cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thermophysical Properties of ZrB2 and ZrB2–SiC Ceramics

Thermophysical properties were investigated for zirconium diboride (ZrB2) and ZrB2–30 vol% silicon carbide (SiC) ceramics. Thermal conductivities were calculated from measured thermal diffusivities, heat capacities, and densities. The thermal conductivity of ZrB2 increased from 56 W (m K)−1 at room temperature to 67 W (m K)−1 at 1675 K, whereas the thermal conductivity of ZrB2–SiC decreased from 62 to 56 W (m K)−1 over the same temperature range. Electron and phonon contributions to thermal conductivity were determined using electrical resistivity measurements and were used, along with grain size models, to explain the observed trends. The results are compared with previously reported thermal conductivities for ZrB2 and ZrB2–SiC.
Simulation of sub-pixel thermal target detection

Spectral unmixing is commonly used in the solar-reflective spectral regime to find materials down to abundances (‘pixel fill factors’ (PFFs) or ‘target fractions’) of (typically) ∼10%.12 However, little is known about whether such spectral unmixing applies in the long-wavelength-infrared (LWIR) spectral regime (designated herein as the “thermal” region). The first part of this paper discusses a numerical method to un-mix thermal pixels for target fraction, temperature and emissivity (e). In the second part, a simulation is performed to detect particular material spectra at the sub-pixel level. The data is assumed to have been reduced to a temperature map and an emissivity data cube (a three-dimensional construct consisting of emissivity versus pixel position in the image plane corresponding to a given spectral interval; referred to herein as a ‘cube’ consisting of e, x, y). Thus, a hyperspectral emissivity cube is generated and sub-pixel targets are added. The scene is then blurred. Various pre-processing algorithms are then evaluated with respect to the detectability of sub-pixel targets. The result of sharpening a hyperspectral cube increases the number of correctly identified sub-pixel targets compared to attempts at target detection with no pre-processing. In particular, the simple sharpened masking filter generates excellent results. We believe that many sub-pixel target detection algorithms could potentially benefit from sharpening of the spectral data cube.
Automatic LSI Wafer Dry-Point Detection and Control System

An automatic means is presented for determining when a semiconductor wafer is sufficiently dry (on the product surface) to allow removal from the present processing station for transportation to the next processing point.
Eisenhower and Latin America: The Foreign Policy of Anticommunism

Stephen Rabe's timely book examines President Dwight D. Eisenhower's Latin American policy and assesses the president's actions in light of recent "Eisenhower revisionism."During his first term, Eisenhower paid little attention to Latin America but his objective there was clear: to prevent communism from gaining a foothold. The Eisenhower administration was prepared to cooperate with authoritarian military regimes, but not to fund developmental aid or vigorously promote political democracy. Two events in the second administration convinced Eisenhower that he had underestimated the extent of popular unrest--and thus the potential for Communist inroads: the stoning of Vice-President Richard M. Nixon in Caracas and the radicalization of the Cuban Revolution. He then began to support trade agreements, soft loans, and more strident measures that led to CIA involvement in the Bay of Pigs invasion and plots to assassinate Fidel Castro and Rafael Trujillo. In portraying Eisenhower as a virulent anti-Communist and cold warrior, Rabe challenges the Eisenhower revisionists who view the president as a model of diplomatic restraint.
A miniaturized Hilbert PIFA for dual-band mobile wireless applications

A miniaturized planar inverted-F antenna (PIFA) is proposed for dual-band mobile phone application in the 900- and 1900-MHz bands. By employing a Hilbert geometry, an overall size reduction of 50% was achieved compared to a conventional rectangular PIFA. The proposed antenna can be easily printed on the inside surface of the plastic housing of a mobile phone or other wireless device. An experimental prototype of this miniature antenna was fabricated on 0.125 mm thick Duroid 5880 substrate. Measured results demonstrate dual-band characteristics with good radiation patterns.
Amelioration strategies fail to prevent tobacco smoke effects on neurodifferentiation: Nicotinic receptor blockade, antioxidants, methyl donors

Tobacco smoke exposure is associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. We used neuronotypic PC12 cells to evaluate the mechanisms by which tobacco smoke extract (TSE) affects neurodifferentiation. In undifferentiated cells, TSE impaired DNA synthesis and cell numbers to a much greater extent than nicotine alone; TSE also impaired cell viability to a small extent. In differentiating cells, TSE enhanced cell growth at the expense of cell numbers and promoted emergence of the dopaminergic phenotype. Nicotinic receptor blockade with mecamylamine was ineffective in preventing the adverse effects of TSE and actually enhanced the effect of TSE on the dopamine phenotype. A mixture of antioxidants (vitamin C, vitamin E, N-acetyl-l-cysteine) provided partial protection against cell loss but also promoted loss of the cholinergic phenotype in response to TSE. Notably, the antioxidants themselves altered neurodifferentiation, reducing cell numbers and promoting the cholinergic phenotype at the expense of the dopaminergic phenotype, an effect that was most prominent for N-acetyl-l-cysteine. Treatment with methyl donors (vitamin B12, folic acid, choline) had no protectant effect and actually enhanced the cell loss evoked by TSE; they did have a minor, synergistic interaction with antioxidants protecting against TSE effects on growth. Thus, components of tobacco smoke perturb neurodifferentiation through mechanisms that cannot be attributed to the individual effects of nicotine, oxidative stress or interference with one-carbon metabolism. Consequently, attempted amelioration strategies may be partially effective at best, or, as seen here, can actually aggravate injury by interfering with normal developmental signals and/or by sensitizing cells to TSE effects on neurodifferentiation.
Harmaline attenuates voltage--sensitive Ca(2+) currents in neurons of the inferior olive.

