cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Matrix completion based MIMO radars with clutter and interference mitigation via transmit precoding

In this paper, we propose a new matrix completion based MIMO radar (MIMO-MC) using a random unitary matrix as the waveform matrix. We show that the corresponding data matrix has a good incoherent property, which guarantees accurate reconstruction of the data matrix from partial entries. The derived performance guarantees hold for any random unitary waveforms and radar precoder. This indicates that the proposed MIMO-MC approach can dynamically adapt its waveform/precoding for the purpose of waveform security or interference suppression in low SINR conditions, without affecting the performance of data matrix completion. We further investigate the application of MIMO-MC transmit precoding for clutter mitigation and spectrum sharing with wireless communications.
Simulation, design and integration of 60 GHz Gallium Nitride transceiver into nano-ferrite circulator on-silicon CMOS substrate

In this work the design and integration of 60 GHz monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) transceiver using 0.15 um Gallium Nitride (GaN) Qorvo process that will support the Wireless Gigabit Alliance (WiGig)/802.11ad radio specifications will be presented. The wideband GaN Power Amplifier (PA) can operate at 60–65 GHz with output power of 27 dBm and large signal gain of 23.5 dB. The wideband Low Noise Amplifier (LNA) has a small signal gain of 16 dB with a noise figure (NF) of 1 dB. The GaN PA and LNA are integrated to a nano-ferrite on-silicon CMOS circulator to construct a single front-end transceiver module.
Echinocandin resistance among Candida isolates at an academic medical centre 2005-15: analysis of trends and outcomes

Objectives To identify the frequency of micafungin resistance among clinically significant isolates of Candida stored at our institution from 2005 to 2015. Chart review of patients with resistant isolates then informed the clinical setting and outcomes associated with these infections. Methods Clinical Candida isolates had been stored at -80°C in Brucella broth with 20% glycerol from 2005. Isolates were tested using broth microdilution to determine micafungin MICs. All Candida glabrata isolates and all isolates demonstrating decreased susceptibility to micafungin were screened for FKS mutations using a Luminex assay. Results In total, 3876 Candida isolates were tested for micafungin resistance, including 832 C. glabrata isolates. Of those, 33 isolates from 31 patients were found to have either decreased susceptibility to micafungin and/or an FKS mutation. C. glabrata accounted for the majority of these isolates. While bloodstream infections were found to have a very high mortality rate, isolates from other sites were uncommonly associated with 30-day mortality. Overall resistance rates were very low. Conclusions Echinocandin resistance in C. glabrata has been increasingly reported but rates at our institution remain very low. We hypothesize that a focus on antifungal stewardship may have led to these observations. Knowledge of local resistance patterns is key to appropriate empirical treatment strategies.
Infant size and the association between maternal circulating angiogenic factors and preeclampsia.

To assess the effect of infant size as a marker of placental function on the association between preeclampsia and the ratio of soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt-1) to placental growth factor (PlGF). The angiogenic factors sFlt-1 and PlGF were measured prospectively at 26 weeks gestation in 2322 women. Pregnancies were stratified by whether or not they were complicated by preeclampsia, the timing of delivery, and birthweight Z-score. Independent of preeclampsia status, women with small infants (Z 1.0) have a decreased ratio. Among pregnancies yielding small infants, the sFlt-1/PlGF ratio is markedly elevated in preeclamptic pregnancies requiring delivery before 37 weeks (110.0 vs. 17.9, p < 0.0001) but not in preeclamptic pregnancies delivered at term. The strength of the association between preeclampsia and the sFlt-1/PlGF ratio is increased for small infants compared to normal-sized or large infants. The sFlt-1/PlGF ratio in the late second trimester is similarly elevated in women with preeclampsia and in women with small infant size and more markedly elevated in a syndrome of placental dysfunction characterized by preeclampsia, preterm delivery, and growth restriction.
Applying Functional Data Analysis to Assess Tele-Interpersonal Psychotherapy's Efficacy to Reduce Depression.

The use of parametric linear mixed models and generalized linear mixed models to analyze longitudinal data collected during randomized control trials (RCT) is conventional. The application of these...
Immunization with Mycobacterium vaccae induces an anti-inflammatory milieu in the CNS: Attenuation of stress-induced microglial priming, alarmins and anxiety-like behavior.

