cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mitigating DoS attacks against broadcast authentication in wireless sensor networks

Broadcast authentication is a critical security service in wireless sensor networks. There are two general approaches for broadcast authentication in wireless sensor networks: digital signatures and μTESLA-based techniques. However, both signature-based and μTESLA-based broadcast authentication are vulnerable to Denial of Services (DoS) attacks: An attacker can inject bogus broadcast packets to force sensor nodes to perform expensive signature verifications (in case of signature-based broadcast authentication) or packet forwarding (in case of μTESLA-based broadcast authentication), thus exhausting their limited battery power. This paper presents an efficient mechanism called message-specific puzzle to mitigate such DoS attacks. In addition to signature-based or μTESLA-based broadcast authentication, this approach adds a weak authenticator in each broadcast packet, which can be efficiently verified by a regular sensor node, but takes a computationally powerful attacker a substantial amount of time to forge. Upon receiving a broadcast packet, each sensor node first verifies the weak authenticator, and performs the expensive signature verification (in signature-based broadcast authentication) or packet forwarding (in μTESLA-based broadcast authentication) only when the weak authenticator is valid. A weak authenticator cannot be precomputed without a non-reusable (or short-lived) key disclosed only in a valid packet. Even if an attacker has intensive computational resources to forge one or more weak authenticators, it is difficult to reuse these forged weak authenticators. Thus, this weak authentication mechanism substantially increases the difficulty of launching successful DoS attacks against signature-based or μTESLA-based broadcast authentication. A limitation of this approach is that it requires a powerful sender and introduces sender-side delay. This article also reports an implementation of the proposed techniques on TinyOS, as well as initial experimental evaluation in a network of MICAz motes.
Transport properties of helium near the liquid-vapor critical point. IV. The shear viscosity of3He and4He

Shear viscosity measurements with a precision of 0.05% are reported for3He and4He along near-critical isochores 0.85<ρ/ρc<1.12, where ρc is the critical density. The temperature range was −10−4<e<1, where e=(T − Tc)/Tc is the reduced temperature. The experiments were carried out with a torsional oscillator operating at 158 Hz, driven at resonance in a phase-locked loop. The absolute value of the viscosity was obtained by calibration at the superfluid transition of4He, based on published values and from direct calculations using the free decay time constant of the oscillations. The data are analyzed in terms of a model using the recent mode-coupling (MC) expressions by Olchowy and Sengers, and where account is taken of the earth's gravity effects. The theory could be fitted very well to the experiment with a single free parameter, the cutoff wave numberqD, which was found to be 3.0×106 and 7.0×106 cm−1 for3He and4He, respectively. We have used for the critical exponent the MC predicted value of zη=0.054, which permits a fit superior to that using zη=0.064 predicted by dynamic renormalization group (DRG) theories. Detailed comparisons are made between the model calculations and data for various isochores and isotherms and good agreement is obtained. The effects of gravity are described in some detail. The predicted frequency effect in viscosity measurements is calculated for3He and is shown to be obscured by gravity effects. Using the Olchowy-Sengers formulas, we have also fitted the MC theory to the critical thermal conductivity data of3He, again withqD as the only free parameter. This fit gaveqD=6 × 107 cm−1, which in the ideal situation should have been the same asqD from viscosity. We also discuss a representation of the3He viscosity data along the critical isochore by a power law and first correction-to-scaling erm. Using the viscosity and the critical conductivity data for3He, we have calculated the dynamic amplitude ratio and obtained ℛ=1.05±0.10, in agreement with predictions from MC and DRG theories. Also, ℛ agrees with data of classical fluids. Finally, a comparison is made of recent shear viscosity data for CO2 by Bruschi and Torzo with those on He. The CO2 data are also analyzed in terms of the MC theory, and the discrepancies are discussed. In the Appendices, we present the results of new compressibility measurements on3He along the critical isochore, as used in the MC analysis. We also present a brief analysis of the fluid hydrodynamics in the torsional oscillator leading to relations for the viscosity as a function of the measured quantities. Finally, we give a short outline of the vertical density profile calculations from the earth's gravity field for the calculations of the viscosity nearTc.
Similar phosphorus fluxes in ancient phosphorite deposits and a modern phosphogenic environment

Phosphogenesis is major sink for phosphorus (P) in the modern ocean, and the deposition of ancient phosphorites appears to have been an important sink for P in past oceans. To evaluate the importance of P burial, we combined published estimates (along with our data for one section of the Monterey Formation, California) of P inventories, areal extents, and time intervals of deposition for three well-studied major phosphorite deposits to calculate P accumulation and burial rates. Phosphorus accumulation and burial rates of major phosphorite deposits are comparable to those of the modern Peru margin. Though phosphorite deposition probably requires favorable sedimentological, tectonic, and/or oceanographic conditions, it does not appear to be a geochemically anomalous phenomenon when compared to modern oceanic conditions.
Unusually Large Change in Radiative Lifetime of the A -Band Emission in KI: In + and KI: Sn 2 + Induced by a Magnetic Field

