cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Applying a Hybrid Scoring Methodology to Transit Site Selection

The greater South Florida region, well known for its diverse population, its pleasant climate, and its beaches, is no exception to traffic congestion problems. Using downtown Fort Lauderdale as a case study, this paper presents the results of a practical, and transparent hybrid scoring approach for evaluating six potential train station sites. Site selection criteria and subcriteria were derived from a mix of qualitative, observational, geographic information systems and other quantitative data inputs, and include: proximity (to individual destinations versus to destination type categories of transit, live, work, and play), developability (cost, availability, ownership, size, and land use), and visual quality (accessibility, connectivity, perceived safety, and general aesthetics). Normalized scores based on the three umbrella criteria were tabulated and combined into four variant additive models. The clarity of the model inputs and scores, and ease of interpretation of the results facilitate practical pla...
The undoing of a diagnosis. The effect of a misdiagnosis of a disease.

Eighteen children who had been diagnosed as having cystic fibrosis (CF) in earlier years were found to be normal and have been inappropriately diagnosed. Removal of the diagnosis from the child involved a movement through stages in the family from disbelief to anger before comfortable acceptance of normalcy in their child. Diagnosis of a chronic disease involves complex alterations in perception of self and family. The long-range effects of such an improper diagnosis may influence behavior and development. Editor's Note: Because we physicians have MD and not M Deity after our names, we sometimes make mistakes. This article provides valuable information on what might be unexpected responses to good news. Go figure. Catherine D. De Angelis, MD The diagnosis of a chronic disease is a complex and major event for an individual. It requires not only as much accuracy in the diagnostic criteria as possible, but also effective and sensitive
Small-Molecule, Nonfullerene Acceptors for Polymer Bulk Heterojunction Organic Photovoltaics†

In the field of polymer bulk-heterojunction organic photovoltaics, fullerenes and fullerene derivatives clearly play the dominant role as acceptor materials. Recently, a number of research efforts have focused on the development of new small-molecule acceptors for this device configuration. Although few materials prepared to-date have demonstrated power conversion efficiencies close to those achieved with fullerenes, numerous design rules and some interesting new materials classes have been explored. This short review will highlight the progress toward higher efficiency in nonfullerene small-molecule acceptors for organic solar cells.
Understanding Critical Distance Learning Issues: Toward a Comprehensive Model Predicting Student Satisfaction

Distance education has been the topic of a substantial amount of research. However, prior studies have shown mixed results when trying to determine if a difference exists in student satisfaction between students in distance courses versus traditional courses. Prior empirical studies have been too narrow in scope, and a more comprehensive model is needed to better explain the factors influencing student satisfaction. Therefore, the current study includes student demographic factors, comprehensive measures of student motivation, and course format, as well as specific course features included, to fully explain student satisfaction. Structural equation modeling is used to test the model. Results indicate a positive association between demographics and motivation, between motivation and course format, between one demographic factor and course format, between course format and preferred features, between course format and satisfaction, and between course features and satisfaction.
Eliminating Disparities in Cardiovascular Health Six Strategic Imperatives and a Framework for Action

Disparities in cardiovascular health are among the most serious public health problems in the United States today. Despite the remarkable declines in cardiovascular mortality observed nationally over the last 3 decades, many population subgroups defined by race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, educational level, or geography show striking, and often widening, disparities in cardiovascular health. The pervasive nature of these disparities and compelling evidence of the adverse impact they have on clinical outcomes and quality of life have been well documented. The elimination of these disparities is 1 of the 2 overarching goals of the Healthy People 2010 national public health agenda; however, few publications provide guidance on what actions to take. In this review, 6 strategic imperatives within a framework for action are presented. Other key elements of the framework include 10 focal areas and 6 major settings within which the framework calls for accelerated interventions to eliminate disparities in cardiovascular health. Success in this endeavor will require innovative and comprehensive interventions built on a foundation of sound clinical and public health science. Strategic partnerships with communities, community-based organizations, state and local governments, and public and private partners from both health and nonhealth sectors are essential. Additionally, investment in local-level disparities surveillance, community-based participatory research, and development of a diverse clinical and public health workforce will be invaluable.
Diabetic ketoacidosis associated with Metabolife: a report of two cases

Aim: To describe two cases of diabetic ketoacidosis in newly diagnosed type 1- and type-2-diabetic individuals associated with Metabolife-356®. Methods: We report the acute hospitalizations and clinical courses of two individuals with diabetic ketoacidosis taking Metabolife-356®. Results: Both patients presented without a previous diagnosis of diabetes mellitus. One patient clinically has type 1 diabetes (positive islet cell antibodies and subnormal pancreatic beta cell function to glucagon stimulation) and is treated with insulin. The second patient, after 5 days of treatment with intravenous insulin of up to 25 units per hour, is now treated with oral medications. Several possible mechanisms may exist, including the increases in catecholamines and in blood glucose after ingestion of the ingredients of these supplements. Recent clinical trial data shows an increase in blood glucose (in non-diabetics) with these supplements despite significant weight loss at 8 weeks, although no association with diabetes mellitus has been shown in these closely monitored studies. Conclusions: Although no precipitating factor of diabetic ketoacidosis was found in these individuals, the dietary supplement Metabolife cannot be established as a precipitant. However, patients with diabetes should take this supplement only after consultation with their health care provider, as stated on the product label. Most individuals using this supplement meet the current criteria for screening to detect undiagnosed diabetes mellitus and should consider these tests.
Information Literacy: Discipline‐Specific or Core Competency?

