cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
From Teeth to Baleen and Raptorial to Bulk Filter Feeding in Mysticete Cetaceans: The Role of Paleontological, Genetic, and Geochemical Data in Feeding Evolution and Ecology

The origin of baleen and filter feeding in mysticete cetaceans occurred sometime between approximately 34 and 24 million years ago and represents a major macroevolutionary shift in cetacean morphology (teeth to baleen) and ecology (raptorial to filter feeding). We explore this dramatic change in feeding strategy by employing a diversity of tools and approaches: morphology, molecules, development, and stable isotopes from the geological record. Adaptations for raptorial feeding in extinct toothed mysticetes provide the phylogenetic context for evaluating morphological apomorphies preserved in the skeletons of stem and crown edentulous mysticetes. In this light, the presence of novel vascular structures on the palates of certain Oligocene toothed mysticetes is interpreted as the earliest evidence of baleen and points to an intermediate condition between an ancestral condition with teeth only and a derived condition with baleen only. Supporting this step-wise evolutionary hypothesis, evidence from stable isotopes show how changes in dental chemistry in early toothed mysticetes tracked the changes in diet and environment. Recent discoveries also demonstrate how this transition was made possible by radical changes in cranial ontogeny. In addition, genetic mutations and the possession of dental pseudogenes in extant baleen whales support a toothed ancestry for mysticetes. Molecular and morphological data also document the dramatic developmental shifts that take place in extant fetal baleen whales, in skull development, resorption of a fetal dentition and growth of baleen. The mechanisms involved in this complex evolutionary transition that entails multiple, integrated aspects of anatomy and ecology are only beginning to be understood, and future work will further clarify the processes underlying this macroevolutionary pattern.
The Employer's Cost for the Personal Financial Management Difficulties of Workers: Evidence from the U.S. Navy

While most employers remain unaware, personal financial management problems of workers cost American employers millions of dollars in lost productivity every year. One employer who was interested in studying the cost was the United States Navy. This research found that the U.S. Navy experienced $35.8 million in annual productivity losses. This translates into the loss of over 826 worker years due to letters of indebtedness, bad checks, garnishments, bankruptcies, and time spent obtaining assistance from the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society. In addition, the service member’s personal financial management difficulties caused the Navy to replace 2,919 service members due to failure to re-enlist or loss of security clearance, and this cost another $65.2 million.
The inclusion of L sup p(mu) in L sup q(nu)

A theorem (the so-called main theorem) for the validity of the inclusion L sup p(mu) in L sup q(nu) is given, and proved by an application of the closed graph theorem. The main theorem is then applied to some interesting special cases, and concrete results are obtained including different versions of the results of Subramanian (1978) and Romero (1983).
Innovation, Industry, and African-American Heritage in Edgefield, South Carolina

ABSTRACTThe innovation and development of alkaline-glazed stoneware pottery in America was introduced by potteries operated by the Scots-Irish Landrum family in the Edgefield, South Carolina area early in the nineteenth century. The potteries employed enslaved African-American laborers and later free African Americans. Documentary evidence indicates that many enslaved Africans were brought to this area of pottery production throughout the first half of the nineteenth century, providing newly arrived cultural influences from societies targeted by the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Edgefield potteries present fascinating research questions of understanding technological innovations and investigating the impacts of African-American, European-American, and Asian manufacturing traditions and knowledge on a rural industry and its cultural landscape. This article provides an introduction to a thematic collection of studies on these subjects.
Cognitive Impairment and Overall Survival in Frail Surgical Patients

Background The definition of frailty, as modeled by the Fried criteria, has been limited primarily to the physical domain. The purpose of this study was to assess the additive value of cognitive function with existing frailty criteria to predict poor postoperative outcomes in a large multidisciplinary cohort of patients undergoing major operations. Study Design A 4-level composite frailty scoring system was created via the combination of the Fried frailty score and the Emory Clock Draw Test to assess preoperative frailty and cognitive impairment, respectively. Overall survival was defined as months from date of operation to date of death or last follow-up. Results This study included 330 patients undergoing major operations; mean age was 58 years and a total of 53 patient deaths occurred during 4-year follow-up. Among the robust cohort, 20 of 168 patients died (11.9%), and among those who were both physically frail and cognitively impaired, 11 of 26 patients died (42.3%). Multivariable analysis demonstrated the physically frail and cognitively impaired cohort to have a 3.92 higher risk of death (95% CI 1.66 to 9.26) compared with the cohort of robust patients (p = 0.002). Kaplan-Meier survival curves reveal an overall difference in long-term survival (log-rank p Conclusions The use of a combined frailty and cognitive assessment score has a more powerful potential to predict adult patients at higher risk of overall survival than either measurement alone. The addition of cognitive assessment to physical frailty measure can lead to improved preoperative decision making and possibly early intervention, as well as more accurate patient counseling.
Bortezomib is a novel inducer of latent Epstein Barr virus (EBV) in EBV+ lymphoma cell lines

