cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Association Between Neighborhood Socioeconomic Disadvantage and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Author(s): Galiatsatos, Panagis; Woo, Han; Paulin, Laura M; Kind, Amy; Putcha, Nirupama; Gassett, Amanda J; Cooper, Christopher B; Dransfield, Mark T; Parekh, Trisha M; Oates, Gabriela R; Barr, R Graham; Comellas, Alejandro P; Han, Meilan K; Peters, Stephen P; Krishnan, Jerry A; Labaki, Wassim W; McCormack, Meredith C; Kaufman, Joel D; Hansel, Nadia N | Abstract: RationaleIndividual socioeconomic status has been shown to influence the outcomes of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, contextual factors may also play a role. The objective of this study is to evaluate the association between neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage measured by the area deprivation index (ADI) and COPD-related outcomes.MethodsResidential addresses of SubPopulations and InteRmediate Outcome Measures in COPD Study (SPIROMICS) subjects with COPD (FEV1/FVC l0.70) at baseline were geocoded and linked to their respective ADI national ranking score at the census block group level. The associations between the ADI and COPD-related outcomes were evaluated by examining the contrast between participants living in the most-disadvantaged (top quintile) to the least-disadvantaged (bottom quintile) neighborhood. Regression models included adjustment for individual-level demographics, socioeconomic variables (personal income, education), exposures (smoking status, packs per year, occupational exposures), clinical characteristics (FEV1% predicted, body mass index) and neighborhood rural status.ResultsA total of 1800 participants were included in the analysis. Participants residing in the most-disadvantaged neighborhoods had 56% higher rate of COPD exacerbation (Pl0.001), 98% higher rate of severe COPD exacerbation (P=0.001), a 1.6 point higher CAT score (Pl0.001), 3.1 points higher SGRQ (Pl0.001), and 24.6 meters less six-minute walk distance (P=0.008) compared with participants who resided in the least disadvantaged neighborhoods.ConclusionParticipants with COPD who reside in more-disadvantaged neighborhoods had worse COPD outcomes compared to those residing in less-disadvantaged neighborhoods. Neighborhood effects were independent of individual-level socioeconomic factors, suggesting that contextual factors could be used to inform intervention strategies targeting high-risk persons with COPD.
Marine microbial diversity studied via 16S rRNA sequences: cloning results from coastal waters and counting of native archaea with fluorescent single cell probes

New molecular approaches relying on 16S rRNA sequences allow qualitative and quantitative analysis of marine microbial diversity. Here we report on (1) continued development of ‘lists’ of taxa present in marine environments, in temperate coastal waters, and (2) new fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) approaches to quantify taxonomic compositions, with an initial focus on archaea. Our cloning results come from Long Island Sound on the Atlantic coast (February and August), and Malibu (April) and offshore Monterey Bay (September), California. The clones were dominated (39 of 45 total clones) by proteobacteria, with the α subdivision (33 clones), and the SAR11 cluster (17) in particular, being quite abundant. There were also clones from the β (2) and γ (4) subdivisions, the cyanobacteria (4, from Monterey Bay only) and the Cytophaga group (2). Some clones were very similar to those previously reported from open ocean or deep sea environments, but others were not close relatives of any of those previously reported. The FISH results used doubly-labeled probes that were ‘universal’, bacterial, and archaeal (single and multiple), in combination with chloramphenicol treatment and probe detection by intensified video microscopy. Universal probes detected ca. 75–95% of total DAPI counts. Of 2 depth profiles from mesotrophic-oligotrophic California waters, a September one, to 300 m, indicated a low but detectable presence of archaea (about 10% above control values) as measured with single probes. A second profile in May with 4 archaeal probes showed <5% at 100 m depth, but the percentage relative to total DAPI counts increased to about 40% at 600 m depth. Samples from the French Mediterranean coast showed few detectable archaea (analyzed with single probes) in surface waters of Villefranche-sur-Mer Bay, but about 60% archaea at 200 m depth outside the bay. These results point in general to the suitability of this single cell FISH method to quantify taxonomic composition of marine samples, and the specific results indicate the high abundance of archaea in at least some midwater locations.
Hierarchical nanosheets built from superatomic clusters: properties, exfoliation and single-crystal-to-single-crystal intercalation