We have studied the magnetic field dependence of the decay time of the emission in KI: ${\mathrm{In}}^{+}$ and KI: ${\mathrm{Sn}}^{2+}$ produced at low temperatures by $A$-band excitation. The decay time decreases by almost 2 orders of magnitude in a field of 46 kG. This unusually large decrease has been correlated with the mixing due to the magnetic field among the excited states $|{\stackrel{^}{A}}_{1\mathrm{u}}({{\ensuremath{\Gamma}}_{1}}^{\ensuremath{-}})〉$, $|{\stackrel{^}{A}}_{2\mathrm{u}}({{\ensuremath{\Gamma}}_{4}}^{\ensuremath{-}})〉$, and $|{\stackrel{^}{E}}_{\mathrm{u}}({{\ensuremath{\Gamma}}_{4}}^{\ensuremath{-}})〉$, which are distorted tetragonally by the Jahn-Teller effect.
Alterations in sample preparation increase sensitivity of PCR assay for diagnosis of chancroid

A PCR assay for the detection of Haemophilus ducreyi in clinical specimens taken from genital ulcers was developed. Although H. ducreyi, when present in such specimens, could be detected by PCR, the sensitivity of the assay was reduced by the presence of Taq polymerase inhibitors in the specimen. The sensitivity of the PCR assay was improved by the use of detergents in preparing nuclei acids from clinical specimens and by the inclusion of a dialysis step prior to amplification. In addition, sodium phosphate included in the transport medium was found to be an inhibitor of the Taq polymerase.
Changing the mind? Not really—activity and connectivity in the caudate correlates with changes of choice

Changes in preference are inherently subjective and internal psychological events. We have identified brain events that presage ultimate (rather than intervening) choices, and signal the finality of a choice. At the first exposure to a pair of faces, caudate activity reflected the face of final choice, even if an initial choice was different. Furthermore, the orbitofrontal cortex and hippocampus exhibited correlations only when the subject had made a choice that would not change.
Monte Carlo and experimental evaluation of BC-454 for use as a multienergy neutron detector

A boron-substituted plastic scintillator has been evaluated for use as a multienergy neutron detector in the Navy RADIAC Development Program. Monte Carlo codes were run for a 1 in. diameter*1 in. long scintillator and a 2 in. diameter*2 in. long scintillator. Additional calculations were run with each scintillator encased in 2 in. of polyethylene moderator. Response curves for neutron sensitivity as a function of energy were plotted from these calculations. Results show a close approximation between the analytically modeled response and the response obtained from a commercially available multienergy neutron detector. The scintillators also were evaluated experimentally for comparison with Monte Carlo results. Each scintillator was coupled to a photomultiplier tube and subjected to neutron irradiation. Results indicate that the experimental configuration used was rejecting proton recoil events >
A coupled wavenumber integration approach for calculating the wavefield in large‐scale laterally varying structures

SUMMARY This paper presents implementation techniques for the coupled wavenumber integration approach that is occasionally used in the underwater acoustics community to address larger scale problems in seismo-acoustics. This numerically efficient method is suitable for detailed wavefield representation of the long, thin waveguide propagating geometries such as those within subducting plate. It therefore represents an attractive alternative to ray-based solutions and finite element methods when thin layers with strong velocity contrast are expected. This wavefield modelling technique is based upon range-dependent wavenumber integration combined with Kirchhoff approximation. Examples of the details of the propagating wavefield with a dipping slab-like structure and the effects of low-velocity layers (LVLs) are presented. These results include the propagation of the wavefield through the wedge and through very LVLs as a function of setups of different complexity as well as a function of horizontal range. By identifying the existence of a sediment-like layer, the presence of a source within and the effects of the changes in the receiver range location, we demonstrate the ability of the coupled wavenumber technique to capture the physics associated with LVLs configuration, and provide classification features for effective identification of these, often intricate, subducted slab structure characteristic.
Psychosexual Adjustment of Gynecologic Oncology Patients: A Proposed Model for Future Investigation

Abstract It is estimated that approximately 76,000 women in the United States will develop invasive malignancies of the female genital organs annually. Many of these patients will undergo some type of therapy likely to alter their sexuality. This paper reviews the literature on the psychosexual adjustment of gynecologic oncology patients, discusses the relevant domains of treatment and patient characteristics that need assessment, and proposes a research model for future interdisciplinary research.
A light weight substitution-based adaptation approach

This paper proposes a light-weight adaptation process, called service substitution-based adaptation. The main idea for this solution is that similar web services can be replaced with each other at lower cost. Thus, invalid composite services can be adapted by substituting its out-of-dated sub-services.
Factors Associated With Provision of Long-Acting Reversible Contraception Among Adolescent Health Care Providers