Purpose. Harmaline is one member of a class of tremorgenic harmala alkaloids that have been implicated in neuroprotective effects and neurodegenerative disorders. It has been reported to interact with several neurotransmitter receptors as well as ion exchangers and voltage-sensitive channels. One site of harmaline action in the brain is the inferior olive (IO). Either local or systemic harmaline injection has been reported to increase spiking rate and coherence in the inferior olive and this activation is thought to produce tremor and ataxia through inferior olivary neuron activation of target neurons in the cerebellum, but the cellular mechanism is not yet known. Methods. Here, we have performed whole cell voltage-clamp and current clamp recordings from olivary neurons in brain slices derived from newborn rats. Results. We found that both transient low-voltage activated (LVA) and sustained high voltage-activated (HVA) Ca2+ currents are significantly attenuated by 0.125 – 0.25 mM harmaline applied to the bath and that this attenuation is partially reversible. In current clamp recordings, spike-afterhyperpolarization complexes were evoked by brief positive current injections. Harmaline produced a small attenuation of spike amplitude, but large spike broadening associated with attenuation of the fast and medium afterhyperpolarization. Conclusion. Our data suggest that one mode of olivary neuron activation by harmaline involves attenuation of both HVA and LVA Ca2+ conductances and consequent attenuation of Ca2+-sensitive K+ conductances resulting in spike broadening and attenuation of the afterhyperpolarization. Both of HVA and LVA attenuation also suggests a role to regulate intracelluar Ca2+, thereby to protect neurons from apoptosis. This article is open to POST-PUBLICATION REVIEW. Registered readers (see “For Readers”) may comment by clicking on ABSTRACT on the issue’s contents page.
A MODEL FOR ION-SPUTTERING: FROM PATTERN FORMATION TO ROUGH SURFACES

Many surfaces eroded by ion-sputtering have been observed to develop morphologies which are either periodic, or rough and non-periodic. We have introduced a discrete stochastic model that allows to interpret these experimental observations within a unified framework. A simple periodic pattern characterizes the initial stages of the surface evolution, whereas the later time regime is consistent with self-affine scaling. The continuum equation describing the surface height is a noisy version of the Kuramoto-Sivashinsky equation.
Modern Banking And Strategic Portfolio Management

In this research, an analysis of modern banking in a competitive environment is provided. Modern banking operations would involve dynamic strategic planning, in which a clear mission is declared, various strategies are formulated, and certain objectives and goals are placed in order. The banking industry in various countries has gone through some evolution. The growing competitive conditions, both inside and outside the industry, have influenced the banks’ investment in diverse assets and adoption of various forms of liabilities, which will be discussed here. Risk analysis, risk management, and operations under uncertainties would put a bank’s survival and/or failure under a critical observation. This research provides a practical manual on bank investment under uncertain conditions, in which various kinds of risk are involved. While a competitive treatment of customers has always been of a critical significance to financial stability of banks, appropriate strategic decisions on investment choices and techniques have distinguished the thriving from the struggling banks. Among those alternative investment choices, one may clearly find the investment practices under varying interest-rate conditions of prime significance. The influence of cyber-technology on banks’ services, policy making, forms of money & credit, including, e-money, electronic payments, digital cash, smart cards, online banking, etc., has attracted special attention by all the stakeholders. The authors will address the following three questions: 1. What portfolio structure in a variable interest-rate environment is proven to be most profitable? 2. What are the most appropriate products that modern banks must provide to their customers? 3. How is the task of risk management implemented by some successful banks?
What We Have Learned About Soft-Tissue Augmentation Over the Past 10 Years