Tuning the properties of atomic crystals in the two-dimensional (2D) limit is synthetically challenging, but critical to unlock their potential in fundamental research and nanotechnology alike. 2D crystals assembled using superatomic blocks could provide a route to encrypt desirable functionality, yet strategies to link the inorganic blocks together in predetermined dimensionality or symmetry are scarce. Here, we describe the synthesis of anisotropic van der Waals crystalline frameworks using the designer superatomic nanocluster Co3(py)3Co6Se8L6 (py = pyridine, L = Ph2PN(Tol)), and ditopic linkers. Post-synthetically, the 3D crystals can be mechanically exfoliated into ultrathin flakes (8 to 60 nm), or intercalated with the redox-active guest tetracyanoethylene in a single-crystal-to-single-crystal transformation. Extensive characterization, including by single crystal X-ray diffraction, reveals how intrinsic features of the nanocluster, such as its structure, chirality, redox-activity and magnetic profile, predetermine key properties of the emerging 2D structures. Within the nanosheets, the strict and unusual stereoselectivity of the nanocluster's Co edges for the low symmetry (α,α,β) isomer gives rise to in-plane structural anisotropy, while the helically chiral nanoclusters self-organize into alternating Δ- and Λ-homochiral rows. The nanocluster's high-spin Co edges, and its rich redox profile make the nanosheets both magnetically and electrochemically active, as revealed by solid state magnetic and cyclic voltammetry studies. The length and flexibility of the ditopic linker was varied, and found to have a secondary effect on the structure and stacking of the nanosheets within the 3D crystals. With these results we introduce a deterministic and versatile synthetic entry to programmable functionality and symmetry in 2D superatomic crystals.
How Informative is Management Earnings Guidance Relative to that of Analysts

Market participants rely on earnings estimates for a variety of financial decision making purposes. Management and analysts represent two important sources of such estimates. Relying on a sample where management and analysts forecast for the same firm on the same day, we find that the management guidance is less informative to the market (i.e., has a weaker covariation with the price response) than that of the analyst. Additional analyses reveal that the value in analysts’ forecasts stems from their relatively greater accuracy and objectivity.
Melatonin Patterns and Levels During the Human Menstrual Cycle and After Menopause.

Context Melatonin may play a role in the regulation of the human menstrual cycle and may decline with menopause and/or aging. Objective The objective of this work is to investigate the relations between melatonin and the menstrual cycle, menopause, and aging. Methods This was a cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis of 20 participants from the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN) Daily Hormone Study (DHS). The outcome measure was first-morning urine assay of 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (aMT6s), a gauge of melatonin. For each participant, aMT6s was measured daily during one premenopausal cycle with evidence of luteal activity (ELA) and one postmenopausal collection with no evidence of luteal activity (NELA). Results In addition to the organized patterns of hormone metabolites (estrone conjugates [E1c], and pregnanediol glucuronide [PdG]) and gonadotropins that characterized ovulatory menstrual cycles, there was a late luteal rise in aMT6s. In NELA collections, there was no periodicity of E1c, PdG, gonadotropins, or aMT6s. The strongest predictors of aMT6s levels were PdG values 11 to 12 days prior to aMT6s (β = 1.46, P = .001 and β = 1.44, P = .001, respectively). E1c and gonadotropins were not statistically significantly associated with aMT6s. Mean aMT6s in premenopause was 53.5 ng/mL, greater than the mean of 37.4 ng/mL in postmenopausal samples from the same women (P = .0002). Conclusions This study confirms a late luteal melatonin rise, likely signaled by progesterone, which may influence menstrual cycle pacemaker control. Melatonin declined from premenopause to postmenopause. A high correlation between menopause transition stage and age precludes distinction between the influences of ovarian and chronological aging.
Men Coping with Miscarriage: How Spousal Emotional Support Contributes to the Relationship between Parenting Identity and Well-Being about Pregnancy Loss

Although miscarriage is commonly considered a “women’s issue,” pregnancy loss often occurs in opposite-sex marriages and affects the well-being of both spouses. The present study investigated how c...
Pharyngeal Lacerations and Retropharyngeal Abscesses in Cattle

Injuries of the oro-pharynx are most often associated with trauma due to balling guns, Frick speculums, drench syringes or the boluses themselves.1 Often the operator has no idea that an injury has occurred until several days later when the cow's inappetance/throat swelling has become apparent. Although many lacerations are small and heal spontaneously with minimal clinical signs, identifiable pharyngeal lacerations cause much distress to affected cattle resulting in significant weight loss and/or death. The following is a summary of 17 cases of pharyngeal laceration/retropharyngeal abscess seen at the Ohio State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital (table 1). Clinical signs seen in cattle found to have pharyngeal lacerations included dyspnea (11), excessive salivation (7), high cervical swelling (7), anorexia (7), bloat (1) and malodorous breath (1). The respiratory signs in these animals were primarily upper respiratory in nature although pneumonia was also detected in several animals. The degree of respiratory embarrassment in 2 cattle was severe enough to warrant tracheostomy.
Genetic Liability to Cannabis Use Disorder and COVID-19 Hospitalization.

