cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A scanning reflector using an off-axis space-fed phased-array feed

An architecture for a scanning reflector antenna that supports wide-angle scanning, multioctave tunable bandwidths, transmit and receive operation, and monopulse processing is presented. It consists of a parabolic dish with an offset phased array. The array is actually a feed-through lens fed from a small feed array in the back of the lens. Beam steering is accomplished by using the feed array to illuminate clusters of elements within the lens that correspond to far-field beam positions. The evolution of the architecture and a computer model is described. Simulated and measured performance results are reported. Off-axis scanning of 10 degrees to 15 degrees appears to be possible while still supporting gain magnifications of four to five. >
Ethics and Epidemiology: The Income Debate

This paper reviews the epidemiological debate between the relative income hypothesis and the absolute income hypothesis. The dispute between these rival hypotheses has to do with whether an adequate account of the relationship between income and life expectancy requires the definition of ‘income’ to include any comparative element. I discuss the evidence offered for the relative hypothesis (which answers, ‘yes’), as well as two important criticisms that have been levelled against this evidence. I also offer some critical reflections on the debate from a philosophical standpoint concerned with the ethics of population health. Both hypotheses agree that a redistribution of income towards the worst off will improve their life expectancy.
Nutrient Uptake by Microorganisms according to Kinetic Parameters from Theory as Related to Cytoarchitecture

The abilities of organisms to sequester substrate are described by the two kinetic constants specific affinity, a°, and maximal velocity Vmax. Specific affinity is derived from the frequency of substrate-molecule collisions with permease sites on the cell surface at subsaturating concentrations of substrates. Vmax is derived from the number of permeases and the effective residence time, τ, of the transported molecule on the permease. The results may be analyzed with affinity plots (v/S versus v, where v is the rate of substrate uptake), which extrapolate to the specific affinity and are usually concave up. A third derived parameter, the affinity constant KA, is similar to KM but is compared to the specific affinity rather than Vmax and is defined as the concentration of substrate necessary to reduce the specific affinity by half. It can be determined in the absence of a maximal velocity measurement and is equal to the Michaelis constant for a system with hyperbolic kinetics. Both are taken as a measure of τ, with departure of KM from KA being affected by permease/enzyme ratios. Compilation of kinetic data indicates a 108-fold range in specific affinities and a smaller (103-fold) range in Vmax values. Data suggest that both specific affinities and maximal velocities can be underestimated by protocols which interrupt nutrient flow prior to kinetic analysis. A previously reported inverse relationship between specific affinity and saturation constants was confirmed. Comparisons of affinities with ambient concentrations of substrates indicated that only the largest a°S values are compatible with growth in natural systems.
Malocclusion, masticatory muscle, and temporomandibular joint tenderness

The Angle classification of occlusion, as well as occlusal contacts determined at retrusion, mediotrusion, laterotrusion, and protrusion were recorded from 298 dental students. Various masticatory muscles and the TM joints were palpated simultaneously for tenderness. No significant relationships were observed between (1) tenderness and Angle class or (2) tenderness and any occlusal contact. In relation to a slide between retruded contact position and intercuspal position: measurements for (a) vertical and (b) horizontal displacements, but not (c) lateral deflection, were greater in Class I students without tenderness than in Class I students with tenderness.
Desensitization of acetylcholine receptors in rat myotubes is enhanced by agents that elevate intracellular cAMP

Incubating skeletal muscle fibers with forskolin, an activator of adenylate cyclase, increases the rate at which nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) desensitize when exposed to ACh. Several reports indicate that this is due to the phosphorylation of AChRs by cAMP- dependent protein kinase, but other studies suggest that forskolin interacts with AChRs directly and that second-messenger systems are not required. To help clarify this issue, we studied the effects of forskolin and several other drugs on AChR function in embryonic rat myotubes. AChR function was studied by recording ACh-induced membrane depolarizations and ACh-induced single-channel currents. Our results indicate that forskolin at low concentrations enhances AChR desensitization through the action of a second messenger, most likely cAMP. An analog of forskolin that is much less effective in activating adenylate cyclase (1,9-dideoxyforskolin) is also much less potent in enhancing desensitization. Forskolin at low concentrations does not alter single-channel conductance or mean channel open time. However, when used at concentrations above 20 microM, forskolin may also exert direct drug effects on AChRs.
Dynamic Modeling and Control of a Piezo-Electric Dual-Stage Tape Servo Actuator

We present a data-based approach for modeling and controller design of a dual-stage tape servo actuator. Our method uses step response measurements and a generalized realization algorithm to identify a multivariable discrete-time model of the actuator. The data acquisition and modeling can be implemented in the servo firmware of a tape drive. We have designed a dual-stage controller, based on the model, using loop shaping techniques adopted for multivariable control problems. We applied the procedure to the prototype of a dual-stage actuator tape head to reduce the effect of lateral tape motion. The prototype consists of a conventional voice coil motor for coarse positioning and a micro-actuator for fine positioning. The micro-actuator, which is mounted on the voice coil motor, uses a piezo crystal to follow high-frequency lateral tape motion (up to the kilohertz regime), while the voice coil motor follows only low-frequency lateral tape motion. Compared to a single-stage design, the dual-stage servo design provides a 25% bandwidth improvement and a voice coil motor control signal that is much smaller in magnitude.
Isabella Whitney's Nosegay and the Smell of Women's Writing