Building on the results of her 2005 survey of information literacy practices among American Slavic librarians, the author suggests that information literacy, as a theoretical approach to teaching research skills, has not been widely embraced by Slavic librarians. To a large part this is because Slavic studies is a highly specialized field, while information literacy programs tend to map to general education requirements. This article examines whether information literacy has any place in a subject discipline such as ours, and if so, how it should be taught. The author provides examples of discipline‐specific information literacy initiatives both from inside and outside the field of Slavic studies.
Holographic projector using one lens

It is shown that the lens count in a Fourier holographic projector can be reduced by encoding the equivalent lens power in sets of Fresnel holograms. By using appropriately calculated Fresnel holograms in a reflective configuration to effectively share a lens between the beam-expansion and demagnification stages of a holographic projector, a reduction in lens count from four to one is demonstrated.
Recrystallization of barium ferrite under high pressure oxygen

Barium ferrite (BaFe12O19) and a substituted composition (BaZnTiMnFe9O19) were each melted at approximately 1500 °C without flux in platinum crucibles under high oxygen pressures. Total melting could only be achieved by minimizing the conductive heat-loss by the use of a platinum cover incorporating a hole large enough for visibility and Czochralski crystal withdrawal. When BaFe12O19 (“M” phase) was recrystallized by slow cooling under 20 atm of oxygen, BeFe18O27 (“W” phase) was a major constituent: at 50 atm, only the ferric iron containing “M” phase was detected by X-ray analysis. The substituted barium ferrite melted under 50 atm showed an “M”, “W”, spinel and α-Fe2O3 phase.
Some challenges in the management of community health education.

Abstract Health Educators are often expected to fill managerial roles yet are not always trained in management skills. The Health Educator's role is constantly changing but training has not always kept up, especially in the area of management. Job descriptions are often less than adequate and coordination between the jobs and the training institution could be better. Health Educators, due to frustration caused by inadequte role definition, may choose administration as a career as it is easier identified. Barriers to successful management can also be frustrating for the Health Educator, i.e., political constraints, lack of skills, etc. Planning should be a major activity of any Health Education program in order to ensure a successfully managed Health Education project.
Enhanced electrochemical performance of porous NiO–Ni nanocomposite anode for lithium ion batteries

Abstract The nickel foam-supported porous NiO–Ni nanocomposite synthesized by electrostatic spray deposition (ESD) technique was investigated as anodes for lithium ion batteries. This anode was demonstrated to exhibit improved cycle performance as well as good rate capability. Ni particles in the composites provide a highly conductive medium for electron transfer during the conversion reaction of NiO with Li + and facilitate a more complete decomposition of Li 2 O during charge with increased reversibility of conversion reaction. Moreover, the obtained porous structure is benefical to buffering the volume expansion/constriction during the cycling.
Evaluation of Auditory Enhancement and Auditory Suppression in Listeners With Normal Hearing and Reduced Speech Recognition in Noise

A number of individuals complain of difficulties with speech recognition in noise in spite of normal hearing. This has prompted a search for disruptions in other areas of auditory processing that may account for these deficits. Two processes that may be related to speech recognition, auditory suppression and auditory enhancement, were evaluated in five listeners with normal speech recognition in noise (NSRN) and five listeners with reduced speech recognition in noise (RSRN). Although differences between the two groups were not observed for enhanced forward masking, significant differences were observed in two-tone suppression when the duration of the suppressor was varied. Those with RSRN showed greater suppression than those with NSRN when the suppressor onset preceded the masker onset.
Ohio Appalachian women's perceptions of the cost of cervical cancer screening.