Abstract Background Vulnerability to COVID-19 hospitalization has been linked to behavioral risk factors, including combustible psychoactive substance use (e.g., tobacco smoking). Paralleling the COVID-19 pandemic crisis have been increasingly permissive laws for recreational cannabis use. Cannabis use disorder (CUD) is a psychiatric disorder that is heritable and genetically correlated with respiratory disease, independent of tobacco smoking. We examined the genetic relationship between CUD and COVID-19 hospitalization. Methods We estimated the genetic correlation between CUD (case: n = 14,080; control: n = 343,726) and COVID-19 hospitalization (case: n = 9373; control: n = 1,197,256) using summary statistics from genome-wide association studies. Using independent genome-wide association studies conducted before the pandemic, we controlled for several covariates (i.e., tobacco use phenotypes, problematic alcohol use, body mass index, fasting glucose, forced expiratory volume, education attainment, risk taking, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, Townsend deprivation index, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes) using genomic structural equation modeling. Genetic causality between CUD and COVID-19 hospitalization was estimated using latent causal variable models. Results Genetic vulnerability to COVID-19 was correlated with genetic liability to CUD (rG = 0.423 [SE = 0.0965], p = 1.33 × 10−6); this association remained when accounting for genetic liability to related risk factors and covariates (b = 0.381–0.539, p = .012–.049). Latent causal variable analysis revealed causal effect estimates that were not statistically significant. Conclusions Problematic cannabis use and vulnerability to serious COVID-19 complications share genetic underpinnings that are unique from common correlates. While CUD may plausibly contribute to severe COVID-19 presentations, causal inference models yielded no evidence of putative causation. Curbing excessive cannabis use may mitigate the impact of COVID-19.
Study on icing and its trip laws of transmission lines in Shanxi Power Grid

Overhead transmission lines are important carriers of electric energy transmission. Their icing, galloping and shedding in winter and spring seriously threatened the safe operation of Shanxi power grid. Especially in the recent years, compact lines and double circuit lines on the same tower, typical types of overhead transmission lines in Shanxi Power Grid, were affected by frequent trips induced by icing, galloping, and shedding appeared in their conductors repeatedly, which seriously reduced the capacity of power energy transmission in Shanxi and caused trillions of power load losses. Through detailed investigation and analysis of the characteristics and historical fault cases of compact lines and double circuit lines on the same tower in Shanxi Power Grid, the key causes and main laws of two types of lines in Shanxi Power Grid are clarified, which could provide support for the follow-up line anti-ice technical transformation and capacity improvement.
K-12 School Teaching Posture Correlates with COVID-19 Disease Outcomes in Ohio

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, most US K-12 schools shutdown and millions of students began remote learning. By September 2020, little guidance had been provided to school districts to inform fall teaching. This indecision led to a variety of teaching postures within a given state. In this report we examine Ohio school districts in-depth, to address whether on-premises teaching impacted COVID-19 disease outcomes in that community. We observed that counties with on-premises teaching had more cumulative deaths at the end of fall semester than counties with predominantly online teaching. To provide a measure of disease progression, we developed an observational disease model and examined multiple possible confounders, such as population size, mobility, and demographics. Examination of micropolitan counties revealed that the progression of COVID-19 disease was faster during the fall semester in counties with predominantly on-premises teaching. The relationship between increased disease prevalence in counties with on-premises teaching was not related to deaths at the start of the fall semester, population size, or the mobility within that county. This research addresses the critical question whether on-premises schooling can impact the spread of epidemic and pandemic viruses and will help inform future public policy decisions on school openings.
Fast median filters using separable sorting networks

Median filters are a widely-used tool in graphics, imaging, machine learning, visual effects, and even audio processing. Currently, very-small-support median filters are performed using sorting networks, and large-support median filters are handled by O(1) histogram-based methods. However, the constant factor on these O(1) algorithms is large, and they scale poorly to data types above 8-bit integers. On the other hand, good sorting networks have not been described above the 7 X 7 case, leaving us with no fast way to compute integer median filters of modest size, and no fast way to compute floating point median filters for any size above 7 X 7. This paper describes new sorting networks that efficiently compute median filters of arbitrary size. The key idea is that these networks can be factored to exploit the separability of the sorting problem - they share common work across scanlines, and within small tiles of output. We also describe new ways to run sorting networks efficiently, using a sorting-specific instruction set, compiler, and interpreter. The speed-up over prior work is more than an order of magnitude for a wide range of data types and filter sizes. For 8-bit integers, we describe the fastest median filters for all sizes up to 25 X 25 on CPU, and up to 33 X 33 on GPU. For higher-precision types, we describe the fastest median filters at all sizes tested on both CPU and GPU.
Global Surgery: From Grassroots Movement to Global Momentum

