cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Impact of Organizational-level Factors on Cancer Screening Activities in Fire Departments: A Cross-sectional Study from the Sylvester Firefighter Cancer Initiative

Despite known individual-level facilitators of cancer screening, the impact of work-related organizational-level characteristics on cancer screening is unknown particularly in the firefighter workforce who is experiencing a disproportionate burden of cancer. We examine the association between fire service organizational-level factors and implementation of cancer screening activities within Florida fire departments. We used a cross-sectional observational study design to survey fire department leaders attending the Florida Fire Chiefs' Association Health and Safety conference about cancer screening activities implemented by their fire departments. Measures assessing organizational-level characteristics include: fire department workforce size, total health and safety officers, fire department geographic location, employment type, leadership support and capacity. Among the 126 fire departments participating (response rate = 47.7%), approximately 44% reported some type of cancer screening activity in the 12 months prior to survey administration. The proportion of fire departments with two or more health and safety officers was significantly greater among those with cancer screening activities as compared with departments without cancer screening activities (46.3% vs. 24.2%; P = 0.016). There were no statistical differences noted for cancer screening activities among all other organizational-level characteristics including workforce size, fire department geographic location, employment type, leadership support, and individual capacity measures. Most organizational-level characteristics of a fire department evaluated in this study were not associated with cancer screening activities; however, having two or more dedicated health and safety officers supports the delivery of cancer screening activities. These officers may be a key to improving availability of cancer screening activities at work.
Correlating the optical property evolution in the Au-Ni binary thin films: From metastable solid solution to phase separated alloy

Abstract In this study, the optical properties of Au1-xNix alloy thin films are investigated by employing a combinatorial sputtering approach. The dielectric function is measured using spectroscopic ellipsometry and is correlated to the composition, determined by energy dispersive spectroscopy, and phases present, determined via x-ray diffraction. As-deposited alloys form a metastable solid solution, however, annealed alloys exhibited phase separation into Au-rich and Ni-rich phases due to the large miscibility gap in the Au-Ni material system. The optical properties are then rationalized by modeling the dielectric function of the solid solution alloys with a Drude-Critical Point analytical model. Lastly, the efficacy of the model is demonstrated which shows that the dielectric function of the phase separated alloys can be approximated using a composition-weighted average of two solid solution dielectric functions.
Interactions between familial risk profiles and preschoolers' emotionality in predicting executive function

Abstract We identified familial risk profiles and examined interactions between these profiles and child emotionality in predicting child executive function (EF). Among 126 mother-child dyads (child mean age = 3.23 years), four profiles were found based on maternal education, family income-to-needs ratio, and maternal depressive symptoms, anxiety, and parenting stress: Higher SES-Lower Mental Health Risk, Lower SES-Lower Mental Health Risk, Lower SES-Average Mental Health Risk, and Lower SES-Higher Mental Health Risk profiles. We found that high child positive emotionality at age 3 predicted high inhibitory control and low attention flexibility a year later exclusively in the Lower SES-Higher Mental Health Risk profile. Overall, children in the Higher SES-Lower Mental Health Risk profile showed better inhibitory control and attention flexibility than those in the Lower SES-Higher Mental Health Risk. This study extends our understanding of how different constellations of familial risks interact with child emotionality to contribute to child EF development.
Quantifying the Attentional Impact of Working Memory Matching Targets and Distractors.

Various theoretical proposals have been put forward to explain how memory representations control attention during visual search. In this study, we use the first saccade on each trial as a way to q...
A Simple Method to Predict and Interpret the Formation of Azeotropes in Binary Systems Using Conventional Solvation Free Energy Calculations

Simple expressions are presented to determine if a binary system will exhibit a minimum or maximum boiling azeotrope using conventional free energy calculations using molecular simulation or electr...
Implementation and assessment of resolution-dependent elastic incoherent neutron scattering measurements at a backscattering spectrometer for probing relaxations in complex systems

Abstract We introduce the use of a higher-order reflection, Si(333), of the silicon analyzer crystals at a backscattering spectrometer to implement analysis of the relaxation dynamics in the samples. This is achieved by monitoring the temperature dependence of the neutron scattering intensity perceived as elastic when measured using Si(111), Si(311), and Si(333) reflections. As a test case, we use a sample with well-characterized, but complex, relaxation pattern, where the non-Lorentzian relaxation function is known to exhibit a set of parameters specific to each temperature point and scattering momentum transfer (Q) value. Even for this very general relaxation pattern, characterized by no constrains on the relaxation function parameters, we successfully map the relaxation times measured using the present approach onto those previously obtained from the full analysis of the quasielastic neutron scattering signal. Analysis of the Q-specific activation energies becomes possible for the Q values accessible simultaneously through Si(111), Si(311), and Si(333) reflections (in the present case, 0.9 A −1
Complicacy-Guided Parameter Space Sampling for Knowledge Discovery with Limited Simulation Budgets