1983 Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV)+ lymphomas are an important subgroup of aggressive malignant lymphomas which include lymphomas in the post-transplantation setting, Burkitt’s lymphomas (BL), AIDS-related lymphomas (ARL), and some forms of Hodgkin, T-cell, and natural killer (NK) cell lymphomas. EBV is a member of the herpes virus family, characterized by their ability to support two different life cycles: the productive “lytic” cycle leading to the production and release of new virions and the non-productive “latent” cycle. Most lymphoma cells are infected with latent EBV, and only few viral genes are expressed at low levels. Several groups of broad-acting chemical agents are able to reactivate EBV and induce herpes thymidine kinase (TK) expression in vitro and in vivo. NF-kB has been described to play a critical role in regulating the balance between latency and lytic replication of EBV. We hypothesized that the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib can be used to initiate EBV lytic antigen expression in EBV-related malignancies enabling the antiviral drug ganciclovir to kill EBV+ lymphoma cells. The human cell line P3HR-1, derived from a Burkitt’s lymphoma and latently infected with EBV, was cultured in the presence of 10 nM bortezomib for 24 hrs. The immediate early lytic phase EBV antigens ZEBRA and RTA were induced and expressed as measured by flow cytometry. The EBV-VCA and EBV-R antigens were not expressed in untreated controls but were induced as demonstrated by western blot analysis, indicating the switch to the lytic life-cycle of EBV. Histone deacetylase inhibitors are a well known group of broad-acting chemical agents able to reactivate EBV. In combination experiments, we found that bortezomib plus sodium butyrate or valproic acid act at least additive in inducing the lytic phase. An EBV transformed lymphoblastoid B-cell line (VC-1) is closer related to clinical EBV+ lymphomas in the immuno-compromised setting than HR-1. The combination treatment with 10 mM Bortezomib and 1 mM sodium butyrate for 24 hrs resulted again in enhanced EBV induction. Experiments to induce lytic phase EBV in murine xenograft models and to combine EBV induction with the nucleoside analogue ganciclovir are in progress. Reactivating EBV with proteasome inhibitors alone or in combinations with low concentrations of histone deacetylase inhibitors may be a less toxic therapeutic strategy for EBV-associated lymphomas.
Imaging of tissue displacement during focused ultrasound neuromodulation in vivo

Focused Ultrasound (FUS) has been shown to modulate neural activity in the brain. Our group has recently shown feasibility of FUS modulation of peripheral nerves in vivo. However, the mechanism of FUS on the peripheral nervous system (PNS) is not known and has never been imaged in vivo. In order to unveil both the mechanism as well as provide an image-guided approach to modulation monitoring, we designed a new transducer set-up incorporating both a FUS transducer and an imaging array. Thus, we can simultaneously image the mechanical perturbation of the tissue during modulation in vivo.
Introduction: The Levellers, Their Followers, and the Historians

This study departs from previous scholarship by integrating analysis of the Levellers of the 1640s with that of like-minded political and religious radicals who succeeded them in the Interregnum and the Restoration. It also focuses on the sectarian followers of the Leveller leaders who signed mass petitions and who remained imbued with radical ideas after 1649. Historical approaches to the Levellers, which have changed considerably over time, are outlined, but this study reappraises much of the conventional narrative of Leveller history. It finds that the Levellers’ radical successors flourished through 1688 in times of unsettlement such as the climacteric of 1647–1649 in which the Levellers originated.
A novel photonic structure with a nodal line of Dirac cones, and a photonic topological insulator that emerges from it

While 3D photonic crystals possessing a line of touching propagation bands have been known for some time, no similar 2D structure with full confinement in the vertical direction have been proposed. Our design takes advantage of accidental degeneracy of the TE- and TM-like modes to create a Dirac-type line degeneracy in the first Brillouin zone. Additionally, we introduce a perturbation that opens a complete band gap at this line. An interface between two such photonic crystals is shown to support gapless edge waves. The quadratic dispersion of these waves enables 2D localized slow-light propagation, as well as high transmission in the presence of sharp corners.
Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents for the management of anemia of chronic kidney disease: past advancements and current innovations

Over the last century, remarkable advances have been made in the care of patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD), resulting in improved prognosis. However, for decades after the advent of dialysis, anemia-associated symptoms continued to adversely affect patients' daily lives. The identification, isolation, and eventual cloning of erythropoietin and its receptor led to development of erythropoiesis stimulating agents, revolutionizing anemia management. Continued advancements have paved the way for the discovery of novel erythropoiesis stimulating agents with enhanced properties. This article charts the history of anemia management in patients with ESRD, including the discovery of erythropoietin, and briefly reviews the development, mechanism of action, and select attributes of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents.
Semiconductor Interfaces and Contacts

