cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Monolithic integration of InAlAs/InGaAs enhancement and depletion (E/D)-mode metamorphic HEMTs on GaAs substrate

Except for a few studies on enhancement (E)-mode metamorphic HEMTs, most of the research studies so far however focused on depletion (D)-mode HEMTs. In view of excellent performance of D-mode devices, it is compelling to investigate E-mode devices as well. Moreover, once discrete devices are established, it becomes very much interesting to look into the monolithic integration of E- and D-mode devices as it finds an extensive application for ultra-high speed and low power digital circuits. To the best of our knowledge, there are no published results on monolithic integration of metamorphic E/D HEMTs so far. In this paper, we present results on monolithically integrated metamorphic In/sub 0.52/Al/sub 0.48/As/In/sub 0.53/Ga/sub 0.47/As E/D HEMTs on GaAs substrate with gate-lengths down to 0.13 /spl mu/m.
Evolution of the parallel and perpendicular ion velocity distribution functions in pulsed helicon plasma sources obtained by time resolved laser induced fluorescence

The temporal evolution of parallel and perpendicular ion velocity distribution functions (ivdf ) in a pulsed, helicon-generated, expanding, argon plasma is presented. The ivdf’s temporal evolution during the pulse was determined with time resolved (1 ms resolution), laser induced fluorescence. The parallel ivdf measurements indicate that, in the expansion region of the plasma and for certain operational parameters, two ion populations exist: a population moving at supersonic speeds (1.1 Mach) resulting from acceleration in an electric double layer (EDL) and a slow moving population (0.7 Mach) generated by local ionization. After 100 ms, although present, the EDL is not fully developed and has not reached a steady-state. Measurements of the perpendicular ivdf indicate constant radial expansion, with ion speeds of ≈ 400 ms −1 , in the expansion region.
Integrated software environments

A modeling environment that can combine mathematical, artificial intelligence, and many other computer-based methods to explore a problem space is described. A new approach to constructing this kind of modeling environment is used. The environment uses explicit knowledge of its own structure to support the user in selecting and adapting the system components. The knowledge is in the form of wrappings, which are expert interfaces to the programs, tools, and other resources in the environment. This approach is a simple and powerful mechanism for allowing different kinds of resources to work together in an integrated way. The structure of a program is described that implements this approach. The program is used to study both the types of wrapping descriptions and the wrapping processes. >
Exclusion of T Cells From Pancreatic Carcinomas in Mice Is Regulated by Ly6Clow F4/80+ Extratumoral Macrophages

Background & Aims Immunotherapies that induce T-cell responses have shown efficacy against some solid malignancies in patients and mice, but these have little effect on pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). We investigated whether the ability of PDAC to evade T-cell responses induced by immunotherapies results from the low level of immunogenicity of tumor cells, the tumor's immunosuppressive mechanisms, or both. Methods Kras G12D/+ ;Trp53 R172H/+ ;Pdx-1-Cre (KPC) mice, which develop spontaneous PDAC, or their littermates (controls) were given subcutaneous injections of a syngeneic KPC-derived PDAC cell line. Mice were then given gemcitabine and an agonist of CD40 to induce tumor-specific immunity mediated by T cells. Some mice were also given clodronate-encapsulated liposomes to deplete macrophages. Tumor growth was monitored. Tumor and spleen tissues were collected and analyzed by histology, flow cytometry, and immunohistochemistry. Results Gemcitabine in combination with a CD40 agonist induced T-cell−dependent regression of subcutaneous PDAC in KPC and control mice. In KPC mice given gemcitabine and a CD40 agonist, CD4 + and CD8 + T cells infiltrated subcutaneous tumors, but only CD4 + T cells infiltrated spontaneous pancreatic tumors (not CD8 + T cells). In mice depleted of Ly6C low F4/80 + extratumoral macrophages, the combination of gemcitabine and a CD40 agonist stimulated infiltration of spontaneous tumors by CD8 + T cells and induced tumor regression, mediated by CD8 + T cells. Conclusions Ly6C low F4/80 + macrophages that reside outside of the tumor microenvironment regulate infiltration of T cells into PDAC and establish a site of immune privilege. Strategies to reverse the immune privilege of PDAC, which is regulated by extratumoral macrophages, might increase the efficacy of T-cell immunotherapy for patients with PDAC.
Surface selections and topological constraint evaluations for flow field analyses

The isolated singular points (nodes, saddles) of a continuous vector field (e.g., velocity, shear stress, pressure gradient, vorticity, etc.) that are overlaid on a given surface must be compatible with the Euler characteristic of that surface, Xsurface. All surfaces can be fashioned from a sphere plus handles plus holes, and Xsurface=2−Σholes−2Σhandles=Σnodes−Σsaddles. This establishes an a priori constraint for the nodes and saddles that can be tested against the observed vector field to determine whether the experimental (or computational) observations are compatible with the known constraint. Numerous examples, including a clarification of, and a correction to, published results are given.
Trends in diagnostic ultrasound acoustic output from data reported to the US Food and Drug Administration for device indications that include fetal applications.