Knowledge discovery and decision making through data-and model-driven computer simulation ensembles are increasingly critical in many application domains. However, these simulation ensembles are expensive to obtain. Consequently, given a relatively small simulation budget, one needs to identify a sparse ensemble that includes the most informative simulations to help the effective exploration of the space of input parameters. In this paper, we propose a complicacy-guided parameter space sampling (CPSS) for knowledge discovery with limited simulation budgets, which relies on a novel complicacy-driven guidance mechanism to rank candidate models and a novel rank-stability based parameter space partitioning strategy to identify simulation instances to execute. The advantage of the proposed approach is that, unlike purely fit-based approaches, it avoids extensive simulations in difficult-to-fit regions of the parameter space, if the region can be explained with a much simpler model, requiring fewer simulation samples, even if with a slightly lower fit.
Synchrotron X-ray Observations of a Monolayer Template for Mineralization

Mineral nucleation at a Langmuir film interface has been studied by synchrotron x-ray scattering. Diluted calcium bicarbonate solutions were used as subphases for arachidic and stearic acid monolayers, compressed in a Langmuir trough. Self-assembly of the monolayer template is observed directly, and subsequent crystal growth monitoredin-situ.
A Study of Modeling Techniques for Prediction of Wine Quality

The evaluation of wine quality is multifactorial and involves scoring characteristics that relate to a wine’s appearance, aroma and taste. These scores are, at least in part, subjective to individual expertise, experience and interpretation. Given this constraint, it is not surprising that the development of an objective, scientifically-based system for quantitatively scoring wine has remained elusive. In this work, multiple classification-based systems for predicting wine quality based on a set of measured physicochemical properties in the final product are evaluated. Several data pre-processing techniques are employed including, z-score normalization, outlier reduction, and principal component analysis (PCA). The resulting transformed data is then applied to various machine learning models (i.e., Multilayer Neural Networks (MNN), Random Forest (RF), basic Decision Tree (DT) and Support Vector Machines (SVM)). Standard metrics (i.e., confusion matrix, classification accuracies, precision, recall, F1-score), are compared for each model. A comparison of the results obtained in this study to contemporary works using similar metrics shows that two of the classifiers used in the current study (i.e., MNN with Adam optimizer and Random Forest) performed with higher classification accuracies and precision (70%/73 and 72%/73, respectively).
Predicting the Energetics of Hydrogen Intercalation in Metal Oxides Using Acid-Base Properties.

The ability to predict intercalation energetics from first principles is attractive for identifying candidate materials for energy storage, chemical sensing, and catalysis. In this work, we introdu...
On boosting the power of Chatterjee's rank correlation

Chatterjee (2021)'s ingenious approach to estimating a measure of dependence first proposed by Dette et al. (2013) based on simple rank statistics has quickly caught attention. This measure of dependence has the unusual property of being between 0 and 1, and being 0 or 1 if and only if the corresponding pair of random variables is independent or one is a measurable function of the other almost surely. However, more recent studies (Cao and Bickel, 2020; Shi et al., 2021b) showed that independence tests based on Chatterjee's rank correlation are unfortunately rate-inefficient against various local alternatives and they call for variants. We answer this call by proposing revised Chatterjee's rank correlations that still consistently estimate the same dependence measure but provably achieve near-parametric efficiency in testing against Gaussian rotation alternatives. This is possible via incorporating many right nearest neighbors in constructing the correlation coefficients. We thus overcome the "only one disadvantage" of Chatterjee's rank correlation (Chatterjee, 2021, Section 7).
Population-Based Incidence and Time to Classification of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus by Three Different Classification Criteria.

OBJECTIVE To estimate the incidence and time-to-classification of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) by the 1997 American College of Rheumatology (ACR97) criteria, the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) criteria, and the European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology/American College of Rheumatology (EULAR/ACR) criteria. METHODS We identified all incident SLE cases from 2000-2018 in the well-defined Olmsted County population. Clinical data included in the ACR97, SLICC and EULAR/ACR criteria were manually abstracted from medical records. All incident cases met at least one of the 3 classification criteria. Time-to-classification was estimated from the first documented lupus-attributable disease manifestation to the time of criteria fulfillment by each of the three definitions. Annual incidence rates were age or age/sex adjusted to the 2000 US population. RESULTS Of 139 incident cases there were 126 cases by the EULAR/ACR criteria, corresponding to an age/sex-adjusted incidence of 4.5 per 100 000 population (95% CI, 3.7-5.2). The age/sex-incidence was higher than that of the SLICC criteria (113 cases; 4.0 per 100 000 [95%CI, 3.3 - 4.7], p= 0.020) and the ACR97 (92 cases; 3.3 per 100 000 [95%CI 2.6-3.9], p< 0.001).The median time from first disease manifestation to criteria fulfillment was shorter for the EULAR/ACR criteria (29.4 months) than the ACR97 criteria (47.0 months, p< 0.001) and similar to the SLICC criteria (30.6 months, p= 0.83). CONCLUSION The incidence of SLE was higher by the EULAR/ACR criteria compared with the ACR97 and the SLICC criteria, and the EULAR/ACR criteria classified patients earlier that the ACR97 criteria but similar to the SLICC criteria.
The Clean Single-Crystal-Surface Approach to Surface Reactions