BACKGROUND: Despite evidence of the importance of cervical cancer screening, screening rates in the United States remain below national prevention goals. Women in the Appalachia Ohio region have higher cervical cancer incidence and mortality rates along with lower cancer screening rates. This study explored the expectations of Appalachian Ohio women with regard to Papanicolaou (Pap) test cost and perceptions of cost as a barrier to screening. METHODS: Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 571 women who were part of a multilevel, observational community-based research program in Appalachia Ohio. Eligible women were identified through 14 participating health clinics and asked questions regarding Pap test cost and perceptions of cost as a barrier to screening. Estimates of medical costs were compared with actual costs reported by clinics. RESULTS: When asked about how much a Pap test would cost, 80% of the women reported they did not know. Among women who reportedly believed they knew the cost, 40% overestimated test cost. Women who noted cost as a barrier were twice as likely to not receive a test within screening guidelines as those who did not perceive a cost barrier. Furthermore, uninsured women were more than 8.5 times as likely to note cost as a barrier than women with private insurance. CONCLUSIONS: Although underserved women in need of cancer screening commonly report cost as a barrier, the findings of the current study suggest that women may have a very limited and often inaccurate understanding concerning Pap test cost. Providing women with this information may help reduce the impact of this barrier to screening. Cancer 2010;116:4727–34. V C 2010 American Cancer Society.
The Proper Splicing of RNAi Factors Is Critical for Pericentric Heterochromatin Assembly in Fission Yeast

Heterochromatin preferentially assembles at repetitive DNA elements, playing roles in transcriptional silencing, recombination suppression, and chromosome segregation. The RNAi machinery is required for heterochromatin assembly in a diverse range of organisms. In fission yeast, RNA splicing factors are also required for pericentric heterochromatin assembly, and a prevailing model is that splicing factors provide a platform for siRNA generation independently of their splicing activity. Here, by screening the fission yeast deletion library, we discovered four novel splicing factors that are required for pericentric heterochromatin assembly. Sequencing total cellular RNAs from the strongest of these mutants, cwf14Δ, showed intron retention in mRNAs of several RNAi factors. Moreover, introducing cDNA versions of RNAi factors significantly restored pericentric heterochromatin in splicing mutants. We also found that mutations of splicing factors resulted in defective telomeric heterochromatin assembly and mis-splicing the mRNA of shelterin component Tpz1, and that replacement of tpz1+ with its cDNA partially rescued heterochromatin defects at telomeres in splicing mutants. Thus, proper splicing of RNAi and shelterin factors contributes to heterochromatin assembly at pericentric regions and telomeres.
Semi-Cooperative Spectrum Fusion (SCSF) for aerial reading of a correlated sensor field

We present new theoretical results on the semi-cooperative spectrum fusion (SCSF) method of data fusion for spatially correlated information in wireless sensors. Data fusion exploits correlated sensed information to save scarce sensor energy by reducing the communication energy costs. SCSF eliminates medium access control (MAC) and all data communication between sensors. In SCSF, a beacon is sent by the airborne collector through a directive antenna, and the illuminated sensors respond by simultaneously transmitting frequency modulated signals. The superposition of the sensor transmissions resembles a Doppler spectrum. The airborne collector (fusion center) applies a blind frequency estimator to the received superimposed signals for fusing the data. Estimation performance is evaluated in terms of the inverse normalized mean square error (INMSE) and is analyzed in terms of various system parameters such as sensor density, degree of correlation and modulation index. The analysis shows that the SCSF scheme performs well relative to a conventional fusion scheme that uses sample mean estimator for data fusion while not using MAC.
Improving the fatigue performance of fillet weld terminations

A specially designed stress-concentration-reducing part was incorporated in the wrap-around welds at the ends of fillet-welded longitudinal attachments, that is, at fillet weld terminations - ubiquitous weld details having a notoriously poor fatigue resistance. The incorporation of this part at the terminations of the fillet-welds substantially decreased the weld toe stresses in those locations where fatigue cracks customarily start, reduced weld toe residual stresses and promoted increases in the weld-toe notch-root radius. In the long-life regime, the incorporation of these small, added parts increased weldment fatigue life by 300% and fatigue strength by 30%. It was found that the full benefit of the added part could only be achieved when welding processes were employed that avoided the production of cold-lap weld-toe defects.
Guidelines for selection of health information management software in outpatient practice.

ABSTRACTWhile use of electronic medical records is not uniform across all settings, there is an increase in electronic system and software use in healthcare. This use of electronic methods to record initial and discharge evaluations and intervention for the patient is under current consideration in outpatient rehabilitation settings. Health information management professionals can offer therapists guidance on selection and use of new software. The purpose of this article is to offer suggestions on the software purchase team, exploration of vendor and software options, review of selection criteria, and software selection strategies. The article includes criteria checklists, a discussion of purchase issues, and suggests resources to assist purchase team members and therapists who contribute opinions to software selection and use.
Information-Seeking Patterns of Retail Apparel Buyers

The purposes of this study were (a) to identify information patterns of retail buyers of apparel who display different information source utilizations and (b) to investigate the relationship between each information search pattern and the characteristics of the individual, product, buying situation, company, and vendor selection criteria. Data were collected using 73 buyers from a variety of retail ownership groups responding to a self-administered questionnaire. Using principal components factor analysis on a number of information sources, five information patterns were identified and labeled: General Media/Printed Promotion, Fashion Trade, Personal Sources, Outside Sources, and Trade Show. Based on stepwise multiple regression analysis for each information source pattern, it was concluded that information sources utilized by retail buyers of apparel were influenced by various factors such as individual, product, buying situation, and company characteristics, as well as vendorselection criteria. The rese...
T cell immunodominance and maintenance of memory regulated by unexpectedly cross-reactive pathogens