Objectives A survey was conducted of acoustic output data received by the US Food and Drug Administration for diagnostic ultrasound devices whose indications for use include fetal applications to assess trends in maximum available acoustic output over time. Methods Data were collected from 124 regulatory submissions received between 1984 and 2010. Data collection excluded transducers not indicated for diagnostic fetal imaging. The output parameters of ultrasonic power, mean center frequency, and bone thermal index (TIB) were extracted or computed from the submissions for 3 periods: 1984-1989, 1992-1997, and 2005-2010. The data were stratified according to the following imaging modes: M-mode, B/M-mode, pulsed wave Doppler, color flow Doppler, and continuous wave Doppler. Results Ultrasonic power and maximum TIB values have increased roughly an order of magnitude from pre-1991 to post-1991 periods; the center frequency has decreased somewhat (4.2 to 3.4 MHz). The percentage of Doppler-mode transducers has increased substantially over time, with the majority of the diagnostic fetal imaging transducers currently designed to operate in Doppler modes; this increase is particularly important, since Doppler modes generate much higher TIB levels than B/M-modes. Color flow Doppler ultrasound currently operates at the highest mean ultrasonic power level (with a 14-fold increase over time). Conclusions The observed trends in increased acoustic output for both Doppler and non-Doppler modes underscore the widely recognized importance of adherence to the ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable) principle and prudent use in fetal ultrasound imaging.
Critical period effects on universal properties of language : The status of subjacency in the acquisition of a second language

Recent studies have shown clear evidence for critical period effects for both first and second language acquisition on a broad range of learned, language-specific grammatical properties. The present studies ask whether and to what degree critical period effects can also be found for universal properties of language considered to be innate. To address this issue, native Chinese speakers who learned English as a second language were tested on the universal principle subjacency as it applies to wh-question formation in English. Subjects arrived in the U.S.A. between the ages of 4 and 38 years. They were immersed in English for a number of years (a minimum of 5) and were adults at the time of testing. Non-native performance on subjacency was found for subjects of all ages of arrival. Performance declined continuously over age of arrival until adulthood, (r = -.63). When immersion occurred as late as adulthood, performance dropped to levels slightly above chance. In all of the analyses performed, subjacency did not differ from language-specific structures in the degree or manner in which it was affected by maturation. These results suggest that whatever the nature of the endowment that allows humans to learn language, it undergoes a very broad deterioration as learners become increasingly mature.
Interfacial hydration, dynamics and electron transfer: multi-scale ET modeling of the transient [myoglobin, cytochrome b5] complex.

Formation of a transient [myoglobin (Mb), cytochrome b5 (cyt b5)] complex is required for the reductive repair of inactive ferri-Mb to its functional ferro-Mb state. The [Mb, cyt b5] complex exhibits dynamic docking (DD), with its cyt b5 partner in rapid exchange at multiple sites on the Mb surface. A triple mutant (Mb(3M)) was designed as part of efforts to shift the electron-transfer process to the simple docking (SD) regime, in which reactive binding occurs at a restricted, reactive region on the Mb surface that dominates the docked ensemble. An electrostatically-guided Brownian dynamics (BD) docking protocol was used to generate an initial ensemble of reactive configurations of the complex between unrelaxed partners. This ensemble samples a broad and diverse array of heme–heme distances and orientations. These configurations seeded all-atom constrained molecular dynamics simulations (MD) to generate relaxed complexes for the calculation of electron tunneling matrix elements (TDA) through tunneling-pathway analysis. This procedure for generating an ensemble of relaxed complexes combines the ability of BD calculations to sample the large variety of available conformations and interprotein distances, with the ability of MD to generate the atomic level information, especially regarding the structure of water molecules at the protein–protein interface, that defines electron-tunneling pathways. We used the calculated TDA values to compute ET rates for the [Mb(wt), cyt b5] complex and for the complex with a mutant that has a binding free energy strengthened by three D/E → K charge-reversal mutations, [Mb(3M), cyt b5]. The calculated rate constants are in agreement with the measured values, and the mutant complex ensemble has many more geometries with higher TDA values than does the wild-type Mb complex. Interestingly, water plays a double role in this electron-transfer system, lowering the tunneling barrier as well as inducing protein interface remodeling that screens the repulsion between the negatively-charged propionates of the two hemes.
An Empirical Analysis Of Student Satisfaction Influential Factors In Online Learning