In 2002,my coauthors and I published the results of a clinical trial ofmicronizedacellulardermalgraft (mADG) (Cymetra;LifecellCorp) for rejuvenationof theaging lip.1 A lookbackat this article is instructive as to where we were, as a field, at the beginning of the millennium and allows reflection on where we are headed. In this study,weevaluatedmADGfor use as an injectable agent to augment lips. At the timeof the study, the criterion standardmaterialwasZyplast (glutaraldehydecross-linkedporcine collagen;Allergan Inc),which, on average, required retreatment on a quarterly basis. Furthermore, there were no accepted, validated instruments toassess lip appearance. Inour study,patientswere randomized to receive injectionsof eitherZyplastormADGevery3months, and clinical results were assessed with digital photographs by determining various physical parameters of lip appearance. By 1 year, mADG-treated patients were more likely than Zyplast-treated patients toshowan increasedupper lipvermilionheightandvisiblesurface, an increasednasolabial angle, and anterior projection and visible vermilion of the lower lip. We postulated that a dynamic process of ACG dispersion and resorption vs invasion and stabilization by recipient tissue accounted for these changes. At that time, therewere some patients who were clinically noted to have persistent effect up to 1 year after the last treatment. Over the past decade, many of these patients have returned for continued care, andmost of thosewho initially noted clinically significant effect have not noted substantial regressionof these changes; otherswhohadmoremoderately successful results have sought additional volumization, owing toeither continued facial aging or loss of effect of mADG. Inmany ways, our field has changed greatly since 2002. Hyaluronic acid derivatives were approved for use in the United States in 2003, and Restylane (Medicis Aesthetics) was specifically approved for use in the lips in 2011. Zyplast was last available for purchase in 2010. Autologous fat transfer techniques have been refined, and the procedure is more widely offered because more consistent resultswereachievedasourunderstandingof thephysiologic characteristics of these grafts has become better eluciRejuvenation of the aging lipwith an injectable acellular dermal graft (Cymetra). Sclafani AP, Romo TR III, Jacono AA.
ROLE OF PHOSPHOLIPIDS IN ADRENOCORTICAL MICROSOMAL HYDROXYLATION REACTIONS: ACTIVATION OF LIPID-DEPLETED MICROSOMAL PREPARATIONS BY NON-IONIC DETERGENTS

Phospholipids are believed to play at least two distinct roles in biological membranes. As integral parts of membrane structure, phospholipids are believed to impart much of the uniqueness to membranes and to provide a matrix in which membrane proteins are imbedded. A second role is their requirement for the function of certain membrane-associated enzymes.
The reliability of analytic and holistic methods in rating students' computer programs

The study examined analytic and holistic methods of scoring students's programs. The sample included 30 students in an introductory computer science class. The inter-rater reliabilities for both scoring methods was significant (analytic, r = .66; holistic, r = .73). The correlation between students' holistic and analytic scores on the programs was moderate (r = .66), indicating that the two scoring methods measure different attributes of a student's program.
The Design of Protective Equipment for Ice Hockey

The major objectives of the research were to provide the apparel designer with informa tion about user needs with regard to protective equipment and to stimulate the devel opment of new apparel forms for protective materials. Hockey players were observed under game conditions to gather impact and body movement data. Impact data were related to medical literature and recommendations were made for the shape and structure of protec tive equipment for various body areas. Body movement data were used to determine the amount of over-the-joint movement needed in the protective covering of players during performance. Two additional studies were undertaken to provide the apparel designer with a basis for exploring design solutions: a suspension study that explored a variety of means for suspending rigid forms over parts of the body, and a jointing study that examined means of connecting rigid materials in ways which related to body joint movements. The results of the research were sketched proposals for protective ice hockey equipment and fin ished prototypes.
Experimental and Theoretical Bases of Specific Affinity, a Cytoarchitecture-Based Formulation of Nutrient Collection Proposed To Supercede the Michaelis­Menten Paradigm of Microbial Kinetics

A theory for solute uptake by whole cells was derived with a focus on the ability of oligobacteria to sequester nutrients. It provided a general relationship that was used to obtain the kinetic constants for in situ marine populations in the presence of naturally occurring substrates. In situ affinities of 0.9 to 400 liters g of cells(-1) h(-1) found were up to 10(3) times smaller than those from a "Marinobacter arcticus " isolate, but springtime values were greatly increased by warming. Affinities of the isolate for usual polar substrates but not for hydrocarbons were diminished by ionophores. A kinetic curve or Monod plot was constructed from the best available data for cytoarchitectural components of the isolate by using the theory together with concepts and calculations from first principles. The order of effect of these components on specific affinity was membrane potential > cytoplasmic enzyme concentration > cytoplasmic enzyme affinity > permease concentration > area of the permease site > translation coefficient > porin concentration. Component balance was influential as well; a small increase in cytoplasmic enzyme concentration gave a large increase in the effect of permease concentration. The effect of permease concentration on specific affinity was large, while the effect on K(m) was small. These results are in contrast to the Michaelis-Menten theory as applied by Monod that has uptake kinetics dependent on the quality of the permease molecules, with K(m) as an independent measure of affinity. Calculations demonstrated that most oligobacteria in the environment must use multiple substrates simultaneously to attain sufficient energy and material for growth, a requirement consistent with communities largely comprising few species.
Developing Habits of Environmental Thoughtfulness Through the In-Depth Study of Select Environmental Issues

