cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Correlates of pre-pregnancy physical inactivity: results from the pregnancy risk assessment monitoring system.

Objectives Evaluate the prevalence of physical inactivity (no physical activity or exercise for 30 min or more at least one day per week) in the 3 months prior to pregnancy in a population-based sample of women and identify individual socio-demographic, personal, health, and behavioral factors predictive of pre-pregnancy physical inactivity. Methods In this cross-sectional study, we used data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System to assess the prevalence of self-reported pre-pregnancy physical activity among 4,069 women who delivered a live birth in 2004 in Maine, North Carolina, or Washington State. We developed a predictive model by using a backward selection approach to building logistic regression models to identify independent predictors of physical inactivity in the 3 months prior to pregnancy among those women who did not meet national recommendations for physical activity (activity more than 5 days per week). Results Overall, the prevalence of pre-pregnancy physical inactivity was 39.2%. Predictors of physical inactivity prior to pregnancy included higher or lower than normal pre-pregnancy body mass index, lower maternal education level, and a history of previous live births. Women with 12 years of education were particularly likely to be inactive prior to pregnancy (prevalence odds ratio 1.81, 95% confidence interval 1.42, 2.32; compared to women with more than 12 years of education). Conclusions Physical inactivity is common among women prior to pregnancy. Information on factors predictive of physical inactivity can be used in the development of clinical activities and public health interventions that aim to reduce the level of physical inactivity among women of reproductive age.
Low-level Ada tasking support for GNAT-performance and portability improvements

GNARL is the tasking runtime system of the Gnu NYU Ada95 Translator (GNAT). GNARL is divided into two main layers, the lower of which isolates dependences on a particular host operating system or real-time kernel. For portability, the primary implementation of this lower level accesses OS services via the POSIX interfaces. In this paper we describe our recent redesign of the low-level interface, to improve both performance and portability. Performance comparisons between the new and old runtime system on Solaris2.4 show up to approximately 40 percent improvement on tasking related operations.
SU-E-J-155: Learning Based Tumor Motion Tracking in MV Images Using Cone-Beam CT Projections

Purpose: Tumor motion tracking in liver stereotactic body radiation therapy(SBRT) is highly desirable for improvement of treatment accuracy, dose conformity and sparing of healthy tissue. On‐board megavoltage (MV) x‐ray imaging has unique advantages for assessment of tumor location during treatment. This work proposes a novel method to track tumor motion in MV images using cone‐beam CT(CBCT) projections as prior knowledge. Methods: The learning based tumor tracking method consists of main two steps. First, a prior of 3D tumor motion is estimated from CBCT projections. Relying on the detection of implanted kV fiducials, the tumor motion trajectory is constructed along the CBCT projection angles. 3D tumor locations are then reconstructed from the trajectory. Further, a prior for tumor motion in EPIDimages are generated by projecting 3D motion on the MV imager plane. Second, tracking is carried out in an incremental learning framework, which adapts the sequential tracking knowledge into current estimation. The prior knowledge of tumor motion obtained in the first step is therefore integrated into estimation. For robust real‐time tracking, the algorithm is implemented by a sequential incremental update technique. Results: Patient data acquired from a liverSBRTtreatment is used to validate our algorithm. Half‐fan CBCT projections acquired in three fractions were used to estimate 3D tumor motion. A total of 700 EPIDimages were analyzed for tumor tracking. All results were evaluated by clinician‐defined tumor positions and manual tumor tracks. The average root mean square error for tumor tracking is 0.89 ± 0.21 mm. Conclusions: A novel learning based tracking algorithm has been developed for tumor tracking in MV images. With the fast incremental online updating technique, our algorithm is well suited for real‐time tumor tracking and in‐treatment applications. Varian Medical Systems, Inc.
Lesbians: Identifying, Facing, and Navigating the Double Bind of Sexual Orientation and Gender in Organizational Settings

This chapter explores the challenges and the opportunities that lesbians experience in organizational America.
Role of the head and neck surgeon in sentinel lymph node biopsy for cutaneous head and neck melanoma.

