cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
From hydrodynamic plumes to chemical gardens: the concentration-dependent onset of tube formation.

Many inorganic precipitation reactions self-organize macroscopic tubes known as chemical gardens. We study the nonequilibrium formation of these structures by injecting aqueous sodium sulfide solution into a reservoir of iron(II) chloride solution. Our experiments reveal a distinct, concentration-dependent transition from convective plumes of reaction-induced, colloidal particles to mechanically connected, hollow tubes. The transition concentration (0.1 mol/L) is widely independent of the injection rate and causes a discontinuous change from the radius of the plume stalk to the radius of the tube. In addition, tubes have lower growth speeds than plumes. At the transition concentration, one observes the initial formation of a plume followed by the growth of a mechanically weak tube around a jet of upward-moving precipitation particles. We find that the plumes’ morphology and geometric scaling are similar to that of laminar starting plumes in nonreactive systems. The characterization of dried tubes by X-ray...
Selection of Experimental Conditons in Measuring Tritium at Low Level by the Liquid Scintillation

In selection of conditions for measurement of tritium at a low level,factors that influence the liquid scintillator,counting interval,volume ratio of organic phase(liquid scintillator) and water phase(samples),counting time are considered,thus to lower the detectable limit and improve efficiency of the instrument.
Designing an Evaluation of Instructional Consultation in a Higher Education Context

Individual instructor consultation is a common service provided by centers focused on educational development in higher education. The importance of this service has been reflected in its history, increasing demand, and strong anecdotal evidence to its effectiveness. However, the extant literature reveals that comprehensive assessment of consultation effectiveness has proved challenging. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to (a) provide an overview of consultation and summarize the relevant work evaluating this service, and (b) propose a comprehensive process for evaluating consultation services that was piloted at one large research-intense university. The goal is to provide a systematic method for the evaluation of consultation services that can be effectively adopted by a variety of collegiate teaching and learning centers.
Efficient pedestrian detection from aerial vehicles with object proposals and deep convolutional neural networks

As Unmanned Aerial Systems grow in numbers, pedestrian detection from aerial platforms is becoming a topic of increasing importance. By providing greater contextual information and a reduced potential for occlusion, the aerial vantage point provided by Unmanned Aerial Systems is highly advantageous for many surveillance applications, such as target detection, tracking, and action recognition. However, due to the greater distance between the camera and scene, targets of interest in aerial imagery are generally smaller and have less detail. Deep Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN’s) have demonstrated excellent object classification performance and in this paper we adopt them to the problem of pedestrian detection from aerial platforms. We train a CNN with five layers consisting of three convolution-pooling layers and two fully connected layers. We also address the computational inefficiencies of the sliding window method for object detection. In the sliding window configuration, a very large number of candidate patches are generated from each frame, while only a small number of them contain pedestrians. We utilize the Edge Box object proposal generation method to screen candidate patches based on an "objectness" criterion, so that only regions that are likely to contain objects are processed. This method significantly reduces the number of image patches processed by the neural network and makes our classification method very efficient. The resulting two-stage system is a good candidate for real-time implementation onboard modern aerial vehicles. Furthermore, testing on three datasets confirmed that our system offers high detection accuracy for terrestrial pedestrian detection in aerial imagery.
Estuarine circulation in the Turonian Western Interior seaway of North America

To understand the patterns of lithofacies, marine faunas, organic-carbon enrichment, isotopes, and trace elements deposited in the early Turonian Western Interior seaway, we conducted circulation experiments using a three-dimensional, turbulent flow, coastal ocean model driven by GENESIS, a climate model developed at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). Circulation and chemical evolution of the seaway waters are computed under the following initial and boundary conditions: (1) paleobathymetry according to a new interpretation of the lithostratigraphy and biostratigraphy; (2) temperatures and salinities of the Boreal and Tethys oceans and adjacent drainage basins based on isotopic data, atmospheric temperatures, and precipitation-evaporation magnitudes computed by GENESIS; and (3) mean annual wind stresses over the seaway computed by GENESIS. Results show that the seaway exported freshened water much like Hudson Bay today. Runoff from eastern drainages exited the seaway as a northern coastal jet; runoff from western drainages exited as a southern coastal jet. Both jets simultaneously drew in surface Tethyan and Boreal waters, creating a strong counterclockwise gyre occupying the entire north-south extent of the seaway. The curious stratal and faunal variations of the early Turonian deposits arise from this gyre and its associated water masses.
Natural Hazards and Mitigation Measures in USA

Natural disasters frequently happers in U. S. A., frequent earthquakes in the whole western, central and eastern pant, hurricanes in the costal area in the south, and serious drought and floods. Because public security was paid great attention to, many to natural disasters didit cause heary casualties. For example, 61 died in the northern califoria earthquake in 1994 which atlacked populous Los Angeles. This paper discusses the presence of natural hazards in the US and the response measures that the author believes are keys to the long-term hazard mitigation.
43‐4: Revisiting Lighting Standards for Critical Viewing Tasks