ABSTRACTIsabella Whitney was the first woman to publish secular verse in English, and her second volume of poetry, A Sweet Nosegay (1573), deploys smell to launch a moral critique of the economic forces and cultural values that leave a woman writer without the material means to support herself. Utilizing smell first to mark her liminal emergence as an author, she subverts traditional associations of smell with women and domestic work and then goes on to emphasize both the material presence of her embodied self as well the dangers that surround her, ultimately forecasting the smell of her decaying corpse. She manipulates cultural associations with olfaction to fashion herself as a woman writer and to lament the fact that she cannot support herself through her labor.
Biomarkers for cognitive impairment and dementia in elderly people

Summary The threat of a looming pandemic of dementia in elderly people highlights the compelling need for the development and validation of biomarkers that can be used to identify pre-clinical and prodromal stages of disease in addition to fully symptomatic dementia. Although predictive risk factors and correlative neuroimaging measures will have important roles in these efforts, this Review describes recent progress in the discovery, validation, and standardisation of molecular biomarkers—small molecules and macromolecules whose concentration in the brain or biological fluids can aid diagnosis at different stages of the more common dementing diseases and in the assessment of disease progression and response to therapeutics. An approach that efficiently combines independent information from risk-factor assessment, neuroimaging measures, and biomarkers might soon guide clinicians in the early diagnosis and management of cognitive impairment in elderly people.
New results on performance analysis of super-resolution image reconstruction

In this paper, we present new results in performance analysis of super-resolution (SR) image reconstruction. We investigate bounds on the improvement in resolution that can be achieved and its relation to the image sequence. We derive lower bounds on the resolution enhancement factor based on a frequency-domain SR algorithm. We subsequently show that the bounds remain valid for other SR algorithms. Moreover, we consider an image sequence model in the presence of affine motion. We demonstrate theoretically and experimentally that incorporation of affine motion into the image model can be used to increase the enhancement factor in comparison to purely translational motion. Finally, we discuss the extension of the performance bounds to temporal super-resolution methods and its implications on the image sequence.
Teenage mothers in nuclear and extended households. Differences by marital status and race / ethnicity.

As an initial step in expanding our understanding of the influence of family context on adolescent mothers, this article investigates the patterns of, and factors associated with, their household arrangements. Although adolescent mothers are at great risk of eventually living in female-headed households and facing economic hardship, past research has said little about the households of these young mothers while they are teenagers. Using individual-level data from the 1980 U.S. Census, we show household arrangements vary by marital status, race/ethnicity, age, number of children, and central city residence. And there are important differences by race/ethnicity in the way the other variables are related to household arrangements. Importantly, household arrangements are related to school enrollment, labor force participation, poverty status, and receiving public assistance.
Antagonists of cyclic nucleotide-gated channels and molecular mapping of their site of action

Activation of photoreceptor and olfactory cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) channels involves distinct ligand-binding and channel-gating reactions. To dissociate binding from gating, we identified the first competitive antagonists of CNG channels: specific phosphorothioate derivatives of cAMP and cGMP. We also identified membrane-permeant forms of these molecules that are antagonists and that will be useful for elucidating physiological roles for CNG channels in intact cells. The photoreceptor and olfactory CNG channels determine which of the phosphorothioate derivatives are agonists and which are antagonists based on different structural features of the ligand. The photoreceptor channel uses the nature of the purine ring (adenine vs guanine), whereas the olfactory channel uses the isomeric position of the thiophosphate S atom (Rp vs Sp). Interestingly, the same ligand, Rp-cGMPS, has opposite effects on the two channels, activating the photoreceptor channel and antagonizing the olfactory channel. Because Rp-cGMPS binds to both channels but activates only one, the channels must differ in a protein region that couples binding to gating. Chimeric photoreceptor and olfactory CNG channels reveal that the cytoplasmic C-terminal domain determines whether bound ligand activates the channel successfully. Hence, the C terminus contains not only the cyclic nucleotide-binding site, but also a region that couples ligand binding to channel gating.
Relatively Efficient Pollution Standards Under Perfect Competition

The results of this article indicate that pursuit of efficiency with the use of pollution standards cannot be done by mimicking aspects of the efficiency conditions involving pollution taxes. A rel...
How beneficent is the market? A look at the modern history of mortality.