Objective: To determine the reliability of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in head and neck cutaneous melanomas to accurately stage nodal basins, describe techniques for safe SLNB in the neck and parotid regions, and discuss treatments. Study Design: Retrospective chart review with follow-up mean of 11 months. Methods: The charts of 80 patients treated for head and neck cutaneous malignancies from January 2001 through June 2003 were reviewed for presentation, treatment, and outcome. Results: All patients received lymphoscintigraphy and SLNB for melanoma with Breslow thickness greater than 1 mm. Accurate preoperative lymphoscintigraphy and blue dye injection along with facial nerve monitoring when indicated correlated with safe SLNB. Eleven (14%) patients required completion surgery after positive SLNB and underwent evaluation for adjuvant therapies. There were three cases with complications: two postoperative hematomas and one seroma. Conclusions: Safe and reliable SLNB depends on the knowledge of the anatomy in the head and neck region, reliability of preoperative lymph node mapping with lymphoscintigraphy, and possible additions of blue dye injection and facial nerve monitoring. Complete surgical treatment of positive SLNB cases along with adjuvant therapies potentially improves control of these cutaneous malignancies with manageable morbidity.
Cambro-Devonian biogeography of nautiloid cephalopods

Abstract The biogeography of Cambro-Devonian nautiloid cephalopods is documented from their origin during Late Cambrian through to the end of the Devonian. The biogeography developed as the consequence of two related sets of events with different magnitudes. Events controlling the biogeography of first order magnitude were geotectonic, either Gondwana glaciation due to plate movement or contraction in size of oceanic ridges related to decreased rates of sea floor spreading, manifested as first and second order eustatic fall in sea level. These first order events separate nautiloid biogeography into four episodes: (1) Late Cambrian; (2) Ordovician; (3) Silurian through Early Devonian; and (4) Middle through Late Devonian. Each began with an expansion in terms of generic diversity and ended with a crisis of some proportion. Only the end of the Late Cambrian episode cannot be explained by geotectonic events. Events of the second order are both biologic and geotectonic and involve the interaction between the dispersal characteristics of nautiloid cephalopods and plate movements. Due to lack of a planktonic larva and depth restrictions as a function of shell design, the ability of nautiloids to disperse and colonize shallow shelf seas separated by expanses of ocean or depths exceeding shell design limits was minimal. When the width of oceans or depths decreased through some form of geotectonics, nautiloids rapidly radiated and colonized regions as they became available. Thus second order biogeographic episodes tend to evolve from a collection of disjunct patterns with high faunal similarity among faunas of particular landmasses, but with little similarity among separate landmasses, to rapid development of high similarities both among and within faunas of converging landmasses once the physical barrier of distance and water depth is eliminated.
A novel rotating-field coil for sodium imaging

Abstract A novel radiofrequency coil design which is especially useful for NMR imaging of sodium in small samples is described. The structure is neither a saddle nor a birdcage coil type, but rather consists of a series of tuned loops. In principle, the loops are not electrically connected to each other and the main interaction between them is by electromagnetic induction. The coil has approximate circular symmetry and uses much smaller capacitors than does the birdcage design. It is shown theoretically how a rotating held can be created by detuning two modes of the coil, and that the resulting impedance-frequency relationship differs substantially from that usually found in resonant circuits. It is shown that it is possible to use the coil simultaneously as both a transmitter and a receiver with no external phase-shifting networks, by using independent inductively coupled feed loops for transmitting and receiving. The behavior of the coil was studied in some detail using computer simulation, and a working model has been constructed and used for in vivo imaging of endogenous sodium in rats at 1.9 T. The theoretical analysis and experimental results indicate very high spatial homogeneity of the field and improved signal-to-noise ratio.
Induction of cytochrome P1450 RNA and benzo[a]pyrene metabolism in primary human hepatocyte cultures with benzanthranene