Interfaces to other semiconductors, producing a heterojunction, or to conductors, acting as contacts, are important parts of almost every semiconductor device. Their basic interface properties are a decisive element of the device operation and its performance.
Using Learning Decomposition to Analyze Instructional Effectiveness in the ASSISTment System

A basic question of instruction is how effective it is in promoting student learning. This paper presents a study determining the relative efficacy of different instructional content by applying an educational data mining technique, learning decomposition. We use logistic regression to determine how much learning caused by different methods of presenting same skill, relative to each other. We analyze more than 60,000 performance data across 181 items from more than 2,000 students. Our results show that items are not all as effective on promoting student learning. We also did preliminary study on validating our results by comparing them with rankings from human experts. Our study demonstrates an easier and quicker approach of evaluating the quality of ITS contents than experimental studies.
Filthy lucre: gold, language, and exchange anxiety

ABSTRACTThis essay examines the discourse among newly emerging American right-wing groups around gold currency and the gold standard to develop the concept of exchange anxiety, a discomfort about the terms of subjects’ participation in social economies of exchange. Gold is a common thread linking many otherwise disparate conservative groups, and examining this continuity may demonstrate an underlying connective logic among newly emerging right-wing ideologies. Using Jacques Lacan’s notions of anxiety and psychosis, I argue that anxiety over the gold standard bears a metaphorical relationship to both language and excrement. This anxiety can be further illuminated with Lacan’s concept of the “yieldable object,” an intermediary between subject and Other that may serve as the object of the Other’s demand. Ultimately, the gold standard represents an insistence on intrinsic value that compensates for uncertainty about subjects’ participation in highly complex and rapidly changing social systems. Rather than dir...
Clinical outcomes in U.S. infants with cystic fibrosis from 2001 to 2012

BACKGROUND All 50 United States implemented newborn screening (NBS) for cystic fibrosis (CF) by 2010. The purpose of this study was to evaluate trends over the decade when NBS became universal to determine current rates of malnutrition, stunting, and infection rates in U.S. infants with CF. METHODS Annual data were obtained on infants with CF up to 24 months of age diagnosed between 2001 and 2010 in the CF Foundation Patient Registry (CFFPR), in both the years of and after diagnosis, including method of diagnosis, demographics, and growth parameters and microbiology. RESULTS Data were obtained on 8178 infants diagnosed with CF. The percentage of infants diagnosed by NBS increased from 15% in 2001-83% in 2012 (P < 0.001). Mean weight, length, and weight-for-length z-scores in the year of diagnosis increased from 2001 to 2012 (Wt z-score 2001: -1.32 (SD 1.41), 2012: -0.72 (SD 1.12); Ht z-score 2001: -1.32 (SD 1.57), 2012 -0.60 (SD 1.21); Wt/Ht Z score 2001: -0.54 (SD 1.18), 2012: 0.06 (SD 1.05); P < 0.001 for each). The proportion of infants on pancreatic enzymes decreased from 94% in 2001-83% in 2012 (P < 0.0001). Pseudomonas aeruginosa culture positivity in the diagnosis year decreased significantly (27% in 2001, 15% in 2012, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Nationwide implementation of CF NBS is temporally associated with significant improvements in growth outcomes and reductions in P. aeruginosa infections. Current rates of malnutrition, stunting, and airway infection present a target for early intervention and quality improvement efforts.
Experimental investigation of upward vertical two-phase high-velocity flows in large-diameter pipes

Abstract An experimental investigation is carried out to analyze the effect of the diameter and high fluid velocities on two-phase flow in vertical large-diameter pipes. This study generated and gathered experimental data for diameters ranging from 97 to 297 mm. The working fluids for the experimental database are water and air, for superficial liquid velocities ranging from 0.2 to 4.7 m/s; and superficial gas velocities ranging from 0.1 to 30 m/s. From the experimental observations of flow regimes for diameters larger than 97 mm, cap-bubble flow is observed for conditions which slug flow would be expected in smaller diameter pipes. Based on experimental results obtained in this work and available in the literature, it is observed that pressure gradient only varies around 50% for changes of one order of magnitude on the pipe diameter (from 19 to 297 mm), for superficial gas velocities lower than the minimum point in the pressure gradient curve. The measurements of liquid holdup and pressure gradient are compared to a numerical model based on the drift-flux approach, which shows good agreement with the experimental observations.
The Emergence of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers

In this chapter, O’Melia addresses what Mighty Morphin Power Rangers is, how it was received by the young American audience when it debuted, and how it both conformed to the established narrative and conventional norms of Saturday Morning, and how it deviated from them with its own foreign tropes and conventions. From this point, she further explores Mighty Morphin Power Rangers’ influence and the reaction of the networks at the time by analyzing Big Bad Beetleborgs, a similarly composed Japanese hybrid show, and Superman: The Animated Series, a popular American production, looking at how they either reflected the newly introduced, but foreign conventions, or reverted back to traditional American conventions in this first stage of the cultural transition and Japanese integration on Saturday Morning.
Reversible Cerebral Vasoconstriction Syndrome: an Update of Recent Research

Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS) is characterized by recurrent thunderclap headaches (TCH) and reversible segmental and multifocal vasoconstriction of cerebral arteries. Noninvasive neuroimaging such as computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are widely used to assess cerebral vasculature, ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke, and posterior reversible encephalopathy (PRES). The significant differential diagnoses of RCVS center on the clinical presentation of headache and similar radiographic features including aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), cervical artery dissection, and central nervous system vasculitis (CNS-V). In this review we present a comprehensive overview of RCVS with the newest findings in the reported literature. Pathophysiology: Several surrogate markers including plasma endothelin-1 (E-1) have been investigated to elucidate the pathogenesis of RCVS. Clinical evaluation and diagnosis: The RCVS2 score is a simple scoring system has been proposed to distinguish RCVS from other intracranial vasculopathies. Neuroimaging: High-resolution contract-enhanced MRI (HR-MRI) vessel wall imaging is a feasible tool in differentiating vessel wall patterns of RCVS and CNS-V. Treatment: Early initiation of calcium channel blockers effectively prevents recurrent TCH and shorten the clinical courses. Clinical scoring system and newer imaging tools are helpful for the early distinction of RCVS. These approaches may serve increased sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis and lead to appropriate management in RCVS patients.
Risk-Sensitive Energy Procurement with Uncertain Wind

We formulate a risk-sensitive forward energy procurement problem with uncertain wind generation that penalizes costs and constraint violations via conditional value at risk (CVaR). The risk-sensitive formulation allows a system operator to model her tolerance to high uncertain costs and constraint violations. We further propose a primal-dual stochastic subgradient based algorithm to solve the energy procurement problem where the dispatch decisions update in each iteration based on samples of wind power output.
Anatomic criteria in the selection of treatment modality for atherosclerotic carotid artery disease

Abstract Objective Three procedures are currently available to treat atherosclerotic carotid artery stenosis: carotid endarterectomy (CEA), transfemoral carotid artery stenting (TF-CAS), and transcarotid artery revascularization (TCAR). Although there is considerable debate evaluating each of these in a head-to-head comparison to determine superiority, little has been mentioned concerning the specific anatomic criteria that make one more appropriate. We conducted a study to define anatomic criteria in relation to inclusion and exclusion criteria and relative contraindications. Methods A retrospective review was conducted of 448 carotid arteries from 224 consecutive patients who underwent a neck and head computed tomography arteriography (CTA) scan before carotid intervention for significant carotid artery stenosis. Occlusion of the internal carotid artery (ICA) occurred in 15, yielding 433 arteries for analysis. Anatomic data were collected from CTA images and demographic and comorbidities from chart review. Eligibility for CEA, TF-CAS, and TCAR was defined on the basis of anatomy, not by comorbidity. Results CTA analysis revealed that 92 of 433 arteries (21%) were ineligible for CEA because of carotid lesions extending cephalad to the second cervical vertebra. Overall, 26 arteries (6.0%) were not eligible for any type of carotid artery stent because of small ICA diameter (n = 11), heavy circumferential calcium (n = 14), or combination (n = 1). An additional 126 arteries were ineligible for TF-CAS on the basis of a hostile aortic arch (n = 115) or severe distal ICA tortuosity (n = 11), yielding 281 arteries (64.9%) that were eligible. In addition to the 26 arteries ineligible for any carotid stent, TCAR was contraindicated in 39 because of a clavicle to bifurcation distance Conclusions A significant proportion of patients who present with carotid artery stenosis have anatomy that makes one or more carotid interventions contraindicated or less desirable. Anatomic factors should play a key role in selecting the most appropriate procedure to treat carotid artery stenosis. Determination of superiority for one procedure over another should be tempered until anatomic criteria have been assessed to select the best procedural options for each patient.
An epistemic logic of blameworthiness

Abstract Blameworthiness of an agent or a coalition of agents can be defined in terms of the principle of alternative possibilities: for the coalition to be responsible for an outcome, the outcome must take place and the coalition should be a minimal one that had a strategy to prevent the outcome. In this article we argue that in the settings with imperfect information, not only should the coalition have had a strategy, but it also should be the minimal one that knew that it had a strategy and what the strategy was. The main technical result of the article is a sound and complete bimodal logic that describes the interplay between knowledge and blameworthiness in strategic games with imperfect information.
Trends in Active Cigarette Smoking Among Stroke Survivors in the United States, 1999 to 2018

Background and Purpose— Patients who continue to smoke after a stroke face a higher risk of recurrent stroke. While several effective drugs for smoking cessation became available over the past 2 de...
Status of the chiral magnetic effect and collisions of isobars

Author(s): Koch, V; Schlichting, S; Skokov, V; Sorensen, P; Thomas, J; Voloshin, S; Wang, G; Yee, HU | Abstract: In this review, we examine the current theoretical and experimental status of the chiral magnetic effect. We discuss possible future strategies for resolving uncertainties in interpretation including recommendations for theoretical work, recommendations for measurements based on data collected in the past five years, and recommendations for beam use in the coming years of RHIC. We specifically investigate the case for colliding nuclear isobars (nuclei with the same mass but different charge) and find the case compelling. We recommend that a program of nuclear isobar collisions to isolate the chiral magnetic effect from background sources be placed as a high priority item in the strategy for completing the RHIC mission.
Lucio's Phenomenon.