There exists the need to better understand the effectiveness of online education. In recent years, academic institutions (of higher education) have increased the number of online courses offered to students. The purpose of this study is to identify the factors that are most influential in determining student satisfaction of overall course effectiveness and overall instructor effectiveness in online higher education. The main research question is: What factors influence student satisfaction of overall course effectiveness and instructional effectiveness? Through an application of step-wise regression procedure, hypotheses will be tested to determine any influential factors for students’ satisfaction with course and instructional effectiveness. The data source will be online course evaluation results at colleges in the state of Connecticut. The results of the study will allow higher education administrators and instructors to make more effective decisions regarding online students, online course offerings, the distribution of funds within online education. Furthermore, the results will allow instructors to more effectively manage online courses, and allow students to increase personal effectiveness with respect to the online learning process.
Further evidence for the validity of the Taylor Aggression Paradigm

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the validity of a modified version of the Taylor Aggression Paradigm (TAP) as a measure of direct physical aggression. Hypotheses were generated from recent theory pertinent to the categorization and measurement of aggressive behavior as well as widely supported effects of alcohol intoxication and gender on aggression. Participants were 328 (163 men and 165 women) healthy social drinkers between 21 and 35 years of age who completed self-report personality inventories designed to assess one's propensity toward direct physical aggression, verbal aggression, trait anger, and hostility. Following the consumption of either an alcohol or a placebo beverage, participants were tested on the TAP, in which mild electric shocks were received from, and administered to, a fictitious opponent during a competitive task. Direct physical aggression was operationalized as the shock intensities (i.e., first trial shock intensity, mean shock intensity, proportion of highest shock) administered to the fictitious opponent. Although all self-report measures were significantly associated with the three TAP indices, the associations involving physical aggression were strongest. In addition, self-report measures of physical aggression consistently predicted higher levels of aggression on the TAP indices in men, compared with women, and in intoxicated, relative to sober, participants. Taken as a whole, this pattern of findings provides further evidence for the validity of the TAP as a measure of direct physical aggression for men and women.
The relationship of male testosterone to components of mental rotation.

Studies suggest that higher levels of testosterone (T) in males contribute to their advantage over females in tests of spatial ability. However, the mechanisms that underlie the effects of T on spatial ability are not understood. We investigated the relationship of salivary T in men to performance on a computerized version of the mental rotation task (MRT) developed by [Science 171 (3972) (1971) 701]. We studied whether T is associated specifically with the ability to mentally rotate objects or with other aspects of the task. We collected hormonal and cognitive data from 27 college-age men on 2 days of testing. Subjects evaluated whether two block objects presented at different orientations were the same or different. We recorded each subject’s mean response time (RT) and error rate (ER) and computed the slopes and intercepts of the functions relating performance to angular disparity. T level was negatively correlated with ER and RT; these effects arose from correlations with the intercepts but not the slopes of the rotation functions. These results suggest that T may facilitate male performance on MRTs by affecting cognitive processes unrelated to changing the orientation of imagined objects; including encoding stimuli, initiating the transformation processes, making a comparison and decision, or producing a response.
Specular reflectance studies of bromide adsorption on gold

Abstract Specular reflectance changes have been used to examine the specific adsorption of bromide on gold in the presence of a large excess of supporting electrolyte (NaF) which is not specifically adsorbed. A linear relation has been demonstrated between the reflectance changes and the surface excess of bromide through the examination of the time dependence of the reflectance under conditions where the rate of adsorption of the bromide is diffusion controlled and hence known. The adsorption isotherms have been found to follow Temkin behavior. The electrosorption valency has been evaluated from the charge and surface excess at constant potential and found to be −0.49 to −0.59, depending on the potential. Various mechanisms for the subtantial changes in reflectance attending the specific adsorption of anions are discussed. The observed effects cannot be explained on the basis of changes in the charge on the electrode and corresponding changes in the contribution of the conduction band to the surface optical properties. The principal mechanism is proposed to be modifications in the surface electronic states of the metal electrode through direct orbital interactions between the adsorbed anions and the metal.
The value of risk in real estate markets

In this article we test the urban asset pricing model of Capozza and Sick (1988) and focus on the empirical dimensions of the effects of risk on urban land prices. The effects of systematic and unsystematic risk are distinguished in the model which incorporates the value of the option to convert land to urban uses into the pricing of urban real estate. We find the value of systematic risk in our Canadian urban areas to be negative and highly statistically significant. We find that approximately 2.5 percent of the value of houses in our sample arises from systematic risk. In our sample, unsystematic risk is a larger proportion of total risk than systematic risk. Therefore, most of the effect of total risk may be ascribed to unsystematic risk. The effect of total risk on land prices is illustrated through the irreversibility premia estimates. These premia vary greatly in size and statistical significance. Thus, the effect of unsystematic risk is highly city specific. In the two regions where the irreversibility premia are statistically significant, it accounts for 22 percent and 53 percent of the average housing price; thus, unsystematic risk can be a very important determinant of housing prices. These results highlight the importance of risk in determining urban land prices. The value of the option to convert land to urban uses imparts considerable value to developed land and must be considered when evaluating interurban area price differences.
Do ions heat up in the presheath, in the direction perpendicular to the flow? Results for a weakly collisional argon plasma

Laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) measurements made with a diode laser have measured the transverse metastable ion velocity distribution function profile near a negatively biased plate in a low temperature (T e ≪ 1 eV), low pressure (p 0 ≪ 1 mTorr) DC multidipole argon discharge plasma. Results indicate that the transverse temperature doubles as the ions transit the presheath. The metastable argon ions in the 3s2 3p4(3P)3d 4F 7/2 state are found to be characterized by a Maxwellian temperature transverse to the direction normal to the plate. For a neutral pressure of 0.3mTorr, the transverse temperature increases along the presheath from 0.026 eV in the bulk plasma to 0.058 eV at the presheath sheath boundary. This result is compared with the PIC code simulation results of Meige1 et al, and with the experimental results of Claire et al.
The treatment of muscle-invasive bladder cancer in elderly patients

Bladder cancer is a disease that predominantly effects the elderly and as this patient population continues to rapidly increase, it is becoming a major health problem. A significant proportion of elderly patients with bladder cancer have muscle-invasive disease. Physiologic changes associated with aging predispose elderly patients to increased surgical perioperative morbidity and mortality, yet radical cystectomy remains the standard of care for muscle-invasive bladder cancer in the USA. Therefore, it is crucial to not only assess the functional status and fragility level of these patients prior to operative intervention, but also to consider factors that may preclude them from being able to adequately care for a urinary diversion. In addition, the risks and benefits of neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy must be carefully considered and tailored to the individual patient. In this review, we discuss treatment options for elderly patients with muscle-invasive disease and analyze tools for predicting perio...
A novel global interconnect method using nonlinear transmission lines

We propose the nonlinear transmission line (NLTL) as an effective global interconnect method that offers capabilities of rise/fall edge sharpening, signal shaping/amplification, and impedance matching. Interconnect line characteristics of NLTLs implemented with the MIT Lincoln Lab 0.18/spl mu/m FDSOI (fully-depleted silicon-on-insulator) CMOS process are investigated up to 35GHz using S-parameters. The excellent return and insertion loss properties in a broadband illustrate the advantage of the NLTL interconnect. NLTL also provides a convenient way to tune the transmission-line characteristic impedance at microwave frequencies.
Enemy release and plant invasion: patterns of defensive traits and leaf damage in Hawaii

Invasive species may be released from consumption by their native herbivores in novel habitats and thereby experience higher fitness relative to native species. However, few studies have examined release from herbivory as a mechanism of invasion in oceanic island systems, which have experienced particularly high loss of native species due to the invasion of non-native animal and plant species. We surveyed putative defensive traits and leaf damage rates in 19 pairs of taxonomically related invasive and native species in Hawaii, representing a broad taxonomic diversity. Leaf damage by insects and pathogens was monitored in both wet and dry seasons. We found that native species had higher leaf damage rates than invasive species, but only during the dry season. However, damage rates across native and invasive species averaged only 2% of leaf area. Native species generally displayed high levels of structural defense (leaf toughness and leaf thickness, but not leaf trichome density) while native and invasive species displayed similar levels of chemical defenses (total phenolics). A defense index, which integrated all putative defense traits, was significantly higher for native species, suggesting that native species may allocate fewer resources to growth and reproduction than do invasive species. Thus, our data support the idea that invasive species allocate fewer resources to defense traits, allowing them to outperform native species through increased growth and reproduction. While strong impacts of herbivores on invasion are not supported by the low damage rates we observed on mature plants, population-level studies that monitor how herbivores influence recruitment, mortality, and competitive outcomes are needed to accurately address how herbivores influence invasion in Hawaii.
Non-invasive physiology: 19F NMR of perfluorocarbons

Ever since it was shown that the 19F NMR spin-lattice relaxation rates (R1) of perfluorocarbon (PFC) emulsions are highly sensitive to oxygen tension (pO2), there has been a developing interest in the use of PFCs to probe tissue physiology. Oxygen is required for efficient function by most tissues and hypoxia leads to rapid cellular dysfunction and damage. In addition, hypoxic tumor cells are refractory to radiotherapy. Thus, the opportunity to measure tissue oxygen tension non-invasively may be significant in understanding mechanisms of tissue function and in clinical prognosis. PFC NMR parameters are also sensitive to temperature, facilitating NMR thermometry with potential applications in hyperthermia studies. I will review the development of experimental techniques, applications to specific tissues and discuss the challenges and opportunities presented by 19F NMR of perfluorocarbons.
Comparison of the corneal endothelial protective effects of Healon-D and Viscoat.