Exposure of cells to microsomal enzyme inducers can modify the potency of many carcinogens. We have examined the steady-state level of RNA from the P1450 gene and the metabolism of benzo[a]pyrene (BP) in primary cultures of human hepatocytes exposed for up to 4 days to 12.5 μm benzanthracene (BA), and in uninduced control cultures. While the steady-state levels of RNA from the P1450 gene were nondetectable in uninduced (DMSO only) human hepatocytes, 12.5 μm BA-induced AHH activity, BP metabolism, and/or P1450-specific RNA in hepatocytes from seven human cases were investigated. RNA levels specific for the P1450 gene appeared maximal at 24 hr following exposure to BA, whereas, the protein, as determined by AHH enzyme activity from BA-induced hepatocytes, continued to increase up to the last time point examined, 72 hr. BA induction for 96 hr increased metabolism of BP (initial concentration of BP, 10 μm) over a time course of 3, 6, 12, and 24 hr of incubation with BP compared with that of controls. The major metabolites of BP produced by human hepatocytes in culture were the unidentified polar BP metabolite(s), possibly polyhydroxylated. BA induction caused approximately a twofold increase in these metabolites. BA-induced cultures showed an increase in glutathione conjugation compared to that in controls. The percentage of glucuronide and sulfate conjugates remains similar in all cultures. Total binding of tritium label BP to DNA was 1.3-fold to fivefold greater in induced cultures, and related more to total metabolism than to production of a specific metabolite. Exposure of human hepatocytes in vitro to BA leads to a large increase in the steady-state level of the RNA specific for the P1450 gene and an increase metabolism of BP.
Viscoelastic response of a unidirectional composite containing two viscoelastic constituents

Viscoelastic response of a unidirectional aramid fiber-reinforced epoxy was measured. Procedures to measure all five time-dependent material properties necessary to describe behavior of a transversely isotropic continuous-fiber unidirectional lamina were implemented. The Iosipescu shear method was used to measure in-plane and interlaminar shear viscoelastic response. Applicability of the Schapery single-integral nonlinear viscoelastic constitutive model to describe time-dependent mechanical behavior of a laminated composite material containing two viscoelastic phases was explored. Linear and nonlinear viscoelastic parameters for this two-viscoelastic constituent composite were measured and data summaries are presented in the paper. The time-dependent behavior of this two-viscoelastic constituent composite material was found to be complex, but the Schapery nonlinear viscoelastic model did adequately fit the response of such a composite to uniaxial applied loads.
Population‐level compensation impedes biological control of an invasive forb and indirect release of a native grass

The intentional introduction of specialist insect herbivores for biological control of exotic weeds provides ideal but understudied systems for evaluating important ecological concepts related to top-down control, plant compensatory responses, indirect effects, and the influence of environmental context on these processes. Centaurea stoebe (spotted knapweed) is a notorious rangeland weed that exhibited regional declines in the early 2000s, attributed to drought by some and to successful biocontrol by others. We initiated an experiment to quantify the effects of the biocontrol agent, Cyphocleonus achates ,o nCe. stoebe and its interaction with a dominant native grass competitor, Pseudoroegneria spicata, under contrasting precipitation conditions. Plots containing monocultures of each plant species or equal mixtures of the two received factorial combinations of Cy. achates herbivory (exclusion or addition) and precipitation (May-June drought or ''normal,'' defined by the 50-year average) for three years. Cy. achates herbivory reduced survival of adult Ce. stoebe plants by 9% overall, but this effect was stronger under normal precipitation compared to drought conditions, and stronger in mixed-species plots compared to monocultures. Herbivory had no effect on Ce. stoebe per capita seed production or on recruitment of seedlings or juveniles. In normal-precipitation plots of mixed composition, greater adult mortality due to Cy. achates herbivory resulted in increased recruitment of new adult Ce. stoebe. Due to this compensatory response to adult mortality, final Ce. stoebe densities did not differ between herbivory treatments regardless of context. Experimental drought reduced adult Ce. stoebe survival in mixed-species plots but did not impede recruitment of new adults or reduce final Ce. stoebe densities, perhaps due to the limited duration of the treatment. Ce. stoebe strongly depressed P. spicata reproduction and recruitment, but these impacts were not substantively alleviated by herbivory on Ce. stoebe. Population-level compensation by dominant plants may be an important factor inhibiting top-down effects in herbivore-driven and predator-driven cascades.
The use of script training and videoconferencing holds promise for improving the communication skills of people with aphasia, but further study is warranted

This review provides a summary and appraisal commentary on the treatment review by Goldberg, S., Haley, K. L., & Jacks, A. (2012). Script training and generalization for people with aphasia. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 21,222–238. Source of funding and disclosure of interest: No source of funding reported, and no conflicts of interest reported by the original authors of this research report.
LANL * V2.0: global modeling and validation