Abstract Purpose To identify provider and practice characteristics associated with long-acting reversible contraception (LARC, either progesterone contraceptive implants or intrauterine devices [IUDs]) provision among adolescent health care providers. Methods We used data from a previously conducted survey of US providers on reproductive health to predict provision of any form of LARC as well as progesterone contraceptive implants or IUDs specifically using Chi-square and multivariate logistic regressions. Results One third of providers reported any LARC provision. In logistic regressions, residency training in obstetrics/gynecology or family medicine (rather than internal medicine/pediatrics) was the strongest predictor of LARC provision, particularly for IUDs. Conclusions A minority of providers reported offering IUDs or contraceptive implants, most of whom had received procedural women's health training. Increasing the number of providers offering this type of contraception may help to prevent adolescent pregnancies and may be most easily accomplished via training in contraceptive implant provision.
Inhibition of Aβ42 aggregation using peptides selected from combinatorial libraries

Increasing evidence suggests that the aggregation of the small peptide Aβ42 plays an important role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Inhibiting the initial aggregation of Aβ42 may be an effective treatment for preventing, or slowing, the onset of the disease. Using an invivo screen based on the enzyme EGFP, we have searched through two combinatorially diverse peptide libraries to identify peptides capable of inhibiting Aβ42 aggregation. From this initial screen, three candidate peptides were selected and characterized. ThT studies indicated that the selected peptides were capable of inhibiting amyloid aggregation. Additional ThT studies showed that one of the selected peptides was capable of disaggregating preformed Aβ42 fibers. Copyright c � 2009 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Supporting information may be found in the online version of this article
Health Information Technology And Quality Improvement For Community Health Centers

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is committed to promoting health information technology (HIT) throughout health care. However, selection, acquisition, and implementation of HIT for quality improvement (QI) are beyond the means of many federally supported community health centers (CHCs). In the absence of federal leadership and investment, adoption of HIT will be slow, haphazard, duplicative, and wasteful. HHS should actively support HIT to improve quality in CHCs. This will maximize HIT benefits, minimize costs, and ensure that CHCs have the tools to address the needs of vulnerable populations.
Leading the fundraising effort

Community colleges now depend on fundraising to fill a growing gap between institutional needs and financial support from tuition and government taxes. As a result, fundraising has become a critical component of fiscal leadership. This chapter describes emerging ways in which fundraising is being viewed and organized in the community college.
Financial Aid Officer: Accountant or Counselor?

Recent changes in programs of student financial assistance as well as a general tightening of economic conditions in postsecondary education have caused financial aid officers to assess carefully their roles. The authoriza­ tion of the Basic Educational Opportunity Grant Program by the Education Amendments of 1972, which suggests a movement away from inititutionally­ based federal aid programs, has, in particular, prompted many aid offi­ cers to examine what they do and to speculate on the future. From the time offices of student aid came into being as distinct units on college and university campuses, their existence has been justified on the basis that they not only secure and award aid funds, but also provide counseling services to students. Financial aid officers, ideally at least, have been considered not just accountants and disbursers of funds but important members of student personnel staffs whose basic concern is for total stu­ dent development. While differences exist in the lists of functions attributed to the financial aid office, the counseling function is common to virtually all of them. If job descriptions and statements of goals are indicators, coun­ seling of aid applicants is an integral part of any financial aid operation. Is there discrepancy between stated goals and actual practices when it comes to counseling in many financial aid offices? Do all aid officers have a clear understanding ot what constitutes effective counseling? Are they properly trained for counseling? Is sufficient time made available for coun­ Beling to occur?
A Conversation toward Equity A High School-University Partnership for Democratic Educational Renewal

This article is a polyvocal narrative that explores how four participants-a teacher, professor, graduate student, and teacher in transition to being a graduate student-work together to reinvent more equitable roles in a school-university partnership. Equity among university and school participants is stressed as a necessary, although often overlooked, component in any cooperative initiative for democratic education. Each participant tells his or her own story of coming together to create a progressive space for collaboration.
Minimal Infectious Inoculum of Histoplasma capsulatum for Mouse and Chick Embryo

Summary(1) Individual infectious particles were isolated from the mycelial phase of H. capsulatum using Chambers micromanipulator. The particles consisted of germinated and non-germinated tuberculated macroconidia, germinated and non-germinated microconidia and non-branching mycelial fragments. Each particle was placed into a sterile capillary tube inserted into a 21 gauge sterile inoculating needle. Aseptic technics were followed, in addition, streptomycin and penicillin were added to the collecting and inoculating fluids. Microscopical examination of each capillary tube was made prior to and immediately after inoculation procedure to ascertain the disposition of the particle. Fertile Leghorn eggs and the white Swiss mouse were the experimental animals. (2) Infection resulted from all particles with one exception, mycelial fragments, in the mouse. The total percentage of infectivity in the 182 inoculated mice was 5%. Of the 571 inoculated chick embryos approximately 8% became infected. The most infectiou...
Design and testing of a mesoscale actuator device (MAD)

