cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Omega-3 fatty acid oil enhancement of a protein-based recovery beverage: sensory analysis with athletes.

Essential omega-3 fatty acids must be consumed through the diet to meet the body’s nutrition requirement. Daily-recommended intake of omega-3 fatty acids for adults is 270 milligrams/day. These fatty acids are commonly consumed through fish, but it is known that the United States population at large is not meeting their recommended daily intake. Supplements containing these important acids should be considered to close the gap between recommendations and actual intake. To create a product with these beneficial acids, sensory analysis was conducted to see if non-trained male and female athlete panelists could notice the difference in several key sensory characteristics (appearance, initial taste, color, sweetness, consistency, chocolate flavor, aftertaste, overall quality and overall liking) in a chocolate protein-based recovery beverage. The sensory-neutral oil was added into the beverage and athletes (n=95) were asked to taste the omega-3 and original beverage and rank each characteristic on hedonic and just-about-right scales. Color of the drink, aftertaste, overall quality and overall liking were rated significantly higher for the omega-3 added drink. Overall, the addition of the omega-3 fatty acids improved the beverage in several key attributes and can be added into the final formulation of the product.
Rights and Guarantees of Children in the Context of Migration and/or in need of International Protection (Inter-Am. Ct. H.R.)

On August 19, 2014, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (the Court) issued its Advisory Opinion on the “Rights and Guarantees of Children in the Context of Migration and/or in need of International Protection” (the Opinion). This key Opinion is the first time that the Court has addressed states’ obligations to protect the rights of migrant children, in response to a joint submission by four members of the Organization of American States (OAS).
“The Pill Line Is Longer Than the Chow Line”: The Impact of Incarceration on Prisoners and Their Families:

Incarceration removes individuals from their families and their communities, increasing the potential for disrupted relationships, community fragmentation, and burden on service systems. Based on focus groups with 38 male and 39 female inmates and interviews with 21 family members, this study identifies specific impacts of incarceration on prisoners and their families. Findings include prisoners’ and families’ perceptions of incarceration’s impact on their communication, health, mental health, finances, and involvement with community supports such as friends, church groups, and human services. Implications for research, practice, and policy are discussed.
Die Suche nach Ethischen Leitsätzen und der Kognitiv-Ethische Parallelismus

An dieser Stelle aus Platos Dialog Meno, die wir hier in gekurzter Fassung bringen, untersucht Sokrates die Frage, ob Tugend Erkenntnis ist. Ebenso wie in einem fruheren Dialog Platos, dem Protagoras, wo die gleiche Frage behandelt wird, ist Sokrates’ Antwort kein klares „Ja“ oder „Nein“. Er kann auch zu keiner endgultigen Antwort kommen, weil er die Worte „Erkenntnis“ und „lehren“ nicht eindeutig gebraucht. Sokrates besteht immer darauf, das er niemals lehrt, sondern einem Menschen nur hilft, die Wahrheit durch die eigenen Augen zu sehen. Seine Methode besteht darin, Fragen zu stellen, und der Schuler lernt, weil die Fragen seine Aufmerksamkeit auf ganz bestimmte Punkte richten, so das er die wahre Antwort findet, indem er sich auf die wichtigen Tatsachen konzentriert und daraus seine Schlusse zieht. Von dieser Art ist z. B. das Lernen in der Geometrie; die Einsicht in die Wahrheit der geometrischen Beziehungen, die fur einen Beweis benutzt werden, bleibt immer dem Schuler uberlassen, und der Lehrer kann ihn nur dazu anleiten, solche Einsicht zu vollziehen. Aber wenn der Schuler als Folge dieser sogenannten dialektischen Methode „lernt“, dann kann man wohl sagen, das die Person, die ihn zum Lernen veranlast, „lehrt“. Wenn Sokrates namlich seine seltsame Ausdrucksweise auf die Geometrie ausdehnen und leugnen wurde, das sie lehrbar sei (was er manchmal tut), dann folgte daraus, das die Geometrie nicht Erkenntnis ist (einen Schlus, den er nicht zieht). Es erscheint daher berechtigt, Sokrates’ Ansicht dahin zu interpretieren, das Tugend eine Form der Erkenntnis ist im gleichen Sinne, wie die Geometrie eine Form der Erkenntnis genannt werden kann.
In utero gene expression in the Slc39a8(neo/neo) knockdown mouse.