With the adoption of electronic displays for critical viewing tasks, lighting environments were specified to minimize the reflection of ambient light from the display, maximizing display contrast and user performance. While these standards were necessary for early CRT displays, they have remained relatively unchanged despite adoption of replacement display technologies. Increased awareness of the intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cell (ipRGC) pathways and their impact on operator circadian rhythms, alertness, and other nonimage forming vision (NIF) processes, raises serious question about whether these lighting standards optimize user performance as originally intended or require serious revision.
High Speed Electronics

The conference saw the presentation of several key results in wideband electronics, with particular emphasis on optical fiber communication ICs. Realization of compact & robust chip sets for fiber transmission at 20 to 40 Gb/s rates is a competitive arena, the contending technologies being submicron silicon bipolar, GaAs/AlGaAs and InGaAs/InP heterojunction bipolar, and even ion- implanted GaAs MESFETs.
Better Sleep but Slower Heart

This case discusses the pharmacokinetic interaction between metoprolol and diphenhydramine. Metoprolol is a cytochrome P450 2D6 substrate. Diphenhydramine is a 2D6 inhibitor. Coadministration results in metoprolol toxicity.
Submolecular recognition regions of the HN domain of the heavy chain of botulinum neurotoxin type A by T cells from toxin-treated cervical dystonia patients.

Abstract We have recently reported the submolecular T-cell recognition profile of the C-terminal half (H C , residues 855–1296) of the heavy (H) chain of botulinum neurotoxin type A (BoNT/A) with peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) from 25 BoNT-treated cervical dystonia (CD) patients. In the current study, we describe the mapping of the T-cell responses of the patients to the N-terminal half (H N, residues 449–859) of the heavy chain by using 29 synthetic overlapping peptides encompassing the entire H N domain of BoNT/A. The profiles of the T-cell responses to the peptides varied among the patients. Samples from 14 patients treated solely with BoNT/A recognized 1–9 (average 3.7) peptides/sample at Z > 3.0 level. Three peptide regions representing residues 631–649, 659–677 and 743–761 were frequently recognized by 29–64% of the patients. In patients with positive anti-BoNT/A antibody responses the overall positive T cell responses to the H N peptides were significantly increased compared to antibody-negative patients. Influence of treatment parameters on the T-cell recognition of the H N peptides was also observed. The results were compared with those of previously identified H C region.
Reliability‐based control algorithms for nonlinear hysteretic systems based on enhanced stochastic averaging of energy envelope

Summary Current reliability-based control techniques have been successfully applied to linear systems; however, incorporation of stochastic nonlinear behavior of systems in such control designs remains a challenge. This paper presents two reliability-based control algorithms that minimize failure probabilities of nonlinear hysteretic systems subjected to stochastic excitations. The proposed methods include constrained reliability-based control (CRC) and unconstrained reliability-based control (URC) algorithms. Accurate probabilistic estimates of nonlinear system responses to stochastic excitations are derived analytically using enhanced stochastic averaging of energy envelope proposed previously by the authors. Convolving these demand estimates with capacity models yields the reliability of nonlinear systems in the control design process. The CRC design employs the first-level and second-level optimizations sequentially where the first-level optimization solves the Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman equation and the second-level optimization searches for optimal objective function parameters to minimize the probability of failure. In the URC design, a single optimization minimizes the probability of failure by directly searching for the optimal control gain. Application of the proposed control algorithms to a building on nonlinear foundation has shown noticeable improvements in system performance under various stochastic excitations. The URC design appears to be the most optimal method as it reduced the probability of slight damage to 8.7%, compared with 11.6% and 19.2% for the case of CRC and a stochastic linear quadratic regulator, respectively. Under the Kobe ground motion, the normalized peak drift displacement with respect to stochastic linear quadratic regulator is reduced to 0.78 and 0.81 for the URC and CRC cases, respectively, at comparable control force levels. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Ovarian hormones, age and pubertal development and their association with days of headache onset in girls with migraine: An observational cohort study.

Background Fifty-three percent of adolescent girls report headaches at the onset of menses, suggesting fluctuations of ovarian hormones trigger migraine during puberty. Aims To determine if urinary metabolites of estrogen and progesterone are associated with days of headache onset (HO) or severity in girls with migraine. Methods This was a pilot study and included 34 girls with migraine balanced across three age strata (pre-pubertal (8-11), pubertal (12-15), and post-pubertal (16-17) years of age). They collected daily urine samples and recorded the occurrence and severity of headache in a daily diary. Urine samples were assayed for estrone glucuronide (E1G) and pregnandiol glucuronide (PdG) and the daily change was calculated (ΔE1G, ΔPdG). Pubertal development was assessed by age, pubertal development score (PDS), and menstrual cycle variance. The primary outcome measures were HO days and headache severity. Generalized linear mixed models were used, and included the hormonal variables and three different representations of pubertal development as covariates. Results Models of HO days demonstrate a significant age*PdG interaction (OR 0.85 [95% CI 0.75, 0.97]) for a 1 standard deviation increase in PdG and three-year increase in age. A separate model showed a significant PDS*PdG interaction (OR -0.85 [95% CI; 0.76, 0.95]). ΔPDG was associated with headache severity in unadjusted models ( p < 0.017). Conclusion Age and pubertal development could moderate the effect of ovarian hormones on days of headache onset in girls with migraine.
Strengthening innovation at NASA Ames Research Center by encouraging prototyping and collaboration