2015 marked a year to set new goals, and as the Sustainable Development Goals were launched, global momentum for the surgical patient had arrived. Academia, non-governmental organizations, student organizations and many other organizations and partnerships joined forces to attract the necessary attention to global surgery and to advocate for better care for patients without access to timely, affordable and safe surgical care. Many advocacy efforts in global surgery focus on systems strengthening as a way to increase access. In line with this idea The Lancet Commission on Global Surgery recommended the formulation of National Surgical, Obstetrics and Anesthesia Plans (NSOAPs) as a coordinated and strategic roadmap to improving surgical care around the world. NSOAPs are only the first step towards surgical system strengthening, and with every NSOAP that is implemented, the long-term impact of these plans will eventually come into scrutiny. NSOAPs must therefore contain robust data collection and reporting systems that will be will crucial for the monitoring and evaluation of NSOAPs, and also guide evidence-based policy making, research priority setting, and the attraction of more funding in the future. Ongoing global partnership will also be required to address other complex issues that arise as a part of the surgical planning process.
Genome-Wide Translational Profiling by Ribosome Footprinting

We present a detailed protocol for ribosome profiling, an approach that we developed to make comprehensive and quantitative measurements of translation in yeast. In this technique, ribosome positions are determined from their nuclease footprint on their mRNA template and the footprints are quantified by deep sequencing. Ribosome profiling has already enabled highly reproducible measurements of translational control. Because this technique reports on the exact position of ribosomes, it also revealed the presence of ribosomes on upstream open reading frames and demonstrated that ribosome density was higher near the beginning of protein-coding genes. Here, we describe nuclease digestion conditions that produce uniform ~28 nucleotide (nt) protected fragments of mRNA templates that indicate the exact position of translating ribosomes. We also give a protocol for converting these RNA fragments into a DNA library that can be sequenced using the Illumina Genome Analyzer. Unbiased conversion of anonymous, small RNAs into a sequencing library is challenging, and we discuss standards that played a key role in optimizing library generation. Finally, we discuss how deep sequencing data can be used to quantify gene expression at the level of translation.
Regional Economies of Scale in Transportation and Regional Welfare

A discriminatory tariff can be welfare superior to free trade in the presence of regional economies of scale. This is because a tariff on non-regional trade concentrates trade within a region, lowering the cost of transportation, so that the gains from economies of scale can theoretically offset the losses from the tariff. To complement the theoretical point I estimate the relation between transportation cost and regional volume of trade. The estimates suggest that a 10% increase in the volume of trade brings about 2.5% reduction in transportation cost in the long run.
A ribosome at the end of the tunnel

Ribosomes, the organelles that synthesize new proteins, direct those destined for export into membranous tubes inside the cell, the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). New images on p. [2123][1] of ribosomes bound to their docking site on the surface of the ER show a hole in the middle of the ribosome that lines up with another channel in the docking apparatus (the translocon), forming a continuous pathway through which proteins could potentially be directed. In their Perspective, Powers and Walter explain why this channel is the likely conduit through which proteins gain access to the ER to be packaged for export. [1]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/short/278/5346/2123
Revision-based generation of natural language summaries providing historical background: corpus-based analysis, design, implementation and evaluation

Automatically summarizing vast amounts of on-line quantitative data with a short natural language paragraph has a wide range of real-world applications. However, this specific task raises a number of difficult issues that are quite distinct from the generic task of language generation: conciseness, complex sentences, floating concepts, historical background, paraphrasing power and implicit content. In this thesis, I address these specific issues by proposing a new generation model in which a first pass builds a draft containing only the essential new facts to report and a second pass incrementally revises this draft to opportunistically add as many background facts as can fit within the space limit. This model requires a new type of linguistic knowledge: revision operations, which specifies the various ways a draft can be transformed in order to concisely accommodate a new piece of information. I present an in-depth corpus analysis of human-written sports summaries that resulted in an extensive set of such revision operations. I also present the implementation, based on functional unification grammars, of the system scSTREAK, which relies on these operations to incrementally generate complex sentences summarizing basketball games. This thesis also contains two quantitative evaluations. The first shows that the new revision-based generation model is far more robust than the one-pass model of previous generators. The second evaluation demonstrates that the revision operations acquired during the corpus analysis and implemented in scSTREAK are, for the most part, portable to at least one other quantitative domain (the stock market). scSTREAK is the first report generator that systematically places the facts which it summarizes in their historical perspective. It is more concise than previous systems thanks to its ability to generate more complex sentences and to opportunistically convey facts by adding a few words to carefully chosen draft constituents. The revision operations on which scSTREAK is based constitute the first set of corpus-based linguistic knowledge geared towards incremental generation. The evaluation presented in this thesis is also the first attempt to quantitatively assess the robustness of a new generation model and the portability of a new type of linguistic knowledge.
Endophthalmids after Secondary Intraocular Lens Implantation: A Case-Control Study

