cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
"I had to somehow still be flexible": exploring adaptations during implementation of brief cognitive behavioral therapy in primary care.

Primary care clinics present challenges to implementing evidence-based psychotherapies (EBPs) for depression and anxiety, and frontline providers infrequently adopt these treatments. The current study explored providers’ perspectives on fidelity to a manualized brief cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) as delivered in primary care clinics as part of a pragmatic randomized trial. Data from the primary study demonstrated the clinical effectiveness of the treatment and indicated that providers delivered brief CBT with high fidelity, as evaluated by experts using a standardized rating form. Data presented here explore challenges providers faced during implementation and how they adapted nonessential intervention components to make the protocol “fit” into their clinical practice. A multiprofessional group of providers (n = 18) completed a one-time semi-structured interview documenting their experiences using brief CBT in the primary care setting. Data were analyzed via directed content analysis, followed by inductive sorting of interview excerpts to identify key themes agreed upon by consensus. The Dynamic Adaptation Process model provided an overarching framework to allow better understanding and contextualization of emergent themes. Providers described a variety of adaptations to the brief CBT to better enable its implementation. Adaptations were driven by provider skills and abilities (i.e., using flexible content and delivery options to promote treatment engagement), patient-emergent issues (i.e., addressing patients’ broader life and clinical concerns), and system-level resources (i.e., maximizing the time available to provide treatment). The therapeutic relationship, individual patient factors, and system-level factors were critical drivers guiding how providers adapted EBP delivery to improve the “fit” into their clinical practice. Adaptations were generally informed by tensions between the EBP protocol and patient and system needs and were largely not addressed in the EBP protocol itself. Adaptations were generally viewed as acceptable by study fidelity experts and helped to more clearly define delivery procedures to improve future implementation efforts. It is recommended that future EBP implementation efforts examine the concept of fidelity on a continuum rather than dichotomized as adherent/not adherent with focused efforts to understand the context of EBP delivery. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01149772
Infrared optical materials

This paper surveys available transparent infrared optical materials, their applications, selection criteria, and physical properties. Crystalline, polycrystalline, and amorphous (glassy) materials are considered. A few representative materials (KBr, KRS-5, MgF2, BaF2, A1203, Si02, ZnS, ZnSe, GaAs, Diamond, Ge, ZBLAN glass, As2S3 glass and Ge28SbI2Se60 glass) are discussed in detail and a complete and consistent set of property data are provided. Applications for these materials include bulk optics (lenses, prisms, beam splitters, etc.), windows, optical fibers, thin-film coatings (spectral and neutral density filters, protective and anti-reflective coatings), and opto-electronic devices.
Training Strategy and Tactics

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of the broad framework of the language-training program. The training situation would be computer-controlled and as Lana mastered Yerkish, the artificial language developed specifically for the program would acquire ever greater control over the environment. The specific tactics of the training program were designed to implement various general principles. With regard to the intensity of training, it was decided that Lana would live in the language environment 24 hours a day. The linguistic expressions would provide repeated, reinforcing engagement with the system as it would have to obtain all the necessities and social interactions by making appropriate requests of it. During this early training period, several instructional techniques were also employed in the training sessions to encourage Lana to communicate through the keyboard. A number of decisions were made to promote Lana's attention and to cope with the limited short-term memory. Interestingly, Lana is relatively quiet, although members of her species are known for being vociferous. However, it is premature to conclude that modern technology has given Lana another tool—language—that is much more powerful than her normal vocal skills.
Antenna design for 5g communications

This paper discusses various challenges related to the antenna design process for 5G communications focusing on the 26 GHz band. In a first example, an 8 element wideband array antenna is optimized for use in a mobile phone. The antenna performance is investigated, including gain, coupling and beamsteering. Aspects related to the antenna integration workflows are also discussed. In a second example, an optimization approach of a base station antenna is presented and the performance is compared for different array configurations. Finally, some aspects related to 5G channel modeling are discussed and how these impact the antenna design.
Spent Tea Grinds as a Substrate Component in Nursery Crop Production

Abstract In the United States commercial, ready-to-drink tea production has increased dramatically during the past 20 years, leading to an increased amount of waste. Spent tea grinds (STG) is the finely ground waste product of the tea brewing process that possesses some physical properties similar to peat moss (PM), making it a potential replacement for common substrate components such as pine bark (PB) and PM. ‘Tuscarora’ crapemyrtle (Lagerstroemia indica L. ‘Tuscarora’), ‘Chang's Ruby’ loropetalum (Loropetalum chinense Oliv. ‘Chang's Ruby’), ‘Fire Power’ nandina (Nandina domestica Thunb. ‘Fire Power’), and ‘Macrantha Pink’ azalea (Rhododendron indicum L. and Sweet ‘Macrantha Pink’) were grown in containers filled with five substrates composed of PB, STG, or a combination thereof. Substrate pH remained within an acceptable range throughout the study. Substrate electrical conductivity (EC) values were within an acceptable range at the beginning of the study, but fell below an acceptable range in substrate...
Loperamide misuse to avoid opioid withdrawal and to achieve a euphoric effect: high doses and high risk