As the range and complexity of global environmental issues has broadened, and the scope of environmental education has expanded, demands have increased to cover more environmental topics and concepts in the school curriculum. However, if students are to develop enduring habits of environmental thoughtfulness, then a focus is needed, not on the broad coverage of many topics, but on the in-depth and authentic study of a few environmental issues. In this paper, after offering a rationale for in-depth study, I examine the problems and possibilities of constructing curricular and pedagogy with such a focus by describing the beliefs and practices of teachers who have emphasized in-depth study as a means to promoting student thoughtfulness.
Hyperspectral Analysis of Columbia Spotted Frog Habitat

Wildlife managers increasingly are using remotely sensed imagery to improve habitat delineations and sampling strategies. Advances in remote sensing technology, such as hyperspectral imagery, provide more information than previously was available with multispectral sensors. We evaluated accuracy of high-resolution hyperspectral image classifications to identify wetlands and wetland habitat features important for Columbia spotted frogs (Rana luteiventris) and compared the results to multispectral image classification and United States Geological Survey topographic maps. The study area spanned 3 lake basins in the Salmon River Mountains, Idaho, USA. Hyperspectral data were collected with an airborne sensor on 30 June 2002 and on 8 July 2006. A 12-year comprehensive ground survey of the study area for Columbia spotted frog reproduction served as validation for image classifications. Hyperspectral image classification accuracy of wetlands was high, with a producer's accuracy of 96% (44 wetlands) correctly classified with the 2002 data and 89% (41 wetlands) correctly classified with the 2006 data. We applied habitat-based rules to delineate breeding habitat from other wetlands, and successfully predicted 74% (14 wetlands) of known breeding wetlands for the Columbia spotted frog. Emergent sedge microhabitat classification showed promise for directly predicting Columbia spotted frog egg mass locations within a wetland by correctly identifying 72% (23 of 32) of known locations. Our study indicates hyperspectral imagery can be an effective tool for mapping spotted frog breeding habitat in the selected mountain basins. We conclude that this technique has potential for improving site selection for inventory and monitoring programs conducted across similar wetland habitat and can be a useful tool for delineating wildlife habitats.
Light‐Emitting Diodes: Phosphorescent Nanocluster Light‐Emitting Diodes (Adv. Mater. 2/2016)

On page 320, R. R. Lunt and co-workers demonstrate electroluminescence from earth-abundant phosphorescent metal halide nanoclusters. These inorganic emitters, which exhibit rich photophysics combined with a high phosphorescence quantum yield, are employed in red and near-infrared light-emitting diodes, providing a new platform of phosphorescent emitters for low-cost and high-performance light-emission applications.
LLVM-based communication optimizations for PGAS programs

While Partitioned Global Address Space (PGAS) programming languages such as UPC/UPC++, CAF, Chapel and X10 provide high-level programming models for facilitating large-scale distributed-memory parallel programming, it is widely recognized that compiler analysis and optimization for these languages has been very limited, unlike the optimization of SMP models such as OpenMP. One reason for this limitation is that current optimizers for PGAS programs are specialized to different languages. This is unfortunate since communication optimization is an important class of compiler optimizations for PGAS programs running on distributed-memory platforms, and these optimizations need to be performed more widely. Thus, a more effective approach would be to build a language-independent and runtime-independent compiler framework for optimizing PGAS programs so that new communication optimizations can be leveraged by different languages.To address this need, we introduce an LLVM-based (Low Level Virtual Machine) communication optimization framework. Our compilation system leverages existing optimization passes and introduces new PGAS language-aware runtime dependent/independent passes to reduce communication overheads. Our experimental results show an average performance improvement of 3.5× and 3.4× on 64-nodes of a Cray XC30TM supercomputer and 32-nodes of a Westmere cluster respectively, for a set of benchmarks written in the Chapel language. Overall, we show that our new LLVM-based compiler optimization framework can effectively improve the performance of PGAS programs.
How could (should) we make contact between string/M-theory and our four-dimensional world, and associated LHC predictions?

String/M-theory is an exciting framework within which we try to understand our universe and its properties. Compactified string/M-theories address and offer solutions to almost every important question and issue in particle physics and particle cosmology. But earlier goals of finding a top–down “vacuum selection” principle and deriving the 4D theory have not yet been realized. Does that mean we should stop trying, as nearly all string theorists have? Or can we proceed in the historical way to make a few generic, robust assumptions not closely related to observables, and follow where they lead to testable predictions and explanations? Making only very generic assumptions is a significant issue. I discuss how to try to proceed with this approach, particularly in M-theory compactified on a 7D manifold of G2 holonomy. One goal is to understand our universe as a string/M-theory vacuum for its own sake, in the long tradition of trying to understand our world, and what that implies. In addition, understanding our vacuum may be a prelude to understanding its connection to the multiverse.
The effect of oxidation on Wassermann antigen