Abstract Purpose: To investigate whether endophthalmitis is more common after secondary intraocular lens (IOL) implantation than after other intraocular surgeries. Risk factors, causative organisms, and visual acuity outcomes of endophthalmitis after secondary IOL implantation were investigated. Methods: The ten cases consisted of all patients treated at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute between January 1, 1984, and December 31, 1994, for endophthalmitis after secondary IOL implantation. The 34 control patients consisted of all patients who underwent secondary IOL implantation within 3 years of the case patients (6-year span) by the same surgeons but who did not develop endophthalmitis. Demographic and clinical data were abstracted from patients' medical records. Results: Fifty percent (5 of 10) of case patients had a history of diabetes mellitus, compared with 5.9% (2 of 34) of control patients. All three posterior chamber IOLs among case patients had transscleral suture fixation, whereas all four posterior chamber IOLs among control patients were in the sulcus without scleral sutures. Case patients were more likely than control patients to have IOLs with polypropylene haptics (30.0% and 5.9%, respectively) and to have had their IOLs placed through a superior rather than a temporal incision (70.0% and 17.9%, respectively). Eighty percent of case patients and 14.7% of control patients had either eyelid abnormalities (marked blepharitis, ectropion) or postoperative wound defects. Staphylococcus epidermidis was isolated in 50% of case patients. After treatment, 90.0% of case patients achieved a visual acuity of greater than or equal to 20/100. Conclusion: Endophthalmitis after secondary IOL implantation was associated with diabetes, transscleral suture fixation of posterior chamber IOLs, polypropylene haptics, preoperative eyelid abnormalities, re-entry of eye through a previous wound, and post-operative wound defects. Most cases were caused by Staphylococcus epidermidis , and the post-treatment visual outcomes were generally good.
Eutectic Sn-Bi as an alternative to Pb-free solders

This paper reports on several issues that relate to 58Bi-42Sn as a replacement for 63Sn-37Pb in surface mount electronic assembly applications. Most no-clean fluxes currently used in surface mount electronic industry are developed for 63Sn-37Pb. They activate at temperatures above 150/spl deg/C; therefore they are not suitable for 58Bi-42Sn which melts at 139/spl deg/C. The newly developed low temperature fluxes were evaluated by wetting balance test and spreading test. Mechanical properties were examined in terms of shear strength, steady state creep rate, and isothermal fatigue resistance as a function of temperature, and compared with 63Sn-37Pb. The pros and cons of using 58Bi-42Sn are discussed. A small addition of Au or Ag into 58Bi-42Sn significantly improved the isothermal resistance and the strength of solder joint on Alloy 42. However, a small amount of Pb dissolution into eutectic Bi-Sn solder could destroy the long term reliability of the solder joint when thermal cycling between 0/spl deg/C and 100/spl deg/C, but only little effect for thermal cycling between 20/spl deg/C and 75/spl deg/C.
Mining and exploring care pathways from electronic medical records with visual analytics

Display Omitted We extract sequences of events from EMRs to correlate with patient outcome.We propose Care Pathway Explorer that combines sequence mining with visualizations.We support the integration of data-driven insights into care pathway discovery.We analyze the diagnoses and treatments of hyperlipidemic patients.We demonstrate the clinical relevance of patterns mined from EMR data. ObjectiveIn order to derive data-driven insights, we develop Care Pathway Explorer, a system that mines and visualizes a set of frequent event sequences from patient EMR data. The goal is to utilize historical EMR data to extract common sequences of medical events such as diagnoses and treatments, and investigate how these sequences correlate with patient outcome. Materials and methodsThe Care Pathway Explorer uses a frequent sequence mining algorithm adapted to handle the real-world properties of EMR data, including techniques for handling event concurrency, multiple levels-of-detail, temporal context, and outcome. The mined patterns are then visualized in an interactive user interface consisting of novel overview and flow visualizations. ResultsWe use the proposed system to analyze the diagnoses and treatments of a cohort of hyperlipidemic patients with hypertension and diabetes pre-conditions, and demonstrate the clinical relevance of patterns mined from EMR data. The patterns that were identified corresponded to clinical and published knowledge, some of it unknown to the physician at the time of discovery. ConclusionCare Pathway Explorer, which combines frequent sequence mining techniques with advanced visualizations supports the integration of data-driven insights into care pathway discovery.
Multiresolution analyses based on fractal functions

Abstract We use a finite set of fractal interpolation functions to generate multiresolution analyses on L 2 ( R ) and C 0 ( R ). These multiresolution analyses rely on the properties of fractal functions such as self-affiniteness, existence of scaled coupled dilation equations, and the non-integral box dimension of their graph. This dimension serves as an additional parameter to better describe the small-scale structure of the set to be approximated. Concrete examples will be given to illustrate these methods.
An ecological perspective of allelochemical interference in land–water interface communities