A short answer is, not very. In contrast to economic growth, where the free market is commonly viewed as a prime mover, mortality in the last two centuries has not been greatly helped by market forces. The classic sources of market failure – information failures, externalities, public goods, principal-agent, and free rider problems – have been pervasive. Nor has economic growth itself been behind the worldwide improvement in life expectancy. In the primitive state of nineteenth century health knowledge, the immense rise in urbanisation engendered by economic growth largely vitiated any positive level-of-living effects by increasing exposure to disease. Instead, public policy initiatives, based on new knowledge of disease and new institutions, have been essential to the improvement of life expectancy, both in urban areas and nationwide. Sweepings from butchers' stalls, dung, guts, and blood, Drowned puppies, stinking sprats, all drenched in mud, Dead cats, and turnip tops, come tumbling down the flood. – Jonathan Swift, A Description of a City Shower , 1710
Philosophy of Medicine Is What Philosophers of Medicine Do

Philosophy of medicine cannot be precisely defined because neither philosophy nor medicine can be precisely defined. Furthermore, philosophers of med - icine do not constitute a well-defined class because they come not only from the fields of philosophy and medicine, but also from various other disciplines. Hence, I argue for a broad conception of philosophy of medicine that includes philosophical reflection on any matter considered to belong to medicine. A brief survey of the philosophy of med - icine literature supports this view. Of the 625 articles surveyed for the years 1997-2006, nearly three-quarters dealt with matters of ethics, and of the 36 books surveyed, nearly 60% were primarily on ethics. Nonetheless, articles and books focusing on all other major branches of philosophy—metaphysics, epistemology, aesthetics, and logic—were also published. Moreover, many of the articles, even those primarily on ethics, dealt in significant ways with more than one branch of philosophy. I conclude that philosophy of medicine includes all sorts of philosophical reflection on medicine but is currently dominated by ethics. Given the stated purpose of journals and book series devoted to philosophy and medicine, this leaves ample room to expand other philosophical reflec - tion on medicine.
Micronuclei: A potential intermediate marker for chemoprevention of aerodigestive tract cancer

Because they may be used as a quantifiable estimate of the extent of recent DNA injury, micronuclei, extrachromosomal fragments of DNA, are among the most studied potential intermediate markers of cancer chemoprevention. Serial measurements of micronuclei frequency may be easily performed on scrapings from the oral cavity or on bronchial brushings. Assessment of micronuclei frequency and its response to chemopreventive agents has been incorporated into studies of upper aerodigestive tract and lung cancer chemoprevention. These studies have helped define the characteristics of micronuclei and have suggested a role for this test in future chemoprevention studies. Micronuclei frequency has been shown to be increased in the oral and bronchial mucosa of individuals with known carcinogen exposure and is higher at the site of the greatest carcinogen exposure, such as the site where tobacco quids are held, than in grossly normal-appearing mucosa. Treatment with chemopreventive agents leads to a reduction in micronuclei frequency. In oral leukoplakia studies, this effect followed treatment with beta-carotene, retinol, alpha-tocopherol, and 13-cis-retinoic acid. The multistep process of epithelial carcinogenesis results from DNA damage and specific genetic events. That micronuclei reflect ongoing DNA injury suggests the hypothesis that long term suppression of cellular genotoxicity, as reflected by a reduction in micronuclei frequency, ultimately leads to a reduction in cancer incidence.
Statistical Description of Contact-Interacting Brownian Walkers on the Line

The distribution of interval lengths between Brownian walkers on the line is investigated. The walkers are independent until collision; at collision, the left walker disappears, and the right walker survives with probability p. This problem arises in the context of diffusion-limited reactions and also in the scaling limit of the voter model. A systematic expansion in correlation between neighbor intervals gives a series of approximations of increasing accuracy for the probability density functions of interval lengths. The first approximation beyond mere statistical independence between successive intervals already gives excellent results, as established by comparison with direct numerical simulations.
Iterating invertible binary transducers

We study iterated transductions defined by a class of invertible transducers over the binary alphabet. The transduction semigroups of these automata turn out to be free Abelian groups and the orbits of finite words can be described as affine subspaces in a suitable geometry defined by the generators of these groups. We show that iterated transductions are rational for a subclass of our automata.
Health Information Privacy and Health Information Technology in the US Correctional Setting

Electronic health records and electronic health information exchange are essential to improving quality of care, reducing medical errors and health disparities, and advancing the delivery of patient-centered medical care. In the US correctional setting, these goals are critical because of the high numbers of Americans affected, yet the use of health information technology is quite limited.In this article, I describe the legal environment surrounding health information sharing in corrections by focusing on 2 key federal privacy laws: the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 and the federal Confidentiality of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Patient Records laws.In addition, I review stakeholder concerns and describe possible ways forward that enable electronic exchange while ensuring protection of inmate information and legal compliance.
The Effect of Environmental Temperature on Paratyphoid Infection in the Neonatal Chicken