In 1914 the authors had occasion to prepare some lecithin by MacLean's method (Journal of Pathology and Bacteriology, 18, p. 490). The method (an elaborate one) consists essentially of numerous precipitations out of ether and water, by means of acetone, of the alcoholic extracts of dried beef heart. The purified precipitate is finally dried in vacuo over sulphuric acid. Throughout the work air is excluded so far as possible.In the present work from 6 1/2 kilos of lean pressed beef heart, about 8 grams of purified lecithin were obtained. The lecithin had a yellowish white waxy appearance and upon analysis was found to contain 4.06 per cent. phosphorus and 1.93 per cent. nitrogen. The nitrogen and phosphorus are in the ratio of one to one. It had an iodine number of seventy. Throughout the procedure every precaution was taken to exclude air by replacement with CO2 so as to prevent oxidation as far as possible. Some of the lecithin was put in tubes in vacuo, and some in carbon dioxide gas.The lecithin separa...
Salinipostins A–K, Long-Chain Bicyclic Phosphotriesters as a Potent and Selective Antimalarial Chemotype

Despite significant advances in antimalarial chemotherapy over the past 30 years, development of resistance to frontline drugs remains a significant challenge that limits efforts to eradicate the disease. We now report the discovery of a new class of antimalarials, salinipostins A-K, with low nanomolar potencies and high selectivity indices against mammalian cells (salinipostin A: Plasmodium falciparum EC50 50 nM, HEK293T cytotoxicity EC50 > 50 μM). These compounds were isolated from a marine-derived Salinospora sp. bacterium and contain a bicyclic phosphotriester core structure, which is a rare motif among natural products. This scaffold differs significantly from the structures of known antimalarial compounds and represents a new lead structure for the development of therapeutic targets in malaria. Examination of the growth stage specificity of salinipostin A indicates that it exhibits growth stage-specific effects that differ from compounds that inhibit heme polymerization, while resistance selection experiments were unable to identify parasite populations that exhibited significant resistance against this compound class.
Ocular Complications of Diabetes and Therapeutic Approaches

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disease defined by elevated blood glucose (BG). DM is a global epidemic and the prevalence is anticipated to continue to increase. The ocular complications of DM negatively impact the quality of life and carry an extremely high economic burden. While systemic control of BG can slow the ocular complications they cannot stop them, especially if clinical symptoms are already present. With the advances in biodegradable polymers, implantable ocular devices can slowly release medication to stop, and in some cases reverse, diabetic complications in the eye. In this review we discuss the ocular complications associated with DM, the treatments available with a focus on localized treatments, and what promising treatments are on the horizon.
Microbiological detoxification of hazardous organic contaminants: The crucial role of substrate interactions

Microbiological detoxification of hazardous organic pollutants is highly promising, but its reliable implementation requires a sophisticated understanding of several different substrate types and how they interact. This paper carefully defines the substrate types and explains how their interactions affect the bacteria's electron and energy flows, information flow, and degradative activity. For example, primary substrates, which are essential for growth and maintenance of the bacteria, also interact with degradation of specific hazardous pollutants by being inducers, inhibitors, and direct or indirect cosubstrates. The target contaminants, which often are secondary substrates, also have the interactive roles of self-inhibitor, inhibitor of primary-substrate utilization, inducer, and a part of an aggregate primary substrate.
Computer planning and simulation of construction erection processes using single or multiple cranes

The purpose of this research is to develop knowledge and tools required to improve erection processes in construction. Goals of this research include the development of computational tools to facilitate the work of erection planners and crane operators as well as the development of computational methods that in the future could allow fully automated erection processes to take place in construction projects. A major effort in this research is devoted to modeling construction cranes and their activities by mathematical approaches and to the development of computational methods to simulate and visualize erection processes in a virtual world created on computers. This research utilized information technologies to improve erection planning and erection operations. Construction cranes are treated as robots and analyzed by using Denavit-Hartenberg notation, a general method to describe robots mathematically. Using computer graphics techniques, cranes activities are visualized in a computer virtual environment. Motion planning methods are used to allow robotic cranes search collision free paths that minimize erection times and synchronize their activities between the nearby cranes. This thesis describes in detail the computational methods developed in this research, including the following aspects: (1) the processes for modeling construction cranes using robotics; (2) searching optimum (time efficient) and collision-free (safe) paths for each piece to be erected; (3) methods to coordinate the motions of multiple cranes in a jobsite; (4) structural dynamics to simulate crane and element motions, including the dynamic motion generated by inertia forces; (5) computer graphics techniques used to animate and visualize the erection in operational details; (6) automatic translation of three-dimensional engineering models, that structural engineers use to analyze and design the structure to three-dimensional construction erection models, which describe in detail the geometry of each member that needs to be erected by a crane. A computer prototype system was implemented to integrate all the computational methods developed in the research. This system aims to be used both before and during erection. In particular, the computer system allows users to simulate and virtually visualize the erection processes before they are conducted in the field.
Air and Pollutant Transport from Attached Garages to Residential Living Spaces – Literature Review and Field Tests