Three different piezoelectric stacks (PI, NEC, and Marco stack) were characterized in this paper. Their mechanical and electrical properties were first evaluated including Young' modulus, piezoelectric constants, and effective permittivity under mechanical preloads up to 69 MPa (10 ksi) at 2 MV/m. Test result shows that the PI stack generated the highest strain output (2087 μe) under a mechanical preload of 55 MPa (8 ksi) at 2 MV/m. As electric field and frequency increased, piezoelectric stack was heated. Heating is mainly caused by power dissipated due to dielectric loss. The power density of the piezoelectric stack was measured under different frequencies, electric fields, and mechanical loads based on a factorial experimental design. Test results indicate that operational frequency influenced the power density more significantly than other parameters.
More Support for the Judicious Use of High-Dose Interleukin-2 in Patients With Advanced Melanoma

than any other malignancy. 1 Although patients with early-stage disease can be cured with surgical resection, with or without adjuvant therapy, a significant number of patients go on to develop disseminated disease. For patients with metastatic melanoma, common treatment approaches have included chemotherapy and immunotherapy, used alone or in combination. The inability of these agents to improve survival, coupled with their significant toxicity, has justified the enrollment of untreated patients in clinical trials. 2 Dacarbazine (DTIC) and its analog temozolomide are generally considered the most active cytotoxic agents, with response rates of 8% to 20%. Despite a lack of evidence that they improve overallsurvivalwhencomparedwithano-treatmentcontrol,these agents have achieved widespread application as standard therapy. Randomized trials have failed to provide any evidence for the superiority of other single agents, combination chemotherapy, or the addition of tamoxifen or interferon to DTIC compared with DTIC therapy alone. 3 High-dose bolus interleukin-2 (IL-2) was granted US Food and Drug Administration approval based on its abilitytoproducedurablecompleteresponsesinasmallnumberof
Estimating Culicoides sonorensis biting midge abundance using digital image analysis.

ImageJ is an open-source software tool used for a variety of scientific objectives including cell counting, shape analysis and image correction. This technology has previously been used to estimate mosquito abundance in surveillance efforts. However, the utility of this application for estimating abundance or parity in the surveillance of Culicoides spp. (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) has not yet been tested. Culicoides sonorensis (Wirth and Jones), a biting midge often measuring 2.0-2.5 mm in length, is an economically important vector of ruminant arboviruses in California. Current surveillance methods use visual sorting for the characteristics of midges and are very time-intensive for large studies. This project tested the utility of ImageJ as a tool to assist in gross trap enumeration as well as in parity analysis of C. sonorensis in comparison with traditional visual methods of enumeration using a dissecting microscope. Results confirmed that automated counting of midges is a reliable means of approximating midge numbers under certain conditions. Further evaluation confirmed accurate and time-efficient parity analysis in comparison with hand sorting. The ImageJ software shows promise as a tool that can assist and expedite C. sonorensis surveillance. Further, these methods may be useful in other insect surveillance activities.
FOLDING MECHANICS OF BI-LAYER GRAPHENE SHEET

Folding in graphene sheet has been extensively observed experimentally. While it is generally recognized that such a conformational state can influence the electronic, magnetic and mechanical properties of graphene nanostructures, the mechanism driving the nonlinear mechanical deformation remains an interesting subject of study. Here we present an investigation on the folding in bi-layer graphene sheet due to in-plane compression. To describe the lattice registry effect of interlay cohesion in layered graphitic structures, a registry-dependent potential model was implemented. We have determined the critical length to stabilize the graphene folding to be 5.4~10.7 nm through both theoretical and simulation analysis. The mechanism for such a stabilized fold is attributed to the variations in the inter-layer interaction energy that produces a friction-like effect. The climbing image nudged elastic band (CINEB) calculations predicted an identical activation energy barrier associated with the transition between flat and folded configurations, 0.47 eV/A, for graphene sheets with length of 7~10 nm. When the mechanical stimulation is high enough to overcome the energy barrier, the supported graphene sheet can be folded to form a nanotube.
Brief Multiplier-based robust H∞ design with time-varying uncertainties

A novel multiplier-based approach for robust controller design with real parametric time-varying uncertainty is proposed. Sufficient conditions for robustness analysis are derived in terms of noncausal dynamic multipliers that depend on the the rate of uncertainty variation. An affine parametrization of such stability multipliers is introduced and the search for suitable multipliers is reduced to a convex minimization formulated as a linear matrix inequalities (LMI) problem. Stable dynamic scalings derived from this multiplier are employed to formulate an equivalent scaled H"~ norm condition for robust stability, based on which a @m/k"m-synthesis procedure is proposed to design robust controllers for the time-varying parametric uncertainty considered.
A Well-Verified, Multiproxy Reconstruction of the Winter North Atlantic Oscillation Index since a.d. 1400*