We show here that T cell cross-reactivity between heterologous viruses influences the immunodominance of virus-specific CD8+ T cells by two mechanisms. First, T cells specific for cross-reactive epitopes dominate acute responses to viral infections; second, within the memory pool, T cells specific for cross-reactive epitopes are maintained while those specific for non-cross-reactive epitopes are selectively lost. These findings suggest an immunological paradigm in which viral infections shape the available T cell repertoire, causing alterations in the hierarchies of both the primary and memory CD8+ T cell responses elicited by subsequent viral infections. Thus, immunodominance is a function of the host's previous exposure to unrelated pathogens, and this may have an impact on protective immunity and immunopathology.
Minimal realization of nonlinear systems described by input-output difference equations

We consider a general class of nonlinear discrete-time systems described by their input-output (I/O) relationship. We first present the necessary and sufficient conditions for existence of a local observable state-space realization of the system and an explicit algorithm for computing it. In cases where the I/O map and its resulting realization are nonminimal, we formulate an algorithm for extracting its minimal realization whenever possible. The developed theory and algorithms are illustrated by means of several examples.
Millennial-scale climate variability during the Last Glacial period in the tropical Andes

Millennial-scale climate variation during the Last Glacial period is evident in many locations worldwide, but it is unclear if such variation occurred in the interior of tropical South America, and, if so, how the low-latitude variation was related to its high-latitude counterpart. A high-resolution record, derived from the deep drilling of sediments on the floor of Lake Titicaca in the southern tropical Andes, is presented that shows clear evidence of millennial-scale climate variation between ~60 and 20 ka BP. This variation is manifested by alternations of two interbedded sedimentary units. The two units have distinctive sedimentary, geochemical, and paleobiotic properties that are controlled by the relative abundance of terrigenous or nearshore components versus pelagic components. The sediments of more terrigenous or nearshore nature likely were deposited during regionally wetter climates when river transport of water and sediment was higher, whereas the sediments of more pelagic character were deposited during somewhat drier climates regionally. The majority of the wet periods inferred from the Lake Titicaca sediment record are correlated with the cold events in the Greenland ice cores and North Atlantic sediment cores, indicating that increased intensity of the South American summer monsoon was part of near-global scale climate excursions.
Victimization in early life and mental health in adulthood: an examination of the mediating and moderating influences of psychosocial resources.

Although numerous studies have documented the long-term effects of childhood victimization on mental health in adulthood, few have directly examined potential mediators and moderators of this association. Using data from the Welfare, Children, and Families project (1999)—a probability sample of 2,402 predominantly black and Hispanic low-income women with children living in Boston, Chicago, and San Antonio—we predict psychological distress in adulthood with measures of physical assault and sexual coercion before age 18. Building on previous research, we test the mediating and moderating influences of emotional support, instrumental support, and self-esteem. Although we observe no indirect effects of physical assault, the effect of sexual coercion is partially mediated by instrumental support and self-esteem. We also find that the effects of physical assault and sexual coercion are moderated (buffered) by emotional support and self-esteem.
Quick Victories? Territory, Democracies, and Their Disputes

Recent scholarship suggests that democracies tend to fight shorter conflicts that can be easily won. This is most likely due to the accountability incentives that constrain democratic leaders. Fear...
Modafinil facilitates performance on a delayed nonmatching to position swim task in rats.

Modafinil is a wake-promoting drug approved by the FDA for the treatment of narcolepsy. Recent evidence suggests that modafinil may improve learning and memory processes. To further evaluate possible cognitive properties associated with modafinil, male Sprague–Dawley rats were tested in a delayed nonmatching to position (DNMTP) task. A modified water maze allowed animals to make one of two choices for the location of the escape platform. Each trial consisted of two swims. On the information swim (IS), only one choice was open to the animal for escape. One minute later, a choice swim (CS) presented the animal with two choices with the escape platform in the opposite position. There were 10 trials per day for 10 days. Rats received 0, 30, 55, or 100 mg/kg ip of modafinil 30 min prior to testing. Locomotor activity was also assessed. Animals that received 55 and 100 mg/kg made significantly more correct choices, indicating that higher doses of modafinil learned the task faster than did controls. While animals that received 100 mg/kg did exhibit an enhancement of locomotor activity, this effect did not result in more efficient goal-directed behavior. The evidence is consistent with previous research showing that modafinil facilitates cognitive processes.
Benchmarking sensory off-flavor score, off-flavor descriptor and fatty acid profiles for muscles from commercially available beef and dairy cull cow carcasses