Abstract Lowered brooding temperatures increased the level of mortality caused by Salmonella worthington infection in newly hatched chicks. These groups of chicks experienced a fever condition during the early stages of the infection, but in the later stages of infection they had a sub-normal body temperature. The variations in body temperature were paralleled closely by the levels of blood glucose while the yolk sac weights were not changed. In contrast, the chicks brooded at normal temperatures maintained a relatively constant body temperature and blood glucose and experienced the lowest level of mortality. The oral administration of glucose increased the body temperatures of the chicks which were exposed to a cold environment. It was concluded that a normal body temperature is essential for neonatal chickens to resist paratyphoid infections and that carbohydrate metabolism is involved in the physiological regulation of the body temperature.
Biobehavioral Influences on Matrix Metalloproteinase Expression in Ovarian Carcinoma

Purpose: Stromal cells in the tumor microenvironment, such as macrophages, play an active role in tumor growth and angiogenesis. However, little is known about relationships of biobehavioral factors with angiogenic cytokines and matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) produced by stromal cells. This study examined distress, MMPs, and angiogenic cytokines in ovarian cancer patients and in vitro . Experimental Design: Patients suspected of ovarian cancer completed preoperative questionnaires. At surgery, 56 were confirmed to have epithelial ovarian cancer. Tumor samples were analyzed for macrophage (CD68 + ) and tumor cell levels of MMP-2, MMP-9, and vascular endothelial growth factor. In vitro stimulation of isolated macrophage cells by the stress hormones norepinephrine and cortisol was done to assess effects on MMP-9. Results: Depressed patients showed significant elevations of MMP-9 in CD68 + cells, adjusting for stage ( P P = 0.01), life stress over the last 6 months ( P = 0.004), and general negative affect ( P = 0.007) also showed significantly greater MMP-9 in CD68 + cells. In contrast, higher social support was associated with lower levels of MMP-9 ( P = 0.023) and vascular endothelial growth factor ( P = 0.036) in tumor cells. In vitro analyses showed that macrophage MMP-9 production could be directly enhanced (up to a 2-fold increase) by the stress hormones norepinephrine and cortisol. Conclusions: Ovarian cancer patients with elevated depressive symptoms, chronic stress, and low social support showed elevations in MMP-9 in tumor-associated macrophages. Direct in vitro enhancement of stromal MMP-9 production by stress hormones was also shown. These findings may have implications for patient outcomes in ovarian cancer.
Vector diffraction theory for electromagnetic waves

The scalar Huygens-Fresnel principle is reformulated to take into account the vector nature of light and its associated directed electric and magnetic fields. Based on Maxwell's equations, a vector Huygens secondary source is developed in terms of the fundamental radiating units of electromagnetism: the electric and magnetic dipoles. The formulation is in terms of the vector potential from which the fields are derived uniquely. Vector wave propagation and diffraction formulated in this way are entirely consistent with Huygens's principle. The theory is applicable to apertures larger than a wavelength situated in dark, perfectly absorbing screens and for points of observation in the right half-space at distances greater than a wavelength beyond the aperture. Alternatively, a formulation in terms of the fields is also developed; it is referred to as a vector Huygens-Fresnel theory. The proposed method permits the determination of the diffracted electromagnetic fields along with the detected irradiance.
Neutralizing antibody response to booster vaccination with the 17d yellow fever vaccine.

A retrospective review was conducted of yellow fever vaccination among laboratory workers receiving annual serologic assessment to determine the initial and long-term response after boosting. Patients were divided into three groups based on pre-vaccination serology: Group 1, 1:10; Group 2, 1:20–1:40 and Group 3, >1:40. The percent with ≥four-fold increase in titers after booster vaccination were: 78% (646/829, Group 1), 65% (79/121, Group 2) and 10% (8/79, Group 3) (p < 0.0001). The median times to titer failure (<1:40) were 798 days (Group 1), 3340 days (Group 2) and 7709 days (Group 3) (p < 0.0001). Pre-vaccination serology influenced the initial and long-term response to yellow fever booster vaccination. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
High Resolution $^{13}$ C MRI With Hyperpolarized Urea: In Vivo $T_{2}$ Mapping and $^{15}$ N Labeling Effects

13C steady state free precession (SSFP) magnetic resonance imaging and effective spin-spin relaxation time (T2) mapping were performed using hyperpolarized [13C] urea and [13 C,15N2] urea injected intravenously in rats. 15N labeling gave large T2 increases both in solution and in vivo due to the elimination of a strong scalar relaxation pathway. The T2 increase was pronounced in the kidney, with [13 C,15 N2] urea giving T2 values of 6.3±1.3 s in the cortex and medulla, and 11±2 s in the renal pelvis. The measured T2 in the aorta was 1.3±0.3 s. [13C] urea showed shortened T2 values in the kidney of 0.23±0.03 s compared to 0.28±0.03 s measured in the aorta. The enhanced T2 of [13C,15N2] urea was utilized to generate large signal enhancement by SSFP acquisitions with flip angles approaching the fully refocused regime. Projection images at 0.94 mm in-plane resolution were acquired with both urea isotopes, with [13C,15 N2] urea giving a greater than four-fold increase in signal-to-noise ratio over [13C] urea.
Statistics, Maps, and Legibility: Negotiating Nationalism in Post-Revolutionary Mexico