Lucio’s Phenomenon A 48-year-old man presented with fever and blistering skin lesions. Multiple acid-fast bacilli were detected on biopsy of the skin, and a diagnosis of Lucio’s phenomenon, a react...
Does Prematurity Play a Role in Newborn Microtia-Anotia?

Objective Microtia-anotia (MA) describes a range of external ear anomalies which is commonly associated with various syndromes and malformations of the head and neck. Previous studies have suggested a strong association between MA and male sex, maternal diabetes, and Hispanic race/ethnicity. This study seeks to evaluate the associations between MA and preterm newborns in the United States. Methods Population-based inpatient registry analysis was conducted. Kids' Inpatient Database (2016) was used to identify weighted in-hospital births with diagnosis of prematurity or MA. Demographic information was obtained, and odds ratios (ORs) were used to determine associations between prematurity and MA. Results Among patients included in our dataset, 8.655% (326 285) were preterm and 0.016% (523) had MA. 0.003% (109) of patients were preterm and had MA. Preterm infants had 2.19 times the odds (95% C.I. = 1.78-2.69) of having MA when compared to the full-term population. The binary logistic regression model accounting for possible confounding variables produced an aOR of 1.48 (95% C.I. = 1.17-1.87) for the association between prematurity and MA. Conclusion Infants who are born preterm are more likely to have MA than full term infants. The current results will allow for improved risk stratification, maternal counseling, and interventions in the case of prematurity.
Multifaceted COVID-19-Related Stressors and Associations with Indices of Mental Health, Well-being, and Substance Use Among Young Adults.

Alongside direct health concerns pertaining to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the stressors and life disruptions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic may provoke secondary concerns for health and well-being. The implications of COVID-19-related stressors may be particularly salient for young adults, who are at higher-risk for mental health concerns and substance use behaviors. We developed a multifaceted scale that assessed distinct domains of COVID-19-related stressors and examined associations between these stressors and indices of mental health, well-being, and substance use (alcohol and marijuana use). In April—June of 2020, 1181 young adults were recruited from two- and four-year colleges to participate in this study (Mage = 20.40; 59.95% women). Exploratory factor analysis identified five domains of COVID-19-related stressors: job insecurity, social/relational, financial, illness-related, and school-related. The overall pattern of results indicated that COVID-19-related stressors were related to poorer mental health and well-being. Social/relational stressors emerged as a primary concern most strongly associated with indices of mental health and alcohol use, relative to other stressors. However, illness-related stressors and school-related stressors were associated with less alcohol use. Stressors associated with the COVID-19 pandemic may impact young adults’ health and well-being but disentangling various stressor domains informs more tailored intervention and prevention strategies.
Modularity and connectivity of nest structure scale with colony size.

Large body sizes have evolved structures to facilitate resource transport. Like unitary organisms, social insect colonies must transport information and resources. Colonies with more individuals may experience transport challenges similar to large-bodied organisms. In ant colonies, transport occurs in the nest, which may consist of structures that facilitate movement. We examine three attributes of nests that might have evolved to mitigate transport challenges related to colony size: (1) subdivision - nests of species with large colonies are more subdivided to reduce crowd viscosity; (2) branching - nest tunnels increase branching in species with large colonies to reduce travel distances; and (3) short-cuts - nests of species with large colonies have cross-linking tunnels to connect distant parts of the nest and create alternative routes. We test these hypotheses by comparing nest structures of species with different colony sizes in phylogenetically controlled meta-analyses. Our findings support the hypothesis that nest subdivision and branching evolved to mitigate transport challenges related to colony size. Nests of species with large colonies contain more chambers and branching tunnels. The similarity in how ant nests and bodies of unitary organisms have evolved in response to increasing size suggests common solutions across taxa and levels of biological organization. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Decision Support Systems and Multiple-Criteria Optimization

The concept of a decision support system, though quite widely used and developed in applied research, is by no means well defined. However, without attempting to give a restrictive definition it is necessary to review main functions and various types of decision support systems.
Relationships between lifestyle, health behaviors, and health status outcomes for underserved adults