Abstract The first objective of this research was to benchmark off-flavors from 9 muscles and fatty acid profiles from the longissimus muscle from commercially identified fed and non-fed cull beef and dairy cows and A-maturity, USDA Select steers ( n =15 each). The second objective of this study was to determine the relationship between fatty acids and off-flavor score in the longissimus muscle. There was a trend ( P =0.06) for a muscle by carcass group interaction for sensory off-flavor detection. Muscles from non-fed beef cows had the greatest incidence of off-flavor detection while muscles from A-maturity, Select steers had the lowest incidence of off-flavors. No relationship ( P > 0.10, R 2 longissimus muscle and sensory off-flavor detection. Commercially identifying cull cows as fed or non-fed prior to harvest may be a beneficial method to reduce off-flavors in muscles that may be used beyond ground products.
Correctional Officers and Their Perceptions of Homosexuality, Rape, and Prostitution in Male Prisons:

The traditional literature on homosexuality in prisons employed an essentialist approach that held that sexuality was a static trait. To avoid the apparent contradiction that occurred when research...
Primary Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes: There Are No Simple Solutions!

The marked increase in new cases of type 2 diabetes observed throughout the world and the associated comorbidities represent one of the major health issues we will face in the 21st century. It is also understood that environmental factors such as lifestyle habits (i.e., physical inactivity and dietary intake) and obesity act as initiating factors for progression to type 2 diabetes. A number of studies have confirmed that intensive lifestyle modification is effective in the prevention of diabetes in individuals with impaired glucose tolerance (1,2). Although it is well established that caloric restriction and exercise greatly promote weight loss and improve insulin resistance for those at risk for developing type 2 diabetes, the success of lifestyle intervention over a long-term period is poor. Therefore, strategies to improve risk factors related to progression to type 2 diabetes, i.e., insulin resistance, by pharmacologic or nutritional supplementation represent a very attractive approach. In this regard, pharmacologic agents have shown efficacy in diabetes prevention, but adverse events need to be considered before routine use is recommended (3,4). In addition, other novel risk factors, e.g., homocysteinemia, have been associated with the development of type 2 diabetes, and cellular mechanisms have been postulated that provide an understanding for this effect (5). Until recently, however, there have been no prospective studies to evaluate whether nutritional interventions aimed at effectively treating homocysteinemia will reduce the chances for diabetes development. …
Coupled plasmonic plasmon/photonic resonance effects in SERS

The present studies show that array structures can be used to produce local field enhancements that are considerably larger than is found for isolated particles or dimers. These enhancements are large enough, in fact, that singlemolecule SERS measurements may be possible. The largest enhancements were obtained using a structure of two one-dimensional arrays, one parallel to the wavevector direction and one perpendicular to it. The particle at the crossing point of the two arrays is replaced by a dimer of particles, so that the local field between the particles is enhanced both by short-range near-field behavior of the dimer and also by long-range photonic interactions associated with resonances in the two arrays. This structure produced a field enhancement of 3.9 × 105 for a dimer of spheres, which is twice what we have been able to generate for a dimer in a single chain. Computational limitations make it impossible for us to study a dimer of nonspherical particles for this array structure, but similar studies for an isolated dimer of truncated tetrahedrons produced an extra factor of over 102 in the enhancement over the equivalent sphere result, suggesting that ∥E∥2 values of over 107 are possible for the “+” structure with a truncated tetrahedron dimer at the center. Furthermore, the resonance structures in this case are broad enough that significant enhancements at both the incoming and outgoing wavelengths is possible. Thus we conclude that this structure holds promise for single-molecule SERS measurements.
Historical Memory, Pan-Africanism and National Identity

A cursory glance at the recent historical literature on Sierra Leone reveals a dominance by studies on the country’s civil war (1991-2002), post-conflict reconstruction, “truth and reconciliation” and war crimes and related issues. Consequently, its richer history of knowledge production and national and transnational identity formation has been relegated to backwaters. However, this paper argues that Sierra Leone’s central role in shaping the discourse of nineteenth- and twentieth-century Pan-Africanism and producing some of the movement’s leading proponents including James “Holy” Johnson, Samuel Adjai Crowther, and I. T.A Wallace Johnson, among others, constitutes a complex and dynamic historical trajectory that looks beyond the popular yet hackneyed image of a battlefield dominated by warlords and child soldiers raping and maiming women and children in a desperate fight over “blood diamonds.” Because Sierra Leone’s historical memory has been numbed by its recent tragic interlude and a reductionist hangover in scholarly literature, the chapter calls for locating the country’s recent past in its longue duree, especially its heritage of Pan-Africanism and trans-Atlantic diasporan connections, which allows for understanding better its complex albeit checkered history of nationhood and national identity reconstruction.
Die Zweite Generation des VW Polo BlueMotion