Abstract A new, well-verified, multiproxy reconstruction of the winter North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index is described that can be used to examine the variability of the NAO prior to twentieth century greenhouse forcing. It covers the period a.d. 1400–1979 and successfully verifies against independent estimates of the winter NAO index from European instrumental and noninstrumental data as far back as 1500. The best validation occurs at interannual timescales and the weakest at multidecadal periods. This result is a significant improvement over previous proxy-based estimates, which often failed to verify prior to 1850, and is related to the use of an extended reconstruction model calibration period that reduced an apparent bias in selected proxies associated with the impact of anomalous twentieth century winter NAO variability on climate teleconnections over North Atlantic sector land areas. Although twentieth century NAO variability is somewhat unusual, comparable periods of persistent positive-phase ...
Impact of Deferring Radiation Therapy in Patients With Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-Mutant Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Who Develop Brain Metastases.

Purpose To perform a retrospective analysis of patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutant lung adenocarcinoma who developed brain metastases (BM) to evaluate our hypothesis that the use of upfront EGFR–tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), and deferral of radiation therapy (RT), would result in inferior intracranial progression-free survival but similar overall survival (OS). Methods and Materials Of 202 patients diagnosed with EGFR-mutant NSCLC between July 1, 2008, and December 31, 2014, 71 developed BM. Twenty-one patients were excluded owing to prior EGFR-TKI use, EGFR-TKI resistance mutation, failure to receive EGFR-TKI after whole-brain radiation therapy (WBRT)/stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) or Results The median OS was longer in the upfront RT group compared with the upfront EGFR-TKI group (34.1 vs 19.4 months; P =.01). On subgroup analysis, the SRS group had longer OS than the upfront EGFR-TKI group (58.4 vs 19.4 months; P =.01), but the WBRT group did not (29.9 vs 19.4 months; P =.09). Intracranial progression-free survival was improved in patients receiving upfront RT compared with those receiving upfront EGFR-TKI (37.9 vs 10.6 months; P Conclusions The present study suggests that the use of upfront EGFR-TKI, and the deferral of SRS or WBRT, may result in inferior OS in patients with EGFR-mutant NSCLC who develop brain metastases. A prospective, multi-institutional, randomized trial of upfront EGFR-TKI with RT at intracranial progression versus upfront RT followed by EGFR-TKI is urgently needed.
Enhanced Responses of Spinal Dorsal Horn Neurons to Heat and Cold Stimuli Following Mild Freeze Injury to the Skin

The effects of a mild freeze injury to the skin on responses of nociceptive dorsal horn neurons to cold and heat stimuli were examined in anesthetized rats. Electrophysiological recordings were obt...
Some conditions influencing the variability of typhoon formation over the West Pacific ocean. Einige die Veränderlichkeit der Entstehung von Taifunen über dem westlichen pazifischen Ozean beeinflussende Bedingungen

Vorticity, divergence, vertical velocities, sea surface temperatures, and the zonal Walker circulations were analyzed over the West Pacific for two summers each with high and low typhoon frequencies.
Resting-state qEEG predicts rate of second language learning in adults

Understanding the neurobiological basis of individual differences in second language acquisition (SLA) is important for research on bilingualism, learning, and neural plasticity. The current study used quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG) to predict SLA in college-aged individuals. Baseline, eyes-closed resting-state qEEG was used to predict language learning rate during eight weeks of French exposure using an immersive, virtual scenario software. Individual qEEG indices predicted up to 60% of the variability in SLA, whereas behavioral indices of fluid intelligence, executive functioning, and working-memory capacity were not correlated with learning rate. Specifically, power in beta and low-gamma frequency ranges over right temporoparietal regions were strongly positively correlated with SLA. These results highlight the utility of resting-state EEG for studying the neurobiological basis of SLA in a relatively construct-free, paradigm-independent manner.
Clinical Effects of Compound Glycyrrhizin Injection,Tacrolimus Ointment,Avene on Facial Corticosteroid Addictive Dermatitis

Objective To observe the short-term and long-term clinical effects of using Compound Glycyrrhizin Injection(CGI),tacrolimus ointment,Avene thermal spring water(ATSW) and Avene skin recovery cream(ASRC) sequentially in the treatment of facial corticosteroid addictive dermatitis(FCAD).Methods Eighty-two patients with FCAD were divided into treatment and control groups.The patients in the control group were injected with CGI 40 mL,once a day for 2 weeks,and then were smeared with 0.03% tacrolimus ointment,twice a day for 2 weeks.The treatment group was added ATSW based on the control group,twice a day.The courses of medical therapy were 4 weeks.After 4 weeks,the treatment group was changed to use ATSW and ASRC,in the same time,the control group used Vitamin E Cream.Results After the patients were treated 2 weeks,the symptoms or signs such as erythema,edema,itching were significantly relieved.Treatment group's effective rate of the erythema was 70.0%(28 cases),edema 75.0%(30 cases),itching 72.5%(29 cases).Control group's effective rate of the erythema was 46.3%(19 cases),edema 51.2%(21 cases),itching 46.3%(19 cases).There were significant differences between the two groups(P0.05).After the patients were treated 4,8,12,24 weeks,there was no significant difference in two groups within 8 weeks(P0.05).There were significant differences compared with the control group within 12 and 24 weeks(P0.05,P0.01).Conclusion Using CGI,tacrolimus ointment,ATSW and ASRC sequentially to cure FCAD can reduce abstinence reaction.The way can get a better treatment outcome in a short time,and enhance the permanent stability of treatments.
Circadian and ultradian rhythms of peripheral prolactin concentrations in lactating dairy cows