Purpose: To examine the relationships between lifestyle, health behaviors, and health status for underserved adults. Data sources: A convenience sample of 84 adults responded to a questionnaire on lifestyle, health behaviors, health indices, and health status. Health status was measured by the 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12). Conclusions: The majority of the sample was white, female, ranged in age from 19 to 64 years, and had an annual income range of $0–$25,000. Lifestyle factors reported included smoking (44%), consuming alcohol (59%), using street drugs previously (43%), exercising regularly (45%), and having adequate sleep (M= 7.16 h). Sixty-five percent engaged in at least one screening behavior during the past 12 months and used at least one prescription medication. Data for health indices demonstrated subjects had at least one current symptom (89%), at least one current medical condition (72%), and a body mass index classified as overweight (48%). No significant relationships were found between lifestyle and health status. Findings indicated health indices rather than lifestyle were related to health status. Implications for practice: Findings provided selective support for the links between lifestyle, health behaviors, and health status. Nurses can use the results as a basis for future assessments and interventions with underserved adults.
Sensory neuronopathy and small cell lung cancer. Antineuronal antibody that also reacts with the tumor.

Studies of various models of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections in neutropenic animals have demonstrated the superiority of the combination of beta-lactam and aminoglycoside antibiotics when compared with a single drug alone. A limited number of studies carried out in models of Klebsiella pneumoniae infections in neutropenic animals have shown similar results. The efficacy of double beta-lactam combinations for the treatment of gram-negative bacillary infections has not been studied as extensively; the few available reports did not show any benefit over a single beta-lactam treatment. Most studies of combined therapy in gram-positive infections have been performed in the experimental endocarditis model. Experiments in Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus viridans, and Streptococcus faecalis endocarditis have shown a clear-cut advantage for combined beta-lactam/aminoglycoside treatment over single beta-lactam therapy, as predicted by in vitro tests. The enhanced efficacy of combined beta-lactam/aminoglycoside treatment in both gram-negative bacillary and gram-positive coccal infections appears to result in most studies in increased and faster killing of the bacteria. With P. aeruginosa infections, however, experiments in neutropenic mice suggest that in addition to increased killing, the beta-lactam arm of the combined treatment prevents the emergence of the small colony variants that lead to treatment failures during therapy with aminoglycoside alone. For both gram-negative bacillary and gram-positive coccal infections, in vitro tests that demonstrated synergism for the combined antibiotics generally predicted enhanced therapeutic efficacy in vivo. Conversely, when no synergism was demonstrated in vitro, there was generally no increased efficacy of combined treatment in vivo. Animal models add a dimension to our understanding of the efficacy of antibiotics, both singly and in combination, that is not always apparent from the results of in vitro tests alone. These in vivo tests can be of value when planning clinical trials.
Demonstration and implementation of energy efficiency in cooperative networks

This paper presents a comparison between cooperative networks with full relay participation and limited participation (LP), in terms of the energy used by the entire network and the bit error rate (BER) of the received signal. The Universal Software Radio Peripheral (USRP) platform was used to perform the transmissions while signal processing, combination and time synchronization was performed on the GNU Radio Companion (GRC). The experiments were performed in an indoor office environment with cooperative transmission (CT) taking place over a single hop network, using binary phase shift keying (BPSK) as the modulation scheme. It has been demonstrated that relay selection provides better energy efficiency for a required quality of service (QoS).
Learning probabilities for causal networks

The author presents an unsupervised method to learn probabilities of random events. Learning is done by letting variables adaptively respond to positive and negative environmental stimuli. The basic learning rule is applied to learn prior and conditional probabilities for causal networks. By combining with a stochastic factor, this method is extended to learn probabilities of hidden causations, a type of event important in modeling causal relationships. In contrast to many existing neural network learning paradigms, probabilistic knowledge learned by this method is independent of any particular type of task. This method is especially suited for acquiring and updating knowledge in systems based on traditional artificial intelligence representation techniques. >
New probe of magnetic fields in the prereionization epoch. I. Formalism

We propose a method of measuring extremely weak magnetic fields in the intergalactic medium prior to and during the epoch of cosmic reionization. The method utilizes the Larmor precession of spin-polarized neutral hydrogen in the triplet state of the hyperfine transition. This precession leads to a systematic change in the brightness temperature fluctuations of the 21-cm line from the high-redshift universe, and thus the statistics of these fluctuations encode information about the magnetic field the atoms are immersed in. The method is most suited to probing fields that are coherent on large scales; in this paper, we consider a homogenous magnetic field over the scale of the 21-cm fluctuations. Due to the long lifetime of the triplet state of the 21-cm transition, this technique is naturally sensitive to extremely weak field strengths, of order 10^(−19) G at a reference redshift of ∼20 (or 10^(−21) G if scaled to the present day). Therefore, this might open up the possibility of probing primordial magnetic fields just prior to reionization. If the magnetic fields are much stronger, it is still possible to use this method to infer their direction, and place a lower limit on their strength. In this paper (Paper I in a series on this effect), we perform detailed calculations of the microphysics behind this effect, and take into account all the processes that affect the hyperfine transition, including radiative decays, collisions, and optical pumping by Lyman-α photons. We conclude with an analytic formula for the brightness temperature of linear-regime fluctuations in the presence of a magnetic field, and discuss its limiting behavior for weak and strong fields.
A distributed kernel summation framework for general-dimension machine learning