“These days, we want to know everything and forget nothing. Life needs to confess to itself and take a test of conscience. Let's grab life by the neck so that it makes that confession in the elegantly eloquent form of numbers, tables, formulas, and diagrams. This is statistics: the confession that we make life make. One must never forget what Goethe said: my works are merely part of a great confession. We make of statistics the schematic, numerical confession of life. Life should confess to itself.”
ENLARGEMENT OF THE INTERVERTEBRAL DISC ASSOCIATED WITH DECALCIFICATION OF THE VERTEBRAL BODY: A COMPENSATORY HYPERTROPHY

Five cases of pathological fractures are outlined, in which the changes shown by x-ray were found to indicate the decalcification of the vertebral bodies and enlargement of the intervertebral discs. This enlargement is believed to be due to a hypertrophy of the cellular elements of the discs, rather than to expansion of the nucleus pulposus. The occurrence of these enlarged discs in an x-ray of a spine is indicative of impairment of the integrity of the spine. Pathological fractures may occur in vertebral bodies without local disease, as the result of faulty metabolism.
Turnover among Community Mental Health Workers in Ohio

This study examined turnover of community mental health workers in 42 randomly selected mental health agencies in Ohio. The turnover rate in 2011 was 26 %. A regression analysis indicated that agencies with lower turnover offered higher maximum pay and were smaller in size, while those offering career advancement opportunities, such as career ladder programs, had higher turnover. The findings suggest that improving wages for workers is likely to reduce turnover. It is also possible that smaller agencies have lower turnover due to stronger relationships with workers and/or more successful hiring practices. Furthermore, turnover that occurs as a result of career advancement could have positive effects and should be examined separate from other types of turnover in the future.
Police Officers Killed on Duty: Replicating and Extending a Unique Look at Officer Deaths:

In a unique exploration of line of duty police deaths, Kachurik and colleagues (Kachurik, S., Ruiz, J., & Staub, M. (2013). Police officers killed on duty: a different view. International Journal o...
The Pleistocene—Holocene Transition on the Plains and Rocky Mountains of North America

Throughout the last decade, a main focus of Pleistocene—Holocene New World archaeology has been the peopling of the New World. Much controversy has centered around the problem of pre-Clovis or ancestral Clovis or both (e.g., see Adovasio 1993; Marshall 1990; Morlan 1988). Twocontrasting models have been developed to explain the initial peopling of the Americas. They can loosely be called the “Clovis-first” and the “Early-entry” models. Many specialists use the term “pre-Clovis” to refer to pre-12,000-year-old populations in the Americas. We prefer not to use the term “pre-Clovis” as it implies that there are only two stages of cultural development in the Americas: Clovis and Pre-Clovis. Clovis does not occur in every region of the New World, however, and clearly is not appropriate as a descriptive term for all of North America and South America. Accordingly, we prefer to use the term “pre-12,000” as a descriptive chronological term that has neither technological nor cultural implications (Bonnichsen and Schneider no date).
Cellular Immune Responses against Simian T-Lymphotropic Virus Type 1 Target Tax in Infected Baboons.

ABSTRACT There are currently 5 million to 10 million human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1)-infected people, and many of them will develop severe complications resulting from this infection. A vaccine is urgently needed in areas where HTLV-1 is endemic. Many vaccines are best tested in nonhuman primate animal models. As a first step in designing an effective HTLV-1 vaccine, we defined the CD8 + and CD4 + T cell response against simian T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (STLV-1), a virus closely related to HTLV-1, in olive baboons (Papioanubis). Consistent with persistent antigenic exposure, we observed that STLV-1-specific CD8 + T cells displayed an effector memory phenotype and usually expressed CD107a, gamma interferon (IFN-γ), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α). To assess the viral targets of the cellular immune response in STLV-1-infected animals, we used intracellular cytokine staining to detect responses against overlapping peptides covering the entire STLV-1 proteome. Our results show that, similarly to humans, the baboon CD8 + T cell response narrowly targeted the Tax protein. Our findings suggest that the STLV-1-infected baboon model may recapitulate some of the important aspects of the human response against HTLV-1 and could be an important tool for the development of immune-based therapy and prophylaxis. IMPORTANCE HTLV-1 infection can lead to many different and often fatal conditions. A vaccine deployed in areas of high prevalence might reduce the incidence of HTLV-1-induced disease. Unfortunately, there are very few animal models of HTLV-1 infection useful for testing vaccine approaches. Here we describe cellular immune responses in baboons against a closely related virus, STLV-1. We show for the first time that the immune response against STLV-1 in naturally infected baboons is largely directed against the Tax protein. Similar findings in humans and the sequence similarity between the human and baboon viruses suggest that the STLV-1-infected baboon model might be useful for developing a vaccine against HTLV-1.
Rural African American Women and Breast Cancer: Social Determinants of Health Shape Ability to Conceptualize Health In the Arkansas Delta

