Angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma (AITL) is a relatively rare peripheral T cell lymphoma derived from follicular T helper cells. AITL has a varied presentation, both clinically and morphologically. AITL can pose a diagnostic challenge as it may be difficult to identify and characterize the neoplastic cells among the polymorphous infiltrates composed of polyclonal B immunoblasts and plasma cells. In AITL, the reactive B cell and plasma cell proliferation is secondary to dysregulated secretion of cytokines such as interleukin-6 by the neoplastic follicular T helper cells. SPBIP is a condition of unknown etiopathogenesis characterized by systemic involvement by polyclonal B immunoblasts and plasma cells. We report two cases of AITL, which are presented with atypical findings making it difficult to diagnose. The cases had features similar to SPBIP. Our cases highlight the importance of screening cases of polyclonal plasmacytosis and SPBIP like cases for underlying AITL.
Reduced antibody response in thymectomized rabbits.

DESPITE considerable experimental work, the function of the thymus has not yet been clearly delineated. Although it is an organ rich in lymphoid cells, it differs from other lymphoid organs in its failure to produce significant amounts of antibody after antigenic stimulation1–3 and in its embryonic origin from the endoderm of the third pharyngeal pouch. The thymus is largest relative to body-weight during the period of immunological deficiency early in life and it becomes progressively smaller after the immune responses are fully developed4, a growth pattern which suggests its relation to the development of immunological mechanisms. The occurrence in the same patient of the two rare conditions, namely, benign thymoma and acquired agamma-globulinaemia5–7, suggested a relationship of the thymus to immunological processes. Thymectomy in adult or even in young rabbits6,8,9 had no effect on their antibody response, but subtotal thymectomy performed on young guinea pigs caused reduced antibody formation in some of the experimental groups10.
The effect of halogen substitution in self-assembled monolayers of 4-mercaptobiphenyls on noble metal substrates.

Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) formed from 4‘-substituted 4-mercaptobiphenyls X-(C6H4)2SH (X-BPT, with X = I, Cl, and F) on polycrystalline (111) gold and silver substrates have been characterized by synchrotron-based high-resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and angle-resolved near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy. The X-BPT molecules were found to form highly oriented and densely packed SAMs on both substrates, with a smaller molecular inclination in the case of Ag. The experimental data show clear evidence for the charge transfer between the 4‘-substituent and biphenyl moieties with the direction and extent of the transfer depending on the electronegativity of the halogen substituent. At the same time, no direct evidence of the charge transfer between the 4‘-substituent and the thiolate group was observed. However, the substitution of the 4‘-hydrogen by a halogen atom seems to affect the detailed packing arrangements of the SAM constituents.
The globalisation of finance and its implications for financial stability: an overview of the issues

This article provides a general overview of the impact of financial globalisation on financial stability, with a view to identify the sources of strength and the potential vulnerabilities. Attention is focused on the benefits of and risks for financial stability that are associated with changes in financial markets, the globalisation of the banking system and the role played by other important players in the global financial system, such as pension funds, mutual funds, insurance companies and hedge funds. The risks to financial stability that arise from the regulatory regime are also examined.
Using Snowball-Based Methods in Hidden Populations to Generate a Randomized Community Sample of Gang-Affiliated Adolescents

Snowball-based methods frequently have been used when working with hidden populations whose members are difficult to identify and locate. By the very nature of the processes of these methods, such samples usually are not random or representative, thereby, resulting in selection bias. This study provides a framework on how to generate a randomized community-based sample of Mexican American adolescent females involved with gangs whose understanding merits further examination given their apparent increase in number and degree. Research findings from a more robust sample can accentuate appropriate policy formation as well as prevention and intervention programs aimed at improving the lives of high-risk youth.
On the Geology of the Western States of North America

The remarks here submitted will be confined chiefly to that part of the Western States of North America watered by the rivers Ohio, Wabash, Illinois, Rock, Wisconsin, Cumberland and Tennessee, lying between the 35th and 43rd degree of N. latitude and the 81st and 91st of W. longitude. The district includes the states of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, and the Du Buque and Mineral Point districts of Iowa and Wisconsin. This territory occupies an area of about half a million of square miles, but its geological features are remarkably uniform, belonging, with a few partial exceptions, to the periods of the bituminous coal and carboniferous limestone as found in Europe, and the Silurian rocks as described by Sir R. Murchison; the exceptions are the superficial deposits which occasionally cover up these from view over considerable tracts, and these must either be referred to the age of gigantic mammalia and formations of a much newer date, or belong to a marl and greensand found in the western district of Tennessee, probably a portion of the greensand and other members of the cretaceous group. A general idea of the geological formations of the whole tract may be obtained from the annexed diagram.
Obstructive sleep apnea, obesity, and the risk of incident atrial fibrillation.