Abstract. We describe in this paper the new version of LANL*, an artificial neural network (ANN) for calculating the magnetic drift invariant L*. This quantity is used for modeling radiation belt dynamics and for space weather applications. We have implemented the following enhancements in the new version: (1) we have removed the limitation to geosynchronous orbit and the model can now be used for a much larger region. (2) The new version is based on the improved magnetic field model by Tsyganenko and Sitnov (2005) (TS05) instead of the older model by Tsyganenko et al. (2003). We have validated the model and compared our results to L* calculations with the TS05 model based on ephemerides for CRRES, Polar, GPS, a LANL geosynchronous satellite, and a virtual RBSP type orbit. We find that the neural network performs very well for all these orbits with an error typically ΔL*
Fe2O3 Nanoparticle Structures Investigated by X-ray Absorption Near-Edge Structure, Surface Modifications, and Model Calculations

The structures of Fe2O3 nanoparticles with different sizes were investigated using Fe K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) and the FEFF calculations, as well as surface modification with enediol ligands. The studies not only revealed the existence of under-coordinated Fe sites in the nanoparticles but also confirmed that these under-coordinated sites were located on the surface. Upon binding of enediol ligands, surface sites were restructured to octahedral sites. In particular, the nature of the surface defects and their correlation with the unique properties of the nanoparticles were discussed. Model calculations were conducted for FemOn (m ≥ 1, n ≥ 4) clusters of various sizes centered at Fe sites with octahedral (Oh), distorted octahedral (C3v) and tetrahedral (Td) coordination geometry using FEFF8.10 programs. The main features of the calculated spectra agree with the experimental results and were correlated to the density of states, the Fe coordination geometry, and the long-range orde...
Ovarian cancer: a focus on management of recurrent disease

Surgery and chemotherapy form the cornerstone in the treatment of ovarian cancer. The standard of care for primary ovarian cancer is platinum and taxane-based chemotherapy. Despite the favorable response characteristics, however, most women with advanced-stage ovarian cancer will relapse. Herzog and Pothuri discuss the treatment options available and highlight the issues surrounding how these patients should be managed with surgical, chemotherapy, biological targeted agents and radiation therapy. Surgery and chemotherapy form the cornerstone of the treatment for ovarian cancer. Currently, the standard of care for primary ovarian cancer is platinum and taxane-based therapy. Even among women with advanced and suboptimal disease (i.e. tumors greater than 1 cm) following surgery, the clinical efficacy of chemotherapy is noteworthy. Despite the favorable response characteristics, however, most women with advanced-stage ovarian cancer will relapse, including about 50% of women who have no evidence of disease after primary therapy. A multitude of treatment options are available at the time of recurrence, but there is no clear consensus about how these patients should be managed. Options include surgery, chemotherapy, hormones, and sometimes, radiation therapy. The sequence, combinations of treatment, and manner in which any or all of these options should be employed in an individual patient, which heretofore have not been standardized, are the subjects of ongoing clinical investigations.
DEVELOPMENT OF GAME THEORETIC PROTOCOLS FOR MULTILEVEL DESIGN

The effectiveness of the use of game theory in addressing multi-objective design problems has been illustrated. For the most part, researchers have focused on design problems at single level. In this paper, we illustrate the efficacy of using game theoretic protocols to model the relationship between multidisciplinary engineering teams and facilitate decision making at multiple levels. We will illustrate the protocols in the context of an underwater vehicle with three levels that span material and geometric modeling associated with microstructure mediated design of the material and vehicle.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Perception of appetite and weight change during treatment for depression.

As part of the Pittsburgh Appetite Test©, 50 depressed outpatients reported their perceptions of appetite and weight change prior to and during chronic treatment with imipramine and psychotherapy. At the end of 4 months, as a group, patients were significantly more conscious of what they were eating, and reported a significant change in the frequency of regular meal consumption. No group changes were noted in frequency of snacking or late night eating, although weight change during treatment and obesity status modified these responses. Clinical response was unrelated to eating behavior. Perception of weight change varied with treatment: a 5 pound weight gain became highly problematic during recovery compared to the depressive episode. The interaction of these factors and antidepressant-induced weight gain are discussed.
Beauty and the Book: Fine Editions and Cultural Distinction in America