Introduction: Loperamide is a readily accessible nonprescription medication that is increasingly being used surreptitiously as an opioid substitute to alleviate the symptoms of acute opioid withdra...
Optimization Method to Eliminate Turn-on Overvoltage Issue of the High Voltage SiC Super-Cascode Power Switch

A potential overvoltage issue during turn-on transient of the silicon carbide (SiC) junction gate field-effect transistor (JFET) based high voltage super-cascode power switch (SCPS) is first identified. The overvoltage issue caused by the JFET slow sequential turn-on is investigated, and the corresponding mitigation method is proposed. Based on this, an optimization method is proposed to improve JFET voltage balancing during off-state as well as eliminating the overvoltage during turn-on transient in the high voltage SiC super-cascode structure. The analysis is verified with experimental results. The overvoltage on the top JFET is eliminated and the total turn-on time is reduced from 518 ns to 82 ns. In the end, the influence of the voltage balancing capacitor tolerance on the voltage distribution is discussed.
Bortezomib-Based Consolidation/Maintenance Therapy for Multiple Myeloma: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Abstract Background: Bortezomib is a proteasome inhibitor that can lead to cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis. Bortezomib-based regimens are widely used as induction therapy of multiple myeloma (MM). Unlike lenalidomide (an immunomodulatory drug), the role of bortezomib in the consolidation and maintenance therapy of multiple myeloma is less clear. This study aims to examine the efficacy and safety of bortezomib-based regimens as consolidation/maintenance therapy in MM patients following induction therapy with or without autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). Methods: PubMed, ASH, and ASCO databases were searched for randomized controlled trials (RTC) of bortezomib-based regimens (either single-agent or combination) as consolidation/maintenance therapy for MM patients through July 2018. Study endpoints included overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and adverse events (AE). Pooled hazard ratios (HR) for survival outcomes and relative risks (RR) for dichotomous data with 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated with a random effect model using MedCalc (MedCalc Software, Ostend, Belgium). For studies that did not report HRs for survival outcomes but provided graphical survival curves, the log HRs and variances were estimated based on the method by Parmar et al (Stat Med 1998; 17: 2815-2834). Heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 statistic of inconsistency, with statistically significant heterogeneity defined as I2 > 50% or p-value Results: Eight randomized controlled trials (7 phase III, 1 phase II; 2 were published in a single article) were identified. Bortezomib-based regimens were administered as consolidation treatment in 5 RTCs and maintenance therapy in 3 RTCs, following induction therapy +/- ASCT. A total of 2439 patients were included: 1154 patients received bortezomib-based regimens, and 1285 patients received non-bortezomib-based regimens or observation. Two RCTs (1 for consolidation, 1 for maintenance) did not provide HRs, which were estimated as described as above. Pooled data from the 8 RCTs showed that bortezomib-based consolidation/maintenance therapy improved progression-free survival (HR 0.71, 95% CI 0.64-0.79, P Conclusions: Bortezomib-based consolidation/maintenance significantly improves PFS and OS in MM patients following induction therapy +/- ASCT. The OS benefit appears to be limited to the maintenance setting based on a subgroup analysis. Bortezomib-based regimen increases the risk of grade 3 or 4 peripheral sensory neuropathy and neuralgia. Download : Download high-res image (475KB) Download : Download full-size image Disclosures Bachanova: Gamida Cell: Research Funding; GT Biopharma: Research Funding; Kite Pharma: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees.
Basics of autonomic nervous system function

The autonomic nervous system has widespread innervation to nearly every organ system in the body. In order to understand the basics of autonomic function, knowledge of the neuroanatomy of the autonomic nervous system is necessary. Frequently considered to control the "fight or flight" and "rest and digest" functions, the autonomic nervous system has an intricate network of connections to finely tune the systemic response to nearly any situation. Although traditionally considered two discrete systems (sympathetic and parasympathetic), the enteric nervous system is now considered a third component of the autonomic nervous system. This chapter reviews the background of the neuroanatomical distribution of the autonomic nervous system in order to facilitate understanding the basics of autonomic function.
Critique & Praxis: A Pure Theory of Illusions, Values, and Tactics, and An Answer to the Question: "What is to Be Done?"

We are going through an unprecedented period of political instability. With the rise of the alt-right and of xenophobic sentiment, and the fallout of neoliberal government policies, our political future is at stake. These times call for the type of critical theory and praxis that gave rise to the Frankfurt School in the 1920s and to the critical ferment of the 1970s. Yet, in the face of our crises today, contemporary critical theory seems disarmed. Critical theory is in disarray because of a wave of anti-foundational challenges in the 1960s that shattered the epistemological foundations of the Frankfurt School. The critiques fractured critical theory, but did not rebuild it. The result is that critical theory has since been mired in internecine battles of influence between Marxists and Foucaultians and others. Critique & Praxis is a corrective. Its ambition is four-fold. First, it reconstructs critical theory by proposing a pure theory of illusions. Second, it offers a new critical horizon for the future based on a pure theory of values. Third, it reconstructs critical praxis based on a pure theory of tactics. Fourth, the book proposes a situated and time-stamped response to the question “What is to be done?” Critique & Praxis performs these four tasks through a history of theory and praxis from the 19th to the 21st century, a reconstruction of critique, utopia, and praxis, and an answer to the question “What is to be done? New York, September 1, 2018.”
Common Ownership and Startup Growth