Background: The use of dispersive ophthalmic viscosurgical devices (OVDs) has been shown to provide significant protection against air bubble damage to the corneal endothelium when compared with cohesive OVDs. We compared the corneal endothelial protective effects of a new dispersive OVD, Healon-D, with Viscoat. Methods: Healon-D and Viscoat were used in a randomized and masked fashion in the anterior chamber of 40 rabbit eyes during a procedure where ultrasound at 70% continuous energy was delivered for 2 min. Two millilitres of air bubbles were injected into the anterior chamber during the first minute of the procedure on each eye. Corneas were then stained with trypan blue and alizarin red and evaluated via light microscopy for endothelial injury. Both denuding of the endothelial layer, as well as damage to endothelial cells were quantified by using the Evaluation of Posterior Capsule Opacification digital imaging system. Results: The denuded area for eyes treated with Healon-D and Viscoat were not significantly different (medians of 0.004167and 0.003333, respectively, P = 0.8908). There was no significant difference in the area of endothelial cell damaged (medians of 0.02183 and 0.01433, respectively, P = 0.4565). When the denuded and damaged areas were calculated together, there was also no difference in the total injured area (medians of 0.05817 and 0.05821, respectively, P = 0.5740). Conclusion: The new dispersive OVD Healon-D is equally as effective as Viscoat in protecting the corneal endothelial layer from denuding and damage from air bubbles during anterior segment surgery.
Perceptions of Chinese in Southern Africa: Constructions of the "Other" and the Role of Memory

Increasing numbers of Chinese migrants have arrived in southern Africa over the past two decades. Perceptions of and reactions to the Chinese, however, vary from country to country and within countries. This article, based on several years of field and survey research, examines perceptions of Chinese in South Africa and Lesotho. The author argues that in addition to the global context, national political and economic realities, history, and memory shape local perceptions of China and the Chinese people who now reside in these spaces. States and other political actors play a key role in constructions of foreigners. Competition, whether real or perceived, is also important in shaping negative attitudes toward migrants. However, personal interactions and memories can serve as mitigating factors, even in the face of negative news of China or Chinese activities.
Strong cavity-pseudospin coupling in monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides

Strong coupling between the electronic states of monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) such as ${\mathrm{MoS}}_{2},{\mathrm{MoSe}}_{2},{\mathrm{WS}}_{2}$, or ${\mathrm{WSe}}_{2}$, and a single in-plane optical cavity mode gives rise to valley- and spin-dependent cavity-QED effects. The Dirac Hamiltonian for this two-dimensional gapped semiconductor with large spin-orbit coupling facilitates pure Jaynes-Cummings-type coupling with spin-valley locking---providing an additional handle for spintronics using circularly polarized light. Besides being an on-chip light source, the strong cavity coupling causes the TMDC monolayer to act as a spontaneous spin oscillator. In addition, this system can be a sensitive magnetic field sensor for an in-plane magnetic field. It also displays unusual persistent Rabi oscillations between different conduction-band states that are insensitive to small magnetic field variations. Our analysis for dissipation due to finite exciton relaxation times and cavity losses suggests that these effects are observable.
Population Dynamics of Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae): Measuring the Effects of Methyl Salicylate and Predator Recruitment in Potato

Abstract Methyl salicylate is an organic compound produced by potato and other plants in response to insect herbivory. In other studies the compound has been shown to be attractive to numerous predatory arthropods. Experiments were conducted in Virginia to evaluate methyl salicylate lures for attracting natural enemies in potato plots to manage populations of Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say). Abundance of predatory arthropods and L. decemlineata life stages were measured in plots treated with and without 90 day, 5 g slow-release packets of methyl salicylate (95% methyl salicylate [Predalure™]). Mortality of L. decemlineata eggs and small larvae was estimated by calculating the difference in numbers of individuals recruited to subsequent stages using a stage-specific life table approach. Methyl salicylate treatment had no impact on predator recruitment or mortality of L. decemlineata eggs and small larvae, compared with nontreated plots. Cumulative mortality of L. decemlineata ranged from 87.9 - 89.2% in 20...
A rare cervical dystonia mimic in adults: congenital muscular torticollis (fibromatosis colli), a follow-up

Neglected or undiagnosed congenital muscular torticollis in adults is quite rare, although it is the third most common congenital deformity in the newborn (1). When left untreated at an early age, deficits in lateral and rotational range of motion can occur along with irreversible facial and skeletal deformities that develop over time. Subtle cases can go unnoticed until early adulthood, with predominant fibrotic replacement in the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) making physical therapy and chemodenervation mostly ineffective. Surgical intervention, in these cases, can prove effective in alleviating pain, improving function and cosmesis (2). We report an update on a previously reported case, misdiagnosed as cervical dystonia, which had undergone partial myectomy of the anterior belly of the SCM with some relief of symptoms but without total resolution after the correct diagnosis of fibromatosis colli (3).
Data quality assessment framework to assess electronic medical record data for use in research.