Publisher Summary Surface reactions may be greatly influenced by surface contaminants, and an understanding of the fundamental mechanisms demands that observations be made with surfaces free of contamination. Experiments should be performed on atomically clean single-crystal surfaces of known surface structure and defect density. These requirements place a severe limitation on the experimental techniques that may be used to furnish the desired information, although no single technique can furnish all of the information needed. This chapter focuses on the low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) and work-function method. This method is suited for the investigation of the structure of surface monolayers of one or more components and the detection of a small fraction of a monolayer of contamination. This applicability is because of the extremely low penetrating power of electrons having energies of a few to a few hundred electron volts and also to the fact that the magnitude of the associated wavelengths is suitable for diffraction from the lattice grating of crystalline solids.
Analysis of access control policies in networked embedded systems: A case study

The increasing adoption of networked embedded devices in the industrial scenario demands for new techniques and computer-aided tools that could help in designing, deploying and maintaining large and complex systems. This is true, in particular, when access control is considered, since the hardware and software characteristics of many industrial embedded devices prevent the introduction of policies enforcement mechanisms at a global system level. This paper deals with our experience in analyzing the correct implementation of access policies in a medium-sized real-world system. Our approach is based on an innovative type of model and software analyzer, which is able to compare two different views of the target system, described at different abstraction levels.
The effect of excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy for myopia on nerve fiber layer thickness measurements as determined by scanning laser polarimetry.

Abstract Objective Scanning laser polarimetry measures the retardation of polarized laser light as it passes through the birefringent retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL). Because retardation is directly proportional to the number of retinal nerve fibers, indirect measurements of the RNFL thickness are obtained. A fixed compensatory mechanism is used to correct for retardation attributed to birefringence in the cornea and anterior segment. Excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) corrects myopia by ablating tissue from the cornea. This study was conducted to determine the effect of this ablation on RNFL measurements. Design Prospective comparative case series. Participants Eighteen patients. Methods Patients undergoing PRK had RNFL measurements performed with the GDx Nerve Fiber Analyzer (Laser Diagnostic Technologies, San Diego, CA), a scanning laser polarimeter, in both eyes before and 90 days after PRK in the first eye. Main outcome measures Fourteen different GDx parameters were analyzed for statistically significant differences preoperatively and 3 months postoperatively in the treated and untreated eye using Hotelling's T-squared generalized means test. Results Eighteen patients underwent PRK in the nondominant eye first. Preoperative refractions averaged −3.8 ± 1.6 diopters (D), with an average correction of 3.4 ± 1.9 D, corresponding to 49.7 ± 20.5 microns of ablation. There were no statistically significant preoperative differences between the fellow eyes in refractive error ( P = 0.65). Postoperatively, there were no statistically significant changes in any GDx parameter in the treated eye compared with the untreated control eye ( P = 0.21). Conclusions Excimer laser PRK for moderate myopia has no significant effect on RNFL thickness measurements as determined by scanning laser polarimetry.
An Empire of Rivers: The Scheme to Flood the Kalahari, 1919–1945

In 1919, a geology professor named Ernest Schwarz argued that the diversion of the Chobe and Kunene Rivers into the Kalahari was necessary to avoid catastrophic desertification, which threatened to force South African whites from the land. Despite being deemed impractical by government scientists, his proposed ‘Kalahari Redemption Scheme’ was supported by a broad spectrum of white farmers, academics, parliamentarians, and even industrialists into the 1940s. The professor's contentions about meteorology, climate change, and geological history were subject to heated debate. But what was never at issue was the notion that white South Africans had the right to divert rivers and flood land that they did not formally possess, for the benefit of white South Africa itself. The discussions around Schwarz's scheme challenge the conventional notion that there was little popular support within South Africa for South African expansion. This paper explores the origins of popular support for ‘Greater South Africa’, cont...
Changing the practice of pain management: An examination of the theoretical basis of change

Despite recently increased focus on the importance of pain management and numerous reviews and guidelines highlighting appropriate management techniques, effecting change in day-to-day pain management practice has been difficult. We review theories potentially related to change in practice within the context of educational programs designed to improve pain management. The theories relate to the learning process, the concepts of self-efficacy and self-protection, the role of intention and persuasion, and the impact of attitude on the process of change. The importance of applying a theoretical approach to the problem of practice change is discussed, and some practical barriers to change are identified in relation to the theories mentioned.
Flashback Propensity of Turbulent Hydrogen–Air Jet Flames at Gas Turbine Premixer Conditions