Many startups are commonly-held by the same venture capital (VC) investors. We exploit the staggered introduction of liability exemptions when investors hold stakes in conflicting business opportunities as a shock to common ownership. We find increases in common ownership and directors serving on rivals' boards after the law changes. Despite the potential for rent-extraction, commonly-held startups benefit by raising more capital through more investment rounds. Moreover, they are less likely to fail and exit more successfully through IPOs or acquisitions by another commonly-held startup. These successful startup outcomes are linked to VC directors serving on other startup boards.
Skeletal Muscle Cell Transplantation: Models and Methods

Xenografts of skeletal muscle are used to study muscle repair and regeneration, mechanisms of muscular dystrophies, and potential cell therapies for musculoskeletal disorders. Typically, xenografting involves using an immunodeficient host that is pre-injured to create a niche for human cell engraftment. Cell type and method of delivery to muscle depend on the specific application, but can include myoblasts, satellite cells, induced pluripotent stem cells, mesangioblasts, immortalized muscle precursor cells, and other multipotent cell lines delivered locally or systemically. Some studies follow cell engraftment with interventions to enhance cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation into mature muscle fibers. Recently, several advances in xenografting human-derived muscle cells have been applied to study and treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy and Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy. Here, we review the vast array of techniques available to aid researchers in designing future experiments aimed at creating robust muscle xenografts in rodent hosts.
Measurement of murine kidney functional biomarkers using DCE-MRI: A multi-slice TRICKS technique and semi-automated image processing algorithm.

Abstract Purpose To propose a rapid multi-slice T1 measurement method using time-resolved imaging of contrast kinetics (TRICKS) and a semi-automated image processing algorithm for comprehensive assessment murine kidney function using dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI). Methods A multi-slice TRICKS sampling scheme was implemented in an established rapid T1 measurement method. A semi-automated image-processing scheme employing basic image processing techniques and machine learning was developed to facilitate image analysis. Reliability of the multi-slice technique in measuring renal perfusion and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was tested in normal mice (n = 7 for both techniques) by comparing to the validated single-slice technique. Utility of this method was demonstrated on mice after either sham surgery (n = 7) or induction of unilateral renal artery stenosis (RAS, n = 8). Renal functional parameters were extracted using a validated bi-compartment model. Results The TRICKS sampling scheme achieved an acceleration factor of 2.7, allowing imaging of eight axial slices at 1.23 s/scan. With the aid of the semi-automated scheme, image analysis required under 15-min for both kidneys per mouse. The multi-slice technique yielded renal perfusion and GFR values comparable to the single-slice technique. Model-fitted renal parameters successfully differentiated control and stenotic mouse kidneys, including renal perfusion (706.5 ± 164.0 vs. 375.9 ± 277.9 mL/100 g/min, P = 0.002), blood flow (1.6 ± 0.4 vs. 0.7 ± 0.7 mL/min, P Conclusion The multi-slice TRICKS-based DCE-MRI technique, with a semi-automated image processing scheme, allows rapid and comprehensive measurement of murine kidney function.
21st Century Town Hall Meetings in the 1990s and 2000s: Deliberative Demonstrations and the Commodification of Political Authenticity in an Era of Austerity

The public participation field grew dramatically in the United States during the 1990s and 2000s, in part due to the flagship dialogue and deliberation organization AmericaSpeaks and its trademarked 21st Century Town Hall Meeting method for large group decision-making. Drawing on participant observation of three such meetings and a multi-method ethnography of the larger field, I place these meetings in context as experimental deliberative demonstrations during a time of ferment regarding declining citizen capacity in the United States. AmericaSpeaks’ town meetings were branded as politically authentic alternatives to ordinary politics, but as participatory methods and empowerment discourses became popular with a wide variety of public and private actors, the organization failed to find a sustainable business model. I conclude by discussing the challenges for contemporary town hall meetings in an era when political authenticity is a valuable commodity.
A randomized, controlled trial of structured palliative care versus standard supportive care for patients enrolled on phase I clinical trials.

3634Background: Phase 1 clinical trials are the first step in developing new cancer therapeutics. Patients enrolled in these studies have typically exhausted standard therapies and are at a point i...
The Incredible Years Teacher Classroom Management Program: Effects for Students Receiving Special Education Services.

Many children with disabilities receive the majority of their instruction in the general education classroom where many universal programs are implemented. It is therefore important to examine the ...
Synthesis of Well-Defined Polyolefin Grafted SiO2 Nanoparticles with Molecular Weight and Graft Density Control

Recent advances in surface-initiated polymerization have given rise to a range of brush nanocomposites and hybrid functional materials. However, the synthesis of pure polyolefin-grafted nanocomposi...
The Consumption of Pornography Scale – General (COPS – G)

Pornography is widely used, distributed, and researched. Nevertheless, few psychometric scales have yet to be developed that assesses this complex construct without pathologizing the behavior or la...
The effects of enzymatically treated soybean meal on growth performance and intestinal structure, barrier integrity, inflammation, oxidative status, and volatile fatty acid production of nursery pigs.