Der VW Polo BlueMotion steht in der Tradition der Volkswagen-Sparmeister wie dem Lupo 3L TDI. Nun nach der erfolgreichen Markteinfuhrung des neuen Polo 2009 prasentiert Volkswagen die zweite Generation des Polo BlueMotion. Er zeichnet sich durch einen guten Luftwiderstandsbeiwert von 0,307, einen neuen 1,2-l-Dieselmotor mit Common-Rail-Einspritzung sowie ein Start-Stopp-System aus, womit der Kraftstoffverbrauch und die CO2-Emissionen im Stadtverkehr sowie in Stop-and-go-Phasen im Durchschnitt um bis zu 6 % reduziert und die Larmemission im Stillstand auf Null gesenkt wird.
Letter to the Editors in Response to Deborah L. Madsen's "Narratives of the Visto"

Remembering that any publicity is better than no publicity, I should perhaps let Deborah Madsen's review of Pynchon and Mason & Dixon ("Narratives of the Visto," Pynchon Notes 46–49 [2000–2001]) pass without comment, especially given the time that has elapsed since both the book and the review appeared. But having just seen the review, I would like to respond to a few unfortunate assumptions made by Professor Madsen. Perhaps nobody cares, but it will make me feel better.
The effects of ethanol on the clearance of estradiol in postmenopausal women.

Objective To determine whether acute alcohol ingestion affects the pattern of decline of circulating E 2 levels after removal of transdermal E 2 patches. Design A randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover study. Setting The study was performed in the Clinical Research Center of the Brigham and Women's Hospital. Participants Twelve healthy postmenopausal women were enrolled. Interventions Transdermal E 2 patches, 0.15mg, were applied 13 hours before subjects ingested alcohol (1mL/kg 95% ethanol) or carbohydrate placebo punch. The patches were removed immediately after drink ingestion. Main Outcome Measures Estradiol, estrone (E 1 ), and ethanol levels were measured. Results Serum samples were obtained for 40 minutes before drink ingestion and 5 hours after drink ingestion and E 2 patch removal. At the time of patch removal, E 2 levels rose acutely over 10 minutes and then decreased rapidly, suggesting a bolus effect that was more marked after ethanol ingestion. After ethanol ingestion and patch removal the half-life of E 2 was calculated to be 378 minutes, and after carbohydrate punch and patch removal 245 minutes. There were no significant changes in E 1 concentrations over the time course of the study between groups. Conclusions Ethanol ingestion may decrease E 2 clearance after removal of transdermal E 2 patches.
Population Shape Collapse in Large Deformation Registration of MR Brain Images

This paper examines the shape collapse problem that occurs when registering a pair of images or a population of images of the brain to a reference (target) image coordinate system using diffeomorphic image registration. Shape collapse occurs when a foreground or background structure in an image with non-zero volume is transformed into a set of zero or near zero volume as measured on a discrete voxel lattice in the target image coordinate system. Shape collapse may occur during image registration when the moving image has a structure that is either missing or does not sufficiently overlap the corresponding structure in the target image[4]. Such a problem is common in image registration algorithms with large degrees of freedom such as many diffeomorphic image registration algorithms. Shape collapse is a concern when mapping functional data. For example, loss of signal may occur when mapping functional data such as fMRI, PET, SPECT using a transformation with a shape collapse if the functional signal occurs at the collapse region. This paper proposes an novel shape collapse measurement algorithm to detect the regions of shape collapse after image registration in pairwise registration. We further compute the shape collapse for a population of pairwise transformations such as occurs when registering many images to a common atlas coordinate system. Experiments are presented using the SyN diffeomorphic image registration algorithm. We demonstrate how changing the input parameters to the SyN registration algorithm can mitigate some of the collapse image registration artifacts.
Direction and Space in The Tempest

The Tempest is a play rooted in the metaphoric and descriptive language of early modern travel writing. Although most critical approaches that link the play and travel literature limit themselves to colonialist discourses, the play in fact draws on a wide spectrum of travel writing of Shakespeare’s period: instructions for travelers on the continent, narratives of shipboard travel, diplomatic imperatives, descriptions of trading possibilities, treatises of navigational methods, comportment advice for young men, and encouragement for colonizing missions. Reading The Tempest with attention to the modes and experiences of travel portrayed onstage reveals a structural pattern based on spatial confusion that continues throughout the play and does much of the work of producing meaning. While The Tempest relies on some of the language, events, and descriptions of the contemporaneous shipwreck on the Bermudas of the Virginia-bound Sea Venture, the meaning of the characters’ movements on the island can be found in the larger spectrum of contemporary discourses of travel.1
B Cell Responses Associated with Vaccine-Induced Delayed SIVmac251 Acquisition in Female Rhesus Macaques