NASA recognizes that to achieve our mission of driving advancements in science, technology, aeronautics and space exploration, we require ingenuity and teamwork by the NASA workforce. NASA Ames Research Center has sought to support the Ames workforce in achieving the NASA mission by encouraging prototyping and collaboration to strengthen the innovation culture at the Center. In 2012, NASA Ames Research Center opened the SpaceShop Rapid Prototyping Facility, an Agency-unique workforce development facility that encourages low-fidelity prototype development. The SpaceShop is available for all Center personnel to obtain training on traditional manufacturing and computer-numerically-controlled (CNC) equipment for rapid in-house prototyping. Users are encouraged to explore and mature concepts early within the design cycle. Adjacent to the SpaceShop, NASA Ames Research Center built a complementary open workspace, the Ames Collaboratory. The Collaboratory provides the Ames workforce with a communal alternative to conventional meeting rooms by means of modern technology sharing platforms, whiteboards, modular furniture, and supplies to aid collaborative innovation. The Collaboratory also serves as an alternative work space for the workforce. This paper describes the SpaceShop Rapid Prototyping Facility and the Ames Collaboratory, including the objectives, evolving approaches, best practices, and lessons learned. The paper also proposes an initial case study and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that measure the adoption, engagement, and impact of the initiatives.
Plasma cytokine IL-6 levels and subjective cognitive decline: preliminary findings.

Objective Detection of Alzheimer's disease (AD) prior to clinical inception will be paramount for introducing disease modifying treatments. We have begun collecting baseline characteristics of a community cohort for longitudinal assessment and testing of antecedent blood-based biomarkers. We describe the baseline visit from the first 131 subjects in relationship to a commonly described cytokine, interleukin 6 (IL-6). Methods Subjects from the community presented for a free memory screening with varying degrees of memory concern. We quantified the baseline plasma levels of the cytokine IL-6 and assessed cognition (Montreal Cognitive Assessment, MoCA) and mood (Geriatric Depression Scale, GDS) in relationship to their memory concern. Results Baseline MoCA scores were inversely related to age, and this association was influenced by an AD risk factor, Apolipoprotein E (APOE4) carrier status. The degree of subjective cognitive decline correlated with GDS and was inversely related to MoCA scores. Interleukin 6 levels were related to age, body mass index, and years of education. Conclusions It will be important to assess how these baseline IL-6 levels and forthcoming novel biomarkers relate to future cognitive decline. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Molecular Characterization of a Hormone-Mediated Murine Model of Prostate Enlargement and Bladder Outlet Obstruction

Urinary complications resulting from benign prostatic hyperplasia and bladder outlet obstruction continue to be a serious health problem. Novel animal model systems and imaging approaches are needed to understand the mechanisms of disease initiation, and to develop novel therapies for benign prostatic hyperplasia. Long-term administration of both estradiol and testosterone in mice can result in prostatic enlargement and recapitulate several clinical components of lower urinary tract symptoms. Herein, we use longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging and histological analyses to quantify changes in prostatic volume, urethral volume, and genitourinary vascularization over time in response to estradiol-induced prostatic enlargement. Our data demonstrate significant prostatic enlargement by 12 weeks after treatment, with no detectable immune infiltration by macrophages or T- or B-cell populations. Importantly, the percentage of cell death, as measured by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling, was significantly decreased in the prostatic epithelium of treated animals as compared to controls. We found no significant change in prostate cell proliferation in treated mice when compared to controls. These studies highlight the utility of magnetic resonance imaging to quantify changes in prostatic and urethral volumes over time. In conjunction with histological analyses, this approach has the high potential to enable mechanistic studies of initiation and progression of clinically relevant lower urinary tract symptoms. In addition, this model is tractable for investigation and testing of therapeutic interventions to ameliorate or potentially reverse prostatic enlargement.
Introduction: Notes Toward a Super Fiction

This chapter introduces revision as a paradoxical practice that both alters and preserves prior versions of texts. This paradox becomes the basis for exploring revision in two different but related contexts: as strategy for generating new narrative material featuring the familiar icons and tropes of the superhero genre; and as the process by which teachers guide student writers to amend, cut, rearrange, and reshape their own words as they work towards completion of a text.
Use of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase markers to study human myeloproliferative disorders.