We know that certain components including demographics, cultural background, lifestyle choices and lack of access to health care contribute strongly to health disparities in rural regions of the United States. This paper explores perceptions of health, the environment, and the relationships between them that impact health disparities in the Arkansas Delta. The social-ecological model provides a conceptual approach to relate social determinants to health disparities. Few US rural health community-based studies have utilized this approach, or engaged ecological theory to explore rural contexts. This exploratory study blended a community-based, qualitative approach with social-ecological theory, to identify potential social determinants of health that impact rural Arkansans. Methods: Qualitative data were gathered with (n=79) women, ranging in age from 18 to 84, who were residents of 3 rural Arkansas Delta communities. Respondents poignantly described issues that affect health disparities in their communities. Conclusions: The study identified potential social determinants of health at multiple ecological levels among rural African American women. It was the social determinants of health and the legacy of segregation, that impacted their ability to conceptualize health in the resource resisted environment. Keywords: African American women, focus groups, social determinants of health, community based participatory research, social ecological model
Effects of an Interpopulation Hybrid Host on Parasite Population Dynamics

An independent analysis of the reproductive abilities of the pteromalid pupal ectoparasites Nasonia vitripennis (Walker) and Muscidifurax raptor Girault & Sanders was conducted on 2 strains of house fly, Musca domestica L., hosts originally collected from Bamberg, South Carolina and McMinnville, Tennessee and their interpopulation hybrid. Interbreeding between natural host populations is shown to have important consequences on the evolutionary adaptations and interactions with their parasite complex. Although the differences in the responses of N. vitripennis and M. raptor to the 2 parental host strains were insignificant, the direction of the response was consistently similar. Both parasite species were more successful on the hybrid pupae than on either parental line with more offspring being produced and a lower developmental mortality. These data suggest that genetic factors can alter the nutrient quality of the host pupae. The consequences of host population hybridization and genetics on parasite-host interaction are discussed.
The Effects of Nucleation in the Two Step Growth of HVPE GaN

The repeatable growth of high quality thick layers of GaN by hydride vapor phase epitaxy generally requires buffer layers or other surface pretreatments to produce morphologically smooth films suitable for further device growth. Of the conditions for high quality GaN growth, proper film nucleation invariably contributes most to the overall growth of high quality films and the exclusion of impurities. We have studied a two step growth process which incorporates a low temperature HVPE grown nucleation layer and have compared it to films grown without buffer layers to determine how the impurity content and the dislocation networks change the overall film quality. Additionally we observe the formation of macroscopic steps during growth with step heights of ~0.75 μm and terrace widths of ~ 7 μm, which we attribute to the initial conditions of the low temperature nucleation layer prior to growth and to kinetically limited growth.
The breast or the bottle? Determinants of infant feeding behaviors

As we enter the 21st century, certain forces have emerged that shape a woman's decision to breastfeed or provide milk substitutes for her infant. Human lactation appears to be sensitive to a variety of interrelated psychological factors that include both individual and group-derived beliefs and attitudes, as well as psychophysiologic mediating mechanisms. This article explores the known psychological, sociocultural, and physiologic factors that surround a woman's decision to breastfeed.
Malignant Melanoma of the Penis and Male Urethra

We report 3 new cases of penile and 2 of male urethral melanoma, increasing the total numbers of reported cases to 56 and 23, respectively.
Urine reinfusion diuresis and natriuresis in rats: role of water, electrolytes and urea.

1. The purpose of this study was to determine the role of reinfused water, electrolytes and urea in the diuresis and natriuresis of urine reinfusion. 2. Three groups of rats underwent 5 h of urine reinfusion. The first group served as a control, and during urine reinfusion the urinary volume and sodium excretion increased to 10 or 12 times control values. 3. In a second group, urine reinfusion was followed by 2 h of infusion of Ringer solution at a rate equal to the urine flow rate; 71% of the diuresis and 75% of the natriuresis resulting from urine reinfusion were maintained. 4. In a third group, urine reinfusion was followed by infusion of Ringer solution with urea added. The infusion rate was equal to urine flow rate and the concentration of urea was equal to that in the urine; 98% of the diuresis and 102% of the natriuresis were maintained. 5. These results indicate that the majority of urine-reinfusion diuresis and natriuresis is due to reinfused volume and electrolytes, and the remainder, in these experiments at least, could be explained by the reinfused urea. Therefore there was no need to postulate additional urinary natriuretic factors to explain the results of urine reinfusion.
Decision Making for Disaster Risk Management in a Changing Climate