An established sex bias in HIV pathogenesis is linked to immune responses. Recently we reported a vaccine-induced sex bias: vaccinated female but not male rhesus macaques exhibited delayed SIV acquisition. This outcome was correlated with SIV Env-specific rectal IgA, rectal memory B cells, and total rectal plasma cells. To uncover additional contributing factors, using samples from the same study, we investigated memory B cell population dynamics in blood, bone marrow, and rectal tissue during immunization and postchallenge; IgG subtypes and Ab avidity; and regulatory B (Breg) cell frequency and function. Few sex differences were seen in Env-specific memory B cell, plasmablast, or plasma cell frequencies in the three compartments. Males had higher IgG Ab titers and avidity indices than females. However, females had elevated levels of Env-specific IgG1, IgG2, and IgG3 Abs compared with males. gp140-specific IgG3 Abs of females but not males were correlated with Ab-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity activity against gp120 targets (p = 0.026) and with Ab-dependent phagocytic activity (p = 0.010). IgG3 Ab of females but not males also correlated with decreased peak viremia (p = 0.028). Peripheral blood CD19(+)CD25(+) Breg cells suppressed T cell proliferation compared with CD19(+)CD25(-) cells (p = 0.031) and exhibited increased IL-10 mRNA expression (p = 0.031). Male macaques postvaccination (p = 0.018) and postinfection (p = 0.0048) exhibited higher Breg frequencies than females. Moreover, male Breg frequencies correlated with peak viremia (p = 0.0071). Our data suggest that vaccinated females developed better Ab quality, contributing to better functionality. The elevated Breg frequencies in males may have facilitated SIV acquisition.
Distributed rank-1 dictionary learning: Towards fast and scalable solutions for fMRI big data analytics

The use of functional brain imaging for research and diagnosis has benefitted greatly from the recent advancements in neuroimaging technologies, as well as the explosive growth in size and availability of fMRI data. While it has been shown in literature that using multiple and large scale fMRI datasets can improve reproducibility and lead to new discoveries, the computational and informatics systems supporting the analysis and visualization of such fMRI big data are extremely limited and largely under-discussed. We propose to address these shortcomings in this work, based on previous success in using dictionary learning method for functional network decomposition studies on fMRI data. We presented a distributed dictionary learning framework based on rank-1 matrix decomposition with sparseness constraint (D-r1DL framework). The framework was implemented using the Spark distributed computing engine and deployed on three different processing units: an in-house server, in-house high performance clusters, and the Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) service. The whole analysis pipeline was integrated with our neuroinformatics system for data management, user input/output, and real-time visualization. Performance and accuracy of D-r1DL on both individual and group-wise fMRI Human Connectome Project (HCP) dataset shows that the proposed framework is highly scalable. The resulting group-wise functional network decompositions are highly accurate, and the fast processing time confirm this claim. In addition, D-r1DL can provide real-time user feedback and results visualization which are vital for large-scale data analysis.
The BOND Framework: A Practical Application of Visual Communication Design and Marketing to Advance Evaluation Reporting.

Despite growing interest in data visualization and graphically aided reporting, the evaluation literature could benefit from additional guidance on systematically integrating visual communication d...
The effect of standardizing treatment when managing neonatal abstinence syndrome

Objective: Standardizing treatment of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) is currently recommended; however, single institution prospective studies are lacking regarding the success of this approach...
Care Planning and Documentation with the Patient Data Management System (PDMS) CareVue 9000

In the Critical Care environment the utilization of computer aided care plans in combination with work lists and an electronic flowsheet increases quality of patient care and documentation. Eight ICUs in two large hospitals in Vienna using a PDMS for more than one year have gathered experience with electronic charting at the bedside. HP Care Vue 9000 is able to support the care process providing tools that are replacing paper based documentation. In addition, care research can be performed with statistical tools.
Novel Devices for Adolescent and Adult Male Circumcision

There is an abundance of devices for adolescent and adult male circumcision (MC). It has been shown that the safety and efficacy of device-assisted MC are equal to or better than those for MC via conventional surgery. MC devices have the potential to simplify the procedure and increase the acceptability of circumcision among patients.
56Fe and 60Ni Resonance Parameters

High-resolution neutron transmission and differential elastic-scattering measurements were made for a 56Fe-enriched iron target at the Oak Ridge Electron Linear Accelerator (ORELA). A natural iron target was used for transmission measurements below 160 keV. The data were analyzed from 5 to 850 keV. Parameters were obtained for 33 l = 0 and 242 l > 0 resonances. New 6Li-glass transmission data were acquired for two 60Ni-enriched sample thicknesses. The neutron width for the 2.253-keV resonance was determined to be 59.3 ± 0.6 meV and the radiation width 553 ± 50 meV.
Poetry as Sustenance for the Soul: An Interview with Utz Rachowski

The intent of the present interview with Utz Rachowski is to explore the poet’s drive to share his innermost thoughts in lyrical form. Specifically, Rachowski speaks about having been accused of being the alleged ring-leader of a renegade philosophy club; of his imprisonment as an enemy of the state for having written poems that were condiered subversive; about the how and why he continued to write poetry and how it has sustained him through five decades; and his experiences abroad. --- Original in English.
A Hybrid Cognitive Architecture with Primal Affect and Physiology