Kernel summations are a ubiquitous key computational bottleneck in many data analysis methods. In this paper, we attempt to marry, for the first time, the best relevant techniques in parallel computing, where kernel summations are in low dimensions, with the best general-dimension algorithms from the machine learning literature. We provide the first distributed implementation of kernel summation framework that can utilize: i various types of deterministic and probabilistic approximations that may be suitable for low and high-dimensional problems with a large number of data points; ii any multidimensional binary tree using both distributed memory and shared memory parallelism; and iii a dynamic load balancing scheme to adjust work imbalances during the computation. Our hybrid message passing interface MPI/OpenMP codebase has wide applicability in providing a general framework to accelerate the computation of many popular machine learning methods. Our experiments show scalability results for kernel density estimation on a synthetic ten-dimensional dataset containing over one billion points and a subset of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data up to 6144 cores. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Statistical Analysis and Data Mining, 2013
Development of N,N‐Bis(perfluoroalkanesulfonyl)squaramides as New Strong Broensted Acids and Their Application to Organic Reactions.

N,N′-Bis(triflyl)squaramide (Ia) is prepared and successfully applied in various Mukaiyama and Mukaiyama—Michael reactions.
Secretin Cells in the Gastrointestinal Tract

The morphology and distribution of secretin (S) cells were investigated in the human and the dog. S cells were well-visualized by the indirect immunofluorescence antibody technique, using a highly specific rabbit anti-secretin sera. The fluorescence reaction was not blocked by an excess amount of gastrin, cholecystokinin, glucagon, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, or motilin, whereas secretin blocked the reaction. S cells were seen in the mucosa of the antrum and duodenum in both humans and dogs, and throughout the entire length of the canine small intestine. They were not found in the mucosa of the esophagus, fundus of the stomach, or rectum. These cells were either pyramidal in shape or pearshaped and were one-third of the size of gastrin cells. The possible significance of S-cell distribution in the antrum and small intestine is discussed. (Endocrinology 98: 1390, 1976)
Hypertabastic survival model

A new two-parameter probability distribution called hypertabastic is introduced to model the survival or time-to-event data. A simulation study was carried out to evaluate the performance of the hypertabastic distribution in comparison with popular distributions. We then demonstrate the application of the hypertabastic survival model by applying it to data from two motivating studies. The first one demonstrates the proportional hazards version of the model by applying it to a data set from multiple myeloma study. The second one demonstrates an accelerated failure time version of the model by applying it to data from a randomized study of glioma patients who underwent radiotherapy treatment with and without radiosensitizer misonidazole. Based on the results from the simulation study and two applications, the proposed model shows to be a flexible and promising alternative to practitioners in this field.
Silicone rubber catheter venography using standard angiographic techniques.

Single- and double-lumen silicone rubber central venous catheters were subjected toin vitro destructive testing. Using this data we devised a clinical technique for the detection of central venous thrombosis incorporating mechanical injection of the catheters, serial filming, and magnification radiography. In 20 patients studied, thrombosis was detected in 12 and extravasation in 3. Two partially occluded catheters burst during forceful injection. Our technique demonstrated the presence and extent of thrombosis at the cathetel tip more clearly than did other venographic methods and has been especially useful in assessing the results of thrombolytic therapy.
How Abstract Objects Strike Us

Summary Benacerraf challenges us to account for the reliability of our mathematical beliefs given that there appear to be no natural connections between mathematical believers and mathematical ontology. In this paper I try to do two things. (1) I argue that the interactionist view underlying this challenge renders inexplicable not only the reliability of our mathematical beliefs, construed either platonistically or naturalistically (following Maddy), but also the reliability of most of our beliefs in physics. (2) I attempt to counter Benacerraf's challenge by sketching an alternative conception of reliability explanations which renders explicable the reliability of our beliefs in physics and in mathematics but in which mathematical and formal considerations themselves play a central role. My main thesis is that abstract objects do not strike us, but that this is irrelevant to the reliability of our mathematical and physical beliefs.
Determination of baclofen and α-baclofen in rat liver homogenate and human urine using solid-phase extraction, o-phthalaldehyde-tert.-butyl thiol derivatization and high-performance liquid chromatography with amperometric detection