Objectives This study sought to identify whether obesity and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) independently predict incident atrial fibrillation/flutter (AF). Background Obesity is a risk factor for AF, and OSA is highly prevalent in obesity. Obstructive sleep apnea is associated with AF, but it is unknown whether OSA predicts new-onset AF independently of obesity. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 3,542 Olmsted County adults without past or current AF who were referred for an initial diagnostic polysomnogram from 1987 to 2003. New-onset AF was assessed and confirmed by electrocardiography during a mean follow-up of 4.7 years. Results Incident AF occurred in 133 subjects (cumulative probability 14%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 9% to 19%). Univariate predictors of AF were age, male gender, hypertension, coronary artery disease, heart failure, smoking, body mass index, OSA (hazard ratio 2.18, 95% CI 1.34 to 3.54) and multiple measures of OSA severity. In subjects 2 , hazard ratio 1.07, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.10), and the decrease in nocturnal oxygen saturation (per 0.5 U log change, hazard ratio 3.29, 95% CI 1.35 to 8.04). Heart failure, but neither obesity nor OSA, predicted incident AF in subjects ≥65 years of age. Conclusions Obesity and the magnitude of nocturnal oxygen desaturation, which is an important pathophysiological consequence of OSA, are independent risk factors for incident AF in individuals
Reconstitution of nuclear pore assembly and function

Abstract Nuclear pore complexes are the vital communication links that permit the regulated movement of macromolecules between the cytoplasm and nucleus of a cell. As with many other complex cellular events, much of our understanding about pore dynamics and function comes from studying systems that faithfully reproduce these processesin vitro. Two systems have provided the bulk of our knowledge. The first system reconstitutes nuclear import into permeabilized cultured cells. Import is dependent on exogenously added cytosol, and fractionation of this cytosol has led to the identification and characterization of most of the nuclear transport factors. The second system uses a nuclear reconstitution system derived from Xenopus eggs to study transport and to assemble nuclear pores from their component parts. This system has allowed the characterization of both individual pore components and distinct steps in the pore assembly pathway.
An elegant but “simple” form for the Dirac hydrogen atom

The operator structures for the constants of the motion of the relativistic hydrogen atom are examined. ThoughJ3 andJ · J are constants of the motion,J is not. Its replacement,\(\tilde {\rm K}\), is shown to emerge rather naturally in transforming the equation to spherical coordinates. The separation of variables is presented in hypercomplex number form. This leads to some interesting suggestions regarding the matter/antimatter operator for the Dirac equation.
Possibility of soft x-ray lasers without inversion

Basic concepts involved in inversionless laser schemes are reviewed. We focus on the V scheme recently proposed by the Stanford group, which uses AC Stark coupling to develop overlapping spectral lines that show an interference minimum in absorption and a maximum in emission at line center. The He-like C 1s(superscript 2/ - 1s2p transition is examined as a possible candidate for developing an absorption minimum; Doppler broadening effects are found to be severe. The situation is improved with the choice of heavier ions and stronger resonance lines in closed shell sequences. New short wavelength laser schemes in these systems are proposed.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Algorithms for hiding data in speech signals

This paper presents speech watermarking techniques based on modification of the duration of estimated silence regions, direct samples replacement within silence regions, dc component changes per short-time frame, and specific modification of low-amplitude samples ranges in a speech signal. These methods could be used to secretly embed information into speech data for applications such as copyright protection, annotations, and covert communications. Natural variability of the modified parameters within a sentence makes the algorithms imperceptible to the human listener while providing enough bandwidth to hide encoded information. Performance of the schemes is evaluated by comparing them to other data watermarking approaches. Experimental results for several speech signals verify the robustness of the algorithm.