Slc39a8 encodes ZIP8, a divalent cation/bicarbonate symporter expressed in pluripotent mouse embryonic stem cells, and therefore ubiquitous in adult tissues; ZIP8 influxes Zn2+, Mn2+ and Fe2+. Slc39a8(neo/neo) knockdown mice exhibit 10–15% of wild-type ZIP8 mRNA and protein levels, and show pleiotropic phenotype of stunted growth, neonatal lethality, multi-organ dysmorphogenesis, and dysregulated hematopoiesis manifested as severe anemia. Herein we performed RNA-seq analysis of gestational day (GD)13.5 yolk sac and placenta, and GD16.5 liver, kidney, lung, heart and cerebellum, comparing Slc39a8(neo/neo) with Slc39a8(+/+) wild-type. Meta-data analysis of differentially-expressed genes revealed 29 unique genes from all tissues — having enriched GO categories associated with hematopoiesis and hypoxia and KEGG categories of complement, response to infection, and coagulation cascade — consistent with dysregulated hematopoietic stem cell fate. Based on transcription factor (TF) profiles in the JASPAR database, and searching for TF-binding sites enriched by Pscan, we identified numerous genes encoding zinc-finger and other TFs associated with hematopoietic stem cell functions. We conclude that, in this mouse model, deficient ZIP8-mediated divalent cation transport affects zinc-finger (e.g. GATA proteins) and other TFs interacting with GATA proteins (e.g. TAL1), predominantly in yolk sac. These data strongly support the phenotype of dysmorphogenesis and anemia seen in Slc39a8(neo/neo) mice in utero.
A MODEL FOR ANALYSIS OF HEAD-NECK DYNAMICS WITH MUSCULAR RESPONSE

ABSTRACT A three-dimensional analytical model of the cervical spine is described. Some results of a simulation of sideways impact acceleration are compared with experimental tests on living human subjects. A special feature of the model is the ability to include the effects of muscular contraction.
Disparities in utilization of coronary artery disease treatment by gender, race, and ethnicity: opportunities for prevention

Racial, ethnic, (R/E) and gender disparities in access to health services in the United States and their relationship to adverse health outcomes are well established. Despite an increase in evidence-based cardiovascular treatment, gender, racial, and ethnic disparities in coronary artery disease (CAD) treatment persist. There is neither currently a comprehensive framework for understanding why disparities occur in cardiovascular disease care, nor viable solutions for intervention. This article synthesizes the literature on disparities in coronary artery disease with a conceptual model for understanding chronic disease disparities. This article follows the natural history of disease to observe where differences arise, beginning with health risk management, screening, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation. Racial, ethnic, and gender differences were found at every step of this continuum, including a higher burden of risk factors and a less likelihood of receiving needed lifesaving cardiac procedures. Unfortunately, there is a dearth of intervention strategies to reduce racial, ethnic, and gender disparities in coronary artery disease. Comprehensive solutions will require addressing the barriers at the system, the provider, and the patient level. An early intervention approach that addresses multiple risk factors should be a high priority.
The Point of No Return: Mitochondria, Caspases, and the Commitment to Cell Death

It is standard procedure in many modern societies to attempt to establish an accurate time of death whenever a person dies. If the individual is under observation at the time, then the decision of exactly when death occurs is based on a set of physiological criteria. Alternatively, if the death was unobserved, then time of death is approximated using forensic clues. In either case we have a fair idea of what it means to die, and when it occurs.
Medical Marijuana Availability, Price, and Product Variety, and Adolescents' Marijuana Use.

Abstract Purpose We aimed to examine the availability of medical marijuana dispensaries, price of medical marijuana products, and variety of medical marijuana products in school neighborhoods and their associations with adolescents' use of marijuana and susceptibility to use marijuana in the future. Methods A representative sample of 8th, 10th, and 12th graders (N = 46,646) from 117 randomly selected schools in California participated in the cross-sectional 2015–2016 California Student Tobacco Survey (CSTS). Characteristics of medical marijuana dispensaries in California were collected and combined with school locations to compute availability, price, and product variety of medical marijuana in school neighborhoods. Multilevel logistic regressions with random intercepts at school level were conducted to test the associations, accounting for individual and school socioeconomic characteristics. Results The distance from school to the nearest medical marijuana dispensary (within 0- to 1-mi and 1- to 3-mi bands) was not associated with adolescents' use of marijuana in the past month or susceptibility to use marijuana in the future, nor was the weighted count of medical marijuana dispensaries within the 3-mi band of school. Neither the product price nor the product variety in the dispensary nearest to school was associated with marijuana use or susceptibility to use. The results were robust to different specifications of medical marijuana measures. Conclusions There was no evidence supporting the associations of medical marijuana availability, price, or product variety around school with adolescents' marijuana use and susceptibility to use.
Bis(2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline)copper(I) tetra­phenyl­borate dichloro­methane solvate

In the title compound, [Cu(C14H12N2)2]C24H20B·CH2Cl2, CuI is chelated by two 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline (2,9-Me2phen) ligands, in a distorted tetra­hedral coordination geometry. The average Cu—N bond length is 2.032 A, and the inter­ligand dihedral angle is 77.60 (6)°. The complexes form π–π stacking inter­actions between 2,9-Me2phen ligands, with a perpendicular inter­planar separation of 3.652 (5) A.
(Profitable) imaginaries of Black Power: The popular and political geographies of Black Panther