Abstract Introduction The proliferation and use of electronic medical records (EMR) in the clinical setting now provide a rich source of clinical data that can be leveraged to support research on patient outcomes, comparative effectiveness, and health systems research. Once the large volume and variety of data that robust clinical EMRs provide is aggregated, the suitability of the data for research purposes must be addressed. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is two-fold. First, we present a stepwise framework capable of guiding initial data quality assessment when matching multiple data sources regardless of context or application. Then, we demonstrate a use case of initial analysis of a longitudinal data repository of electronic health record data that illustrates the first four steps of the framework, and report results. Methods A six-step data quality assessment framework is proposed and described that includes the following data quality assessment steps: (1) preliminary analysis, (2) documentation–longitudinal concordance, (3) breadth, (4) data element presence, (5) density, and (6) prediction. The six-step framework was applied to the Transport Data Mart—a data repository that contains over 28,000 records for patients that underwent interhospital transfer that includes EMRs from the sending hospitalization, transport, and receiving hospitalization. Results There were a total of 9557 log entries of which 8139 were successfully matched to corresponding hospital encounters. 2832 were successfully mapped to both the sending and receiving hospital encounters (resulting in a 93% automatic matching rate), with 590 including air medical transport EMR data representing a complete case for testing. Results from Step 2 indicate that once records are identified and matched, there appears to be relatively limited drop-off of additional records when the criteria for matching increases, indicating the a proportion of records consistently contain nearly complete data. Measures of central tendency used in Step 3 and 4 exhibit a right skewness suggesting that a small proportion of records contain the highest number of repeated measures for the measured variables. Conclusions The proposed six-step data quality assessment framework is useful in establishing the metadata for a longitudinal data repository that can be replicated by other studies. There are practical issues that need to be addressed including the data quality assessments—with the most prescient being the need to establish data quality metrics for benchmarking acceptable levels of EMR data inclusiveness through testing and application.
Incorporating Sustainability Issues into the Financial Accounting Curriculum.

Changes in the views that society holds of capital allocation suggest that sustainability reporting needs to be incorporated into the financial accounting curriculum. This paper reviews the background and history of corporate social responsibility and sustainability reporting and discusses formation of the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB). The development of the SASB provides us with a framework to enhance the credibility and provide assurance for corporate social responsibility and sustainability reporting. A suggested outline for including sustainability reporting in a financial accounting course is presented.
Forecasting Red Tides Using a Novel Multi-Metric Adaptive Routing Algorithm in Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks

The red tide phenomenon has resulted in millions of whelk, fish and oyster deaths in ocean water. Current approaches to monitor red tides include satellite imagery, onboard monitoring and monitoring using buoys. These approaches capture surface information at the expense of huge cost. A costeffective alternative to monitor red tides is deploying terrestrial-underwater Wireless Sensor Networks to monitor and forecast red tides. A novel multi-metric adaptive routing algorithm is implemented. Multiple metrics such as packet age, depth of the sensor node, average energy level of the network, number of hops to the base node are considered. Depending on the value of the calculated metrics; an almost ring routing technique, centralized routing technique, or distributed routing technique is deployed. The metrics are reestimated after the data is sent. Once the data reaches the base node, a comparison is made with dynamic threshold values for the contributing factors and, accordingly, a decision is made and a red tide warning is issued, if needed.
Opposite effects of 1,25(OH)2D3 on synthesis and release of PTH compared with secretory protein I

Aggregates of bovine parathyroid cells (organoids) were cultured with or without 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2D3] and examined for effects on the synthesis, cellular content, and release of parathyroid hormone (PTH) and secretory protein I. Organoids cultured with 120 pM 1,25(OH)2D3 at 1.35 mM calcium contained 27 +/- 2% (mean +/- SE) less and released 26 +/- 7% less PTH and contained 21 +/- 2% more and released 49 +/- 16% more secretory protein I than untreated organoids. After 15-min incubations with radioactive leucine, treated organoids incorporated 25 +/- 2% less radioactivity into precipitable cellular proteins than did untreated organoids, indicating that the overall synthetic rate of proteins was decreased by 1,25(OH)2D3 at 1.35 mM calcium. After separation of cellular proteins by gel electrophoresis, analysis of individual protein bands indicated that the mean treated-control ratio for proparathyroid hormone radioactivity was 0.88 +/- 0.06 (P less than 0.10) while that for secretory protein I was 1.56 +/- 0.17 (P less than 0.01), respectively. Experiments were performed at 1.2, 12, 120, and 1,200 pM 1,25(OH)2D3 and both 1.4 and 1.8 mM calcium. In both cases, increasing levels of 1,25(OH)2D3 progressively decreased PTH synthesis and release and progressively increased that of secretory protein I, significant effects being observed at 1.2 pM 1,25(OH)2D3. We conclude that at physiological calcium levels, 1.2-1,200 pM 1,25(OH)2D3 suppresses the synthesis and secretion of PTH, increases that of secretory protein I, and at similar concentrations decreases the overall protein synthetic rate compared with untreated controls.
Performance of the AUDIT in Detecting DSM-5 Alcohol Use Disorders in College Students