AbstractThe National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is conducting a study on the indoor air quality (IAQ) impacts and engineering solutions related to the transport of pollutants from attached garages to residential living spaces. Natural or fan-induced pressure differences across air leakage paths in house-garage (HG) interfaces can result in the transport of the contaminants generated in garages into adjacent living spaces. This paper summarises a literature review on the transport of pollutants from garages to residential living spaces and describes a field study to estimate the range of airtightness of attached garages and of HG interfaces in the United States.Although the body of literature on pollutant transport from attached garages to residential buildings is limited, the studies reviewed provide substantial evidence that transport of contaminants from garages has the potential to negatively impact residential IAQ in either an acute (e.g., carbon monoxide from automobiles) or chronic...
Predictors of Non-Attendance to the Postpartum Follow-up Visit

Objectives This study aimed to measure the incidence and identify predictors of postpartum visit non-attendance, using medical records of women who received prenatal care and went on to deliver live births at Montefiore Hospital in 2013. Methods Pearson’s Chi square tests were used to assess the association between maternal demographics, insurance status, and delivery information with non-attendance of a postpartum visit. Logistic regression and modified Poisson regression models were then used to identify statistically significant predictors of postpartum visit non-attendance. Results We found that one-third of all women who attended a prenatal visit at Montefiore Hospital did not return for a postpartum visit. Variables significantly associated with non-attendance include having Medicaid or no insurance (RR 1.4, 95 % CI 1.2–1.6), being Hispanic or Latino (RR 1.2, 95 % CI 1.1–1.3), having a vaginal delivery (RR 1.2, 95 % CI 1.1–1.4), and age <20 years (RR 0.77, 95 % CI 0.64–0.92). Conclusions for Practice We conclude that the risk of postpartum visit non-attendance disproportionately impacts socially and economically vulnerable patients who are: younger, part of a minority ethnic background, and depend on state funded health insurance. Our results highlight the disparity in access to postpartum care and the importance of identifying barriers to attendance as well as developing creative strategies of providing postpartum care outside of the traditional postpartum visit framework.
Relationship Between Broiler Body Weights, Eimeria maxima Gross Lesion Scores, and Microscores in Three Anticoccidial Sensitivity Tests

SUMMARY Anticoccidial sensitivity tests (ASTs) serve to determine the efficacy of anticoccidial drugs against Eimeria field isolates in a controlled laboratory setting. The most commonly measured parameters are body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, gross intestinal lesion scores, and mortality. Due to the difficulty in reliably scoring gross lesion scores of Eimeria maxima, microscopic analysis of intestinal scrapings (microscores) can be used in the field to indicate the presence of this particular Eimeria. The goal of this study was to determine the relationship between E. maxima microscores and broiler body weights and gross E. maxima lesion scores in three ASTs. Day-old broiler chicks were raised for 12 days on a standard corn-soy diet. On Day 12, chicks were placed in Petersime batteries and treatment diets were provided. There were six birds per pen, four pens per treatment, and 12 treatments, for a total of 288 chicks per AST. The treatments were as follows: 1) nonmedicated, noninfected; 2) nonm...
Delivery of Morpholino Antisense Oligonucleotides to a Developing Ovine Conceptus via Luminal Injection into a Ligated Uterine Horn

In vivo delivery of morpholino antisense oligonucleotides (MAO) directly into the uterine lumen of a peri-implantation period pregnant sheep is an effective technique for evaluation of gene products for conceptus development. The highly phagocytic conceptus is undergoing rapid morphological change, thereby the available MAO are readily consumed and delivered to developing cells. Here, we describe the method for preparation and surgical delivery of MAO-Endo-Porter complex to developing ovine conceptus on day 8 postmating. Also outlined are methods for posttreatment sample recovery on day 16 postmating.
LIGHT CONE SUPERSTRINGS IN ADS SPACE

We discuss light-cone gauge description of type IIB Green-Schwarz superstring in AdS5× S5 with a hope to make progress towards understanding spectrum of this theory. As in flat space, fixing light-cone gauge consists of two steps: (i) fixing kappa symmetry in such a way that the fermionic part of the action does not depend on x-; (ii) fixing 2-d reparametrizations by x+=τ and a condition on 2-d metric. In curved AdS space the latter cannot be the standard conformal gauge and breaks manifest 2-d Lorentz invariance. It is natural, therefore, to work in phase-space framework, imposing the GGRT light-cone gauge conditions x+=τ, P+=const. We obtain the resulting light-cone superstring Hamiltonian.
Perceived Value of a Program to Promote Surgical Resident Well-being.