In accordance with inactivation of one X-chromosome in each somatic cell, females heterozygous at the X-chromosome linked glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) locus for the usual B gene (Gd B) and a common variant allele such as Gd A have two populations of cells — one producing type B G-6-PD and the other, type A. Thus, normal tissues from a Gd B/Gd A heterozygote manifest both B and A isoenzymes (a double-enzyme phenotype), but a tumor with a single cell (clonal) origin shows B or A G-6-PD (a single-enzyme phenotype). The same rationale allows delineation of stem-cell relationships. If a tumor arises in a multipotent stem cell of type A. all descendants of that stem cell will type as A.
Bacterial Symbionts of the Bryostatin-Producing Bryozoan Bugula Neritina

Bugula neritina (Cheilostomata, Cellularoidea) is an arborescent bryozoan with a cosmopolitan distribution in temperate marine waters. Bugula neritina is a subject of current research interest because it is the source of the bryostatins (Pettit, 1991) a family of cytotoxic macrocyclic lactones, one of which, bryostatin 1, is currently in clinical trials for treatment of cancer (Jayson et al., 1995; Philip et al., 1993; Prendiville et al., 1993). Many bryozoans produce alkaloids (Anthoni et al., 1990) presumably as a chemical defense, but B. neritina is the only bryozoan currently known to produce complex polyketides. Polyketides are compounds typically produced by actinomycetes and fungi, and in at least one case by a proteobacterium (Schupp et al., 1995).
Megaloblastic Anemia Progressing to Severe Thrombotic Microangiopathy in Patients with Disordered Vitamin B 12 Metabolism: Case Reports and Literature Review

We describe 2 children with cobalamin G disease, a disorder of vitamin B12 metabolism with normal serum B12 levels. They presented with megaloblastic anemia progressing rapidly to severe thrombotic microangiopathy. In infants presenting with acute thrombotic microangiopathy, cobalamin disorders should be considered early as diagnosis and targeted treatment can be lifesaving.
Developing Diverse Teachers: Analyzing Primary Mathematics Teacher Education Programs Prioritizing Selection of Diverse Future Teachers

Education research indicates that the academic achievement and school experiences of marginalized students improve when they have diverse teachers. Therefore, many national and state governments have implemented policies to recruit and prepare a more diverse group of teachers. However, little research has explored programs that prepare future primary mathematics teachers from marginalized populations in less developed or non-Western countries. This chapter describes variation in the selection policies and goals of these programs, as well as future teachers’ reported opportunities to learn to teach diverse students in the United States, Chinese Taipei, Philippines, and Thailand. Results indicate some diversity among future teachers and alignment between program goals and teacher-reported opportunities to learn to teach diverse students.
DNA barcodes from snake venom: a broadly applicable method for extraction of DNA from snake venoms.

DNA barcoding is a simple technique used to develop a large-scale system of classification that is broadly applicable across a wide variety of taxa. DNA-based analysis of snake venoms can provide a...
PERSISTENCE OF VALVULOPATHY IN THE CAMELLIA-TIMI 61 TRIAL OF LORCASERIN IN OBESE OR OVERWEIGHT PATIENTS AT INCREASED CARDIOVASCULAR RISK

Lorcaserin, a serotonin 2C receptor agonist, recently demonstrated sustained weight loss without an increased risk of cardiovascular (CV) events or valvulopathy in obese or overweight pts at high CV risk. Here we evaluate the persistence of valvulopathy measures. The CAMELLIA-TIMI 61 trial
The Effect of Extended Acoustic Training on Spatial Updating in Adults who are Congenitally Blind

This study investigated whether extended training in an acoustically rich environment could enhance the spatial updating ability of 12 adults who were congenitally blind. After training, the adults...
A Low-Cost Humidity Control System to Protect Microscopes in a Tropical Climate

Introduction: A clean and functional microscope is necessary for accurate diagnosis of infectious diseases. In tropical climates, high humidity levels and improper storage conditions allow for the accumulation of debris and fungus on the optical components of diagnostic equipment, such as microscopes. Objective: Our objective was to develop and implement a low-cost, sustainable, easy to manage, low-maintenance, passive humidity control chamber to both reduce debris accumulation and microbial growth onto the optical components of microscopes. Methods: Constructed from easily-sourced and locally available materials, the cost of each humidity control chamber is approximately $2.35 USD. Relative humidity levels were recorded every 30 minutes over a period of 10 weeks from two chambers deployed at the Belize Vector and Ecology Center and the University of Belize. Results: The humidity control chamber deployed at the University of Belize maintained internal relative humidity at an average of 35.3% (SD = 4.2%) over 10 weeks, while the average external relative humidity was 86.4% (SD = 12.4%). The humidity control chamber deployed at the Belize Vector and Ecology Center effectively maintained internal relative humidity to an average of 54.5% (SD = 9.4%) over 10 weeks, while the average external relative humidity was 86.9% (SD = 12.9%). Conclusions: Control of relative humidity is paramount for the sustainability of medical equipment in tropical climates. The humidity control chambers reduced relative humidity to levels that were not conducive for fungal growth while reducing microscope contamination from external sources. This will likely extend the service life of the microscopes while taking advantage of low-cost, locally sourced components.
Enhanced CO2 Separation Achieved by Fluorinated Membranes

Download : Download high-res image (299KB) Download : Download full-size image Dr. Zhenzhen Yang earned her PhD in 2013 from Nankai University under the advisement of Professor Liang-Nian He. Then she joined Professor Zhimin Liu’s group at the Institute of Chemistry of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, where she worked for 5 years. She currently works as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in the lab of Professor Sheng Dai. Her research is mainly focused on the design of novel nanoporous materials for efficient adsorption, separation, activation, and transformation of small gas molecules.
STATIN USE FOR SECONDARY PREVENTION OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE IN THE ELDERLY