The flashback propensity of a premixed jet flame has been studied experimentally. Boundary layer flashback has been investigated under turbulent flow conditions at elevated pressures and temperatures (i.e., 3–8 atm and 300–500 K). The data presented in this study are for hydrogen fuel at various Reynolds numbers, which are representative of practical gas turbine premixer conditions, and are significantly higher than results currently available in the literature. Three burner heads constructed of different materials (stainless steel, copper, and zirconia ceramic) were used to evaluate the effect of tip temperature, a parameter found previously to be an important factor in triggering flashback. This study characterizes flashback systematically by developing a comprehensive nondimensional model which takes into account all effective parameters in boundary layer flashback propensity. The model was optimized for new data and captures the behavior of the new results well. Further, comparison of the model with the single existing study of high-pressure jet flame flashback also indicates good agreement. For a given equivalence ratio, the critical velocity gradient and bulk velocity at flashback vary exponentially with pressure. The pressure exponent of the critical velocity gradient was found to be close to 1.1 at fuel-lean conditions and becomes higher as equivalence ratio is increased. The developed dimensionless correlation is Da=Const·Le1.68·Pef1.91·(Tu/T0)2.57·(Ttip/To)−0.49·(Pu/P0)−2.1, which can be used to predict the boundary layer flashback propensity for given parameters.
Perceptions of assertion: An empirical analysis

The present investigation compared perceptions of assertive communication with reactions to other styles of communication. In the first of two experiments, assertion was rated as more appropriate and efficacious than either nonassertion or aggression. Assertion was viewed as more polite, less neurotic, less hostile, and more satisfying to the recipient than aggression. Assertion was viewed, relative to nonassertion, as less polite, more hostile, and less satisfying to the recipient. In the second experiment, 96 subjects rated the three communication styles employed in the first experiment, using the same dependent measures, plus a fourth style, assertion plus “extra consideration”. Results of the second experiment replicated the findings of the first study. The assertation plus extra consideration condition was perceived as comparable in effectiveness and appropriateness to assertion while being rated as kinder, less hostile, and more satisfying to recipients.
Transverse dispersion at high Peclet numbers in short porous media

Transverse dispersion is examined in short ceramic foams for a variety of pore sizes and flow rates. Experiments were performed with a localized smoke source as a tracer and a coflow of air. Digital images were taken of the resulting dispersion patterns, and an approximate transverse dispersion coefficient was determined. A precise dispersion coefficient cannot be defined at these high Peclet numbers (106–108) because the dispersion becomes non-Fickian. Nevertheless, the approximate coefficients are shown to be consistent with the values obtained by other researchers for lower Peclet numbers and longer porous media.
Doping profile measurements on silicon epitaxial layers with field controlled planar diodes

A new method was developed for doping profile determination of Si epitaxial layers based on the physical properties of a MOS structure. Thin planar diodes were formed on the epitaxial layers and its capacitance vs. field-electrode voltage curves were measured at fixed reverse bias values, C(Vg)/Vg. A step in the C(Vg) curve is obtained at a specific Vg0 threshold voltage inducing an inversion layer on the surface. From the function Vg0C) the dopant surface concentration of the depletion region, q∫0x N(x) dx is then determined which gives after differentiation the doping profile N(x). The evaluation of measurement results is simple and can easily be automated.
Tunable electrical conductivity of individual graphene oxide sheets reduced at "low" temperatures.

Step-by-step controllable thermal reduction of individual graphene oxide sheets, incorporated into multiterminal field effect devices, was carried out at low temperatures (125−240 °C) with simultaneous electrical measurements. Symmetric hysteresis-free ambipolar (electron- and hole-type) gate dependences were observed as soon as the first measurable resistance was reached. The conductivity of each of the fabricated devices depended on the level of reduction (was increased more than 106 times as reduction progressed), strength of the external electrical field, density of the transport current, and temperature.
Optical waveguides with an aqueous core and a low-index nanoporous cladding.

We report measurements on planar optical waveguides having an aqueous core and a low-index nanoporous dielectric cladding. Spin-on deposition of the nanoporous dielectric results in a thin (~0.8 µm) low-index cladding layer on a higher-index fused silica substrate, which produces leaky waveguide modes; however, for the aqueous layer thickness needed in most microfluidic applications, a large number of low-loss modes exist. We demonstrate that such a waveguide can be used for efficient collection and transport of fluorescence generated within the aqueous core and show that the use of these nanoporous materials offers advantages over the principal alternative, Teflon® AF.
Reduction of subsynchronous vibrations in a single-disk rotor using an active magnetic damper