To investigate possible circadian and ultradian periodicities for peripheral prolactin in lactating dairy cows, integrated 15-min blood samples taken sequentially over 48 h from six cows were analyzed by radioimmunoassay. Cows were housed in an environmental chamber at 19 degrees C with lights on 0700 to 2300, fed daily at 0900, and milked at 0800 and 2000. Peripheral concentrations exhibited sinusoidal circadian rhythms. For two cows, a nadir of 15 ng/ml occurred around 1900 and a zenith of 29 ng/ml around 0730. For four cows, circadian rhythms were 180 degrees out of phase, with a nadir of 28 ng/ml around 0840 and a zenith of 40 mg/ml around 1920. Ultradian peaks, which varied in amplitude within and among animals, showed no consistent relationship with either milking or feeding. Spectral analyses indicated rhythms around 100 min for the first two animals and 150 min for the four animals. In conclusion, there were no simple relations between prolactin rhythms and lights on or lights off. Further, results suggest that changes in the phase of circadian rhythms may be associated with changes in the periods of ultradian rhythms.
Cöthen 1717–23

THE CALL TO COTHEN When our Bach had come back to Weimar [after the Dresden competition], and in the same year, the then Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Cothen, a great connoisseur and lover of music, called him to be his Capellmeister. He took up the position without delay and held it for almost six years, to the greatest satisfaction of his gracious prince. ( Obituary ) One reason Bach took up the position ‘without delay’ was that he was probably being paid some kind of retainer by Cothen before the Dresden visit, whenever this took place in the autumn of 1717. The visit cannot have been later than early November – because from 6 November to 2 December 1717 Johann Sebastian Bach was in prison in Weimar, held in the ‘district judge's chamber’ or cell ( LandRichter-Stube ), on account of his ‘show of obstinacy and for over-pressing his dismissal’ ( halsstarrigen Bezeugung und erzwingenden dimission : Dok II, 65), and was eventually released only on a dishonourable discharge. The Obituary says nothing about any of this, unless ‘without delay’ is an elliptical allusion to it: Bach so wanted to be free of Weimar he did not hesitate when the chance came, quickly removed himself, and later spoke about it in these terms. Evidently, he had been accused and convicted by the duke on two charges, obstinacy and importunity, but neither is quite clear now.
General Clinical Information

Early in a Diagnostic Radiology residency, many of the protocols and procedures seem foreign and can occasionally be more than a little anxiety-provoking. Despite adequate backup and supervision, all residents will inevitably have to perform a basic procedure that is not entirely within their comfort zone. The following protocols are designed to facilitate an adequate examination of the patient while giving residents a guideline to review before beginning the study. Such protocols vary from institution to institution, and they can be modified to meet the needs of the various departments using them.
The VR Factory : discrete event simulation implemented in a virtual environment

Virtual reality (VR) refers to an immersive, interactive, multi-sensory, viewer-centered, three-dimensional (3D) computer generated environment and the combination of technologies required to build such an environment (Cruz-Neira, 1993). Related to problems of engineering design and manufacturing, this new technology offers engineers the ability to work with computer models in a three-dimensional, immersive environment. This paper describes a virtual reality application where the results of a discrete event simulation of a manufacturing cell are integrated with a virtual model of the cell to produce a virtual environment. The program described in this paper, the VR Factory, allows the user to investigate how various changes to the manufacturing cell affect part production. This investigation is performed while immersed in a computer generated three-dimensional representation of the cell. This paper describes the creation of the VR model of the manufacturing cell, the animation of the environment and the implementation of the results of the discrete event simulation.
Simple tests for social interaction models with network structures

ABSTRACTWe consider an extended spatial autoregressive model that can incorporate possible endogenous interactions, exogenous interactions, unobserved group fixed effects and the correlation of unobservables. In the generalized method of moments (GMM) and the maximum likelihood (ML) frameworks, we introduce simple gradient-based robust test statistics that can be used to test for the presence of the endogenous effects, the correlation of unobservables and the contextual effects. These test statistics are robust to local parametric misspecifications and only require consistent estimates from a transformed linear regression model to compute. We carry out an extensive Monte Carlo study to investigate the size and power properties of the proposed tests. The results show that the proposed tests have good finite sample properties, and are useful for testing the presence of the various effects in a social interaction model.
Higher serum vitamin D levels are associated with protective serum cytokine profiles in patients with ulcerative colitis.