Abstract Taking in over $1 billion in ticket sales in its first month, the Marvel Studios film Black Panther (2018) represents a watershed in popular-geopolitical representation of Africa, particularly though its inversion of centuries of depictions of Africa as a ‘Dark Continent’ where primitivism reigns. The motion picture also makes a discursive intervention in the politics of African American-African relations through spatial representation of three geographic constructs presented in the film: 1) the ‘real’ city of Oakland, California; 2) the fictional African kingdom of Wakanda; and 3) the (geo)political imaginary of the black world. This article demonstrates the (limited) scope and scale of popular geopolitics as resistance, elaborating on how cultural producers as well as scholars, critics and prosumers can shift the discourse by reframing and reinterpreting geopolitics via progressive pop-culture. However, is also contests the liberatory frame that characterised the film's reception; this is done through an interrogation of ‘Hollywood's’ appropriation of human suffering for financial profit, with a close attention to how Black Panther promotes a neoliberal agenda while also engaging in various forms Orientalism and Othering. Lastly, this article serves as an empirical contribution with its analysis of the representations of Black Panther's political geographies, focusing on how this artefact intersects with ongoing transnational political movements including Black Lives Matter.
The nature and origin of Charon's smooth plains

Charon displays extensive plains that cover the equatorial area and south to the terminator on the sub-Pluto hemisphere observed by New Horizons. We hypothesize that these plains are a result of Charon's global extension and early subsurface ocean yielding a large cryoflow that completely resurfaced this area leaving the plains and other features that we observe today. The cryoflow consisted of ammonia-rich material, and could have resurfaced this area either by cryovolcanic effusion similar to lunar maria emplacement or a mechanism similar to magmatic stoping where lithospheric blocks foundered. Geological observations, modeling of possible flow rheology, and an analysis of rille orientations support these hypotheses.
Quality and Equality in Employment Services for Adults with Severe Disabilities.

This paper responds to Brown et al. (1984), who propose an extended training program involving work without pay in integrated settings for adults with severe intellectual handicaps. While agreeing about the capability of persons with disabilities, the importance of integration, and the failings of typical services, we believe that their extended training proposal represents an unnecessary retreat from values that have guided development of exemplary school and community services for persons with severe handicaps. As an extended outcome of services, the proposed program needlessly sacrifices wages and other employment benefits, distorts the benefits of integration by looking only at the workplace, and tolerates unequal treatment of citizens with severe handicaps. Relying on unpaid work as a strategy for time-limited employment preparation creates the risk of overuse and of perpetual readiness programming, suggesting that professional effort could be better spent in development of supported employment oppor...
Primary and secondary gliosarcomas: clinical profile and outcomes at the National Cancer Institute (P5.163)

Objective: Characterize the clinical features and outcomes of primary and secondary gliosarcoma (PGS, SGS) at the National Cancer Institute Background: Gliosarcomas are considered rare variants of glioblastoma characterized by the presence of biphasic glial and mesenchymal components. PGS is defined as arising de novo in contrast to SGS where the sarcoma component is noted at recurrence of an established glioblastoma. This study examined the clinical features and outcomes comparing PGS with SGS. Design/Methods: An IRB approved NCI protocol was used to identify all patients with pathologically confirmed diagnosis of gliosarcoma and record clinical and outcomes data. Results: We identified 28 patients with PGS and 15 patients with SGS. Sex ratio (male to female) was 2.1 for PGS and 0.9 for SGS, with a median age of 53 years in each group. Only 1 patient with SGS had a history of brain irradiation before the diagnosis of glioblastoma. The common sites for tumor location were frontal (36%), bi-lobar (36%) and temporal (21%) for PGS and parietal (40%), frontal (20%) and temporal (20%) for SGS. Two patients with PGS (7%) developed extra-cranial metastasis (spinal cord and metastatic angiosarcoma). The median overall survival for PGS was 17.2 months compared with 30 months for SGS from initial diagnosis of high-grade glioma (HGG) (p=0.049). Median progression-free survival was 5.9 months for PGS and 9.7 months for SGS, from the diagnosis of HGG with a median from the time of sarcomatous transformation of 4.6 months. Conclusions: These findings suggest that there may be a difference in the underlying tumor biology between PGS and SGS but that the presence of a sarcomatous component, either at diagnosis or with subsequent transformation may lead to a treatment refractory and aggressive cancer. To further elucidate the biologic differences between SGS and PGS, RNA sequencing studies are underway. Disclosure: Dr. Ranjan has nothing to disclose. Dr. Colwell has nothing to disclose. Dr. Gilbert has nothing to disclose. Dr. Park has nothing to disclose.
Group health coaching for the underserved: a case report*

ABSTRACTThis case report features an integrative group health coaching (IGHC) experience that incorporates mind-body-skills exercises, goal setting and facilitated discussions to help group partici...
High Power Thermally Regenerative Ammonia-Copper Redox Flow Battery Enabled by a Zero Gap Cell Design, Low-Resistant Membranes, and Electrode Coatings

Thermally regenerative batteries (TRBs) is an emerging platform for extracting electrical energy from low-grade waste heat (T < 130 °C). TRBs using an ammonia-copper redox couple can store waste-he...
Dynamic Modeling of Reported Covid-19 Cases and Deaths with Continuously Varying Case Fatality and Transmission Rate Functions