In post-World War I America, teeming as it was with magazines, newspapers, radio broadcasts and movies, many feared that the survival of traditional, serious books was in peril. This concern led to a publishing boom in fine editions; books valued primarily for their beauty, craftsmanship, extravagance, status, or scarcity. Beauty and the Book is a lively cultural history of the explosion in demand for these deluxe books during the 1920s and 1930s. Megan L. Benton argues that the clamour to own fine books reflected the anxieties and desires of those who mourned the rise of a modern mass culture. For them, such volumes not only affirmed a preindustrial ideal but also imparted social distinction and cultural superiority. Benton combines new archival research with a close examination of three hundred fine editions of the period. In theory, fine bookmakers were devoted to beauty and quality and were unwilling to compromise with machinery, popular taste, or concern for profit. But such ideal standards were nearly impossible to maintain. Paradoxically, fine publishers' ostensible indifference to commercial considerations was one of their most prized and lucrative products for sale. This book illuminates the interplay between the ideal and real nature of fine publishing as well as the complex nature of American cultural ambitions during this pivotal era.
Ganglioside partitioning and aggregation in phase-separated monolayers characterized by bodipy GM1 monomer/dimer emission.

The distribution of Bodipy GM1 in monolayers of binary and ternary lipid mixtures with coexisting fluid and ordered phases has been examined using a combination of atomic force microscopy and near-field scanning optical microscopy. Monolayers deposited at high (30 mN/m) and low (5 or 10 mN/m) surface pressures were examined and compared to those containing the same concentration of unlabeled ganglioside. Measurements of monomer and dimer Bodipy emission were used to distinguish aggregated from dilute ganglioside levels. For binary DPPC/DOPC monolayers, Bodipy GM1 is distributed throughout both the fluid and ordered phases at low surface pressures, and both labeled and unlabeled gangliosides result in a reduction in the size of ordered DPPC domains at 0.4% and the appearance of small aligned ganglioside-rich domains at 4%. In agreement with earlier studies, GM1 is heterogeneously distributed in small islands in the condensed DPPC domains at high surface pressure. By contrast, Bodipy GM1 causes the disappea...
Generalizability of Performance on Different-Station-Length Standardized Patient Cases

The relation between individual station length in performance‐based examinations and the generalizability of examinee scores is not well‐understood. This relation was examined in two studies measuring examinee performance over different time intervals. In the first study, performance measures at 5‐ and 10‐min intervals and complete 20‐min stations were obtained from checklists and generalizability estimates calculated at each interval. Results showed the greatest generalizability coefficient was obtained at the 10‐min interval. A second study, with actual 10‐min stations, also showed a higher generalizability coefficient at a 10‐min interval than at a 5‐min interval. Satisfactory psychometric properties may be obtained with 10‐min stations, realizing considerable savings in administration time and costs over longer station examinations. Changes in examinee scores within checklist organizational categories were also examined and interpreted in terms of possible changes in student interview strategies as a ...
Toxicity of the Ortho, Meta and Para Isomers of Sulfanilamide

Conclusions(1) The LD50's for oral administration to mice of the isomers of sulfanilamide are: ortho, 3.84 g; meta, 12.45 g; para, 4.61 g per kilo. (2) There is no correlation between solubility and toxicity of the 3 isomers. (3) There is no relation between toxicity as here found and therapeutic efficiency as reported by others.
Potential of Gene Therapy Strategy for the Treatment of Hypertension

Hypertension is one of the most important risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). CVD extends across all populations and represents the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in industrialized countries. Hypertension increases the risk of peripheral arterial disease, cardiomyopathy, stroke, and renal failure. The disease affects &50 million Americans and goes undetected in at least one third of the population. In spite of the tremendous progress made by pharmacotherapy in the management and control of hypertension, there has been a steady escalation in its prevalence during the last decade. This has led many to conclude that traditional pharmacotherapy has reached an intellectual plateau and that novel and innovative approaches must be sought for the treatment, control, and possible cure of hypertension. As a result, efforts of our group and those of many others have been diverted to explore the use of gene transfer and gene therapy strategies for a long-term control of hypertension. We have argued that gene therapy offers potentially significant improvements and benefits over the use of traditional pharmacotherapy: (1) noncompliance by patients can be significantly reduced or even eliminated because of the fact that a single treatment involving gene transfer could remain effective for months or even years; (2) side effects associated with pharmacotherapy can be minimized as a result of specific targeting of a therapeutic gene in a given tissue and optimally influencing cardiovascular pathophysiology on an individual patient basis; and (3) with its potential to produce long-term beneficial outcomes in end-organ damage, the gene therapy strategy could lead to a cure of hypertension and its related pathophysiology. It is noteworthy to mention that current pharmacotherapies are often unable to reverse end-organ damage associated with hypertension. In order for the gene therapy for hypertension to be successful, one must provide conceptual support of its efficacy in …
Subcritical crack growth along epoxy/glass interfaces