The objective of this experiment was to determine the impact of diets containing increasing amounts of enzymatically treated soybean meal (ESBM) but decreasing amounts of soybean meal (SBM) on growth performance, intestinal structure, and barrier integrity, inflammation, and oxidative status in weaned pigs. A total of 480 pigs [6.3 ± 1.2 kg body weight (BW)] were blocked by initial BW and pens (n = 12 per treatment) were randomly allotted to one of four dietary treatments. Diets were fed in three phases (days 0-14, 14-28, and 28-35) over a 35-d period. The four dietary treatments consisted of a negative control diet (NC): the NC with 7.0% ESBM (ESBM1), the NC with 14.0% ESBM (ESBM2), and the NC with 21.0% ESBM (ESBM3). Soybean meal was reduced proportionately in each treatment. In phase 2, ESBM inclusion was decreased by 50% (3.5%, 7.0%, and 10.5% ESBM, respectively); phase 3 was a common diet and contained no ESBM. Fecal score was visually ranked weekly using a four-point scale. Intestinal tissue, digesta, and blood samples were collected from 48 pigs (1 per pen) on day 10. Data were analyzed using PROC MIXED of SAS (9.4) with pen as the experimental unit; diet and block were considered fixed effects. Linear and quadratic contrasts were used to determine the effect of increasing ESBM. Overall, ESBM2 and ESBM3 decreased final BW, average daily gain, and average daily feed intake compared to NC and ESBM1 (diet, P 0.10). Total antioxidant capacity was increased by ESBM (P < 0.05). The concentration of mucosal interleukin-4 increased as the inclusion of ESBM increased (linear, P < 0.05). Messenger ribonucleic acid abundance of occludin and zonula-occludens-1 in ileal tissue was increased by ESBM1 or ESBM2 (P < 0.05). In conclusion, increasing the dietary levels of ESBM over 7% had a negative impact on nursery pig performance, but ESBM positively impacted fecal score. Feeding ESBM improved oxidative status and intestinal barrier integrity while increasing ileal VFA production but had minimal impact on intestinal inflammation or morphology. Further research is needed to determine the optimal inclusion level of ESBM.
Why It Is Okay for Africans to Be Who They Are in a Globalized World That Has Become Inhumane

This chapter by Emmanuel D. Babatunde examines how culture is a created design for survival in a given environment. He shows that language is the physical expression of thought, art is culture in form, music is culture in sound, dance is rhythm in action, and value is the weight of importance that is attached to the essential elements of a people’s culture as demonstrated in their institutions such as the family, religion, economics, politics, as well as the cultural form of education peculiar to survival in one’s environment, using the level of technology that is available for making anything needed for survival easier, cheaper, and faster.
Outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among operating room staff of a tertiary referral center: An epidemiologic and environmental investigation.

OBJECTIVE: Investigate an outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among operating room staff utilizing contact tracing, mass testing for severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and environmental sampling. DESIGN: Outbreak investigation. SETTING: University-affiliated tertiary-care referral center. PATIENTS: Operating room staff with positive SARS-CoV-2 molecular testing. METHODS: Epidemiologic and environmental investigations were conducted including contact tracing, environmental surveys, and sampling and review of the operating room schedule for staff-to-staff, staff-to-patient, and patient-to-staff SARS-CoV-2 transmission. RESULTS: In total, 24 healthcare personnel (HCP) tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, including nurses (29%), surgical technologists (25%), and surgical residents (16%). Moreover, 19 HCP (79%) reported having used a communal area, most commonly break rooms (75%). Overall, 20 HCP (83%) reported symptomatic disease. In total, 72 environmental samples were collected from communal areas for SARS-CoV-2 genomic testing; none was positive. Furthermore, 236 surgical cases were reviewed for transmission: 213 (90%) had negative preoperative SARS-CoV-2 testing, 21 (9%) had a positive test on or before the date of surgery, and 2 (<1%) did not have a preoperative test performed. In addition, 40 patients underwent postoperative testing (mean, 13 days to postoperative testing), and 2 returned positive results. Neither of these 2 cases was linked to our outbreak. CONCLUSIONS: Complacency in infection control practices among staff during peak community transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is believed to have driven staff-to-staff transmission. Prompt identification of the outbreak led to rapid interventions, ultimately allowing for uninterrupted surgical service.
History, Metaphors, Fables: A Hans Blumenberg Reader

Last year marked the 100th anniversary of the birth of German philosopher and polymath Hans Blumenberg (1920–1996). Prolific and wide-ranging, Blumenberg used his tremendous erudition to illuminate...
Greatest Insights of the Talmudic Sages: A Roadmap for a Gratifying and Meaningful Life

This paper examines the sayings, maxims, stories, and aphorisms of the Talmud and Midrash in order to better understand the philosophy of life of Judaism’s ancient sages. More than 800 such recorded insights are examined and categorized. The sages of the Talmud were active from about 10 BCE until 500 CE, a period of more than 500 years, while most Midrash collections were written from the 2nd–10th centuries.
Exit from Brain Device Research: A Modified Grounded Theory Study of Researcher Obligations and Participant Experiences.