Abstract Exposure to stressors induces anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors, which are mediated, in part, by neuroinflammatory processes. Recent findings demonstrate that treatment with the immunoregulatory and anti-inflammatory bacterium, Mycobacterium vaccae (M. vaccae), attenuates stress-induced exaggeration of peripheral inflammation and stress-induced anxiety-like behavioral responses. However, the effects of M. vaccae on neuroimmune processes have largely been unexplored. In the present study, we examined the effect of M. vaccae NCTC11659 on neuroimmune regulation, stress-induced neuroinflammatory processes and anxiety-like behavior. Adult male rats were immunized 3× with a heat-killed preparation of M. vaccae (0.1 mg, s.c.) or vehicle. M. vaccae induced an anti-inflammatory immunophenotype in hippocampus (increased interleukin (Il)4, Cd200r1, and Mrc1 mRNA expression) and increased IL4 protein 8 d after the last immunization. Central administration of recombinant IL4 recapitulated the effects of M. vaccae on Cd200r1 and Mrc1 mRNA expression. M. vaccae reduced basal levels of genes (Nlrp3 and Nfkbia) involved in microglial priming; thus, we explored the effects of M. vaccae on stress-induced hippocampal microglial priming and HMGB1, which mediates priming. We found that M. vaccae blocked stress-induced decreases in Cd200r1, increases in the alarmin HMGB1, and priming of the microglial response to immune challenge. Furthermore, M. vaccae prevented stress-induced increases in anxiety-like behavior. The present findings suggest that M. vaccae enhances immunomodulation in the CNS and mitigates the neuroinflammatory and behavioral effects of stress, which may underpin its capacity to impart a stress resilient phenotype.
Reductions of intimate partner violence resulting from supplementing children with omega-3 fatty acids: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, stratified, parallel-group trial.

Omega-3 supplementation has been found to reduce externalizing behavior in children. Reciprocal models of parent-child behavior suggest that improving child behavior could lead to improvements in parent behavior, however no study has examined whether omega-3 supplementation in children could reduce intimate partner violence or child maltreatment by their adult caregivers. In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, stratified, parallel group trial, a community sample of children were randomized to receive either a fruit drink containing 1 gm of omega-3 fats (Smartfish Recharge; Omega-3 group, n = 100) or the same fruit drink without omega-3's (Placebo group, n = 100). Child participants, adult caregivers, and research staff were blinded to group assignment. Adult caregivers reported inter-partner and child-directed physical assault and psychological aggression at baseline, 6 months (end of treatment) and 12 months (6 months post-treatment) using the Conflicts Tactics Scale. Caregivers of children in the omega-3 group reported long-term reductions in psychological aggression in a group × time interaction. Improvements in adult psychological aggression were correlated with improvements in child externalizing behavior scores. No differences were reported for child maltreatment. This study is the first to show that omega-3 supplementation in children can reduce inter-partner psychological aggression among adult caregivers not receiving supplements. Findings suggest that improving child behavior through omega-3 supplementation could have long-term benefits to the family system as a whole.
The need for mapping personal goals to exercise dosage in community-based exercise programs for people with Parkinson’s disease

Purpose: Community-based exercise can support long-term management of Parkinson's disease, although it is not known if personal goals are met in these programs. The objectives of this study were to: (1) examine the goals of community based exercise programs from the participant and instructor perspectives; (2) establish the extent to which these programs meet self-described exercise outcomes; and (3) explore participant and instructor perspectives on barriers to meeting exercise expectations. Materials and Methods: This study explores the experiences of people with Parkinson's disease participating in a structured exercise program at six community sites. A mixed-methods approach was used, including participant and instructor interviews, assessment of exercise intensity, and mapping of exercise dosage to participant goals. Twenty-four exercise participants provided interview, quality of life, and exercise intensity data. Results: Twenty-one participants exercised for primary management of their Parkinson's disease. None met the exercise dosage necessary to meet this primary objective, although 60% met exercise dosage required to prevent disuse deconditioning. Participants and instructors did not describe similar goals for the community-based exercise program. Conclusions: Community-based exercise programs could be optimized by better aligning participant goals and exercise intensity.
Burn wound pathophysiology and care

The pathophysiology of the burn injury and treatment factors that influence burn depth are explained. Details of burn wound care, including indications for early excision, topical antimicrobials, and the most recent advances in skin substitutes, are described. Burn wound sepsis, the most common and serious complication, is discussed in regard to diagnosis and treatment.
Can platform competition support market segmentation? Network externalities versus matching efficiency in equity crowdfunding markets

We investigate whether, in spite of the existence of cross‐market network externalities, platform competition can lead to segmentation of the two sides of the market served by the platforms. We address this question in the context of competition between two equity crowdfunding platforms that connect startups looking for capital with prospective investors. Given the heterogeneity in the populations of startups and investors in terms of the riskiness of the former population and the degree of risk aversion of the latter population, we investigate whether there exists an equilibrium where the two populations are segmented to ensure an improved match between them. We find that the segmenting equilibrium can arise only when compatibility in terms of their risk profiles is of high importance to both populations, and compatibility is significantly more important than the size of the network externality considered by startups. Segmentation is likely to improve the welfare of both populations when the basic benefit from any kind of match is relatively high.
Influence of electronic cigarette liquid flavors and nicotine concentration on subjective measures of abuse liability in young adult cigarette smokers.