Abstract Background & Aims Vitamin D has immune modulating effects on cytokines. Serum vitamin D levels are associated with the risk of relapse in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), through unknown mechanisms. We tested the hypothesis that this beneficial role of vitamin D on UC is mediated through anti-inflammatory serum cytokine profiles. Methods Serum samples from a prospective cohort of seventy UC patients in clinical remission were collected and baseline histological and endoscopic scores were recorded at enrollment. Clinical relapse events were recorded over the 12-month follow-up period. Serum vitamin D and cytokines levels (IL-6, IL-8, IL-17A, TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-10) were quantified using ELISA. Linear regression was used to determine correlation between vitamin D and cytokine profiles. Logistic regression models were used to determine the association between serum cytokine profiles and baseline histologic mucosal healing and clinical relapse. Results Higher serum vitamin D levels positively correlated with higher ratios of IL-4 + IL-10/IL-17A + TNF-α (r = 0.37, P Conclusions Vitamin D is associated with anti-inflammatory serum cytokine profiles. Anti-inflammatory cytokine patterns may mediate the protective effects of higher serum vitamin D levels in patients with ulcerative colitis.
The Effect of Employee Turnover in the Hospitality Industry: Quantitative Correlational Study

The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between employee turnover intention and job satisfaction, employee compensation, employee engagement, employee motivation, and work environment. A convenience sample of 156- services related employees from the hospitality industry in Western Georgia; Central Mississippi; and North Central Texas participants in the online surveys. The results from multiple linear regression models were significant in predicating employee turnover in the hospitality industry. In the final model, the five predictors accounted for approximately 36% of the variance in turnover intention, and the result was statistically significant, (R² =. 36, F (5, 105) = 11.57, p < .001). Motivation was not a significant predictor of employee's turnover intentions. The introduction of others organizational related variables by future researchers might enhance the effectiveness of the model. The practical implications for change include the ability of hospitality leaders' to implemented strategies and policies into their business practice to reduce employee turnover with industry, which is vital for organizational to retain skilled worker while maintaining profitability.
Factor VIIa administration in orthotopic heart transplant recipients and its impact on thromboembolic events and post-transplant outcomes

Recombinant, activated factor VIIa (rFVIIa) is used during cardiac surgeries to mitigate refractory coagulopathic bleeding. The purpose of this study was to examine whether rFVIIa use in orthotopic heart transplant (OHT) recipients was associated with a higher incidence of thromboembolic (TE) events compared to patients who did not. A single-center, retrospective, cohort study was performed on OHT recipients who received rFVIIa for refractory coagulopathic bleeding from January 2013 to December 2015. Patients were evaluated for up to 6 months after transplantation and assessed for TE events, rejection, readmissions, graft survival, and patient survival. Categorical variables were analyzed using the Chi square test while student’s t or ANOVA testing was utilized for continuous variables. Of the 62 patients who met inclusion criteria, 27 patients received rFVIIa, and 35 patients were selected for the control group. The overall incidence of TE events was not significantly different between patients who received rFVIIa compared to patients in the control group (14.8% vs 11.4%) (p = 0.69). Within 14 days, 14.81% of rFVIIa patients suffered a TE event compared to 5.7% of the control group (p = 0.23). Rejection, readmissions, graft survival, and patient survival were not significantly different at any time points. Use of rFVIIa in heart transplantation showed no difference in the overall rate of TE events, however, there was a nonsignificant trend toward higher risk of early TE development in the rFVIIa group compared to the control group.
A randomized trial comparing surgeon-administered intraoperative transversus abdominis plane block with anesthesiologist-administered transcutaneous block.

Abstract Background Injection of local anesthetic into the transversus abdominis plane (TAP block) decreases systemic morphine requirements after abdominal surgery. We compared intraoperative surgeon-administered TAP block (surgical TAP) to anesthesiologist-administered transcutaneous ultrasound-guided TAP block (conventional TAP) for post-cesarean analgesia. We hypothesized that surgical TAP blocks would take less time to perform than conventional TAP blocks. Methods We performed a randomized trial, recruiting 41 women undergoing cesarean delivery under neuraxial anesthesia, assigning them to either surgical TAP block (n=20) or conventional TAP block (n=21). Time taken to perform the block was the primary outcome, while postoperative pain scores and 24-hour opioid requirements were secondary outcomes. Student’s t-test was used to compare block time and Kruskal-Wallis test opioid consumption and pain-scores. Results Time taken to perform the block (2.4 vs 12.1 min, P Conclusion Surgical TAP blocks are feasible and less time consuming than conventional TAP blocks, while providing comparable analgesia after cesarean delivery.
An analysis of conditions and trends in student teaching in the United States