Objective The demands of surgical residency are intense and threaten not only trainees’ physical wellness, but also risk depression, burnout, and suicide. Our residency program implemented a multifaceted Balance in Life program that is designed to improve residents’ well-being. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the program utilization and perceived value by residents. Design, Setting, Participants Residents (n = 56, 76% response rate) were invited to participate in a voluntary survey from December 2013 to February 2014 regarding utilization, barriers to use, and perceived value of 6 program components (refrigerator, After Hours Guide, psychological counseling sessions, Resident Mentorship Program, Class Representative System, and social events). They were also asked questions about psychological well-being, burnout, grit, and sleep and exercise habits before and after implementation of the program. Results The most valued components of the program were the refrigerator (mean = 4.61) and the psychological counseling sessions (mean = 3.58), followed by social events (mean = 3.48), the Resident Mentorship Program (mean = 2.79), the Class Representative System (mean = 2.62), and the After Hours Guide (mean = 2.10). When residents were asked how they would allocate $100 among the different programs, the majority was allocated to the refrigerator ($54.31), social events ($26.43), and counseling sessions ($24.06). There was no change in psychological well-being or burnout after the program. Residents had higher levels of grit (β = 0.26, p Conclusions This study demonstrated that a multifaceted program to improve the well-being of trainees is feasible, highly valued, and positively perceived by the residents. Further research is needed to quantify the effectiveness and longitudinal impact such a program has on resident depression, burnout, and other psychological factors.
High sensitivity MR acoustic radiation force imaging using transition band balanced steady-state free precession.

Purpose MR acoustic radiation force imaging (MR-ARFI) provides a method to visualize the focal spot of a focused ultrasound (FUS) beam without introducing a significant temperature rise. With conventional spoiled MR-ARFI pulse sequences, the ARFI phase always equals the motion-encoded phase. In this work, MR-ARFI using transition band balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP) is presented, which improves the sensitivity of MR-ARFI with high acquisition speed. Theory and methods Motion-encoding gradients (MEG) are inserted into bSSFP sequences for MR-ARFI. By applying an ultrasound pulse during the MEG, motion-encoded phase is generated, which leads to an amplified change in the image phase when operating in the bSSFP transition band. MR-ARFI was performed on a homemade gel phantom using both the proposed technique and a spoiled gradient echo ARFI sequence with identical MEG and FUS, and ARFI images were compared. Results The bSSFP-ARFI sequence generated an ARFI image phase that is more than 5 times larger than the motion-encoded phase in a few seconds with 2DFT readout. By keeping FUS pulses as short as 1.45 ms, temperature rise was insignificant during the measurement. Conclusion bSSFP-ARFI has enhanced sensitivity compared with conventional MR-ARFI pulse sequences and could provide an efficient way to visualize the focal spot. Magn Reson Med 79:1532-1537, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
Human Brain Imaging in HIV and NeuroAIDS

The introduction of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) has significantly decreased the severity of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND) and increased the life expectancy of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive population. Nevertheless, patients still show persistent neurocognitive disorders due to associated structural and functional brain changes. The purpose of this chapter is to highlight the significance of brain neuroimaging techniques and biomarkers in understanding the pathophysiology related to HIV infection and HAND. These imaging modalities include volumetric (MRI), magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), positron emission tomography (PET), single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), arterial spin labeling (ASL), and perfusion MRI. The authors predict that with neuroimaging advances at the molecular level, it will soon be the noninvasive gold standard in brain pathology diagnosis.
PREVALENCE AND INTENSITY OF THE SINUS ROUNDWORM (SKRJABINGYLUS CHITWOODORUM) IN RABIES-NEGATIVE SKUNKS OF TEXAS, USA

ABSTRACT: Estimates of the distribution and prevalence of the sinus roundworm (Skrjabingylus chitwoodorum) have been based largely on the inspection of skunk (Mephitidae) skulls showing damage from infections. We examined 595 striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) and nine hog-nosed skunks (Conepatus leuconotus) that had tested negative for rabies by the Texas Department of State Health Services (US) between November 2010 and April 2015 to determine species of Skrjabingylus, prevalence and intensity of infection, and distribution of infection in Texas by county. We expected ecoregions with more precipitation to have higher rates of infection than more-arid ecoregions. Prevalence of S. chitwoodorum in striped skunks was 48.7%, with a mean intensity of 19.4 (SD=24.44, range=1–181) nematodes. There was a bias for the left sinus. The prevalence of infection varied among ecoregions of Texas, but it was not correlated with precipitation. Infection intensity did not vary among ecoregions. The prevalence of sinus ro...
Ischemic Cardiomyopathy: An Oxymoron?

I was on rounds recently as the Attending Physician on the Cardiology Service when I was confronted with one of the concepts in medicine to which I most object. The medical resident nonchalantly an...
Orbeli's experimental work on color discrimination in dogs.