Abstract Background A rapidly evolving tobacco marketplace highlights the timeliness of the FDA’s authority to regulate tobacco, specifically the role that flavorings in nicotine-containing electronic cigarette (ECIG) liquids have on public health. This study aimed to evaluate the extent to which ECIG liquid flavor and nicotine concentration influenced subjective measures of abuse liability among young adult cigarette (cig) smokers. Methods Young adult (18–21 y.o.) smokers (M = 10.1 cig/day, no regular ECIG use history) completed 7 Latin-square ordered conditions each preceded by 12 h. nicotine/tobacco abstinence. Conditions were own brand cig (OB) and eGo-style ECIG paired with three liquid flavors (cream, tropical fruit, tobacco/menthol) varying in nicotine concentration (0 or 36 mg/ml). Products were administered in two 10-puff bouts in each condition. Heart rate/blood pressure (HR/BP) and tobacco/nicotine abstinence symptoms, nicotine/general drug effects, and acceptability measures were assessed repeatedly throughout sessions. Mixed linear models were followed-up with Tukey’s HSD t-tests. Results HR/BP indicated nicotine exposure during nicotine-containing conditions. OB and tobacco/menthol 36 mg/ml conditions produced significant decreases in ratings of cig smoking urges. Nicotine/drug effects were elevated significantly for OB and 36 mg/ml ECIG conditions with one exception noted for the tobacco/menthol 0 mg/ml condition. OB had the highest acceptability ratings, and ECIG condition results varied by acceptability item. Conclusions Among young adult smokers, ECIG conditions containing nicotine were positively associated with several subjective measures of abuse liability but not all. Flavors did not consistently mask/enhance effects observed. Results reinforce continued examination of ECIG-delivered nicotine and liquid flavors in relationship to abuse liability.
A Simple and Efficient Method to Compute a Single Linkage Dendrogram.

We address the problem of computing a single linkage dendrogram. A possible approach is to: (i) Form an edge weighted graph $G$ over the data, with edge weights reflecting dissimilarities. (ii) Calculate the MST $T$ of $G$. (iii) Break the longest edge of $T$ thereby splitting it into subtrees $T_L$, $T_R$. (iv) Apply the splitting process recursively to the subtrees. This approach has the attractive feature that Prim's algorithm for MST construction calculates distances as needed, and hence there is no need to ever store the inter-point distance matrix. The recursive partitioning algorithm requires us to determine the vertices (and edges) of $T_L$ and $T_R$. We show how this can be done easily and efficiently using information generated by Prim's algorithm without any additional computational cost.
Chronic pain, health-related quality of life, and employment in working-age cancer survivors.

This study estimated the prevalence of cancer-related pain in working-age cancer survivors (age 25–64 years) and evaluated differences in demographic and clinical variables in those with and without pain. We also investigated the impact of cancer-related pain on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and employment outcomes in this population. We used cross-sectional data from the 2016 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). Analyses were conducted with a sample of 1702 cancer survivors who completed treatment. All analyses were conducted using procedures to account for the complex sampling design of the BRFSS. Nearly 17% (95% CI [13.94–19.58]) of working-age cancer survivors reported experiencing cancer-related pain. Among those who experienced pain, the majority were female, white, non-Hispanic, married/partnered, and non-employed, with breast as the most common cancer disease site. Those with cancer-related pain experienced more physically unhealthy days (adjusted rate ratio [aRR] 1.63, 95% CI [1.16–2.28]), mentally unhealthy days (aRR 1.52, 95% CI [1.02–2.26]), and activity interference (aRR 2.15, 95% CI [1.53–3.02]). Cancer-related pain decreased the odds of being employed, but only in female survivors (adjusted odds ratio 0.34, 95% CI [0.22–0.54]). Cancer-related chronic pain is a prevalent, long-term condition that is negatively associated with HRQoL and employment in working-age cancer survivors. Clinical interventions targeting chronic pain may improve HRQoL in working-age cancer survivors and employment outcomes, particularly in women.
Direct current magnetron coating chamber characterization directed toward the efficient development of broadband x-ray optic multilayer coatings

A direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering system has been developed at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center for depositing broadband x-ray optic multilayer coatings. The system has the capability to house up to four, 2-in.-diameter direct-cooled DC magnetron cathodes. The 2-in.-diameter cathodes facilitate low-cost, early stage research and development of various types of optical coatings. Despite the small target diameter, good coating uniformity on 4-in.-diameter substrates is demonstrated. Sources of both systematic and random error in the deposition of depth-graded multilayer coatings were identified and compensated for, resulting in the ability to deposit coating that required ∼7.5 h of total deposition time. Final verification of the system was concluded with the deposition of an NuSTAR W/Si depth-graded multilayer coating design (flight recipe 10).
Impact of a Program to Improve Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis on Incidence of Thromboembolism and Bleeding Rates in Hospitalized Patients During Implementation of Programs to Improve Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis

Abstract Objective To study the impact of multiphase quality improvement efforts to enhance appropriate use of chemical and mechanical venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis (VTEP) on the rate of hospital-acquired VTE and determine whether efforts have been associated with increased bleeding complications. Patients and Methods All adult inpatients discharged between January 1, 2005, and December 31, 2015, were included in the study. Retrospective interrupted time series analysis compared VTEP performance, VTE outcomes, and unintended consequences (derived from linked administrative and clinical data) across 5 improvement phases: baseline (January 1, 2005-December 31, 2006), paper order set phase (January 1, 2007-February 9, 2009), electronic order set phase (February 10, 2009-December 16, 2009), active reminder phase (December 17, 2009-May 31, 2012), and maintenance phase (June 1, 2012-September 30, 2015). Results Guideline VTEP plan adherence at the end of the study period (including documenting contraindications) reached 88.8% (654,138 of 736,384 patient days). Delivery of pharmacological VTEP increased from 43.9% (49,155 of 111,906 patients) to 60.8% (75,784 of 124,676 patients); delivery of mechanical or pharmacological VTEP increased less (65.0% [431,791 of 664,087 patient days] to 67.4% [496,625 of 736,384 patient days]). Mean VTE rates decreased from 4.6 per 1000 hospitalizations (21.7 VTEs per month) at baseline to 4.3 per 1000 hospitalizations (18.0 VTEs per month) during the maintenance phase (P Conclusion Our VTEP project improved guideline compliance, increased the proportion of patients receiving VTEP, and was associated with a decrease in VTE. Gaps in VTEP delivery occurred despite protocoled order sets and electronic feedback. Further improvements in VTE may require new approaches.
Negative SARS-CoV-2 antibody testing following COVID-19 infection in Two MS patients treated with ocrelizumab.

Summary Background It is unknown whether MS disease modifying therapies impact ability to mount an antibody response to SARS-CoV-2. Methods Case series and literature review. We report a series of two MS patients who developed COVID-19 while on Ocrelizumab therapy and subsequently exhibited negative SARS-CoV-2 serology. Results A 42-year-old man and 39-year-old woman with MS developed COVID-19 while on Ocrelizumab therapy. Neither patient required hospitalization. The man exhibited negative serology at 7- and 9-weeks post-infection. The woman exhibited negative serology at 6- and 12-weeks post-infection. Conclusions Large studies are essential to determine whether certain DMTs may blunt SARS-CoV-2 antibody production.
The Association Between PM2.5 and Blood Pressure in Indonesia

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Indonesia faces significant air quality issues due to peatland fires associated with agricultural land management and rapid urbanization. Limited prior research has estimated th...
Rapid in vitro assembly of class I major histocompatibility complex

Publisher Summary The class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecule consists of a highly variable heavy chain in complex with a light chain (β 2 -microglobulin, β 2 m) and peptides of approximately 8–10 amino acids in length. This chapter describes a novel method for the rapid assembly of properly folded MHC ternary complexes in relatively high yields, utilizing exogenous synthetic peptides and over-expressed polypeptides from inclusion bodies. The method is reproducible, and capable of rapidly and efficiently forming stable ternary complexes. The presence of glutathione in the incubation mixture is essential, emphasizing that during the refolding process proper formation of disulfide bonds is critical, and is consistent with the observation that, there are no free sulfhydryl groups in initially solubilized heavy chain, suggesting that mispaired disulfide bonds prevent the correct folding to ternary complex. The adaptability of the method to analysis of multiple samples facilitates screening of peptide variants, and consequently, the study of the rules for epitope binding. Because of the efficient manner by which MHC ternary complexes can be formed, this method has potential for rapid screening of peptide analogues, possibly by radio assay, or for use in equilibrium and kinetic studies.
Logical data independence reconsidered (extended abstract)

Logical data independence is central to a number of database research problems including data integration and keyword search. In this paper, a data model that unifies several of the most widely adopted data models is studied. The key is to disassociate metadata from particular roles. A high-level, context-based (or semantically-based) query language is introduced, and applications to the aforementioned areas of research are demonstrated briefly.
HST Observations of New Horizontal Branch Structures in the Globular Cluster w Centauri

The globular cluster omega Centauri contains the largest known population of very hot horizontal branch (HB) stars. We have used the Hubble Space Telescope to obtain a far-UV/optical color-magnitude diagram of three fields in omega Cen. We find that over 30% of the HB objects are "extreme" HB or hot post-HB stars. A wide gap in the color distribution of the hot HB stars may correspond to gaps found earlier in several other clusters, which argues for a common mass loss mechanism. The diagram contains a significant population of hot sub-HB stars, which we interpret as the "blue-hook" objects predicted by D'Cruz (1996a). These are produced by late He-flashes in stars which have undergone unusually large giant branch mass loss. Omega Cen has a well-known spread of metal abundance, and the diagram is consistent with a giant branch mass loss efficiency which increases with metallicity. There is no evidence for a dynamical origin of the hot HB stars.
Detecting and minimizing zinc contamination in physiological solutions