Background: It is critical that our alcohol screening instruments maintain their accuracy at detecting DSM-5 Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) symptomatology. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test...
4D Confocal Imaging of Yeast Organelles

Yeast cells are well suited to visualizing organelles by 4D confocal microscopy. Typically, one or more cellular compartments are labeled with a fluorescent protein or dye, and a stack of confocal sections spanning the entire cell volume is captured every few seconds. Under appropriate conditions, organelle dynamics can be observed for many minutes with only limited photobleaching. Images are captured at a relatively low signal-to-noise ratio and are subsequently processed to generate movies that can be analyzed and quantified. Here, we describe methods for acquiring and processing 4D data using conventional scanning confocal microscopy.
Empirical Puzzles on Effective Teachers: U.S. Research

This chapter addresses the knowledge base on selection and evaluation of effective teachers using recent empirical literature from the United States. It finds that the traditional criteria of teacher licensing, educational credentials, and teaching experience show extremely weak relationships to gains (value-added) in student achievement. Combining classroom observations and measures of teacher value-added seem to hold promise in identifying productive teachers among those already employed, but lack applicability in the initial selection of teachers. Differences among teacher training programs in teacher effectiveness are surprisingly small relative to variance within programs. Issues of how to select teachers and how to reward them for their contributions to student and school productivity remain contested without solid evidence to resolve them.
Adventure Story : “I Must Die”

In Adventure Story, the play Rattigan was most proud of despite its relative lack of success with critics, he ventures into competition with Shakespeare, having already struggled with his inheritance from Shaw and Wilde. Not only does Rattigan as closely follow Plutarch’s account of Alexander the Great as Shakespeare followed Plutarch in his Roman tragedies, but Rattigan also models his tragic hero on Shakespeare’s conception of the tragic hero, one who has a fantasy of immortality as shown by the refusal to accept mortality. Rattigan’s play turns on Alexander’s desire to become immortal by doing what it is not possible for a man to do (before Macbeth succumbs to the belief that he cannot be killed, he knows that a man who dares do more than may become a man is not a man at all). When Alexander finally realizes his fantasy is just that (“I must die”), his dream of imposing universal peace and order on the world likewise vanishes. Alexander’s adventure ends (as the play began) with his epitomizing Rattigan’s wounded and defeated male characters: he can hardly speak while lying on his death bier and can hardly manage raising his arm: all he desires now is sleep. The desire for such peace will mark many of Rattigan’s subsequent protagonists.
Abstract 32: EBP50 and NF-κB: A Feed-Forward Regulation of Vascular Inflammation

Inflammation plays a fundamental role in the development of cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis and restenosis. The vascular response to inflammation in these diseases requires communication between multiple cell types such as vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) and macrophages. We have identified a scaffolding protein, Ezrin Binding Protein 50 (EBP50, also known as NHERF-1), which is expressed at very low levels in normal vessels but is up-regulated following vascular injury. EBP50 promotes VSMC proliferation and neointima formation after wire injury in mouse femoral arteries. In the current study, we hypothesized that EBP50 functions as a central mediator linking macrophage activation and the response of vessels to inflammation. Similar to the observations in vessels, treatment of primary VSMC and macrophages with LPS or TNFα increased EBP50 expression. This increase was dependent on NF-κB signaling because pharmacological inhibition of NF-κB and expression of a dominant negative IκBα abolished the induction of EBP50. Interestingly, LPS-induced activation of NF-κB (determined by phosphorylation of IKKα/β, degradation of IκBα, and p65 phosphorylation) was impaired in EBP50 null VSMC and macrophages. Moreover, nuclear translocation of the p65 subunit of NF-κB was also reduced in EBP50-/- VSMC. Consistent with the role of EBP50 on NF-κB, LPS- and TNFα-induced macrophage activation (determined by the expression of the inflammatory markers iNOS, TNFα, and IL-1β) was reduced in EBP50-/- macrophages and mice. Similarly, the expression of iNOS, VCAM-1, and ICAM-1 in VSMC was decreased in EBP50-/- VSMC and mice. Collectively, these observations indicate that EBP50 and NF-κB participate in a positive feedback loop leading to increased macrophage activation and enhanced response of VSMC to inflammation, suggesting its involvement in vascular remodeling.
Does menopausal status influence the symptom experience of women prior to breast cancer surgery