In this paper, we propose an enhanced SEIRD (Susceptible-Exposed-Infectious-Recovered-Death) model with time varying case fatality and transmission rates for confirmed cases and deaths from COVID-19. We show that when case fatalities and transmission rates are represented by simple Sigmoid functions, historical cases and fatalities can be fit with a relative-root-mean-squared-error accuracy on the order of 2% for most American states over the period from initial cases to July 20 (2020). We find that the model is most accurate for states that so far had not shown signs of multiple waves of the disease (such as New York), and least accurate for states where transmission rates increased after initially declining (such as Hawaii). For such states, we propose an alternate multi-phase model. Both the base model and multi-phase model provide a way to explain historical reported cases and deaths with a small set of parameters, which in the future can enable analyses of uncertainty and variations in disease progression across regions.
Observational Analysis of Fire-Induced Spalling of Concrete through Ensemble Machine Learning and Surrogate Modeling

AbstractDespite ongoing research efforts, we continue to fall short of arriving at a consistent representation of fire-induced spalling of concrete. This is often attributed to the complexity and r...
What Does “Education” Mean: Cultural Values in Educational Language

This article will advocate for the use of Natural Semantic Metalanguage (NSM) Theory to research cultural values in Education. It will demonstrate how NSM research can be conducted as it provides explications for the word education. NSM is a research agenda that has identified 65 semantic primes, words that are found in every language of the world and which cannot be defined in terms of any simpler words. If you try to break down a semantic prime like good, you might describe it in terms of words like “positive, pleasing, valued,” all of which turn out to be more complex than good itself. Because primes cannot be decomposed and are universal to every language and every culture, they provide a basis for carrying out cross-linguistic comparisons of meaning and for identifying the cultural perspectives that inform our language and its thought structures. More complicated words, the bulk of any language, are social constructs that are culturally laden, providing deep insights into the way a society thinks.
The Voluntary Environmentalists: Green Clubs, ISO 14001, and Voluntary Environmental Regulations

Tables Figures List of appendices Preface 1. Introduction 2. Green clubs: an institutionalist perspective 3. ISO 14001 and voluntary programs 4. Adopting ISO 14001 5. ISO 14001 and firms' performance 6. Conclusions and future directions References Index.
Photoelectron spectra of early 3d-transition metal dioxide molecular anions from GW calculations

Photoelectron spectra of early 3d-transition metal dioxide anions, ScO2−, TiO2−, VO2−, CrO2−, and MnO2−, are calculated using semilocal and hybrid density functional theory (DFT) and many-body perturbation theory within the GW approximation using one-shot perturbative and eigenvalue self-consistent formalisms. Different levels of theory are compared with each other and with available photoelectron spectra. We show that one-shot GW with a PBE0 starting point (G0W0@PBE0) consistently provides very good agreement for all experimentally measured binding energies (within 0.1 eV–0.2 eV or less). We attribute this to the success of PBE0 in mitigating self-interaction error and providing good quasiparticle wave functions, which renders a first-order perturbative GW correction effective. One-shot GW calculations with a Perdew–Burke–Ernzerhof (PBE) starting point do poorly in predicting electron removal energies by underbinding orbitals with typical errors near 1.5 eV. A higher exact exchange amount of 50% in the DFT starting point of one-shot GW does not provide very good agreement with experiment by overbinding orbitals with typical errors near 0.5 eV. While not as accurate as G0W0@PBE0, the G-only eigenvalue self-consistent GW scheme with W fixed to the PBE level provides a reasonably predictive level of theory (typical errors near 0.3 eV) to describe photoelectron spectra of these 3d-transition metal dioxide anions. Adding eigenvalue self-consistency also in W, on the other hand, worsens the agreement with experiment overall. Our findings on the performance of various GW methods are discussed in the context of our previous studies on other transition metal oxide molecular systems.
Examining the Role of Exercise Timing in Weight Management: A Review.

Many adults cite exercise as a primary strategy for losing weight, yet exercise alone is modestly effective for weight loss and results in variable weight loss responses. It is possible that some of the variability in weight loss may be explained by the time of day that exercise is performed. Few studies have directly compared the effects of exercise performed at different times of the day (i. e., morning versus evening exercise). Results from these existing studies are mixed with some studies demonstrating superior weight and fat mass loss from morning exercise, while other studies have found that evening exercise may be better for weight management. Exercise timing may alter modifiable lifestyle behaviors involved in weight management, such as non-exercise physical activity, energy intake, and sleep. The purpose of this review is to summarize evidence for and against time-of-day dependent effects of exercise on weight management. Although limited, we also review studies that have examined the effect of exercise timing on other lifestyle behaviors linked to body weight regulation. While exercise at any time of day is beneficial for health, understanding whether there is an optimal time of day to exercise may advance personalized treatment paradigms for weight management.
Does early activation within hours after cochlear implant surgery influence electrode impedances