Allelochemical interactions among aquatic macrophytes and between macrophytes and attached microbial assemblages (epiphyton) influence a number of ecological processes. The ecological importance of these interactions, however, is poorly understood; we hypothesize that paucity has resulted, in part, from (1) a narrow focus on exploration for herbicidal plant products from aquatic macrophytes, (2) the difficulties in distinguishing resource competition from allelopathic interference, and (3) a predominance of approaching aquatic allelopathy from a terrestrial perspective. Based upon recent thorough investigations of allelopathy among aquatic vascular plants, chemical compounds that influence competitive interactions among littoral organisms are amphiphilic compounds that tend to remain near the producing organism (e.g., polyphenolic compounds and volatile fatty acids). Production of these compounds may be influenced by relative availability of nutrients (particularly phosphorus and nitrogen), inorganic carbon, and light. Macrophyte strategies of clonal reproduction, in an effort to persist in these highly productive and competitive habitats, have contributed to reduced reliance upon sexual reproduction that is correlated with allelopathic autotoxicity among several dominant wetland plant species. Although few studies document the importance of allelochemical interactions in the wetland and littoral zones of aquatic ecosystems, abundant evidence supports the potential for significant effects on competition and community structure; effects of altered nutrient ratios and availability on plant chemical composition; and resultant effects on trophic interactions, particularly suppression of herbivory, competitive attached algae and cyanobacteria, and heterotrophic utilization of organic matter by bacteria and fungi.
A method for the complete vibrational analysis of the isolated polyethylene chain

Abstract The regularity from one repeating unit to another in a polymer molecule reduces greatly the complexity of normal vibration calculations, despite the large number of atoms and degrees of freedom in polymers. The secular determinant for a polymer can be reduced by Fourier transformations to a size comparable to the secular determinant for its monomer. The reduced secular determinant contains elements which are functions of a continuous parameter, θ. The vibrational frequencies, which are the roots of the secular determinant, are, therefore, also functions of θ. The frequencies for short chain polymers may be approximated by drawing equally spaced straight lines perpendicular to the θ axis on a frequency versus θ plot. The intersections of these straight lines with the frequency curves are found to agree closely with the experimental frequencies for the short chain homologs. Frequency distribution functions which are essential in the calculation of the thermodynamic properties of polymers can also be obtained easily from such a plot. The procedures are illustrated with the application to polyethylene.
Damped Transition of a Strongly Nonlinear System of Coupled Oscillators Into a State of Continuous Resonance Scattering

We examine analytically and experimentally a new phenomenon of ‘continuous resonance scattering’ in an impulsively excited, two-mass oscillating system. This system consists of a grounded damped linear oscillator with a light, strongly nonlinear attachment. Previous numerical simulations revealed that for certain levels of initial excitation, the system engages in a special type of response that appears to track a solution branch formed by the so-called ‘impulsive orbits’ of this system. By this term we denote the periodic (under conditions of resonance) or quasi-periodic (under conditions of non-resonance) responses of the system when a single impulse is applied to the linear oscillator with the system being initially at rest. By varying the magnitude of the impulse we obtain a manifold of impulsive orbits in the frequency-energy plane. It appears that the considered damped system is capable of entering into a state of continuous resonance scattering, whereby it tracks the impulsive orbit manifold with decreasing energy. Through analytical treatment of the equations of motion, a direct relationship is established between the frequency of the nonlinear attachment and the amplitude of the linear oscillator response, and a prediction of the system response during continuous scattering resonance is provided. Experimental results confirm the analytical predictions.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Testing loss mechanisms capable of rapidly depleting relativistic electron flux in the Earth's outer radiation belt

[1] We investigate how relativistic electrons are lost from the Earth's magnetosphere in order to better understand the dynamic variability of the radiation belts. We identify 52 events where the >2 MeV electron flux at geostationary orbit decreases rapidly and use a superposed epoch analysis of multispacecraft data to characterize the accompanying solar wind and geomagnetic conditions and examine the relevance of potential loss mechanisms. The results show that the flux decrease events follow a common sequence. The electron flux is reduced first in the dusk sector concurrent with the stretching of the magnetic field to a more tail-like configuration. The extreme stretching at dusk is caused by the formation of a partial ring current driven by changing solar wind conditions. We investigate three possible causes of the ensuing flux decrease: adiabatic electron motion in response to the changing magnetic field topology, drift out the magnetopause boundary, and precipitation into the atmosphere. The analysis reveals that the flux depletion is likely due to enhanced precipitation into the atmosphere, but the exact cause of the enhanced precipitation is still uncertain.
Integration of Simulation Across the Undergraduate Curriculum: Student and Faculty Perspectives

Abstract Background High-fidelity human simulation provides an innovative teaching method for nursing students. Faculty members face challenges related to the integration of this method of teaching within a curriculum. Method The purpose of this study was to implement and integrate the use of high-fidelity human simulation as a teaching and active learning strategy throughout the undergraduate nursing curriculum and evaluate the student and faculty perceptions related to this instructional technology. Kolb's experiential learning theory and Jeffries's Nursing Education Simulation Framework provided the framework for this research project. Creative methods for implementation of simulation in various courses are described. A mixed-methods (survey and focus group) research design was used to measure student and faculty perceptions of this process. Following the simulation experience, students ( N = 151) completed the simulation evaluation survey, and faculty ( N = 6) participated in focus groups to provide insight into the experience. Results/Conclusions Student responses related to the experience were overwhelmingly positive, and while faculty agreed that the use of simulation was beneficial to the achievement of learning objectives, many challenges related to the use of the technology were experienced. This study supports the use of simulation in an undergraduate nursing curriculum and offers suggestions for faculty faced with implementing simulation.
A comparison of two methods of hearing screening in the preschool population.