In the 1900’s, L. A. Orbeli, on I. P. Pavlov’s request, attempted to establish color discrimination in dogs. Previous experiments used the motor discrimination method and gave inconsistent results. In contrast, Orbeli used the salivary conditional reflex method, which he considered to be more precise than the method that relied on erratic movements of a dog. After experimentation that lasted about one and a half years, Orbeli failed to establish color discrimination. When subsequent experiments by Russians and Germans yielded positive results with the motor discrimination method, Orbeli switched to this method and also obtained positive results. These findings were confirmed by most subsequent experiments on color discrimination in dogs. The utility of Pavlovian conditioning in sensory experimentation was not universally justified and its importance was greater in the study of learning.
Genetics in Lymphomagenesis

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies have played an essential role in defining the somatic genomic landscape of lymphomas, with most characterized by a considerable heterogeneity and the lack of a pathognomonic genomic event. From the host perspective, there is strong evidence for familial aggregation across lymphoma subtypes, and this does not appear to be confounded by nongenetic factors, supporting a shared genetic etiology across subtypes. However, a family history of a specific lymphoma subtype is also generally most strongly associated with risk for that specific lymphoma, supporting etiologic heterogeneity. While no major genes have been identified for lymphomas, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified over 60 common (minor allele frequency > 5%) risk loci, nearly all are associated with specific subtypes. Host genetics has long been hypothesized to influence treatment response, toxicity, and prognosis, but current studies are limited. Ongoing challenges in the “post-genomic” era relate to the functional validation of the large number of mutated genes in the tumor and GWAS loci in the germline, in order to dissect their role in lymphomagenesis. While the use of somatic and host genomics for precision diagnosis, treatment, and prevention remains very promising, additional discovery and translational research will be needed before widespread adoption in the clinic.
The broad socioeconomic benefits of vaccination

Evaluating vaccination programs according to their broad socioeconomic benefits, beyond their health benefits, will help to address the twin problems of vaccine underutilization and weak incentives for vaccine innovation.
Honey Bee Survival and Pathogen Prevalence: From the Perspective of Landscape and Exposure to Pesticides

In order to study the in situ effects of the agricultural landscape and exposure to pesticides on honey bee health, sixteen honey bee colonies were placed in four different agricultural landscapes. Those landscapes were three agricultural areas with varying levels of agricultural intensity (AG areas) and one non-agricultural area (NAG area). Colonies were monitored for different pathogen prevalence and pesticide residues over a period of one year. RT-qPCR was used to study the prevalence of seven different honey bee viruses as well as Nosema sp. in colonies located in different agricultural systems with various intensities of soybean, corn, sorghum, and cotton production. Populations of the parasitic mite Varroa destructor were also extensively monitored. Comprehensive MS-LC pesticide residue analyses were performed on samples of wax, honey, foragers, winter bees, dead bees, and crop flowers for each apiary and location. A significantly higher level of varroa loads were recorded in colonies of the AG areas, but this at least partly correlated with increased colony size and did not necessarily result from exposure to pesticides. Infections of two viruses (deformed wing virus genotype a (DWVa) and acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV)) and Nosema sp. varied among the four studied locations. The urban location significantly elevated colony pathogen loads, while AG locations significantly benefited and increased the colony weight gain. Cotton and sorghum flowers contained high concentrations of insecticide including neonicotinoids, while soybean and corn had less pesticide residues. Several events of pesticide toxicity were recorded in the AG areas, and high concentrations of neonicotinoid insecticides were detected in dead bees.
Tariffs as Second Best Instruments to Internalise Spill-over Externalities

In his seminal paper, Markusen [1975] shows that PPM spill-over externalities add a further motive for a large country to levy a tariff if it imports the good whose PPM generates the spill-over pollution.1
Manufacturing silicon immersion gratings on 150-mm material

Silicon immersion gratings will allow the Giant Magellan Telescope Near-IR Spectrograph (GMTNIRS) to achieve continuous coverage over the entire J, H, K, L and M photometric bands with resolution R~65,000 at J, H and K and R~80,000 at L and M. Gratings for J, H and K will be blazed at R3, while the L and M gratings will be blazed at R4 to achieve the desired resolution. The higher blaze angle of the L and M gratings requires that we use 150mm diameter substrates rather than the 100mm substrates that our standard process was built for. In order to accommodate the larger substrates we have constructed a custom UV exposure system for contact printing of grating lines, and constructed fixtures for coating and etching of the larger substrates. These updates to our process have resulted in the successful production of a grating for the GMTNIRS M-band.
The Seventeenth Century

The transition from the sixteenth to the seventeenth century was marked by the existence of another paradox. While professional international law writers were laying down rules limiting the international conduct of states, political theorists like Bodin (1530–1596) had begun to formulate the principles of unlimited nationalism. This phenomenon paved the way for power politics on the international level.
Memristive devices: Switching effects, modeling, and applications

The rapid, exponential growth of modern electronics has brought about profound changes to our daily lives. However, maintaining the growth trend now faces significant challenges at both the fundamental and practical levels [1]. Possible solutions include More Moore—developing new, alternative device structures, and materials while maintaining the same basic computer architecture, and More Than Moore—enabling alternative computing architectures and hybrid integration to achieve increased system functionality without trying to push the devices beyond limits. In particular, an increasing number of computing tasks today are related to handling large amounts of data, e.g. image processing as an example. Conventional von Neumann digital computers, with separate memory and processer units, become less and less efficient when large amount of data have to be moved around and processed quickly. Alternative approaches such as bio-inspired neuromorphic circuits, with distributed computing and localized storage in networks, become attractive options [2–6].