Abstract Rotor instabilities in turbomachinery often manifest themselves as a re-excitation of the first rotor critical speed resulting in lateral rotor vibrations at a frequency below the rotor operating frequency. Considerable work exists in the literature involving the analysis of destabilizing mechanisms and passive solutions for reducing subsynchronous vibrations. The authors propose here a novel active control solution utilizing active magnetic bearing (AMB) technology in conjunction with conventional support bearings. The AMB is utilized as an active magnetic damper (AMD) at rotor locations inboard of conventional support bearings. Presented here are initial proof-of-concept experimental results using an AMD for vibration control of subsynchronous rotor vibrations in a high-speed single-disk laboratory rotor. The study shows that subsynchronous vibrations are reducible with an AMD and up to a 93% reduction in the amplitude of subsynchronous vibrations is demonstrated. The study also shows that the AMD can significantly increase synchronous vibration response (up to 218% in one case) by increasing system stiffness and pushing a critical speed closer to an operating speed. The overall results from this work demonstrate that reduction in subsynchronous response is feasible and that full rotor dynamic analysis and design is critical for the successful application of this approach.
Efficient Identification of Input Dynamics for Correlation Function-Based Subspace Identification

Abstract The methods of subspace system identification are extended to correlation function estimates, explicitly addressing the increase in computational difficulty of identifying input-to-state dynamics when correlation function estimates are used in place of input-output data for multivariable identification problems. It is shown that the regressor used to solve a common least-squares problem when identifying input-to-state dynamics is the state sequence of a dual system of dynamics that have already been estimated. A new method of computing the regressor is presented that dramatically improves the computational efficiency of estimating the input-to-state dynamics when signals of high dimension are used. A simulation example demonstrates the effectiveness of the method for both input-output data and correlation function estimates.
The functional significance of crescent‐shaped pupils and multiple pupillary apertures

We have examined the optical properties of the crescent-shaped pupils which are found in a variety of vertebrates including skates and rays. We found that this pupil shape preserves a small depth of field while limiting light flux to the retina. This pupil shape will also decrease the effects of lenticular spherical aberration, provide a larger visual field, provide a higher theoretical resolution limit, enhance contrast at high spatial frequencies, and provide information on the sign and degree of visual defocus relative to a reflective object. With a crescent-shaped pupil, reflected points of light (such as from a fish) will be imaged as ∪'s if the eye is focused in front of the object, as points if the eye is focused on the object and as ∩'s if the eye is focused behind the object. As the degree of ametropia increases relative to the object plane, the size of the ∪ or ∩ increases. We have previously demonstrated that the multiple pupillary apertures which are characteristic of gekkos, a group of primarily nocturnal lizards, limit retinal illumination while maintaining a shallow depth of field (Murphy and Howland '86). With such a pupillary design, an object in the environment will form a single image on the retina only if it lies within the animal's plane of focus. Objects lying either in front of or behind the focal plane will form multiple images on the animal's retina. We propose that this principle is true for all species with multiple pupillary apertures, including some species of sharks, skates, and rays, some cetaceans, llamas, horses, and many artiodactyls. Additionally, similar to crescent-shaped pupils, this pupil shape provides a larger visual field than a circular pupil of identical surface area and may diminish the effects of lenticular spherical aberration.
When Social Class Meets Ethnicity: College-Going Experiences of Chinese and Korean Immigrant Students

Successful educational outcomes among Asian American college students often obscure the challenges and nuanced educational experiences of Asian immigrant ethnic groups. Therefore, the aim of this study was to better understand the college‑going experiences of Chinese and Korean immigrant students by examining the relationship between these students’ college decisions and their parents’ expectations and involvement. Results indicate that parental expectations and involvement are deeply related to college enrollment decisions and extend influence well into the academic careers of these students after entry into college. The study reveals both differences and commonalities in parental involvement across ethnicity and social class.
THE INFLUENCE OF RACE AND GENDER ON STUDENT SELF-REPORTS OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT BY COLLEGE PROFESSORS:

A survey of 525 undergraduates found that 40 percent of the women and 28.7 percent of the men had been sexually harassed by a college professor or instructor. Most incidents were gender harassment. While women reported significantly more gender harassment than did men, there were no gender differences in the frequency of unwanted sexual attention or sexual coercion. At least one incident of sexual harassment by a professor was experienced by 30 percent of the Blacks, 30 percent of the Hispanics, 33 percent of the Asians, 30 percent of the students of other minority groups, and 39 percent of the whites. Again, most of the experiences were gender harassment. Among those respondents who had experienced at least one incident of sexual harassment, almost all answered “never” to the question “Have you ever been sexually harassed by a college professor or instructor?” We conclude with some suggestions, particularly the need to improve measurement of the harassment experiences of men and of nonwhite women.
The Velocities of Electrons in Hydrocarbon Bonds