AbstractArguably, the student teaching experience is the single most powerful learning experience in preservice teacher education in the United States. Although influenced by the current and past policy context, it is perhaps the oldest as well as the most common partnership between K-12 schools and teacher preparation programs. Despite the centrality of this experience to learning to teach, limited research has been conducted on the nature or characteristics of student teaching in our institutions of higher education or how it has changed over the years. This analysis examines two national samples assessing the status of student teaching experiences in the United States, taken 40 years apart. Its purpose was to analyze conditions and trends in student teaching partnerships. Results indicate that although the experience is now more uniform and intense, fewer supervisor visits are required. Based on the comparison of themes, additional recommendations for narrowing the research-to-practice gap in student t...
Effects of vitamin B12 and folate deficiency on brain development in children

Folate deficiency in the periconceptional period contributes to neural tube defects; deficits in vitamin B12 (cobalamin) have negative consequences on the developing brain during infancy; and deficits of both vitamins are associated with a greater risk of depression during adulthood. This review examines two mechanisms linking folate and vitamin B12 deficiency to abnormal behavior and development in infants: disruptions to myelination and inflammatory processes. Future investigations should focus on the relationship between the timing of deficient and marginal vitamin B12 status and outcomes such as infant growth, cognition, social development, and depressive symptoms, along with prevention of folate and vitamin B12 deficiency.
Clinical Laboratory Assessment of the Bronchial Asthma Patient

The diagnosis of bronchial asthma requires documentation of episodic and reversible airway obstruction. It is characterized by hyperirritablity of the bronchial mucosa and eosinophilia. Once a medical history, physical examination, and an initial spirometry workup indicate a possible diagnosis of asthma, the clinician may request a number of the tests from the clinical laboratory that aid in the differential diagnosis of asthma (Table 1). Of these, the radiological (chest and sinus X-rays), pulmonary function (inspiratory and expiratory flow volume curves), rhinoscopy, and gastroesophageal reflux analyses are discussed in detail elsewhere in this volume (Chapters 5, 7, and 8). This chapter will focus on issues relating to diagnostic allergy laboratory tests that can aid in discrimination between extrinsic (allergic atopic or immunologic) and intrinsic (nonallergic or idiopathic) asthma.
Comparison of 2-deoxy-2-[F-18]fluoro-D-glucose uptake in the cerebellum and liver, reference organs for assessment of glucose metabolism, in oncologic patients

73 Objectives Evalution of treatment response in cancer patients who are followed up by serial FDG PET scans can be challenging. The use of standardized uptake value (SUV) as a single dertermimnig factor can be sometimes misleading since SUV can be affected by different facors such as serum glucose level, age and body weight. Lesion-to-cerebellum uptake ratio (LCR) has been shown to be a valuable semiquantitative index for assessment of glucose metabolism in tumors. Unlike the SUV the LCR does not require accurate patient weight or injected/residual dose measurements. In this study, we evaluated the correlation between tumor SUV, tumor/cerebellum uptake ratio and tumor/liver uptake ratio in cancer patients undergoing systemic therapy. Methods Tumor, cerebellar and liver FDG uptake was assessed in 16 oncologic patients (3 rectal cancers and 13 lymphomas) with 64 PET/CT studies who were undergoing systemic therpay. Serial changes of maximum SUV of a single lesion in each patient was measured. Pearson correlation between percent changes tumor SUV and tumor/cerebellum uptake ratio as well as between tumor SUV and tumor/liver uptake ratio was assessed. Results Positive correlation was found between the tumor SUV changes and tumor SUV/cerebellar SUV values (r = 0.98, p Conclusions Our results suggest that cerebellum may exhibit more desirable characteristics as a reference organ than the liver for evaluating treatment response in patients when sole tumor SUV values cannot be used in cases like hyperglycemia or changes in body weight. Utilizing the LCR could result in a smaller number of false negative studies than using the SUV approach or the tumor-to-liver ratio method
Corporate social responsibility and strategic company behaviour: CVS Health's discontinuation of tobacco products

The elimination of tobacco products by CVS Health represents a special case of corporate social responsibility (CSR) with substantial costs—about $2 billion revenue loss in tobacco annually. This paper examines how CVS Health's stock market performance was affected by two events: the announcement (5 February 2014) and the implementation (1 October 2014) of the elimination of tobacco products. The study event approach and regression models are used to examine both short‐ and long‐term effects. The results show positive and significant abnormal returns during both events, with effects being much stronger during the implementation event period. In the long term, the net effects become neutral, most likely because the positive effects of CSR and the negative effects of the revenue loss offset each other. The results have important implications for both the retail pharmacy industry and companies in other industries. Socially responsible actions, such as the elimination of harmful products could impose substantial revenue losses or extra expenses, but more importantly, they can have a positive and significant impact on corporate financial performance. Thus, such actions benefit not only the stakeholders, but also the shareholders, and are consistent with both stakeholder theory and shareholder theory.