As clinical trials end, little is understood about how participants exiting from clinical trials approach decisions related to the removal or post-trial use of investigational brain implants, such ...
Filling the gap in gap-filling: Long-distance dependency formation in sentence production.

Abstract In a sentence like Who does the artist think chased the chef?, the who at the beginning depends on the last bit of the sentence, chased the chef. This is an instance of a long-distance dependency. What is the nature of the cognitive process that allows speakers to produce sentences that include distant elements that form dependencies? In four experiments, speakers described drawings that elicited long-distance dependencies. Critically, speakers were sometimes primed to produce a that in sentences where that was ungrammatical due to a grammatical constraint known as the that-trace constraint (e.g.,*Who does the artist think that chased the chef). Results showed that, when primed to say an ungrammatical that, speakers were slower to start to speak. Because the that-trace constraint applies selectively to certain configurations of long-distance dependencies, this suggests that the grammatical details of the long-distance dependency are already planned before speakers start to speak the sentences involving long-distance dependencies. I propose a formal model that explains how speakers plan long-distance dependencies in advance of speaking them while also managing the cognitive pressure to speak sentences incrementally.
Risk factors and outcomes associated with community-onset and hospital-acquired coinfection in patients hospitalized for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): A multihospital cohort study.

BACKGROUND: We sought to determine the incidence of community-onset and hospital-acquired coinfection in patients hospitalized with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and to evaluate associated predictors and outcomes. METHODS: In this multicenter retrospective cohort study of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 from March 2020 to August 2020 across 38 Michigan hospitals, we assessed prevalence, predictors, and outcomes of community-onset and hospital-acquired coinfections. In-hospital and 60-day mortality, readmission, discharge to long-term care facility (LTCF), and mechanical ventilation duration were assessed for patients with versus without coinfection. RESULTS: Of 2,205 patients with COVID-19, 141 (6.4%) had a coinfection: 3.0% community onset and 3.4% hospital acquired. Of patients without coinfection, 64.9% received antibiotics. Community-onset coinfection predictors included admission from an LTCF (OR, 3.98; 95% CI, 2.34-6.76; P < .001) and admission to intensive care (OR, 4.34; 95% CI, 2.87-6.55; P < .001). Hospital-acquired coinfection predictors included fever (OR, 2.46; 95% CI, 1.15-5.27; P = .02) and advanced respiratory support (OR, 40.72; 95% CI, 13.49-122.93; P < .001). Patients with (vs without) community-onset coinfection had longer mechanical ventilation (OR, 3.31; 95% CI, 1.67-6.56; P = .001) and higher in-hospital mortality (OR, 1.90; 95% CI, 1.06-3.40; P = .03) and 60-day mortality (OR, 1.86; 95% CI, 1.05-3.29; P = .03). Patients with (vs without) hospital-acquired coinfection had higher discharge to LTCF (OR, 8.48; 95% CI, 3.30-21.76; P < .001), in-hospital mortality (OR, 4.17; 95% CI, 2.37-7.33; P ≤ .001), and 60-day mortality (OR, 3.66; 95% CI, 2.11-6.33; P ≤ .001). CONCLUSION: Despite community-onset and hospital-acquired coinfection being uncommon, most patients hospitalized with COVID-19 received antibiotics. Admission from LTCF and to ICU were associated with increased risk of community-onset coinfection. Future studies should prospectively validate predictors of COVID-19 coinfection to facilitate the reduction of antibiotic use.
GUT breaking on M4×T2/(Z2×Z2′)

Abstract We construct two SU(5) models on the space–time M4×T2/(Z2×Z2′) where the gauge and Higgs fields are in the bulk and the Standard Model fermions are on the brane at the fixed point or line. For the zero modes, the SU(5) gauge symmetry is broken down to SU(3)×SU(2)×U(1) due to non-trivial orbifold projection. In particular, if we put the Standard model fermions on the 3-brane at the fixed point in model II, we only have the zero modes and KK modes of the Standard Model gauge fields and two Higgs doublets on the observable 3-brane. So, we can have the low energy unification, and solve the triplet–doublet splitting problem, the gauge hierarchy problem, and the proton decay problem.
The Effect of Temperature on the Electrical Response Excited by Acoustically Driven Bandgap Modulation in an Indium Antimonide Transducer