Though computational cognitive architectures have been used to study several processes associated with human behavior, the study of integration of affect and emotion in these processes has been relatively sparse. Theory from affective science and affective neuroscience can be used to systematically integrate affect into cognitive architectures, particularly in areas where cognitive system behavior is known to be associated with physiological structure and behavior. I introduce a unified theory and model of human behavior that integrates physiology and primal affect with cognitive processes in a cognitive architecture. This new architecture gives a more tractable, mechanistic way to simulate affect-cognition interactions to provide specific, quantitative predictions. It considers affect as a lower-level, functional process that interacts with cognitive processes (e.g., declarative memory) to result in emotional behavior. This formulation makes it more straightforward to connect these affective representations with other related moderating processes that may not specifically be considered as emotional (e.g., thirst or stress). An improved understanding of the architecture that constrains our behavior gives us a better opportunity to comprehend why we behave the way we do and how we can use this knowledge to recognize and construct a more ideal internal and external environment.
Metal-Ligand Covalency Enables Room Temperature Molecular Qubit Candidates

Harnessing synthetic chemistry to design electronic spin-based qubits, the smallest unit of a quantum information system, enables us to probe fundamental questions regarding spin relaxation dynamics. We sought to probe the influence of metal–ligand covalency on spin–lattice relaxation, which comprises the upper limit of coherence time. Specifically, we studied the impact of the first coordination sphere on spin–lattice relaxation through a series of four molecules featuring V–S, V–Se, Cu–S, and Cu–Se bonds, the Ph4P+ salts of the complexes [V(C6H4S2)3]2− (1), [Cu(C6H4S2)2]2− (2), [V(C6H4Se2)3]2− (3), and [Cu(C6H4Se2)2]2− (4). The combined results of pulse electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy and ac magnetic susceptibility studies demonstrate the influence of greater M–L covalency, and consequently spin-delocalization onto the ligand, on elongating spin–lattice relaxation times. Notably, we observe the longest spin–lattice relaxation times in 2, and spin echos that survive until room temperature in both copper complexes (2 and 4).
Influence of Diet‐Induced Obesity on the Bioavailability and Metabolism of Raspberry Ketone (4‐(4‐Hydroxyphenyl)‐2‐Butanone) in Mice

Objectives Raspberry ketone (RK) is the primary aroma compound in red raspberries and a dietary supplement for weight loss. This work aims to 1) compare RK bioavailability in male versus female, normal-weight versus obese mice; 2) characterize RK metabolic pathways. Methods Study 1: C57BL/6J male and female mice fed a low-fat diet (LFD; 10% fat) receive a single oral gavage dose of RK (200 mg kg-1 ). Blood, brain, and white adipose tissue (WAT) are collected over 12 h. Study 2: Male mice are fed a LFD or high-fat diet (45% fat) for 8 weeks before RK dosing. Samples collected are analyzed by UPLC-MS/MS for RK and its metabolites. Results RK is rapidly absorbed (Tmax ≈ 15 min), and bioconverted into diverse metabolites in mice. Total bioavailability (AUC0-12 h ) is slightly lower in females than males (566 vs 675 nmol mL-1 min-1 ). Total bioavailability in obese mice is almost doubled that of control mice (1197 vs 679 nmol mL-1 min-1 ), while peaking times and elimination half-lives are delayed. Higher levels of RK and major metabolites are found in WAT of the obese than normal-weight animals. Conclusions RK is highly bioavailable, rapidly metabolized, and exhibits significantly different pharmacokinetic behaviors between obese and control mice. Lipid-rich tissues, especially WAT, can be a direct target of RK.
Extracting diffusion tensor fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity from 3-direction DWI scans using deep learning

Purpose To develop and evaluate machine-learning methods that reconstruct fractional anisotropy (FA) values and mean diffusivities (MD) from 3-direction diffusion MRI (dMRI) acquisitions. Methods Two machine-learning models were implemented to map undersampled dMRI signals with high-quality FA and MD maps that were reconstructed from fully sampled DTI scans. The first model was a previously described multilayer perceptron (MLP), which maps signals and FA/MD values from a single voxel. The second was a convolutional neural network U-Net model, which maps dMRI slices to full FA/MD maps. Each method was trained on dMRI brain scans (N = 46), and reconstruction accuracies were compared with conventional linear-least-squares (LLS) reconstructions. Results In an independent testing cohort (N = 20), 3-direction U-Net reconstructions had significantly lower absolute FA error than both 3-direction MLP (U-Net3-dir : 0.06 ± 0.01 vs. MLP3-dir : 0.08 ± 0.01, P .1). Conclusion The proposed U-Net model reconstructed FA from 3-direction dMRI scans with improved accuracy compared with both a previously described MLP approach and LLS fitting from 6-direction scans. The MD reconstruction accuracies did not differ significantly between reconstructions.