Methods were developed for the determination of the zwitterionic compounds baclofen and alpha-baclofen in complex biological samples (rat liver homogenates and human urine) in concentration ranges that would be suitable for pharmacokinetic studies of these compounds. In the procedure, the biological samples along with an internal standard were selectively concentrated using C18 solid-phase extraction cartridges, evaporated, derivatized with o-phthalaldehyde and tert.-butyl thiol at room temperature for 2 min, then subjected to high-performance liquid chromatographic analysis. The reversed-phase (C18) chromatographic analysis with amperometric detection (glassy carbon electrode in oxidative mode, +0.6 V vs. Ag/AgCl) was found to be useful for the measurement of both baclofen and alpha-baclofen from 10 ng/ml to 10 micrograms/ml in these complex biological samples. The primary advantage of the method was that the derivatives formed using tert.-butyl thiol were markedly more stable than the previously reported derivatives prepared using mercaptoethanol.
Personality traits and oral self-care behaviors: Longitudinal findings from the normative aging study

Abstract We examined the persistence of oral self-care behaviors (toothbrushing and 'other oral self-care behaviors' (using dental floss, gum stimulators, mouthwash, or a warn irrigation device)) over time and whether personality traits are associated with the performance of such behaviors. Using data from the VA Normative Aging Study/Dental Longitudinal Study, we examined whether the personality traits of anxiety/neuroticism or extraversion from two different personality measures (the 16PF and EPI-Q) were related to the performance of two types of oral self-care behaviors over thirteen years. Oral self-care behaviors were relatively stable and consistent over time, and a summary measure was developed to reflect their average frequency. Regression analyses showed that both measures of neuroticism/anxicty were negatively associated with toothbrushing, while both measures of extraversion were positively associated with the performance of other oral self-care behaviors. Results am similar to other findings d...
The behavior of the electron energy bands in solid solutions of GaP and ZnSe

Abstract Detailed optical measurements near the band gap of the system GaP-ZnSe have provided evidence for sharp decreases in the energy band gaps for small levels of solution, here studied for compositions close to pure GaP. This is seen for both the indirect gap and the direct gap near the pure GaP end. Similar behavior has been observed in other solid solutions of systems having different valences. Deviations from the behavior proposed by Fischer, Glicksman and Van Vechten are suggested as due to the effect on electron energy states of the effective high density of ions at dilute solution levels.
Ion Beam Assisted Deposition Of Optical Thin Films - Recent Results

ABSTRACT We have examined the properties of dielectric (TiC^ Si02> A1203, Ta20*j and Hf02) films deposited using ion-assisted deposition (IAD). The films were characterized using an angularly resolved scatterometer, spectrophotometer and Raman spectroscopy. A reduction in optical scatter, especially that due to low spatial frequencies, is observed for films deposited with simultaneous ion bombardment. Higher values of refractive index are obtained for films deposited using IAD. Raman spectra indicate a crystalline phase change in T102 films is induced by bombardment of samples with 02 ions during deposition. Other experimental data and the effects of the induced phase transition on the optical properties of Ti02 will be discussed. INTRODUCTION Ion-assisted deposition (IAD) involves the simultaneous ion bombardment of a film surface during deposition. IAD has been investigated as a technique for improving the optical and mechanical properties of many materials.1 "* In previous work5 ' 6 we examined some of the properties of Ti02 and Si02 films deposited with simultaneous 02* bombardment. In this report, we extend the previous work, and present results illustrating ion bombard­ ment effects on dielectric (A1203, Ta20$ and Hf02) thin film properties, including optical constants and optical scatter.Low scatter is a desirable feature in optical thin film coatings? light scatter is detrimental to the performance of coatings in high energy lasers, ring laser gyros and optical storage media. These considerations take on added importance with the introduction of systems that operate at shorter wavelengths. We have observed a reduction in scatter for coatings deposited with simultaneous ion bombardment. We also present data that indicates a crystalline phase change is induced in Ti02 by 02 ion bombardment during deposition, control of thin film crystalline phase can be very important in determining coating performance. For example, different values7 of laser damage thresholds have been reported for the different crystalline phases in TiC^-7
Impact of Otitis Media Severity on Children's Quality of Life.

ObjectiveChildren with otitis media (OM) suffer sleep disturbances, loss of appetite, earache, and behavioral problems. Our objective was to quantitate the average burden of OM and to compare the associated impact of tympanostomy tubes on infant health related quality of life (HR-QoL).Study DesignMulti-institutional prospective cross-sectional study.SettingOtolaryngology, family practice, and pediatric clinics.Subjects and MethodsChildren ages 6 to 24 months of age with or without recurrent OM. Patient history, the PedsQL Infant QoL survey, and the 6-item child with OM survey (Otitis Media 6 [OM-6]) were collected from providers and parents.ResultsData from 1208 patients were analyzed. Mean age was 14.7 months, and 54% were male. The mean OM-6 score of children with recurrent OM was 3.3, whereas similarly aged well-children had a mean OM-6 score of 2.5. The mean PedsQL Infant scores of recurrent OM patients were significantly worse than those of children from well-child visits. Worse OM-6 scores were corr...