The AHA/ACC secondary prevention guidelines recommend moderate or high intensity statin use in patients >75 years of age. We sought to understand statin prescribing patterns and clinical outcomes in this population. We analyzed electronic health record data of adults >75 years old with ASCVD from a
Lyme disease presenting as acute ischemic strokes with an embolic pattern

Abstract Ischemic stroke due to Lyme disease is considered a rare entity. We report a 76-year-old woman who presented with acute ischemic strokes with an embolic pattern. Her clinical course was challenged by pseudo-elevation of autoimmune antibodies and atypical radiological findings, which were unique to this case. Lymphocytic pleocytosis in cerebrospinal fluid and positive Lyme antibodies were compatible with the Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB). LNB-associated vasculopathy should be considered in patients presenting with acute ischemic strokes with an embolic pattern of undetermined etiology, especially in those who live in or have come from areas with high prevalence of tick-borne diseases.
Targeted Rapid Testing for SARS-CoV-2 in the Emergency Department is Associated with Large Reductions in Uninfected Patient Exposure Time.

Opportunity exists to decrease healthcare-related exposure to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), preserve infection control resources, and increase care capacity by reducing the time to diagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). A retrospective cohort analysis was undertaken to measure the effect of targeted rapid molecular testing for SARS-CoV-2 on these outcomes. In comparison with standard platform testing, rapid testing was associated with a 65.6% reduction (12.6 h) in the median time to removal from the isolation cohort for patients with negative diagnostic results. This translated to an increase in COVID-19 treatment capacity of 3028 bed-hours and 7500 fewer patient interactions that required the use of personal protective equipment per week.
Net Zero Urban Water from Concept to Applications: Integrating Natural, Built, and Social Systems for Responsive and Adaptive Solutions

Innovation in urban water systems is required to address drivers of change across natural, built, and social systems, including climate change, economic development, and aged infrastructure. Water ...
A Polanyian rationale for a liberal arts core curriculum

What would we have the school teach? To what end? In the name of democracy, and building on the pioneering epistemology of Michael Polanyi, Harry S. Broudy, a leading voice in philosophy of educati...
Anisotropic Terahertz Permittivity of β-Ga 2 O 3

We report on the anisotropy of the terahertz permittivity of β-Ga 2 O 3 through terahertz transmission measurements in single crystals of (010) and (-201) orientation. The electromagnetic wave propagation in this anisotropic crystal is best described with an orthogonal set of eigenmodes, i.e., polarization eigenvectors, wherein each eigenmode possess a distinct refractive index. Polarization-dependent transmission measurements were carried out to ascertain the nature of the eigenmodes and their directions with respect to the crystal axes.
Does knowledge about a borrowing firm’s internal audit influence bank lending decisions?

This study examines whether knowledge about a borrower’s internal audit function affects commercial lending decisions. An experiment was conducted with 61 lending officers, who provided risk assessments and lending probabilities for a hypothetical line of credit applicant. The independent variable, the company’s internal audit function, was manipulated using three levels—no internal auditing, weak internal auditing, and strong internal auditing. Results show that lenders’ risk assessments are not influenced by a borrower’s internal audit function, but the likelihood of approving a line of credit is positively impacted. More specifically, for a borrower whose financial statements are compiled by a regional CPA firm, the existence of an internal audit function enhances the probability of line of credit approvals, although the strength of the internal audit function does not appear to have an impact. An implication for companies that want to enhance their borrowing prospects is that it may be worthwhile to invest in some form of internal auditing, but they do not have to be very concerned about its strength for purposes of obtaining lines of credit from banks.
Revisiting Issues in Benchmark Metric Selection

In 1986, Fleming and Wallace presented a case advocating the use of geomean in benchmark results. 23 years later in 2009, Alain Crolotte followed up on that proposal at TPCTC using TPC-D as a reference. Now 11 years later it is time to present another perspective on the age-old argument regarding the best metric for summarizing benchmark data. The aim of this paper is two-fold: (1) summarize the definition and interpretation of the current benchmark metrics for the OLAP family of the TPC benchmarks, including TPC-H, TPC-DS, and TPCx-BB. (2) illustrate the impact and tradeoffs of different statistical measures on the overall benchmark metric score, using both conceptual and data-driven arguments. Our hope is that the paper reinvigorates interest in the benchmark community to re-evaluate the design of benchmark metrics and offer insights that can influence the future direction of benchmark metrics design.
Creative Forces programming with military families: Art therapy, dance/movement therapy, and music therapy brief vignettes

LAY SUMMARY Creative arts therapists (art therapists, dance/movement therapists, and music therapists) administer assessments and interventions that support the holistic well-being of military fami...
Perceptions and attitudes toward prenatal cocaine exposure in young children.