The uncertainty in future climate conditions means that new decision-making approaches need to be mobilized. This chapter highlights strategies that are best able to cope with the large uncertainty (and disagreement) that surround the climate change impacts on natural hazards and disasters. It introduces the robust decision-making approach and suggests flexible and reversible strategies that are best suited to the current situation of high uncertainty on future climates. These approaches can be used to improve risk management, and capture the potential synergies between risk management and climate change adaptation.
Authorizing Reform by Uncovering The Past

When the Soviet Politburo elected Mikhail Gorbachev as General Secretary in the spring of 1985, the investigation of Soviet history was all but frozen. As the source of ideological orthodoxy and the foundation stone of the regime’s legitimacy, Soviet history seemed immutable. The official reconstruction of the past was in essence an elaborate mythology serving the party-state, and those who questioned its substance risked severe sanctions. In such highly ideological systems, only the political leadership has the power to initiate a fundamental reassessment of political history, and only the most urgent political tasks could justify such behavior.
In Situ Chemical Modification of Schottky Barrier in Solution-Processed Zinc Tin Oxide Diode

Here we present a novel in situ chemical modification process to form vertical Schottky diodes using palladium (Pd) rectifying bottom contacts, amorphous zinc tin oxide (Zn–Sn–O) semiconductor made via acetate-based solution process, and molybdenum top ohmic contacts. Using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy depth profiling, we show that oxygen plasma treatment of Pd creates a PdOx interface layer, which is then reduced back to metallic Pd by in situ reactions during Zn–Sn–O film annealing. The plasma treatment ensures an oxygen-rich environment in the semiconductor near the Schottky barrier, reducing the level of oxygen-deficiency-related defects and improving the rectifying contact. Using this process, we achieve diodes with high forward current density exceeding 103A cm–2 at 1 V, rectification ratios of >102, and ideality factors of around 1.9. The measured diode current–voltage characteristics are compared to numerical simulations of thermionic field emission with sub-bandgap states in the semiconductor...
A unified approach to Bermudan and barrier options under stochastic volatility models with jumps

Abstract Many financial assets, such as currencies, commodities, and equity stocks, exhibit both jumps and stochastic volatility, which are especially prominent in the market after the financial crisis. Some strategic decision making problems also involve American-style options. In this paper, we develop a novel, fast and accurate method for pricing American and barrier options in regime switching jump diffusion models. By blending regime switching models and Markov chain approximation techniques in the Fourier domain, we provide a unified approach to price Bermudan, American options and barrier options under general stochastic volatility models with jumps. The models considered include Heston, Hull–White, Stein–Stein, Scott, the 3/2 model, and the recently proposed 4/2 model and the α -Hypergeometric model with general jump amplitude distributions in the return process. Applications include the valuation of discretely monitored contracts as well as continuously monitored contracts common in the foreign exchange markets. Numerical results are provided to demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method.
Identify the Removable Substructure in Carbon Activation

Activated carbon plays a pivotal role in achieving critical functions, such as separation, catalysis, and energy storage. A remaining question of carbon activation is which substructures in amorphous carbon are preferentially removed during activation. Herein, we report the first structure–activation correlation elucidated on the basis of unprecedented comprehensive characterization on carbon activation. We discover that activation under CO2 preferentially removes graphenic layers that are more defective. Therefore, the resulting activated carbon contains thinned turbostratic nanodomains that are of a higher local graphenic order. The mechanistic insights explain why more defective soft carbon is “burned” under CO2 at a much faster rate than hard carbon. The mechanism leads to an activation-based design principle of mesoporous carbon. Guided by this principle, a bimodal micromesoporous carbon is prepared simply by CO2 activation. Our findings may cause a paradigm shift for the rational design of nanoporou...
Acute overdose with sustained release drug formulations. Perspectives in treatment.

Acute overdose with sustained release formulations presents special problems for the health care system. Proper management requires a basic understanding of the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characteristics of the drugs taken in overdose because different techniques employed by the manufacturers to produce sustained release formulations lead to differences in these characteristics in comparison with conventional formulations. In general, with sustained-release formulations, there is a prolongation of the time for the patient to manifest toxicity (‘preclinical phase’), as well as the period of high drug concentrations and clinical toxicity (‘toxic phase’) and the resolution phase (clinical improvement with declining drug concentrations).
Vacant land disposition for agriculture in Cleveland, Ohio: Is community development a mixed blessing?

ABSTRACTRedevelopment and food sustainability advocates both support urban agriculture as a productive use of vacant land in Rustbelt cities, where vacancy is endemic. However, the first group typically envisions agriculture only as temporary, whereas the second seeks to harness vacancy to establish an enduring agriculture that supplies fresh produce to underserved neighborhoods and strengthens local food systems. In this article, I investigate whether and how vacant land policies support agriculture in Cleveland, a city that adopted a sustainability strategy in 2008 and whose governance is notable for balancing growth and equity concerns. Agriculture was embraced as community development in the wake of the foreclosure crisis and fostered with policies, programs, and resources. However, paradoxically for a sustainability agenda, land is transferred for agriculture for only short periods at a time. Despite claims of food system benefits for neighborhoods, agriculture is organized primarily to serve other p...
Differential Geometry for Model Independent Analysis of Images and Other Non-Euclidean Data: Recent Developments