Fast electrons when scattered inelastically by gas molecules furnish information as to the distribution of component velocities (and therefore as to the distribution of resultant velocities) among the electrons in the molecules. An experimental determination of the distribution of energies among the electrons scattered inelastically from a beam of 8000-volt electrons by acetylene, ethylene, ethane, and methane has been made. The results give information as to the velocities of the bonding electrons, but not the $K$ electrons of the carbon atoms. It is found that the distribution curves are substantially the same for acetylene and ethylene. The same statement applies also to ethane and methane. The curves for the distribution of component velocities for the first two gases lie above the corresponding curves for the last two gases. A convenient parameter to summarize the results is the value of the component velocity at "half maximum," which is closely analogous to the half width of a spectrum line. The values of the component electron velocities at half maximum for ${\mathrm{C}}_{2}$${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$, ${\mathrm{C}}_{2}$${\mathrm{H}}_{4}$, ${\mathrm{C}}_{2}$${\mathrm{H}}_{6}$, and C${\mathrm{H}}_{4}$ are, respectively, 29.7, 29.7, 26.7 and 26.7, multiplied by ${10}^{7}$, cm/sec. A short discussion is given of the bearing of these results on the various types of bonds in the molecules investigated.
Laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair: lessons learned after 1224 consecutive cases.

Despite numerous attempts to improve the techniques used for hernia repair, current published series show that recurrence rates are as high as 5–20%. The complexity of inguinal anatomy, combined with multiple potential areas of weakness, has contributed to the difficulty in preventing recurrences. However, the laparoscopic approach to inguinal herniorrhaphy has allowed clear visualization of all preperitoneal fascial planes and anatomic landmarks, as well as the hernia defect(s) and the peritoneal reflection. In the course of our performance of a series of 1,224 laparoscopic inguinal hernia repairs, we have developed a total extraperitoneal approach that yields excellent results with a low initial recurrence rate. Herein we describe our experience. After our initial 300 transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) hernia repairs, which resulted in six recurrences, two bowel injuries, one bladder injury, and six cutaneous nerve injuries, the total extraperitoneal approach (TEP) was adopted. The first 300 TEP repairs resulted in one recurrence, two bowel injuries, one bladder injury, and two cutaneous nerve injuries. All major complications occurred in patients who had had previous lower abdominal surgery. In the last 624 TEP herniorrhaphies we implemented some modifications to the technique, especially for patients with previous lower abdominal surgery. In this group we recorded one bladder injury, no cutaneous nerve injuries, and one recurrence. The total extraperitoneal approach for laparoscopic herniorrhaphy allows for a safe and effective repair with low rates of complication and recurrence. A thorough knowledge of the anatomy of the extraperitoneal space and especially the two- and three-dimensional inguinal anatomy of this space contributed greatly to the evolution of our technique.
5.8-GHz noncontact vital sign detection radar with respiration harmonics cancellation

Microwave Doppler radar is capable of detecting human heartbeat and respiration or mechanical vibrations from a distance away. This noncontact detection method has many potential applications in healthcare, veterinary medicine, biology, industrial manufacturing, etc. Through understanding of its detection mechanism and advances in hardware and software, the once bulky Doppler radar systems can be miniaturized while achieving the same or even better performance. In this paper, a 5.8-GHz noncontact Doppler radar vital sign detection system is presented. The radio frequency signal is sent and modulated by the respiratory and heartbeat displacement when it hits the subject. A 2×2 patch antenna is custom designed to meet the requirement of the system. The phase-modulated signal is captured by the Doppler radar and then amplified by the gain stages at the receiver. An I/Q mixer is employed to down-convert the signal and to avoid the null point issue of the demodulated signal. The baseband signal is then sent wirelessly through Zigbee interface to the computer for further processing. Both time-domain and frequency-domain analysis are employed to extract the heart rate (HR) and respiration rate (RR). The Complex Signal Demodulation (CSD) is performed before the frequency spectrum analysis. HR and RR are measured by searching the highest peak within the typical HR and RR range in the frequency spectrum. Because respiratory displacement is very obvious, counting the number of respiration peaks within a certain time is utilized as a reference to RR measurement. For HR measurements, since the higher order harmonics of RR, generated by the demodulation method and the displacements, might appear near HR peak in the spectrum and cause error in HR measurement, a respiration harmonics cancellation method is implemented to increase the accuracy of the HR measurement. A finger-tip piezoelectric heart rate monitor is used as the reference. After signal processing, HR measurements can get an accuracy of over 90%.
Treatment of conduct problem children: BA and/or PhD therapists

A treatment program successfully implemented by clinical psychologists ( Kent & O'Leary, Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1976 , 44) was evaluated when that model was implemented by a BA-PhD team versus PhDs alone. Children with conduct disorders were treated during a 20-hr consultation program designed to produce change in classroom behaviors. Evaluation employing classroom observations and teacher ratings indicated that treated children improved more than nontreated children, although the treatment effects were not different whether the treatment was implemented by the BA-PhD team or by the PhDs alone. Surprisingly, the team approach was most preferred by the teachers. All children evidenced some improvement at 9-month follow-up, but there was no significant difference attributable to treatment.
Glycobiology and the growth plate: current concepts in multiple hereditary exostoses.