To explore the role of zinc (Zn) in cellular physiology it is important to be able to control and quantify the level of Zn contamination in experimental solutions. A technique that relies on a Zn-sensitive fluorimetric probe is introduced for measuring Zn concentrations as low as 100 pM. The method depends on the combination of the Zn-probe FluoZin-3 together with a slow Zn-chelator, Ca-EDTA, that reduces the background Zn levels and allows repeated measurements in the same solution. The method was used to determine which common labware items could leach Zn into solution. Contamination was predictably found to arise from stainless steel and glass. Perhaps less expectedly it was also introduced by methacrylate cuvettes, plastic tissue culture dishes and other plastic labware. The release of nickel from stainless steel electrodes was also imaged using the fluorescent probe Newport Green. Zn contamination may arise from rather unexpected sources; it is important that all aspects and components used in the course of an experiment be analyzed for the possibility of introducing contaminants.
On the energy overhead of mobile storage systems

Secure digital cards and embedded multimedia cards are pervasively used as secondary storage devices in portable electronics, such as smartphones and tablets. These devices cost under 70 cents per gigabyte. They deliver more than 4000 random IOPS and 70 MBps of sequential access bandwidth. Additionally, they operate at a peak power lower than 250 milliwatts. However, software storage stack above the device level on most existing mobile platforms is not optimized to exploit the low-energy characteristics of such devices. This paper examines the energy consumption of the storage stack on mobile platforms.We conduct several experiments on mobile platforms to analyze the energy requirements of their respective storage stacks. Software storage stack consumes up to 200 times more energy when compared to storage hardware, and the security and privacy requirements of mobile apps are a major cause. A storage energy model for mobile platforms is proposed to help developers optimize the energy requirements of storage intensive applications. Finally, a few optimizations are proposed to reduce the energy consumption of storage systems on these platforms.
Molecular adaptations of GLUT1 and GLUT2 in renal proximal tubules of diabetic rats.

The renal reabsorption of glucose is mediated by two major classes of transporters. Initially, luminal glucose is concentrated in tubules by Na(+)-glucose cotransporters (Na(+)-GLUT). Afterwards, g...
A new paradigm for tumor immune escape: β-catenin-driven immune exclusion

Increasing evidence is emerging that immunotherapeutic interventions, including checkpoint blockade, are predominantly effective in patients with a pre-existing T cell-inflamed tumor microenvironment. Understanding the mechanisms leading to a non-T cell-inflamed microenvironment are crucial for the development of novel treatment modalities to expand the fraction of patients benefiting from immunotherapy. Based on the hypothesis that one source of inter-patient heterogeneity would lie at differential activation of specific oncogene pathways within the tumor cells themselves, our group recently observed that tumor-cell intrinsic activation of the WNT/β-catenin pathway correlates with absence of T cells from the microenvironment in metastatic melanoma. Genetically-engineered mouse models confirmed a causal relationship, via a mechanism of failed Batf3-lineage dendritic cell recruitment. Hence, tumor cell-intrinsic activation of β-catenin is the first oncogenic pathway demonstrated to exclude the anti-tumor immune response, revealing a potential therapeutic target for improving immunotherapy responsiveness.
The RTCP gateway: scaling real-time control bandwidth for wireless networks

In this paper, we identify the deficiencies of Real-Time Protocol (RTP) scaling when deployed in low-bandwidth or wireless networks. As RTP is used to support audio and video communication over the Internet, scalability over a wide bandwidth range is important to its continued acceptance. We describe the design and implementation of a real-time control protocol (RTCP) gateway which provides the scaling functions necessary to allow wireless participants to engage in high-bandwidth conferencing sessions. RTCP gateway functionality is compatible with the most commonly used data scaling strategies and does not affect RTP functions on the fixed network.
Visualization and analysis-oriented reconstruction of material interfaces

Reconstructing boundaries along material interfaces from volume fractions is a difficult problem, especially because the under-resolved nature of the input data allows for many correct interpretations. Worse, algorithms widely accepted as appropriate for simulation are inappropriate for visualization. In this paper, we describe a new algorithm that is specifically intended for reconstructing material interfaces for visualization and analysis requirements. The algorithm performs well with respect to memory footprint and execution time, has desirable properties in various accuracy metrics, and also produces smooth surfaces with few artifacts, even when faced with more than two materials per cell.
Problem solving in the rat: Septal lesion effects on habituation and perseverative tendencies

The performance deficit that typically occurs on Maier’s three-table spatial integration task following septal damage was examined with the view towards relating it to lesion-induced alterations in exploratory activity during the exploration phase of the task. Septals, unlike shams, failed to habituate (i.e., reduce the rate of sector entry behavior) during the 15-min exploration period. However, this failure to habituate was not the sole basis of the septal deficit on the spatial integration aspect of the task, since some animals that did habituate also failed to adopt the spatial solution. Unlike shams, septals tended to perseverate a turning response, not only on each of the three daily test trials, but also from day to day. This perseverative tendency was unresponsive to its consequences. Since the perseverative tendency did not correlate with any response bias expressed during the exploration phase of the task, it was regarded as the septal animal’s adaptation to the test trial situation.
Crystal structure of the visual chromophores, 11-cis and all-trans retinal.