Abstract The outcome of hearing screening using conventional pure tone behavioral testing was compared with the outcome employing measures of transient otoacoustic emissions (TEOAEs) in a preschool population under conditions typical of educational settings. Two hundred children ranging in age from 2 years 1 month to 5 years 10 months were screened. Nearly equal numbers of children were referred from the two types of screening activities. The majority of referrals from the pure tone screening were due to an inability to condition the children to respond. Only 10% of the children referred from the TEOAE screening received a referral due to an inability to cooperate. Approximately 44% of the children referred from the pure tone screening also failed the immittance screening, whereas 62% of those who referred from the TEOAE screening also failed immittance screening. Learning outcomes: As a result of completing this activity, the learner will obtain information about vocabulary development in children with hearing loss, referral rates from preschool hearing screening programs and the influence of middle ear status on referrals.
Estimation of Preharvest Fiber Content of Mixed Alfalfa–Grass Stands in New York

Regression equations can be used to estimate the neutral detergent fiber (NDF) of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), assisting producers in decision making at harvest time. In New York State, where most alfalfa is grown in mixed stands with grass, there are no available models to estimate NDF. The objectives of this experiment were to develop equations for estimating total mixed stand NDF with an emphasis on producer useable equations based on easily obtainable data. Stands of first-cut alfalfa and grass (0.1–0.9 fraction grass) were sampled at two experimental sites and producers' fields in 19 New York counties during May and June 2004 and 2005. A range of plant measurements and environmental characteristics were recorded and used to develop prediction equations. For selection of two to five variable models using 899 data points, R 2 ranged from 0.89 to 0.94 and root mean square error (RMSE) ranged from 21.2 to 30.1 g kg−1 dry matter (DM). The most important explanatory variables were the fraction of grass and alfalfa height. Growing degree days and day of the year improved goodness of fit but were biased between years. Categorization of the grass fraction into 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, or 0.8 allows estimation without requiring species separations. Categorization decreased R 2 and increased RMSE but is a variable that could be more easily used by producers. Model validation found significant biases with some model estimates; however biases and prediction errors were small enough to suggest that the results are practically applicable to New York farms.
Automatic language translation for user interfaces

Translations of user interfaces are an essential part of software development for the World Wide Web. Web pages are translated in three ways: by the developer as part of the normal life cycle, by the community that has a vested interest in the domain, and by machine translation. In this paper, we present an informal evaluation of the quality produced by these three approaches. We discuss the naive notion that language translations can be evaluated by doing to successive translations and evaluating the end result. The rubric used to evaluate the translations is presented.
Protein solubilization: A novel approach

Formulation development presents significant challenges with respect to protein therapeutics. One component of these challenges is to attain high protein solubility (>50mg/ml for immunoglobulins) with minimal aggregation. Protein-protein interactions contribute to aggregation and the integral sum of these interactions can be quantified by a thermodynamic parameter known as the osmotic second virial coefficient (B-value). The method presented here utilizes high-throughput measurement of B-values to identify the influence of additives on protein-protein interactions. The experiment design uses three tiers of screens to arrive at final solution conditions that improve protein solubility. The first screen identifies individual additives that reduce protein interactions. A second set of B-values are then measured for different combinations of these additives via an incomplete factorial screen. Results from the incomplete factorial screen are used to train an artificial neural network (ANN). The "trained" ANN enables predictions of B-values for more than 4000 formulations that include additive combinations not previously experimentally measured. Validation steps are incorporated throughout the screening process to ensure that (1) the protein's thermal and aggregation stability characteristics are not reduced and (2) the artificial neural network predictive model is accurate. The ability of this approach to reduce aggregation and increase solubility is demonstrated using an IgG protein supplied by Minerva Biotechnologies, Inc.
High-frequency ultrasound database profiling growth, development, and cardiovascular function in C57BL/6J mouse fetuses.