Objective: This paper investigated perceptions and attitudes toward young children believed to be prenatally exposed to cocaine. Method: 37 college students watched a videotape of eight children doing the same task and rated each child's performance after being told if the child had, might have been, or had not been prenatally exposed to cocaine. Results: Multiple analysis of variance confirmed that when a child was labeled prenatally exposed to cocaine, the participants generally scored the child lower and less positively than if the child was thought to be possibly exposed or not exposed at all. Ethnicity and gender differences were also found. Participants rated males higher than females and African-American children higher than Caucasian children. Conclusions: Individuals who believe a child is exposed prenatally to cocaine hold more negative perceptions regarding that child's developmental abilities. These negative perceptions of a child labeled prenatally exposed to cocaine may diminish expectations for that child's developmental potential.
Hybrid Arch Debranching and Endograft Repair in a Patient with a Ruptured Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm

Recent advances in hybrid techniques of aortic arch debranching allow for the repair of thoracic aortic arch aneurysm without requiring cardiopulmonary bypass or hypothermic circulatory arrest. We describe the repair of a ruptured proximal descending thoracic aortic aneurysm, using off-pump aortic arch debranching and antegrade transaortic deployment of a thoracic endograft in an elderly patient.
Health Services Research, Overview†

Health services research studies how social factors, financing systems, organizational structures and processes, technology, and personal behaviors affect access to health care, the costs and quality of health care, and the health and well-being of individuals and populations. HSR, a boundary-crossing field, engages a very wide set of clinical and academic disciplines, investigates a broad array of questions relating to health care delivery and management, financing, clinical practice, personal health care decision-making, and health policy, and employs virtually all quantitative and qualitative methods found in the social sciences, economics, outcomes measurement, management and administration, epidemiology and statistics, law, and policy analysis. It has one major professional organization, Academy Health, and is supported in the US in large measure by the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, certain other federal agencies, and philanthropic organizations; numerous journals exclusively or predominantly publish on HSR-related topics. Keywords: access; costs; economics; health services research; health care; policy; quality; technology
On the stability of cracking in tapered DCB testpieces

The conventional tapered DCB specimen loaded at the apex is shown to exhibit less stability than parallel DCB testpieces cracking under stiff testing conditions. A modified test with loadings applied at the thick base instead of near the apex is suggested. Experiments agree with theory that this provides better cracking stability and easier control of the crack path, along with a wider range of crack velocities in one test.
IMPLICITLY RESTARTED ARNOLDI/LANCZOS METHODS FOR LARGE SCALE EIGENVALUE CALCULATIONS

Eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of linear operators are important to many areas of applied mathematics. The ability to approximate these quantities numerically is becoming increasingly important in a wide variety of applications. This increasing demand has fueled interest in the development of new methods and software for the numerical solution of large-scale algebraic eigenvalue problems. In turn, the existence of these new methods and software, along with the dramatically increased computational capabilities now available, has enabled the solution of problems that would not even have been posed five or ten years ago. Until very recently, software for large-scale nonsymmetric problems was virtually non-existent. Fortunately, the situation is improving rapidly. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the numerical solution of large-scale algebraic eigenvalue problems. The focus will be on a class of methods called Krylov subspace projection methods. The well-known Lanczos method is the premier member of this class. The Arnoldi method generalizes the Lanczos method to the nonsymmetric case. A recently developed variant of the Arnoldi/Lanczos scheme called the Implicitly Restarted Arnoldi Method is presented here in some depth. This method is highlighted because of its suitability as a basis for software development.
The Art of Compiler Design: Theory and Practice

1. The Compiler Theory Landscape. 2. Grammars: The Chomsky Hierarchy. 3. Scanners and Regular Languages. 4. Parsers and Context-Free Languages. 5. Semantic Analysis and Attribute Grammars. 6. Syntax-Directed Code Generation. 7. Automated Bottom-Up Parser Design. 8. Transformational Attribute Grammars. 9. Code Generation. 10. Non-Procedural Languages. Appendix A: Itty Bitty Modula Syntax Diagrams. Appendix B: The TAG Compiler TAG. Appendix C: Itty Bitty Stack Machine Instruction Set. Appendix D: Code Generation Tables for Four Computers.
Adiponectin in breast milk: relation to serum adiponectin concentration in lactating mothers and their infants.

Aims: The aims of the study were to determine human breast milk adiponectin concentration and to investigate its relationship with serum adiponectin concentration in lactating mothers and their infants and also to evaluate the relationship between serum adiponectin concentration and anthropometric parameters in nurses and infants. Methods: We enrolled 60 healthy term breastfed (BF) infants and their lactating mothers. Adiponectin was determined by radioimmunoassay test in serum and by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test in human milk (HM). Infants’ and mothers’ anthropometric parameters were measured. Results: Median (25‰, 75‰) adiponectin concentration in HM was 9.99 (3.59, 20.52) ng/mL. Serum adiponectin concentration in infants was 60.49 (45.76, 74.24) μg/mL and in lactating mothers 21.14 (12.61, 29.66) μg/mL. Adiponectin concentration in HM correlated positively with adiponectin in mothers’ serum; r = 0.60 (p < 0.001) and in infants’ serum r = 0.37 (p = 0.015). Adiponectin in HM correlated negatively with infants’ age r = −0.3 (p = 0.04). Infants’ serum adiponectin correlated negatively with their weight r = −0.35 (p = 0.005), length r = −0.35 (p = 0.006) and age r = −0.46 (p < 0.001) and mothers’ serum adiponectin with their weight r = −0.37 (p = 0.02) and body mass index r = −0.45 (p = 0.004). Conclusions: The observed correlations between adiponectin in mothers, HM and BF infants may be suggestive for a metabolic link between nurses and infants through milk.
A New Measure of Earnings Forecast Uncertainty: Theory and Evidence