THE visual chromophores, 11-cis and all-trans retinal (Fig. 1), are present in both rod and cone cells of vertebrate retinas and in the corresponding organs of insects and Crustacea1. The isomerization of the 11-cis isomer to the trans form may be the only step in the visual process which is initiated by light; several succeeding changes in the visual pigment are known to occur in the dark2,3. In spite of their importance in vision, the conformation of the chromophores have not been determined. Their three dimensional configurations in the crystalline state are presented in this communication.
Ethics and midwifery

Abstract Health care ethics are drawn from a variety of sources and approaches such as philosophy, religion, psychology or culture. The variety can be confusing but this can be clarified through study. A knowledge of ethical systems or approaches to ethics can help midwives practice in an ethical way to the benefit of the families in their care and the profession of midwifery.
Thermal voltage converter calibrations using a quantum ac standard

We report on the first-ever use of a quantum ac source to calibrate a thermal transfer standard as part of the NIST calibration service for such devices, with reductions in calibration uncertainty of as much as an order of magnitude over traditional ac–dc transfer methods. We briefly describe the basic quantum ac calibration system, its operation and measurement results. An analysis of the uncertainties for the measurements is presented and plans for further development are described.
The calculation and synthesis of a template molecule

Abstract This paper discusses an algorithm to compute the geometric requirements for a template molecule. A Program called DESIGN is used to calculate templates by matching vectors from a database of carbon skeleta. Applications of the approach to an epitope of myoglobin and a fragment around the active site of the enzyme thioredoxin is examined. The synthesis of the template molecule 7 is described.
Empirical Evidence on Trade Reform, Revealed Trade Openness, and Output Growth in Latin America. How Far Have We Come?

Free trade reform promotes and consolidates businesses’ orientation to international markets. Using a sample of twenty Latin American countries, this study finds support for the hypothesis that higher revealed trade openness implies faster economic growth. However, at low output growth levels, increased revealed trade openness does not translate to faster output growth. Why more trade does not necessarily imply faster growth at all levels of revealed trade openness growth remains a conundrum. Failure to derive faster economic growth may compromise the prospects for sustainable trade reforms and thus the consolidation of new business ventures as engines for further growth.
Safety of repeat aprotinin administration for LVAD recipients undergoing cardiac transplantation

Background. Anecdotal reports of allergic and anaphylactic reactions after aprotinin therapy have raised concern that its repeat use may be associated with substantial morbidity. Methods. To address this concern, we reviewed our experience with all patients who underwent implantation of a left ventricular assist device and subsequent cardiac transplantation with perioperative use of aprotinin. Results. Twenty-three patients received full-dose aprotinin during left ventricular assist device implantation and subsequent cardiac transplantation. All patients tolerated primary exposure to aprotinin without complication. One episode of anaphylaxis after secondary exposure was treated with rapid institution of cardiopulmonary bypass. Although renal dysfunction was observed shortly after cardiac transplantation in 30.4% of patients, the effect was transient and occurred in the presence of cyclosporine. The one perioperative death after secondary exposure was unrelated to bleeding complications. No clinically evident thromboembolic events were documented. Conclusions. Primary and secondary exposure to aprotinin during operation with cardiopulmonary bypass is associated with limited intraoperative blood use, a low incidence of transient renal dysfunction and anaphylaxis, a rare need of reoperation for bleeding, and no clinical thromboembolic events.
Exact self-energy for cavity pair theory

Wentzel pair theory is examined for a massless scalar field which interacts with a highly localized spherically symmetric source while confined to a spherical cavity of radius $R$. The ground-state energy, interpreted as the self-energy of the source, is determined exactly as a function of a dimensionless renormalized coupling constant $\ensuremath{\alpha}$. In the limit of a point source, the renormalized self-energy is given as $E=\frac{A}{R}$, where $A$ is a nonanalytic function of $\ensuremath{\alpha}$. The first two orders of perturbation theory give $A=0.131(\ensuremath{\alpha}\ensuremath{-}{\ensuremath{\alpha}}^{2})$. For $\ensuremath{\alpha}=0.5$, first-order perturbation theory gives a result which is 45% above the exact value, while inclusion of corrections through second order in $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ gives a result which is 27% below the exact value. The model suggests that the perturbation expansion for radiative corrections in intermediate-coupling cavity field theories such as cavity QCD may be unreliable.
Muscarinic kindling: Transsynaptic generation of a chronic seizure focus

Abstract Daily injections of subconvulsive amounts of carbamylcholine or muscarine into the L basolateral amygdala of Holzman rats resulted in the progressive development of kindled seizures. Addition of equimolar atropine to carbachol completely prevented development of seizures. Rats kindled with carbachol had full seizures when tested for the first time with muscarine and vice-versa. Kindling persisted after 4 weeks without stimulation and spontaneous seizures were observed. No histological differences existed between carbachol-kindled and carbachol-atropine (non-kindled) rats. These data suggest that a chronic epileptic focus was induced transsynaptically.
Use of cuticular lipids in grasshopper taxonomy: A study of variation in Schistocerca shoshone (Thomas)