Abstract Background— Multiple Hereditary Exostoses, also termed Multiple Osteochondromas, is aheritable disorder of connective tissue with primarily orthopaedic clinical manifestations.Understanding of its biological underpinnings has been advanced on a variety of fronts in recentyears. Methods— The multi-faceted literature regarding osteochondromagenesis as well as the majorclinical challenges in patients with multiple osteochondromas were reviewed. Results— Consideration of recent advances in molecular biology, biochemistry, and animalmodeling of osteochondroma pathogenesis yields a unified model. Conclusions— Mechanistic details and therapeutic targets have yet to be elucidated, but thegeneral biology of osteochondroma formation is increasingly clear, as well as its implications inthe orthopaedic clinical setting. Introduction Multiple hereditary exostoses (MHE), also called multiple osteochondromas (MO), andpreviously called diaphyseal aclasis, is a condition with an autosomal dominant inheritancepattern. This disease remains, at this point, primarily an orthopaedic disease, in terms of itsclinical importance, but its biology spans many fields of science. It is characterized bymultiple cartilage-capped boney protuberances, called osteochondromas, or exostoses,projecting from the metaphyses of long bones[1]. Patients also variably exhibit slightlyshortened stature, with limbs disproportionately short compared to the spine. The boneygrowths and bone-length growth disturbances present a variety of orthopaedic challenges.One further clinical challenge presented by this disease is malignant degeneration of anosteochondroma into a secondary chondrosarcoma. Although malignant degeneration is veryrare, even among patients with many osteochondromas all over the skeleton,osteochondromas still represent one of extremely few pre-malignant lesions related tosarcomagenesis.Since the first case of MHE/MO was reported in 1814, nearly one thousand scientificarticles have been published related to it. In the last year, the publication of a few criticalarticles and additional information synergized at the Third International MHE ResearchConference make now an ideal time to update the orthopaedic physicians primarily serving
Neurological manifestations of HIV-1 infection in the HAART era

Neurologic complications in patients with AIDS are diverse and include opportunistic infections and lymphoma, as well as HIV-related peripheral neuropathy, myelopathy, and dementia. Improved prophylaxis and antiretroviral therapies have modified the approach to neurologic disease in the setting of AIDS.
A Longitudinal Analysis of Elementary School Students' Achievement Goals in Literacy Activities.

The authors examined the temporal stability of elementary school students' (N = 432) motivation goals (task-mastery, performance, and work-avoidant) for literacy activities in the classroom. Task-specific assessments of students' goals were collected in the fall and spring of Grades 3, 4, and 5. Stability coefficients indicated a reasonable degree of consistency in students' goal responses over time, even though goals were initially assessed in relation to a specific learning assignment. However, there were also significant mean-level changes in students' goals within the school year and significant linear declines in task-mastery and performance goals over time. Changes were consistent across gender groups and across ability levels. Additionally, changes in task-mastery goal ratings explained variations in students' reported use of active learning strategies in reading and writing activities. The important implications of this study for future research are discussed.
Flow of non-Newtonian fluids in corrugated channels

The centerline velocities and the velocity profiles were measured for fluids in a corrugated channel with the top and bottom plates sinusoidal with and without polymer additives, using laser Doppler velocimetry. It was observed that for the range of Reynolds number studied the velocity profiles and centerline velocities are qualitatively similar for the fluids with and without polymer additives. It was also observed that an increase in the aspect ratio (aλ;a = amplitude, λ. = wavelength) of the plates showed the presence of secondary flow in the channel for the fluids with and without polymers in them. However, the previous study (ef. Yalamanchili et al. [1]) clearly showed that the aspect ratio is not the appropriate non-dimensional number to be used in correlating normal stress data for non-Newtonian fluids. As expected, the velocity increased in the converging regions of the channel and decreased in the diverging regions of the channel, irrespective of the Reynolds number of the fluid flowing, the maximum and minimum velocity always occurred at the same location.
Bloom and toxin producing algae in Virginia tidal rivers

A diverse representation of algal species are common bloom producers in the tidal waters of Virginia tributaries that enter Chesapeake Bay. In the lower more saline regions of these rivers dinoflagellates are the major bloom producers. Their increased abundance and occurrence generally follows the spring diatom bloom and continues into summer and autumn. These common bloom producers include the diatoms Skeletonema potamos, Skeletonema costatum, Cerataulina pelagica, and Leptocylindrus minimus, plus the dinoflagellates Akashiwo sanguinea, Cochlodinium polykrikoides, Heterocapsa rotundata, Heterocapsa triquetra, Prorocentrum minimum, and Scrippsiella trochoidea. Of these dinoflagellates the major bloom producer in regions of the lower York and James rivers is Cochlodinium polykrikoides. Also occurring in these downstream waters are the recognized toxin producers Alexandrium monilatum, Chattonella subsalsa, and Karlodinium veneficum. In contrast, the tidal freshwater regions of these rivers more commonly would produce cyanobacteria blooms, including those by Microcystis aeruginosa.
Purification and properties of isocitrate dehydrogenase (NADP) from Thermus aquaticus YT-1, Bacillus subtilis-168 and Chlamydomonas reinhardti-Y-2.