OBJECTIVE This study aims to determine if early device activation can influence cochlear implant electrode impedances by providing electrical stimulation within hours after cochlear implant surgery. DESIGN Electrode impedances were measured intraoperatively, at device activation, and one-month after device activation in three groups: users whose devices were activated (1) on the same day (Same Day), (2) the next day (Next Day), and (3) 10-14 days (Standard), after cochlear implant surgery. STUDY SAMPLE Electrode impedances are reported in fifty-one patients implanted with a Cochlear™ Nucleus® Cochlear Implant. RESULTS Compared to intraoperative levels, impedances dropped within hours for the Same Day activation group (p < 0.001) and continued dropping on the next day after surgery (p < 0.001). Similarly, electrode impedances were significantly (p < 0.001) lower at device activation for the Next Day group as compared to their intraoperative measurements. For Standard activation, impedances increased significantly from intraoperative levels, prior to device activation (p < 0.001). One-month after initial activation, impedances were not statistically different between the Same Day, Next Day, and Standard activation groups. CONCLUSIONS Early device activation does not influence long-term impedances in a clinically meaningful manner.
A smart antenna receiver array using a single RF channel and digital beamforming

A new type of smart antenna array receiver with adaptive digital beamforming is proposed. The proposed system offers a drastic reduction in hardware requirements for the smart antenna system through the use of a new Spatial Multiplexing of Local Elements (SMILE) scheme. In this scheme a single element of the array is sequentially connected to signal processing circuitry in order to sample the modulated carrier signal. The sampling rate is higher than the signal bandwidth so the information of the original signal can be fully restored in the post stages using low pass filters. The reconstructed baseband data is then used for adaptive digital beamforming. This system offers an N times reduction in RF hardware for an N element array. A four element prototype is built and discussed, including a new type of array feed network.
Using Lean tools to improve the efficiency of awake fibreoptic intubation setup.

BACKGROUND Awake fibreoptic intubation is a complex advanced airway technique used by anaesthesiologists in the management of a difficult airway. The time to setup this important procedure can be significant which may dissuade its use by some providers. In our institution, the awake intubation setup process was highly variable and error prone. METHODS We deployed Lean methods to improve the efficiency and accuracy of the awake fibreoptic intubation setup process. A 2-day improvement event with a multidisciplinary team addressed the setup process, tested solutions and created standard work documents. Twenty awake fibreoptic intubation simulations were conducted before and after the intervention to quantify gains in setup efficiency and error reduction. RESULTS Variability in the setup process, including clinical locations visited, was reduced through creating a standardised process. The average time to for an awake fibreoptic intubation setup was reduced by approximately 50%, from 23 min to 11 min (p<0.001). In addition, awake fibreoptic intubation equipment set out without error increased in the postintervention simulations from 59% to 85% (p=0.003). CONCLUSION Using Lean tools, we were able to make the setup of awake fibreoptic intubation not only more efficient, but also more accurate. A similar methodological approach may have value for other complex anaesthesia procedures.
A microsystem with varying-length electrode arrays for auditory nerve prostheses.

This paper reports the design, fabrication and simulation of a novel array of micromachined electrodes with different lengths for use in auditory nerve prostheses. A 10 × 10 array is created in a 1mm 2 on silicon with bulk micromachining technology. The electrode lengths vary from 200 μm to 400 μm. This design could provide access to most fascicles within the auditory nerve and thus allow stimulation of a broad tonotopic range within the nerve fiber. A multi- channel ultra-low power circuit is also designed, fabricated, and tested for neural signal recording. The chip is fabricated in 0.5 μm AMI CMOS technology with a die size of 1.5 mm h � 1.5 mm. The total power consumption is less than 100 μW.
Microwave Generation in Magnetic Multilayers and Nanostructures

We present an overview of the coherent magnetic precessional dynamics induced by the spin-transfer effect in magnetic nanostructures. The precessional frequencies of the magnetic oscillators can be tuned over a range of several gigahertz by varying the dc current through the devices. The oscillation frequencies also depend on the applied magnetic field, resulting in a nanoscale oscillator that can be tuned from a few gigahertz to greater than 40 GHz. Even at room temperature, the linewidths of these excitations are often only a few megahertz wide. This gives quality factors for the excitations of more than 18 000 at the highest frequencies. As the direction of the applied field changes from parallel to perpendicular to the film plane, the power output from the structures increases by several orders of magnitude. For fields applied nearly perpendicular to the film plane, the high-frequency voltage output from the device can be a significant fraction of the maximum voltage expected from the giant magnetoresistance effect. The nanoscale oscillators also display a number of attributes making them attractive for potential technological applications. These include the ability to frequency modulate the devices, phase lock them to external reference signals, and electronically control their phase relative to that of an input signal. Keywords: spin transfer magnetodynamics spin torque precessional dynamics injection locking frequency modulation microwave oscillators
The Suborned Subescrow

This article examines a case involving subescrows, popular in southern California. They are not the same as true escrows, but their role if often blurred.
Sufficient Conditions for Quantum Reflection with Real Gas-Surface Interaction Potentials