A semiconductor device, such as an InSb transducer, can be used for pressure gradient sensing. Temperature affects local dynamic diffusion current within an InSb transducer. Parameters such as mobility and diffusion coefficients depend on scattering, and the major scattering effects are also temperature dependent. In turn, electrical responses excited by acoustically driven band gap modulation are affected. The open-circuit voltage of an indium antimonide transducer subject to acoustic resonance is amplified 0.3 percent per Kelvin by an increase in temperature. Quantum effects on carrier transport and behavior also depend on temperature, so there are temperature limits in which quantum effects are minimal. At very low temperatures, the quantum effects and wave nature of carriers can play a significant role in carrier behavior and transport.
Abstract MP85: Mediterranean Diet and Incidence of Stroke in the California Teachers Study

Introduction: A Mediterranean diet (MeDi) has been associated with a reduced incidence of cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, and overall mortality, in several prospective studies. There is limited data, however, regarding the relationship between MeDi and stroke, and in particular, stroke subtypes. We hypothesized that MeDi would be associated with reduced total, ischemic, and hemorrhagic stroke incidence. Methods: The California Teachers Study comprises 133,478 women who enrolled in 1995 and have been continuously followed. Using linked California state hospitalization data and national death records from 1996-2011, incident strokes were identified and validated. Socio-demographic and medical risk factor data were collected from the baseline questionnaire. Diet was assessed using a food-frequency questionnaire in 113,547 women. The Mediterranean diet emphasizes plant-based foods, mono-unsaturated fats, fish and moderate alcohol intake. We used the MeDi adherence score, a nine point scale, which has been used and validated in prior studies. A higher score on the 0-9 scale represents increased adherence. Multivariable Cox proportional-hazard models adjusted for socio-demographic factors including age, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, moderate-to-strenuous physical activity, total calorie intake, body mass index, cigarette smoking, menopausal and hormonal status and vascular risk factors were used to assess the association (hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals, HR 95% CI) between MeDi score and risk of stroke and stroke subtypes. Results: A total of 104,268 participants were eligible for the analysis (mean age 52 ± 13.9 years, 87.4% white, 4.6% Hispanic, 3.2% Asian and 2.1% black). The MeDi score distribution was: 0-2 (16.1%), 3 (18.2%), 4 (21.4%), 5 (20.1%), and 6-9 (24.3%). During follow-up, 3165 stroke events occurred (2270 ischemic ; 895 hemorrhagic). In the multivariable model, compared to those in the lowest MeDi score quintile (score 0-2), those in the fourth quintile (score 5: HR 0.86, 95% CI 0.75-0.98) and highest quintile (score 6 - 9: HR 0.83, 95% CI 0.73-0.95) were at lower risk of stroke (p for trend 0.009). For ischemic stroke, those in the third (HR 0.84, 95% CI 0.72-0.97), fourth (0.85, 95% CI 0.73-0.98), and highest quintile (HR 0.82, 95% CI 0.70-0.95) were all at reduced risk (p for trend 0.02). There was no association with hemorrhagic stroke. Discussion: Adherence to the Mediterranean diet is associated with decreased risk of total and ischemic stroke incidence among the participants of the California Teachers Study.
Do God's Beliefs about the Future Depend on the Future?

Trenton Merricks, among others, has recently championed in a series of papers what he takes to be a novel and simple solution to an age-old problem concerning the compatibility of divine omniscience and human freedom. The solution crucially involves the thesis that God’s beliefs about the future actions of human persons asymmetrically depend on the future actions of those persons. I show that Merricks’s defense of this thesis is inadequate and that the prospects for improving his defense of it would require him to enter the fray of articulating and defending a view about the mechanics whereby divine foreknowledge is achieved—something he and other advocates of the strategy he advances had hoped to avoid.
The Case for the Use of Animals in Medicine

As early as 1500–500 B.C., there are indications of Vedic (Hindu) records of animals being observed by man for medical and scientific purposes. In 300 B.C., in Alexandria, Egypt, Erasistratis placed live birds in closed containers and withheld food to observe the consequences of losing body humors. This is believed to be the first recorded attempt to use live animals for research. The philosopher Aristotle (384–322 B.C.), also a biologist and the son of a physician, founded the sciences of physiology, zoology, and comparative anatomy as a result of his observations of animals. Galen (130–200 A.D.), a physician, anatomist, physiologist, and philosopher, was the founder of experimental physiology. His animal studies were designed to be applicable to humans; their accuracy and completeness greatly improved the understanding of the human body. After the fall of the Roman Empire and during the Dark Ages, the decline that occurred in the arts and sciences was evident in both human and veterinary medicine. The unity that had existed between the two branches of medicine did not reappear until the Renaissance. Thus, the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries saw significant medical advances, many the result of animal studies (Davison 1977).
High Frequency Oscillation and Airway Pressure Release Ventilation in Pediatric Respiratory Failure