Subcritical crack growth behavior along polymer/glass interfaces was measured for various epoxy adhesives at different relative humidities. A four-point flexure apparatus coupled with an inverted microscope allowed for observation in situ of the subcritical crack growth at the polymer/glass interface. The specimens consisted of soda-lime glass plates bonded together with epoxy acrylate, epoxy (Devcon), or epoxy (Shell) adhesives. Above a threshold strain energy release rate, the subcritical crack velocity was dependent on the strain energy release rate via a power law relationship where the exponent was independent of the adhesive tested and the test humidity (n = 3). However, the multiplicative constant A in the power law relation varied by over three orders of magnitude between the various adhesives with epoxy (Shell) having the smallest value and the epoxy (Devcon) the greatest value; in addition, A was very sensitive to humidity, decreasing by over two orders of magnitude from 80% to 15% relative humidity. At high strain energy release rates, the subcritical crack velocity reached a plateau at approximately 10−6 m/s. The use of this subcritical crack velocity data in predicting thin film delamination is discussed.
Eruptive epidermal cysts and multiple squamous cell carcinomas after therapy for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma

Both topical nitrogen mustard and psoralen photochemotherapy may induce benign and malignant alterations in the skin. We describe the explosive appearance of multiple epidermal cysts and squamous cell carcinomas in a patient whose cutaneous T-cell lymphoma was treated sequentially with these two types of therapy. This is the first report of both processes in the same patient with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. It strongly supports the concept of lesion induction, while raising the question of an additive or even synergistic effect of these types of therapy.
The Synaptonemal Complexes of Caenorhabditis elegans Comparison of Wild-Type and Mutant Strains and Pachytene Karyotype Analysis of Wild-Type

Normal synaptonemal complexes (SCs), consisting of two lateral elements and a central element, are present in wild-type, him-4 and him-8 mutant strains in both hermaphrodites and males of Caenorhabditis elegans. Thus, the increase in rate of nondisjunction in the him mutants is not related to aberrant SC morphology. The wild-type hermaphrodite has six SCs, as determined from 3-D reconstruction analysis of serial sections from electron microscopy. Thus, n = 6 and this confirms early reports based on cytological studies with the light microscope. Only one end of the SC is attached to the nuclear envelope while the other end is free in the nucleoplasm and there is no apparent bouquet formation. Either end of the SC can attach to the nuclear envelope. The pairing behavior of the XX bivalent is normal and occurs synchronously with the autosomes. Electron dense bodies, or knobs, are associated with the SC via the central element and displace the chromatin for a distance of 200 nm. Each pachytene nucleus of the wild-type hermaphrodite has six such structures that are randomly dispersed along the bivalents such that some SCs have one or two knobs while others have none. Their function is unknown.
Nursing home experience with hospice.