In complete contradiction to intuition based on classical mechanics, an atom striking a solid surface at extremely low velocity does not stick. Understanding of this non-sticking emerges only through quantum theory, which predicts the sticking probability S(k) of the atom to vanish linearly with decreasing incident wave vector k for sufficiently small k [1]. Accordingly this non-sticking of ultra-slow atoms has come to be known as “quantum reflection.” Considerable theoretical effort [1]-[5] has been devoted to the phenomenon over the last two decades. Measurements of the sticking probability of H-atoms scattered from a surface of liquid helium at extremely low k have been reported [6], the only accredited empirical observation of quantum reflection to date. By criteria developed below those measurements did indeed broach the quantum reflection regime. Even more satisfying would be an explicit verification of the phenomenon as might be provided by molecular beam scattering, for example by monitoring elastic helium atom scattering from a single crystal solid surface while microscopically roughening the surface through ion bombardment. This would destroy coherent elastic scattering at normal k but should have no effect in the quantum reflection regime. There may be practical uses of quantum reflection as well: If energy exchange between the surface and the atom is truly absent, ultra-cold atoms can be stored (and even evaporatively cooled) by placing them in a simple container of any temperature under UHV conditions. The sole constraint is that the atoms be slow enough to quantum reflect from the wall material.
On-line learning by active sampling using orthogonal decision support vectors

Active-sampling-at-the-boundary method is applied using orthogonal decision support vectors to facilitate pattern classification in identifying optimal decision boundary for a stochastic oracle. The result of the active sampling near the boundary using these vectors is shown in comparison with active learning using random selection in the multi-dimensional decision hyperplane. This shows the optimality of boundary active sampling using decision support vectors in the case of non-separable linear decision hyperplanes in multi-dimensional space.
Cooling-induced formation of honeycomb patterns on pre-cast PMMA films at low temperatures

Using a copper ring to control the evaporation of toluene droplets on the surface of PMMA films at low temperatures, honeycomb patterns of various topologies are formed in different regions. The honeycomb with the largest pore size is around the center area, and the pore size decreases gradually as the distance to the center increases. The effects of the film thickness and the substrate temperature on the honeycomb structures are examined. The pore size increases with the decrease of the film thickness. Hexagonal networks are formed at the substrate temperature of ∼8 °C. The “breath figure” mechanism is used to explain the formation of the honeycomb structures. The patterns formed on PS films under the same experimental conditions are examined, which are significantly different from the patterns formed on PMMA films.
New tools for the nutritional assessment and management of critical care patients

First, it is important to understand why it is so critical to provide adequate intake of calories and other nutrients for ill or injured patients. A healthy animal that does not get enough calories will lose primarily fat.1 In contrast, a sick or injured animal will lose lean body mass when it is not given adequate nutrients. This loss of lean body mass impairs the animal’s strength, immune function, wound healing, and likely negatively impacts overall survival.1 When oral intake is inadequate, nutritional support techniques1–3 are then required to provide some or all of the nutrient requirements.
Markov Chains—Passage Phenomena

My treatment of Markov chains in the three chapters which follow is modelled after the material in “Introduction to Stochastic Processes” by Hoel, Port and Stone (Ref. [28]), and is presented here with their kind permission. I have adopted their notation and style, because I feel it is the best way to introduce Markov chains in the spirit of these notes—namely, an approach which combines intuition (of the dynamics) with probabilistic reasoning. The presentation here is compressed and condensed. For a more leisurely account of this material, replete with many examples, problems and related topics, I recommend the Hoel, Port and Stone text. In addition their text discusses the important topics of differentiation and integration of stochastic processes, Brownian motion and stochastic differential equations, which are not contained herein.
Postmodern Experimental Moment

Paul J. Benson. ed. Conversations in Anthropology: Anthropology and Literature. Introduction by Edward M. Bruner. Journal of the Steward Anthropological Society, vol. 17 nos. 1–2,1987–88. Urbana, IL: Steward Anthropological Society, 1990. vi. 323 pp. $12.00 (paper).
Host Range and Properties of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa R Factor R1822

R1822, a plasmid specifying multiple drug resistances, has been transferred to a variety of species representative of related and unrelated genera. The host range of the plasmid includes Enterobacteriaceae, soil saprophytes, Neisseria perflava, and photosynthetic bacteria. With the acquisition of drug resistance(s), these strains became sensitive to a small, ribonuclease-sensitive bacteriophage, designated PRR1, isolated by enrichment from sewage.
Simultaneous removal of chlorothalonil and nitrate by Bacillus cereus strain NS1

Elevated NO3- and chlorothalonil (CTN) have been found in production nursery recycling ponds. Bacillus cereus strain NS1 isolated from nursery recycling pond sediment was assessed for its ability to reduce NO3- and degrade CTN in a mineral medium. The results showed that the efficiency of NO3- reduction and CTN degradation by B. cereus strain NS1 were related to the nature of organic carbon sources added to the medium. In the medium amended with 100 mg/L yeast extract, 86% of NO3- (100 mg/L) and 99% of CTN (78 microg/L) were simultaneously removed by B. cereus strain NS1 during the first day of the experiment. It took 6 days for the removal of 82-93% of NO3- and 87-91% of CTN in the media containing glucose and acetate. B. cereus strain NS1 needed organic carbon as energy sources and electron donors to respire NO3-, and simultaneously degrade CTN. These results suggest that B. cereus strain NS1 may have great potential to remediate NO3- and CTN contaminated water in nursery recycling ponds.
The placebo is powerful: estimating placebo effects in medicine and psychotherapy from randomized clinical trials.