SummaryBackground Airway pressure release ventilation (APRV) and high frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) are frequently used in acute lung injury (ALI) refractory to conventional ventilation. Our aim was to describe our experience with APRV and HFOV in refractory pediatric ALI, and to identify factors associated with survival. Methods We analyzed 104 patients with hypoxemia refractory to conventional ventilation transitioned to either APRV or HFOV. Demographics, oxygenation index (OI), and PaO2/FiO2 (PF ratio) were recorded before transition to either mode of nonconventional ventilation (NCV) and for every 12 hr after transition. Results Relative to APRV, patients on HFOV were younger and had more significant lung disease evidenced by higher OI (28.5 [18.6, 36.2] vs. 21.0 [15.5, 30.0], P = 0.008), lower PF ratios (73 [59,94] vs. 99 [76,131], P = 0.002), and more frequent use of inhaled nitric oxide. In univariate analysis, HFOV was associated with more frequent neuromuscular blockade. Forty-one of 104 patients died on NCV (39.4%). Survivors demonstrated improvement in OI 24 hr after transition to NCV, whereas non-survivors did not (12.9 [8.9, 20.9] vs. 28.1 [17.6, 37.1], P < 0.001). After controlling for immunocompromised status, number of vasopressors, and OI before transition, mode of NCV was not associated with mortality. Conclusions In a heterogeneous PICU population with hypoxemia refractory to conventional ventilation transitioned to NCV, improvement in oxygenation at 24 hr was associated with survival. Immunocompromised status, number of vasopressor infusions, and the OI before transition to NCV were independently associated with survival. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2014; 49:707–715. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Seismic anisotropy of the Earth's inner core resulting from flow induced by Maxwell stresses

Seismological observations indicate that the inner core of the Earth is elastically anisotropic1. Anisotropic structures are likely to be formed by dynamic processes and therefore such observations have the potential to provide constraints on flow in the inner core and on the geodynamo itself. But in addition to the difficulties in estimating the relevant physical properties of iron under inner-core conditions2,3,4, even the macroscopic processes responsible for generating seismic anisotropy in this region have yet to be determined5,6,7,8,9. As a result, the geodynamic significance of seismic anisotropy in the inner core has remained unknown. Here I propose—based on geodynamic and mineral physics considerations—that flow induced by the stress due to the magnetic field, the Maxwell stress, near the inner-core boundary produces an axisymmetric fabric responsible for the observed seismic anisotropy. The resultant seismic anisotropy reflects the geometry of the magnetic field near the inner-core boundary and therefore seismological observations might provide constraints on the geodynamo. This flow also causes non-uniform release of energy at the inner-core boundary, associated with solidification and melting which may affect the pattern of convection in the outer core.
A therapeutic coalition for obesity: behavior modification and patient self-help.

The effectiveness of a self-help organization for the obese was significantly increased by behavior modification techniques. Sixteen chapters of TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), with a total of 234...
Effects of 96 Weeks of Rosuvastatin on Bone, Muscle, and Fat in HIV-Infected Adults on Effective Antiretroviral Therapy

Abstract Heightened inflammation and immune activation are associated with lower bone mineral density (BMD) and lean body mass (LBM) among HIV-infected persons. We hypothesized that a reduction in inflammation with rosuvastatin would be associated with improvements in BMD and LBM. HIV-infected participants on stable antiretroviral therapy without statin indication and with heightened immune activation (≥19% CD8+CD38+HLA-DR+ T cells) or inflammation (hsCRP ≥2 mg/liter) were randomized to rosuvastatin 10 mg daily or placebo for 96 weeks. Among 72 participants randomized to rosuvastatin and 75 to placebo, there were no significant differences in the relative changes in BMD (p > 0.29) or in fat (p ≥ 0.19). A trend toward increased LBM (p = 0.059) was seen in the rosuvastatin arm without differences in creatinine kinase or self-reported physical activity (p ≥ 0.10). In a multivariable regression model, rosuvastatin was associated with a significant positive effect on LBM after adjusting for age, sex, race, smo...
Observation of stochastic resonance near a subcritical bifurcation

A hysteretic Subcritical period-doubling bifurcation is observed in the nonlinear strain dynamics of a magnetostrictive oscillator. The dynamic strain response of the magnetostrictive oscillator was observed with a high-resolution fiber optic interferometer. The effects of low-frequency modulation and band-limited stochastic fluctuations on such a bifurcation are investigated. Power spectral density measurements show that for an optimal value of externally injected noise the signal-to-noise ratio of a low-frequency modulation signal is enhanced by greater than 14 dB, thus indicating the first experimental observation of stochastic resonance near a bistable period-doubling bifurcation.
PESTICIDES AFFECT THE MATING BEHAVIOR OF RABIDOSA RABIDA (ARANEAE, LYCOSIDAE)

The effects of exposure to a single sublethal dose of the pesticide malathion on the courtship and mating behavior of the lycosid, Rabidosa rabida (Walckenaer 1837) is explored. Animals were tested in combinations where one or both sexes were exposed to the insecticide. The data indicate that while there was no effect on the patterning of courtship behavior, control males initiated courtship more rapidly than dosed animals. Mating behavior was severely disrupted and resulted in most dosed males being killed by females without achieving copulation.
Meta-stable supersymmetry breaking vacua on intersecting branes

We identify configurations of intersecting branes that correspond to the meta-stable supersymmetry breaking vacua in the four-dimensional N = 1 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory coupled to massive flavors. We show how their energies, the stability properties, and the decay processes are described geometrically in terms of the brane configurations.
Atlantic Hurricane Season of 1977