Objective Much has been written regarding the problems of terminally ill people residing in nursing homes. Hospice care is one option these facilities have to assist in managing dying patients. The purpose of the study was to explore the knowledge base, experience, and attitudes of nursing home management with and toward hospice care. Design A descriptive study that involved phone interviews of a systematic random sample of management personnel in nursing homes to explore their experiences with hospice care. Setting Nursing homes. Participants 60 administrators and directors of nursing (DON) from 42 nursing homes in Missouri. Measurements Measurements included overall experience with hospice, the benefit of hospice to residents, specific experiences with hospice service, knowledge of hospice regulation and reimbursement, and perception of pain assessment skills. Results Results show that management personnel believe that hospice was positive and valuable for residents. Concerns included the frequency and availability of hospice services for nursing home residents, especially in rural areas. Nursing home management claimed that hospice was knowledgeable in pain management, yet when measured, pain management skills ranked 2.1 on a scale of 1 to 5 (1 being the best). Community and physician understanding of hospice was identified as a major barrier for residents. Conclusions While the results indicate a positive overall experience, a number of shortcomings are identified. The study points to opportunities for improvement in hospice/nursing home relationships. It also identifies opportunities for hospices and nursing homes to educate their medical directors in an effort to obtain active participation in the identification of patients for palliative care. In addition, the need for medical directors to assist in the education of nursing home staff regarding hospice services and benefits is indicated. Specifically, medical directors can educate nursing home staff on care plan responsibilities with hospice patients and other regulatory issues.
Pointers for Optimizing Radiation Dose in Pediatric CT Protocols

According to recent estimates, close to 7 million to 8 million CT examinations were performed for various pediatric clinical indications per year in the United States [1]. Children are normally more susceptible to radiationrelated risksbecauseof greaterorgan radiosensitivity and a longer life span to potentially develop radiation-induced carcinogenesis [2]. Although there are uncertainties regarding the lack of substantial data on the long-term radiation risks at dose levels associated with CT scans, it is still our responsibility to limit the amount of radiation used to only what is absolutely necessary. In this article, we review various strategies for reducing radiation dose associated with pediatric CT examinations.
Psysquash: a program for the analysis of PsyScope data files

Many experiment-running programs generate output files that require selection, reduction, and formatting of the raw data before the numbers are suitable for input into statistical packages. PsySquash is a Macintosh program for the selection, organization, and summary of the tabular data that are produced by a widely used freeware data acquisition system, PsyScope. PsySquash serves as a bridge between PsyScope’s output data format and the input formats required by common statistical packages such as SAS, SPSS, and SuperAnova. An extension of PsySquash is proposed for use with arbitrary tabular data.
Sol-gel synthesis of nanocrystalline fayalite (Fe2SiO4)

Fayalite (Fe2SiO4), and other Fe-rich olivine, is often found in the reducing environments of the Moon, Mars, and other extraterrestrial bodies, but the oxidation state of the terrestrial mantle restricts the amount of Fe found in olivine on Earth. For this reason, synthetic fayalite is needed for use in planetary-analog and other studies. Here we present a method for the synthesis of nanocrystalline fayalite (nanofayalite) using a sol-gel technique. Iron(II) chloride, sodium ethoxide, and tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) were reacted to produce a precursor gel, which was subsequently calcined under reducing conditions to crystallize nanofayalite. Powder X-ray diffraction analyses indicate that the produced nanofayalite is nearly pure, with minor amounts (0.5–3%) of metallic Fe in some batches. Scanning electron microscope images of nanofayalite crystals show euhedral to subhedral crystals that range in size between 100 and 150 nm. Estimates of specific surface area were determined by both the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and Langmuir adsorption methods and indicate average surface areas of 27.7 and 45.3 m2/g, respectively. Regulation of the redox environment was the critical challenge for this synthesis, but careful control of oxygen fugacity during reactant addition and mixing, sol-gel drying, and calcination ensured fayalite crystallization.
Spectroscopic studies of the interaction of tert-butylamine and n-propylamine with the β-cyclodextrin: Pyrene complex

The influence of amines on the aqueous beta-cyclodextrin (β-CD):pyrene complex with the use of steady-state fluorescence measurements is examined. A 2:1 β-CD:pyrene complex is reported in the presence of either tert-butylamine (TBA) or n-propylamine (PA). At low amine concentrations, the role of the amine is to shield pyrene from the bulk aqueous phase. However, at higher TBA concentrations, there exists a competitive equilibrium between the amine and pyrene for the β-CD cavity. The formation constants for the various complexes in the presence of either amine were estimated to be of comparable order of magnitude.
AGE CONTRASTS IN THE LEARNING OF LANGUAGE‐RELEVANT MATERIALS: SOME CHALLENGES TO CRITICAL PERIOD HYPOTHESIS