This article provides an exposition of recent methodologies for nonparametric analysis of digital observations on images and other non-Euclidean objects. Frechet means of distributions on metric spaces, such as manifolds and stratified spaces, have played an important role in this endeavor. Apart from theoretical issues of uniqueness of the Frechet minimizer and the asymptotic distribution of the sample Frechet mean under uniqueness, applications to image analysis are highlighted. In addition, nonparametric Bayes theory is brought to bear on the problems of density estimation and classification on manifolds.
Nanolasers: Second-order intensity correlation, direct modulation and electromagnetic isolation in array architectures

Abstract Ideal integrated light emitters for optical interconnects should be compact in size, high in modulation bandwidth, efficient in energy consumption and tunable in frequency. Nanolasers are excellent candidates for such an application. In this article, we review and offer further in-depth analyses in three key aspects of recent nanolaser research, including second order intensity correlation, g 2 (τ) , characterizations, direct modulation and electromagnetic isolation in a dual nanolaser system. For coherence characterization, we review a technique exploiting not only the photon bunching peak, but also the g 2 (τ) pulse width to determine the spontaneous emission (SE), amplified SE and lasing regimes of a nanolaser with a high SE factor, β . We show that this technique is applicable for lasers with β ′s ranging from 10 −5 to unity. Additionally, we demonstrate the first direct current modulation of an electrically pumped metallo-dielectric nanolaser (MDNL) at 30 MHz. Considering the viability of nanolasers for dense integration, we then review the electromagnetic coupling between two closely spaced MDNLs and identify two practical methods to eliminate such coupling. Lastly, we review the state-of-the-art development in and offer future perspectives on three other important areas of nanolaser research ― integration with silicon photonics, wide-range frequency tuning and dual nanolaser dynamics.
Estimating Prevalent Diagnoses and Rates of New Diagnoses of HIV at the State Level by Age Group Among Men who Have Sex With Men in the United States.

Background Men who have sex with men (MSM) in the United States experience a disproportionate rate of diagnosis of HIV. Surveillance data demonstrate age-based disparities among MSM, with higher rates of diagnosis among MSM age ≤34 years nationally. Population size estimates within age group at the state level have not been available to determine rates for each state. We estimated the size of the MSM population in 5 age groups in each state and estimated the rate of prevalent HIV diagnoses in 2013 and new HIV diagnoses in 2014. Methods We used data from the General Social Survey, American Community Survey, and previously published estimates from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to estimate the population of MSM in 5 age groups at the state level. We combined these estimates with surveillance data to estimate age-stratified rates of prevalent diagnoses in 2013 and new diagnoses in 2014 in each state. We estimated standardized prevalence and diagnosis ratios comparing the Northeast, South, and West regions with the Midwest. Results Rates of prevalent diagnoses increased with increasing age, and rates of new diagnoses were highest among younger age groups. In the United States, the new diagnosis rate among those age 18-24 years in 2014 was 1.4 per 100 MSM without a diagnosis. The highest diagnosis rates were observed among men age ≤34 years in the South. Conclusions Age-stratified estimates of HIV prevalence and new diagnosis rates at the state level can inform public health prevention strategies and resource allocation.
NURS-07. PROGRAMMABLE VP SHUNTS: INDICATIONS, SAFETY AND WARNINGS

Tumor-associated hydrocephalus is common in pediatric patients with brain tumors, often necessitating placement of a permanent ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt. The programmable VP shunt has a magnetic externally adjustable valve that provides the option of changing the opening pressure (valve setting) to regulate the outflow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Maximal resistance adjustments can be used for the administration of chemotherapy or radioimmunotherapy. Integrated reservoirs also provide an easy source of diagnostic CSF sampling. Strong magnetic field interference may cause an unintended change in valve setting. Newer models have a mechanism that provides security against inadvertent readjustment caused by MRI 3 Tesla or less. At MSKCC, 52 pediatric patients with various programmable VP shunt models have been treated. Intrathecal radioimmunotherapy or chemotherapy was given to 17 (33%), all without complication. CSF sampling from the VP shunt was well tolerated without any known iatrogenic infections. The ease of shunt reprogramming varied among the different models;1 patient (2%) presented with an unintentional valve setting change. Nurse practitioners and nurses play a vital role in the successful management of patients with a programmable VP shunt. Knowledge about the indications and management of programmable shunts, associated complications, magnetic field safety, MRI safety, shunt reprogramming technique, and nursing considerations is critical.
Development and validation of the Social Determinants of Health Questionnaire and implications for "Promoting Food Security and Healthy Lifestyles" in a complex urban food ecosystem.

In this case study, a formative evaluation was conducted for “Promoting Food Security and Healthy Lifestyles” pilot intervention at a Community-Based Organization in a marginalized neighborhood in ...