Abstract Cuticular lipids of adult Schistocerca shoshone from six different localities in the southwestern United States were analyzed. All the insects had the same hydrocarbons, but their relative abundance varied between populations and, within a locality, remained more or less constant over time. There were some statistically significant differences in the abundance of some compounds in relation to sex and maturity, but the differences were generally small and of doubtful biological significance. Food type had only minor effects on the relative frequencies of compounds, and insects from different populations retained their identities even when reared together in the laboratory. The cuticular lipids of insects from a population living in an area with high summer temperatures included higher proportions of n -alkanes than those of insects from a less extreme environment. If cuticular hydrocarbons are to be used in taxonomic studies of grasshoppers, it is important to examine specimens from a variety of populations and habitats.
Talking to Ourselves: A Content Analysis of NPR's Use of Journalists as Sources

National Public Radio (NPR) has built its reputation on in-depth analysis and unbiased reporting of information based on questions its reporters ask, the ways reporters tell their stories, and NPR's use of journalists as sources within their stories. This article focuses on understanding how these journalist-sources are used and how this practice contributes to the larger issues of source credibility facing media today. A content analysis of NPR's All Things Considered programming from 1999 to 2009 shows that NPR journalists are used as sources more often in stories about philosophical topics and significantly less often in stories that contain more hard data.
Efficient utilisation of extended bandwidth in 802.11ac with and without overlapping basic service sets

The channel bonding proposed in IEEE 802.11ac has the potential to multiply the data rate. However, the backward compatibility with legacy 802.11 stations (STAs) and the overlapping basic service set (OBSS) problem make the available frequency resource severely under-utilised. The downlink (DL) approach (where the access point (AP) uses the available non-primary channels to transmit DL data to other 802.11ac STAs) and the relay (RL) approach (where the AP instructs some 802.11ac OBSS STAs to use the available non-primary channels to transmit uplink data to a pre-designated RL) are proposed to improve the performance of 802.11ac by efficiently using the under-utilised spectrum. The simulation results show that the proposed scheme can mitigate the OBSS problem and obtain significantly better performance than the current media access control (MAC) protocol in the 801.11ac draft. In addition, the proposed approaches can work seamlessly with the 802.11ac protocol.
Interactions of the human cytosolic sulfotransferases and steroid sulfatase in the metabolism of tibolone and raloxifene

Sulfation is important in the metabolism and inactivation of steroidal compounds and hormone replacement therapeutic (HRT) agents in human tissues. Although generally inactive, many steroid sulfates are hydrolyzed to their active forms by sulfatase activity. Therefore, the specific sulfotransferase (SULT) isoforms and the levels of steroid sulfatase (STS) activity in tissues are important in regulating the activity of steroidal and HRT compounds. Tibolone (Tib) is metabolized to three active metabolites and all four compounds are readily sulfated. Tib and the Δ4-isomer are sulfated at the 17β-OH group by SULT2A1 and the 17-sulfates are resistant to hydrolysis by human placental STS. 3α-OH and 3β-OH Tib can form both 3- and 17-monosulfates as well as disulfates. Only the 3β-sulfates are susceptible to STS hydrolysis. Raloxifene monosulfation was catalyzed by at least seven SULT isoforms and SULT1E1 also synthesizes raloxifene disulfate. SULT1E1 forms both monosulfates in a ratio of approximately 8:1 with the more abundant monosulfate migrating on HPLC identical to the SULT2A1 synthesized monosulfate. The raloxifene monosulfate formed by both SULT isoforms is sensitive to STS hydrolysis whereas the low abundance monosulfate formed by SULT1E1 is resistant. The benzothiophene sulfates of raloxifene and arzoxifene were hydrolyzed by STS whereas the raloxifene 4′-phenolic sulfate was resistant. These results indicate that tissue specific expression of SULT isoforms and STS could be important in the inactivation and regeneration of the active forms of HRT agents.
Kirkpatrick–Baez microfocusing optics for thermal neutrons

Abstract Kirkpatrick–Baez neutron supermirrors can efficiently focus neutron beams into small areas with a maximum divergence that is limited by the mirror critical angle. The size of the focal spot is primarily determined by geometrical demagnification of the source and by figure errors in the mirror shape. Ray-tracing calculations show that high-performance Kirkpatrick–Baez supermirrors can preserve neutron-source brilliance when focusing down to tens of microns and can focus approximately two orders of magnitude greater power into 100 μm than is practical without focusing. The predicted performance is near the theoretical limit set by the source brilliance. We describe the phase space arguments, ray-tracing calculations and actual performance of an M3 supermirror system designed to produce a focal spot below 100 μm. Although the current design is optimized for neutron polychromatic microdiffraction, the design principles are widely applicable to a range of neutron science.
Ethnic and religious perspectives on disability and the helping professions