By decomposing analysts’ forecast errors into common and idiosyncratic components, we develop a simple model aimed at explaining the relationship between forecast uncertainty and analyst dispersion. Under this framework, we propose a new measure of earnings forecast uncertainty as the sum of dispersion among analysts and the variance of mean forecast errors estimated by a GARCH model. The new measure gives an ex ante estimate of uncertainty arising from both analysts’ common and private information. Hence, it circumvents the limitations of other commonly-used proxies for forecast uncertainty in the literature. Using analysts’ earnings forecasts, we find direct evidence for the superior performance of the new measure.
Geochemical sensitivity to CO2 leakage: Detection in potable aquifers at carbon sequestration sites

Various approaches to groundwater monitoring for CO2 leakage detection and potential impacts of groundwater quality in the above potable aquifers at geological carbon sequestration sites have been reported in literature and briefly reviewed in this study. Although geochemical para-meters have been proposed as indicators of CO2 leakage in potable aquifers, assessing sensitivity of geochemical parameters to CO2 leakage in groundwater is needed. In this study, we present a methodology, using a geochemical model, to simulate responses of aqueous geochemistry to CO2 leakage into a potable aquifer and then to assess sensitivities of the proposed monitoring geochemical parameters based on their relative changes to initial values. The geochemical model was used to simulate CO2 leakage into carbonate-poor and carbonate-rich aquifers. Results of calculated sensitivities show that dissolved CO2 and dissolved inorganic carbon in groundwater are most sensitive to CO2 leakage in all settings. Alkalinity is moderately sensitive, with the best response in the presence of carbonates in the aquifer sediments while groundwater pH shows best response in the aquifer sediments with little carbonates. Impacts of initial (or baseline) groundwater chemistry on sensitivity of geochemical parameters to CO2 leakage, compared to impacts of aquifer mineralogy, appear to be minor. For monitoring purpose, dissolved CO2 and dissolved inorganic carbon are better indicators than pH and alkalinity in potable aquifers at geological carbon sequestration sites.
The Cyclin-dependent Kinase Inhibitor Flavopiridol Induces Apoptosis in Multiple Myeloma Cells through Transcriptional Repression and Down-Regulation of Mcl-1

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a B-cell malignancy characterized by the accumulation of malignant plasma cells with slow proliferative rate but enhanced survival. MM cells express multiple Bcl-2 family members, including Bcl-2, Bcl-XL, and Mcl-1, which are thought to play a key role in the survival and drug resistance of myeloma. The cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor flavopiridol has antitumor activity against hematopoietic malignancies, including CLL, in which induction of apoptosis was associated with reduced expression of antiapoptotic proteins. Therefore, we sought to characterize the effect of flavopiridol on the proliferation and survival of myeloma cells and to define its mechanisms of action. Treatment of MM cell lines (8226, ANBL-6, ARP1, and OPM-2) with clinically achievable concentrations of flavopiridol resulted in rapid induction of apoptotic cell death that correlated temporally with the decline in Mcl-1 protein and mRNA levels. Levels of other antiapoptotic proteins did not change. Overexpression of Mcl-1 protected MM cells from flavopiridol-induced apoptosis. Additional analysis demonstrated that flavopiridol treatment resulted in a dose-dependent inhibition of phosphorylation of the RNA polymerase II COOH-terminal domain, thus blocking transcription elongation. These data indicate that Mcl-1 is an important target for flavopiridol-induced apoptosis of MM that occurs through inhibition of Mcl-1 mRNA transcription coupled with rapid protein degradation via the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway.
Candida endocarditis in a child with hyperimmunoglobulinemia E syndrome