Abstract A summary of the 1977 Atlantic hurricane season is presented along with detailed accounts of individual storms. This season was a rather inactive one, with fewer storms than normal. Anita was an intense hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico, but made landfall along a sparsely populated section of the Mexican coast. Babe was the only named storm to cross the United States coastline this year.
Four Rights of the Pharmacy Educational Consumer

Professional students and their families invest a significant amount of time and finances to obtain a degree. While education is not a typical consumer good and should not be treated as such, there are certain expectations that colleges and schools should be prepared to meet. This article contrasts academic entitlement issues with 4 fundamental rights underpinning colleges’ and schools’ fiduciary responsibilities to students. The authors submit that students, in their roles as higher education consumers, have the following rights: (1) to have the opportunity to learn, (2) to learn from faculty members dedicated to best teaching practices, (3) to learn within a curriculum designed to prepare them for the profession, and (4) to have access to resources necessary to succeed.
How Educational Practices Affect the Development of Life-long Learning Orientations in Traditionally-aged Undergraduate Students

We investigated curricular conditions and educational practices that influenced the development of life-long learning orientations among 405 undergraduate students. Results suggest that growth in life-long learning orientations was facilitated by instruction that included opportunities for reflection, active learning, and perspective-taking and that provided students with opportunities for positively interacting with diverse peers. Negative diverse peer interactions were found to stifle development. Implications for researchers and practitioners are discussed.
SPECS: Formal methods and techniques for telecommunications software development

Abstract The SPECS project, part of the RACE Programme of the EEC, has defined an open methodology and an open support architecture for the rapid and cost-effective development of the software for the IBC, the future European broadband communications network. The SPECS methodology recommends the extensive use of formal specification languages as a basis for maximum automation. Through the concept of semantic integration, the SPECS architecture provides support for several specification languages, including the possibility to mix them in a given system description. The SPECS approach is being validated by a pilot case study that uses prototype implementation of the SPECS architecture, supporting the standardised specification languages SDL and LOTOS.
Integration: Evaluating faculty work as a whole

Faculty work frequently involves joint production of teaching and research, teaching and service, or research and service. Evaluation should recognize and encourage integration of faculty work roles.
Absence of postoperative hyponatremia syndrome in young, healthy females

Young and previously healthy females have been reported to develop severe postoperative hyponatremia with a fatal outcome. The clinical presentation is dramatic, with seizures, respiratory arrest, and permanent, often catastrophic, brain damage. The true incidence is unknown. We report a survey of 290,815 surgical procedures on females at the Mayo Clinic from 1976 to 1992. Postoperatively 1,498 females had cardiopulmonary arrest, 255 had a metabolic encephalopathy, 32 had new-onset seizures, and 6 had central pontine myelinolysis. We failed to identify any association of respiratory arrest with postoperative hyponatremia. Our findings indicate that the postoperative hyponatremia syndrome in young, healthy females with respiratory arrest is extremely uncommon.
Multiculturalism and Primary Prevention: Toward a New Primary Prevention Culture

The goals of this Special Issue are to highlight the following three themes: culturally affirmative conceptualizations of issues related to prevention; the selection of ecologically valid variables from the perspective of the target population; and a transactional perspective that acknowledges personal and contextual influences, including those of the researcher. Examples from contributors highlight ways in which the evolving culture of primary prevention incorporates multiculturalism. Other issues covered include the role of diverse worldviews in bounding research and programmatic objectives, the need to preserve cultural integrity in cross-cultural collaboration, practicalities of multicultural research, and ethical implications.
The feminine sector: explaining the overrepresentation of women in the nonprofit sector in the USA

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors that affect a person's choice to work in a specific sector to understand the overrepresentation of women in the nonprofit sector in the USA. Design/methodology/approach – This study views a sector choice of prime-age salaried workers as a three-way choice among for-profit, nonprofit, and public sectors. One's choice of employment sector in this study depends on extrinsic and intrinsic motivations, and is also shaped by structural factors. These benefits, in turn, tend to be determined by individual characteristics. Consequently, this study estimated the endogenous switching regression of earnings and sector choice. Findings – Results from 2003 to 2007 Current Population Survey (CPS) September supplement data indicate that the so-called “feminine” industries are concentrated in the nonprofit sector, and this gendered industry structure attributes to women's overrepresentation in the sector. The results also suggest that women with more education...
The mechanism of cytoplasmic orthopoxvirus DNA replication

Abstract Orthopoxvirus DNA replication occurs in the cytoplasm of infected cells within discrete foci designated as virosomes. We show that newly synthesized rabbit poxvirus (RPV) virosomal DNA consists predominantly of concatamers wherein unit length molecules are joined by fusion of two left (LL) or right (RR) ends, resulting in genomes aligned in alternating head-to-head and tail-to-tail mirror image arrays. These concatameric molecules serve as the substrates from which unit length DNA molecules are excised during morphogenesis. We propose a mechanism by which internal deletions within these concatameric arrays prior to genome excision and packaging could create inverted terminal repeats and generate gene duplications.