Abstract The NADP-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.42) was purified from the new extremely thermophilic gram-negative, non-spore-forming Thermus aquaticus YT-1, from the mesophilic spore forming bacterium Bacillus subtilus-168 and the mesophilic flagellated algae Chlamydomonas reinhardti. All three isocitrate dehydrogenases showed similar catalytic properties with respect to optimum pH, substrate and inhibitor specificity. However, the enzyme isolated from the extremely thermophilic microorganism was much more thermostable than the enzyme from either B. subtilis or C. reinhardti. Thus the enzyme from the extremely thermophilic bacteria catalyzed its enzymatic reaction in vitro at a higher “optimum temperature”. The greater stability of enzymes from T. aquaticus suggest its general utility in the characterization of unusually labile cellular components.
High-Resolution Time–Intensity Tracking of Sustained Human Orthonasal and Retronasal Smelling During Natural Breathing

Perceived intensities of continuously available orthonasal and retronasal vapor-phase stimuli during natural breathing for approximately the first minute of smelling were not known in detail. To clarify this, stimuli presented continuously in vapor phase orthonasally or retronasally during natural breathing were time–intensity tracked over 55 s by 19 participants, with tracked intensities measured every 100 ms. Before the tracking session, participants individually matched concentrations of anise, coffee, peppermint, and strawberry flavors to the intensity of a fifth stimulus, orange. These were their tracked concentrations. During the intensity tracking sessions, real-time visual feedback of judged intensity was provided on a computer display. Participants controlled the vertical position of the display (intensity) while the horizontal position (time) advanced at a constant rate under program control, creating an image of intensity with respect to time. It was found that during natural breathing, retronasal-tracked intensity increased to maximum at ∼8 s, but was approximately half of orthonasal tracked maximum intensity, reached after ∼11 s. Within the 55-s tracking period, retronasal and orthonasal maxima exceeded their initial and final intensities. Final intensities at 55 s were approximately half of the maximum intensities. These data indicate, with high-resolution tracking during natural breathing of continuously presented vapor-phase stimuli, that intensity of smelling increases to a maximum after initial intensity is perceived, and that smelled intensity then declines slowly during approximately the first minute of smelling.
New human liver alcohol dehydrogenase forms with unique kinetic characteristics

Abstract All adult and infant human liver homogenates studied thus far show two previously unreported forms of alcohol dehydrogenase on starch gel electrophoresis. Under the conditions employed, these forms migrate toward the anode and readily stain for pentanol but virtually not for ethanol oxidizing activity. In contrast, all human ADH isoenzymes identified previously are cathodic and react equally well with either substrate. These new ADH forms have been separated from the other known ones by DEAE-cellulose chromatography and are then purified on Agarose-hexane-AMP. Although the physical characteristics of the new anodic ADH forms are similar to those of the known human ADH isoenzymes, the former are not inhibited by 12 mM 4-methyl pyrazole, oxidize ethanol very poorly and appear to prefer longer chain alcohols as substrates.
Women and Alcohol Abuse in Primary Care

Female problem drinkers are less likely than men to be identified in the primary care setting. The authors studied 24 adult women attending a general, internal medicine clinic to assess the efficiency of self reports of alcohol consumption when compared with physician identification and other measures and the impact of a brief intervention on alcohol consumption. Despite the high rate of lifetime (79%) and current (67%) alcohol diagnoses, no patient was in alcohol treatment. Physician identification of alcohol problems was least sensitive but most specific, when compared with other measures. Brief intervention, as offered in this study, did not appear to modify alcohol consumption.
Bacteriorhodopsin: A molecular photooscillator?

Abstract Using an established fluorescence probe we detected light-induced oscillations in the electrical potential gradient in the membranes of bacteriorhodopsin-containing envelope vesicles of Halobacterium halobium. They resisted treatments which are known to inactivate other ion translocating systems and the H+/ATPase, and were also present in bacteriorhodopsin-containing liposomes. Under specific illumination regimes, bacteriorhodopsin (bR) concentration and pH the photooscillations became sustained and exhibited properties typical and nonlinear oscillators. The liposomes also showed sustained oscillations in the pH of the medium. These observations strongly suggest that bacteriorhodopsin itself manifests the positive feedback elements necessary for these oscillatory phenomena. Because feedback parameters determine amplitudes, frequency and phases of oscillations a new regulatory mechanism of these chromoproteins may have become apparent.