The logic of the randomized double-blind placebo control group design is presented, and problems with using the design in psychotherapy are discussed. Placebo effects are estimated by examining clinical trials in medicine and psychotherapy. In medicine, a recent meta-analysis of clinical trials with treatment, placebo, and no treatment arms was conducted (Hrobjartsson & Gotzsche, 2001), and it was concluded that placebos have small or no effects. A re-analysis of those studies, presented here, shows that when disorders are amenable to placebos and the design is adequate to detect the effects, the placebo effect is robust and approaches the treatment effect. For psychological disorders, particularly depression, it has been shown that pill placebos are nearly as effective as active medications whereas psychotherapies are more effective than psychological placebos. However, it is shown that when properly designed, psychological placebos are as effective as accepted psychotherapies.
INTESTINAL MUCOSAL LYMPHOCYTES HAVE H1 RECEPTORS : H1 ANTAGONISTS REDUCE THEIR PROLIFERATION AND CYTOTOXICITY

Abstract Histamine and H1 antagonists inhibit the proliferation and natural killer activity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells, which express large numbers of H1 receptors. This study examined the presence of H1 receptors and the effects of histamine, H1 antagonists (pyrilamine and diphenhydramine), and H2 antagonists (cimetidine and ranitidine) on human intestinal lymphocyte proliferation and cytotoxicity. Intestinal lymphocytes were obtained by chemical and enzymatic treatment of surgical specimens and purified by Percoll density gradient centrifugation. Proliferation was measured by [3H]thymidine incorporation of mitogen-stimulated lymphocytes; cytotoxicity was measured by the standard 51 Cr-release assay using HT-29 adenocarcinoma target cells. Scatchard analysis of radioligand binding using [3H]pyrilamine demonstrated H1 receptors. The mitogen-induced proliferative responses of intraepithelial lymphocytes and lamina propria lymphocytes were inhibited by histamine and the H1 antagonists but not the H2 antagonists. Cytotoxic activities of fresh or IL-2-stimulated mucosal lymphocytes (spontaneous and lymphokine-activated killing, respectively) were also reduced by the H1 antagonists. A large number of H1 receptors were found on intraepithelial lymphocytes and peripheral blood mononuclear cells and still more on lamina propria lymphocytes. Intestinal lymphocytes bear H1 receptors; histamine and H1 antagonists have immunomodulatory effects on these cells.
The landscape of somatic mutations in epigenetic regulators across 1,000 paediatric cancer genomes

Studies of paediatric cancers have shown a high frequency of mutation across epigenetic regulators. Here we sequence 633 genes, encoding the majority of known epigenetic regulatory proteins, in over 1,000 paediatric tumours to define the landscape of somatic mutations in epigenetic regulators in paediatric cancer. Our results demonstrate a marked variation in the frequency of gene mutations across 21 different paediatric cancer subtypes, with the highest frequency of mutations detected in high-grade gliomas, T-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and medulloblastoma, and a paucity of mutations in low-grade glioma and retinoblastoma. The most frequently mutated genes are H3F3A, PHF6, ATRX, KDM6A, SMARCA4, ASXL2, CREBBP, EZH2, MLL2, USP7, ASXL1, NSD2, SETD2, SMC1A and ZMYM3. We identify novel loss-of-function mutations in the ubiquitin-specific processing protease 7 (USP7) in paediatric leukaemia, which result in decreased deubiquitination activity. Collectively, our results help to define the landscape of mutations in epigenetic regulatory genes in paediatric cancer and yield a valuable new database for investigating the role of epigenetic dysregulations in cancer.
Health Literacy and Ophthalmic Patient Education

In 1997, Ebrahimzadeh, Davalos, and Lee wrote in this journal that only 32% of the ophthalmic patient educational materials reviewed were written at or below the recommended eighth-grade reading level. Since that time, the National Assessment of Adult Literacy found that more than one-third of adult Americans possess only basic or below basic health literacy skills, defined as the ability to understand written information in a healthcare setting. Subsequently, investigators have shown that poor health literacy skills are associated with poor prescription medication adherence, increased hospital admissions, and increased mortality. We review the readability of currently available ophthalmic educational materials, with particular attention to the health literacy status of the patient population for which the materials are intended. Examples of prose at various readability levels are provided. Optimizing patient education and improving clinical outcomes requires understanding the attributes that the patient brings to the patient-physician relationship, including health literacy.
Preoperative anxiety and postoperative pain in women undergoing hysterectomy. A repeated-measures design.