Hyperimmunoglobulin E syndrome (HIE) is a disorder characterized by extremely elevated serum levels of IgE and recurrent infections. Patients are particularly predisposed to have staphylococcal abscesses, usually involving skin, lungs, and joints; but they are also at risk for infections with other bacteria and fungi. We report the case of a 46-month-old boy with HIE who had Candida endocarditis and sepsis with a large fungal mass extending through the tricuspid valve and into the surrounding heart tissue, requiring surgical excision and replacement with a prosthetic valve. He had an indwelling central line for previous antibiotic therapy and had oral thrush for a month before presentation, which had been treated with oral nystatin. He was first seen with very dark urine, a new murmur, petechial rash, in shock, and disseminated intravascular coagulation. The white blood cell count was 38,700 with 70% segmented neutrophils, 9% banded neutrophils, 15% lymphocytes, 4% monocytes, and 2% eosinophils. Hemoglobin was 7.1, and platelet count was 14,000. Prothrombin time was 15.5, and partial thromboplastin time was 31; fibrinogen level was 110 mg/ml, and fibrin degradation products were greater than 40 mg/ml. Serum IgE was 38,664 and 44,510 on repeat measurement. He has had recurrent staphylococcal pneumonias with pneumatoceles, twice requiring segmental lung resection. Blood and tricuspid valve cultures grew Candida albicans. He was treated with amphotericin and flucytosine, and later switched to fluconazole, with good response to therapy. A literature search revealed no other reported case of Candida endocarditis in patients with HIE. Fungal endocarditis is a rare complication, which may occur in patients with HIE and indwelling central catheters.
FMRFamide catch contractures of a molluscan smooth muscle: Pharmacology, ionic dependence and cyclic nucleotides

1. Both acetylcholine (A Ch) and the molluscan neuropeptide FMRFamide (Phe-Met-Arg-Phe-NH2) set catch in the anterior byssus retractor muscle (ABRM); catch is relaxed by 5-hydroxytryptamine (5 HT). 2. The threshold for FMRFamide contracture is 3- to 30-fold lower than for ACh; and low to moderate doses of FMRFamide are more potent than equivalent doses of ACh. At very high concentrations, however, FMRFamide contractures are less forceful than those to ACh. 3. FMRFamide contractures are diminished less than ACh contractures in Na-free medium, but contractures are phasic in either case. 4. FMRFamide contractures decline much more slowly than ACh contractures in Ca-free ASW and La-ASW. Thus, FMRFamide may have access to a more slowly exchanging pool of intracellular Ca; alternatively, the mechanisms coupling excitation and contraction may differ for the two agonists, with the FMRFamide coupling mechanism being less sensitive to Ca depletion. 5. Neither FMRFamide nor ACh effect cAMP levels in the ABRM; and no effect on cGMP levels was detected. 6. Cyclic AMP is increased by 5 HT and Na-free ASW, but not by 8-bromoguanosine 3′∶5′-cyclic monophosphate. Thus, relaxation is not always accompanied by increased cAMP levels. 7. Immunoreactive FMRFamide is present in the ABRM; thus, its actions are of physiological as well as pharmacological interest.
Urban vs rural increase in hip fracture incidence. Age and sex of 901 cases 1980-89 in Olmsted County, U.S.A.

To determine if hip fracture incidence rates are greater in urban than in rural areas of the United States, as they appear to be in Scandinavia, we undertook a study in Olmsted County, Minnesota. During the decade 1980–89, the age-and sex-adjusted incidence of proximal femur fractures among urban residents of the central city of Rochester was 36 percent greater than among residents of the rural remainder of Olmsted County. The difference was almost entirely accounted for by an excess of fractures due to moderate trauma in elderly urban women. These first detailed results from the United States confirm earlier observations from Scandinavia that hip fracture rates are lower in rural areas.
Puupehenone congeners from an indo-pacific hyrtios sponge.

An investigation of the constituents from an Indonesian Hyrtios sponge has provided new insights about the chemistry and biology of the puupehenones, a unique class of merosesquiterpenes. The parent compound, puupehenone (2), has been repeatedly encountered in sponges from four distinct orders. In this study we characterized three compounds, (+)-(5S,8S,9R,10S)-20-methoxypuupehenone (3), (+)-(5S,8S,10S)-20-methoxy-9,15-ene-puupehenol (4), and (+)-(5S,8S,9R,10S)-15,20-dimethoxypuupehenol (5). Their structures were supported by complete sets of spectroscopic data along with comparisons to literature properties. While 5 was observed in the crude extracts, it was also heat labile and could be converted at 35 °C to a mixture of 3 and 4. The possibility that 3, 4, and 5 are formed from 2 by a series of methanol additions is discussed. The bioactivity of these compounds in soft-agar cytotoxicity tests was also explored.
Femtosecond, Frequency-Agile, Phase-Sensitive-Detected, Multi-Wave-Mixing Nonlinear Optical Spectroscopy Applied to π-Electron Photonic Materials

Degenerate four-wave mixing (DFWM) spectroscopy is modified to exploit femtosecond pulses, phase-sensitive-detection, frequency (wavelength) agility, two-color (nearly degenerate multiwave mixing) radiation, and improved signal-to-noise capabilities that can be realized through a combination of new solid state lasers, nonlinear optical components, and novel design concepts. The resulting time-resolved nonlinear optical techniques permit “instantaneous” optical nonlinearities, such as two-photon absorption cross sections, to be accurately measured over the spectral range from 450 to 2500 nm (and with significantly greater effort from 225 to 5000 nm). The power of the new techniques is illustrated by their application to the definition of Hg two-photon resonances of C60 and C70 as well as to the characterization of optical nonlinearities in two linear chromophores of putative utility for sensor protection and electrooptic modulation. Explicitly, these measurements provide accurate determination of both tran...