149Background: Breast cancer treatments can change women’s hormonal milieu and alter their symptom experience. Little is known about associations between menopausal status and menopausal symptoms in women with breast cancer prior to treatment with surgery, chemotherapy, and/or hormonal therapy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate for differences in menopausal symptom experience between pre- and post-menopausal women prior to breast cancer surgery. Methods: A total of 312 women with breast cancer completed the Menopausal Symptoms Scale, a self-report measure that evaluates the occurrence, severity, and distress of 46 common symptoms associated with menopause. Results: Of the 312 patients enrolled, 37.4% (n=116) were premenopausal and 62.6% (n=196) were postmenopausal. No differences were found in the total number of symptoms reported between premenopausal (x = 13.3±7.8) and postmenopausal (x = 12.0±8.6; t = 1.35, p=.177) patients. Premenopausal patients reported higher occurrence rates for tearful/...
African American Prison Gangs

Prison gangs are a common problem that permeates the criminal justice system. Commonly referred to as security threat groups, prison gangs are often established among racial lines. African American prison gangs differ from other groups primarily by race. Otherwise, African American prison gangs are typical of other security threat groups, as they are often characterized by their criminality while incarcerated. Keywords: African American; ideology; minorities; prison; race; security; subcultures; violence
Is best practice in development still viable? The case of financial management in fragile Afghanistan

ABSTRACTThe concept of best practice has few friends in international development; however, the wholesale rejection of best practice is incorrect. The article first reviews the critique of best practice by describing its four main features and analyses it through a case study of public financial management (PFM) in Afghanistan country using three donor-funded projects that employ a best practice approach. The PFM projects are evaluated based on the four components of the critique. The article concludes with a modest reassessment of the continued salience of best practice in international development.
Patient Factors as a Major Determinant of Wound Outcome and Infection After Surgery

Despite major advances in the management of patients undergoing surgery-including aseptic technique, prophylactic antibiotics, and advances in surgical approaches such as laparoscopic surgery-surgical wound infection remains among the most common complications of surgery [1]. Wound complications are associated with prolonged hospitalization and increased resource consumption. More than 300,000 surgical site infections occur each year in the United States at an estimated cost of more than $1 billion [1]. A growing body of literature supports the concept that patient factors are a major determinant of wound outcome following surgery. Comorbidities such as diabetes and cardiac disease clearly contribute, but environmental stressors as well as the individual’s response to stress are equally important. In particular, wounds are exquisitely sensitive to hypoxia, which is both common and preventable. Perioperative management can be adapted to promote postoperative wound healing and resistance to infection.
Technology and Productivity—Future Courses

Future productivity gains from anticipated new technologies may be large in physical terms but not worth using in an economic sense if demand cannot be stimulated. However, some technological advances that pervade the entire system offer potential savings and profits for consumers and producers alike. Even the ways in which businesses are organized are not exempt from revolutionary changes brought on by automation and the computer.
Role of imbalance between Th17 and regulatory T-cells in sarcoidosis.

Purpose of reviewA relatively new class of CD4 expressing T cells that also express and release interleukin-17 (Th17 cells) is gaining attention based on their capacity to regulate inflammatory responses in a spectrum of chronic autoimmune diseases. The purpose of this review is to consider recent s
Yeast pre-mRNA Splicing Mutants

The removal of introns from the primary transcript occurs by RNA splicing. Three major types of RNAs; tRNA, rRNA and mRNA, are known to contain introns. There are two general questions concerning any splicing mechanism: first, how is the precise recognition and alignment of the splice junctions achieved in introns whose lengths vary from a few hundred nucleotides to several thousands of nucleotides, and second, what are the biochemical mechanisms of the cleavage and ligation reactions.
Evolutionary Processes in Influenza Viruses: Divergence, Rapid Evolution, and Stasis

Interspecies transmissions combined with isolation of host species contribute to the evolutionary divergence of viruses because of the separation of host-specific virus gene pools. Barriers to frequent interspecies transmissions maintain the separation of progeny and parent virus gene pools and allow independent evolution of host-specific strains. These barriers may be in the form of infrequent likelihood of transmission because of different ecologies of host species, a lack of infectivity of the virus in new hosts, or interference from established viruses mediated by host immunity. Partitioning of avian influenza virus gene pools can result from geographic separation of waterfowl populations by separation of flyways and breeding and overwintering grounds. This mechanism has been suggested for the divergence of H4 hemagglutinin lineages in avian viruses (Donis et al. 1989). The subdivision of host populations provides a great deal of heterogeneity to virus populations and enhances the maintainence of a large number of virus subtypes.
Information Technology Investment and Manufacturing Worker Productivity

In 1987, Nobel laureate Robert Solow cynically commented about the ubiquity of computers except in the productivity statistics. Since then, economists and management researchers have debated over whether IT matters in improving firm performance and the economy. For years, IT effects have been examined from largely three streams: macro perspective (the entire economy), micro perspective (firm) and a middle ground approach (industry). Industry level studies, however, appear to be less clear than those studies at macro- or micro- levels. This study examines the association of IT investment with manufacturing worker productivity at the industry level using a panel dataset of 322 six-digit NAICS industries over the period 2002-2008. Results show that IT investment has contributed to the improvement of manufacturing worker productivity across several measures.