Abstract Background High-frequency ultrasound is effective for noninvasive phenotypic analysis of cardiovascular development and function in mutagenized fetal mice. However, lacking is a normative database of echocardiographic variables for monitoring growth and cardiovascular function. Methods C57BL/6J fetal mice were scanned in utero using an ultrasound system with a 15-MHz linear phased-array transducer. Pregnant mothers were anesthetized with 1% isoflurane mixed with 100% oxygen. Quantitative variables for monitoring fetal growth and cardiac function were obtained in several imaging planes and modalities. Results Fetal growth measurements increased linearly. Inflow velocities showed significant A-wave dominance. The E wave progressively increased during development. Cardiac function was best assessed through M-mode analysis, but short-axis images were difficult to obtain. Spectral Doppler was readily obtained and the myocardial performance index was calculated. Conclusions These results provide an essential foundation for the evaluation of cardiovascular defects in mutagenized and transgenic mice.
Use of military training doctrine to predict patterns of maneuver disturbance on the landscape. I. Theory and methodology

Abstract Modern-day military maneuvers, involving tactical formations of wheeled and tracked vehicles, can have significant physical and environmental impacts on the landscape. Numerous scientific studies of these impacts have been conducted, most notably the post-impact assessments of General Patton’s tank maneuvers of the early 1940s in the Mojave Desert of California and Arizona. On a smaller scale, numerous studies of military vehicle impacts have been conducted on military training lands throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. These studies have used a variety of measurement techniques, to include ground level photography and in situ measurements, aerial photography, satellite imagery and vehicle-mounted global positioning systems (GPS) data to define the footprint, patterns and magnitude of disturbances on the landscape. These disturbances are highly variable and can occur over tens of thousands of acres. Because scientists and land managers are generally not familiar with military decision-making, tactical doctrine, and vehicle–weapons systems capabilities, it is difficult for them to predict patterns of disturbance a priori. Even during post-event impact analysis, a full understanding of why and how maneuver disturbance patterns occur may not be readily apparent to them. This limitation can preclude knowledgeable planning, design and repair of damaged lands. In this case study, military tacticians and physical scientists developed an integrated methodology to predict these disturbance patterns more explicitly. The goal of the study was to provide land managers with a tool for understanding how these patterns evolve, and in turn, allow them to better plan and design mitigation efforts to sustain the landscape. The methodology combines a military terrain analysis technique, the modified combined obstacle overlay (MCOO), with an applied military tactics filter to predict where vehicle impacts would be most likely. A terrain and tactical analysis of the landscape at the Combat Maneuver Training Center-Live Fire (CMTC-LF) Area at the US Army Grafenwohr Training Area, Germany, was conducted using maps, digital ortho-photography, spatial data and on-site reconnaissance to determine the tactical footprint and potential disturbance patterns caused by a new training mission. Part I of this study describes the background, theory and approach used to develop the methodology. Part II describes the field-based validation of the methodology, using post-maneuver ground observations and sampling to test the methodology’s predictions.
1440 1,25(OH) 2 VITAMIN D (1,25(OH) 2 D) AND INCIDENCE OF HYPOCALCEMIA IN INFANTS OF DIABETIC MOTHERS (IDM) IN RELATION TO PROSPECTIVE RANDOMIZED TREATMENT DURING PREGNANCY

It is not known whether 1) hypocalcemic (HC) IDM (Ca 8 mg/dl (X square 9.4, p<.002). 1,25(OH)2D and 25OHD levels were not different in HC-IDM vs. non HC-IDM. We conclude that 1) vitamin D metabolism is not deficient in hypocalcemic IDM and 2) diabetic control during pregnancy significantly affects the incidence of hypocalcemia in infants.
Propagation dynamics of a temporally, amplitude- and group-velocity-matched two-mode ultraslow wave in a three-level Λ system

We investigate the propagation dynamics of a two-mode probe field traveling with ultraslow group velocities. We show that a strong cross-beam coupling occurs between the two modes of the probe wave in the presence of a two-mode control laser field that maintains two-photon resonance excitations in a three-level {lambda} system. In the adiabatic limit and under appropriate conditions, both modes can travel with matched temporal profiles, amplitudes, and greatly reduced group velocities, and one mode can grow and take on features of the other mode. When only one mode of probe field is injected, the generation and growth of the second mode has the characteristics of four-wave mixing, resulting in a tunable, ultraslow four-wave mixing field with nearly 100% photon flux conversion efficiency. We further show a type of induced transparency resulting from an efficient one- and three-photon destructive interference. This is to be contrasted with the conventional one-mode, three-level electromagnetically induced transparency where the interference involves two one-photon pathways.
Quantitative evaluation of the pH profile in organic acid fermentations.

One of the most important considerations in designing an integrated process for the production of organic acids is the strong pH dependence of the process parameters. The release of the acidic products during the fermenta- tion alters the pH of the broth and subsequently affects the kinetics of cell growth and product formation. In addition, some parameters (such as the distribution coefficient of the products during extraction, their solu- bility constants during precipitation, etc.) in the subse- quent separation processes following fermentation are also strong functions of pH.