Abstract This note looks at ethnic and religious perspectives of people who are training for and/or working in the helping professions in regard to their views of disability. The Modified Issues in Disabilities Scale (MIDS) was administered to a sample of people training for and/or working in the helping professions. A statistically significant association was found between ethnic and religious perspectives and scores on the MIDS.
Li2MnO3-based composite cathodes for lithium batteries: A novel synthesis approach and new structures

Abstract A new, simple technique has been demonstrated for fabricating high-capacity composite electrode structures. In this technique, Li 2 MnO 3 is leached in acid in the presence of soluble transition metal ions and subsequently annealed between 450 and 850 °C. The technique can be used to prepare a wide variety of composite compounds, in particular, a new family of ‘layered–rocksalt’ xLi 2 MnO 3 ·(1−x)MO (e.g., M = Ni and Co) structures and modifications thereof, as well as ‘layered–layered’ xLi 2 MnO 3 ·(1−x)LiMO 2 (e.g., M = Mn, Ni, and Co) and ‘layered–spinel’ xLi 2 MnO 3 ·(1−x)LiM 2 O 4 (e.g., M = Mn and Ni). This novel approach also holds promise for 1) synthesizing materials that reduce the extent of internal phase transitions of composite cathode structures with a high manganese content, and 2) minimizing the extent to which cells need to be electrochemically activated to remove Li 2 O, thereby reducing the extent of the irreversible capacity loss on the first charge/discharge cycle.
Energy dependent reconstruction in X-ray computerized tomography.

Abstract Polychromatic X-ray sources are universally used in computerized tomography to obtain adequate intensity. These sources, however, can produce significant artifacts in the reconstructed image due to non-linearities. Methods are shown for minimizing these artifacts by using compensating non-linearities. In addition systems are described which utilize spectral analysis in the detection system. The detected spectrum is divided into a low and high energy region. The resultant signals are processed to obtain a photoelectric component, which is atomic-number dependent and a Compton scattering component which is density dependent. This information removes the distortion and provides delineation of specific materials.
Respiratory failure and mechanical ventilation: Pathophysiology and methods of promoting weaning

Respiratory failure may be manifested either by impaired gas exchange or by impaired ventilatory function. The latter results in more severe problems in weaning patients from mechanical ventilation. Ventilatory failure may result from inadequate respiratory drive, excessive respiratory workload, inadequate respiratory muscle endurance, or a combination of these factors.
Intra- and interspecific tests of some traditional indicators of relative tolerance

Abstract Community ecologists and foresters commonly view relative tolerance as the capacity of a species to survive in the understory of an established plant community. Diverse individual- and population-level attributes are commonly cited as indirect indicators of relative tolerance. Eight of these putative indicators of relative tolerance were tested for their ability in discriminating between species representing differing levels of relative tolerance; of these, only five were found to be valid. The indicators were even less accurate in discriminating between presumed intraspecific differences in relative tolerance. The species characteristics that appeared to have the greatest potential as indicators of relative tolerance involved stand density, leaf-area index and foliage retention time.
Role of the nonionic surfactant Triton X-405 in emulsion polymerization. II. Homopolymerization ofn-butyl acrylate

In the emulsion polymerization of n-butyl acrylate, the nonionic surfactant Triton X-405 (octylphenoxy polyethoxy ethanol) partitions primarily into the aqueous phase leading to nucleation in the presence of micelles and unimodal final latex particle size distributions. Nucleation is accompanied by limited aggregation in the early stages of the reactions with particles being formed in some cases past 50% conversion depending on the experimental conditions. High values of the average number of radicals per particle (n > 10) are observed during these reactions which explains a secondary increase in the heat of reaction. This increase was not observed when the initiator (K2S2O8) concentration was reduced from 6.4 to 0.6 mM or the temperature was decreased from 70°C to 60°C; contrary to what was expected, an inverse relationship was observed between the rate of polymerization and the final number of particles for these experiments. This was attributed to more extensive limited aggregation at the higher temperature and initiator concentration. Limited aggregation is thus shown to be an important mechanism in these polymerizations. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35: 3827–3835, 1997
Developing a Radar-Based Flood Alert System for Sugar Land, Texas

AbstractIn recent years, there have been an increasing number of watersheds that relied on weather radars to provide accurate precipitation information for flood warning purposes. The major impetus for using a radar-based flood warning system is the increased flood warning lead time because of its wider spatial and temporal coverage when compared with rain and stream gauges alone. This paper presents a framework for a radar-based flood alert system (FAS) for the Oyster Creek Watershed to aid the City of Sugar Land in flood forecasting. Precipitation from two actual storm events in 2009 and 2010 were processed in the hydrologic model Hydrologic Engineering Center–hydrologic modeling system (HEC-HMS) to obtain storm hydrographs. After model calibration, the simulated peak flows were then inputted into the hydraulic model, Hydrologic Engineering Center river analysis system (HEC-RAS), to produce water surface elevations. The study includes two flood warning features of Sugar Land’s FAS: the flood plain map l...