Objectives: To determine whether psychological variables such as preoperative anxiety can serve as predictors for the postoperative pain response. Methods: The study sample included women who underwent elective abdominal hysterectomy (n=53). Two weeks prior to surgery, characteristics such as trait anxiety, coping style, and perceived stress were evaluated. Throughout the perioperative period, state anxiety, pain, as well as analgesic consumption were assessed at multiple time points. The anesthetic and surgical management were carefully controlled for and postoperative pain management was standardized. Results: Path analysis demonstrated that there are both direct and indirect effects of preoperative state anxiety on postoperative pain. Preoperative state anxiety is a significant positive predictor of the immediate postoperative pain (β=0.30), which, in turn, is a positive predictor of pain on the wards (β=0.54). Pain on the ward, in turn, is predictive for pain at home (β=0.30). Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that preoperative anxiety may have a critical role in the chain-of-events that controls the postoperative pain response.
Never Forget 12/14/12

It has been close to one year since the horrible nightmare that took place at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. What is now disturbingly chronicled as the deadliest shooting at ...
Cloning and characterization of an expansin gene, RiEXP1, and a 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid synthase gene, RiACS1 in ripening fruit of raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.)

Abstract An alpha-expansin (RiEXPA1) gene was cloned and sequenced from raspberry. Expression of RiEXPA1 in different ripening stages of raspberry fruits has been detected. Northern blotting showed that the level of RiEXPA1 transcript accumulation increased with fruit ripening and the highest level of expression appeared at the later stages of ripening. This indicates that expression of RiEXPA1 is closely correlated with the ripening and softening of raspberry fruits. In order to determine whether expression of the RiEXPA1 was regulated by ethylene, we cloned and sequenced a 1-aminocyclo-propane-1-carboxylic acid synthase cDNA (RiACS1) that encodes the rate-limiting enzyme for ethylene production. Transcript accumulation of RiACS1 was detected at a low level only in the later stage of fruit ripening. This reveals that ethylene is not a regulatory factor of RiEXPA1 expression in raspberry fruit. The results of this investigation suggest that the expression of RiACS1 gene during ripening resembles that of non-climacteric fruits.
Expert advice for amateurs

Abstract A biased, perfectly informed expert advises a partially and privately informed decision maker using cheap-talk message. The decision maker can tell whether the state is “high” or “low” relative to a private threshold that divides the unit-interval state space into two subintervals. The decision maker's response to the expert's advice becomes less sensitive under the former's own information. In response, the expert provides advice that is considered more biased, relative to the case when decision maker is uninformed. For some types of decision maker, this negative, strategic effect of their own information outweighs its direct, positive effect—being informed makes them worse off. Examples show, however, that evaluated before the realization of her type, the opportunity to access information is always beneficial to the decision maker when the expert has moderate bias.
Two methods for least squares multi-channel image restoration

The problem of multi-channel restoration using both within and between-channel deterministic information is considered. A multi-channel image is a set of image planes that exhibit cross-plane similarity. Existing optimal restoration filters for single-plane images will yield suboptimal results when applied to multi-channel images, since between-channel information is not utilized. Multi-channel least squares restoration filters are developed using two approaches, the set theoretic and the constrained optimization. A geometric interpretation of the estimates of both filters is given. Color images, that is three-channel imagery with red, green, and blue components, are considered. Constraints that capture the within and between-channel properties of color images are developed. Issues associated with the computation of the two estimates are addressed. Finally, experiments using color images are shown. >
Bacteria in the middle ear and nasopharynx during tympanostomy tube insertion.

Abstract Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of nasopharyngeal cultures in identifying pathogens in middle-ear effusions as an alternative to cultures obtained through tympanocentesis. Materials and Methods: The study population consisted of 203 children with middle-ear effusions at the time of placement of tympanostomy tubes for recurrent otitis media or persistent otitis media with effusion. Isolates from the nasopharynx were compared with those from the middle ear to determine sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values for each of the three main pathogens. Results: The predominant bacterial isolates from both ear and nasopharynx were Streptococcus pneumoniae, Moraxella catarrhalis, and Haemcphilus influenzae. Eighty-one percent (42% highly, 39% relatively) S pneumoniae nasopharyngeal isolates were resistant to penicillin. The negative predictive value of the nasopharyngeal cultures was at least 97% for each of these predominant bacteria. Conclusion: This study supports the conclusion that tympanocentesis is the most useful means of identifying pathogens in otitis media.
The Influence of Meridional Shear on Planetary Waves. Part 2: Critical Latitudes

Abstract With the simplifying assumption that the mean zonal wind is a function of latitude only, numerical and analytical methods are applied to study the effects of critical latitudes (where the Doppler-shifted frequency is 0) on planetary waves. On the midlatitude beta-plane, it is shown that the modes divide into two limiting classes. The low-order, vertically propagating modes are confined to that side of the critical latitude where the mean winds are westerly as found by Dickinson (1968b). The high-order modes, although vertically trapped, are indifferent to the singularity and oscillate sinusoidally on both sides of the critical latitude as if it were not present. On the sphere, there is also a third class of low-order modes which are latitudinally trapped near the pole where the winds are easterly and also are unaffected by the critical latitude. Numerical studies show that it is the location of the critical latitude far more than the intensity or shape of the winds that controls the dynamics of t...