In order to test the claim of diminished capacity for language learning at puberty, a Hawaiian lesson was given to 182 public school children (61, 73, and 48 from grades 4, 7-8, and 11, respectively). Retention of material was evaluated immediately and after a week. The test was composed of syntactic and semantic tasks each assessed by multiple choice and metalinguistic means, with items demanding either rote memory, word rearrangement, or rule application. Repeated measures analyses of variance of second-week performance covaried for initial scores, showed Grade 4 to be poorer than both older groups, and Grade 7-8 to exceed Grade 11 on some tasks. Stepwise multiple regressions for each group revealed the consistent importance of English reading level and differing additional predictions in the three groups. It was concluded that second-language learning capacities cannot be defined in terms of age alone.
Fully nonlinear model of cables

In this paper an energy approach is used to develop a fully nonlinear cable model, which contains most cable models as special cases. The theory accounts for the effects of static and dynamic loads, initial sags, compressibility, material nonuniformity, Poisson's effect, and geometric nonlinearities. Also, a cubic nonlinear equation of motion is derived for sagged cables, taut strings, and extensional bars and compare the model with several other models.
Measuring direct nursing cost per patient in the acute care setting

OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was to measure the variability of direct nursing cost for similar patients and to examine the characteristics of nurses assigned to different types of patients. BACKGROUND There is no standard method for measuring direct nursing cost by patient. METHODS Deidentified data were collected from 3 databases for patients admitted from January 2010 through December 2012 on 1 medical/surgical unit in a large Magnet hospital. Direct nursing care time and costs were calculated from the nurse-patient assignment. RESULTS Variability in nursing intensity (0.36-13 hours) and cost per patient day ($132-$1,455) was significant for similar patients. Higher cost nurses were not assigned sicker patients (F3, 3029 = 87.09, P < .001, R = 0.124). Mean (SD) nursing direct cost per day was $96.48 ($55.73). CONCLUSIONS Standard measurement of nursing cost per patient could be benchmarked across hospitals and inform nursing administration care delivery decisions.
The pattern of collagen degradation in cultured tadpole tissues

Abstract A characteristic pattern of selective degradation of isotopically labeled collagen in tadpole tail fin in culture was observed by measuring the amount and radioactivity of degraded collagen fragments released into the culture medium as a function of time of incubation. The changes in specific activity and total amount of hydroxyproline released with time indicated early degradation apparent at 3 hr of incubation of a small fraction of newly synthesized heavily labeled collagen followed by breakdown of the bulk of old lightly labeled fibrils. Collagenase activity rose in the culture medium with the release of collagen breakdown products and continued long afterward. Serum in the medium significantly reduced the release of collagen degradation products to the medium and greatly lowered their specific activity. Possible mechanisms of selective collagen degradation are discussed.
Coupled land-atmosphere modeling of the effects of shrub encroachment on nighttime temperatures

Abstract Changes in vegetation cover affect the interactions between the land surface and the overlying atmosphere with important impacts on surface energy balance and microclimate conditions. A major ongoing change in vegetation cover has been observed in dryland regions around the world, where desert shrubs are encroaching into arid grasslands. However, the impact of shrub encroachment on local climate has not been investigated. We used a mesoscale model coupled with a Land Surface Model to simulate the effects of shrub encroachment on nighttime temperatures. These effects can have an important effect on the establishment of shrubs and need to be represented well by land surface parameterization schemes that are also used in long-term climate simulations. Idealized 2-dimensional simulations were conducted with vegetation types corresponding to shrubland and grassland typical of the Northern Chihuahuan Desert. Simulated surface energy and radiation fluxes and near-ground air temperature were analyzed and compared with observations. Results show a good comparison between the simulations and observations as long as vegetation parameters are adjusted in the model to be in better agreement with the observed parameters. The sensitivity of the nighttime air temperatures to green vegetation fraction, albedo, emissivity and roughness length is investigated. The results indicate that the green vegetation fraction is the key factor that causes the higher nighttime temperature in shrubland than in adjacent grassland, mainly by its effects on soil surface insulation, soil thermal diffusivity, and therefore on ground heat fluxes.
The general multimodal network equilibrium problem with elastic demand

In this article, we consider the general multimodal traffic equilibrium model with elastic demands. The link travel costs may depend upon the entire load pattern and the travel demands associated with each origin-destination pair and mode may depend upon travel costs associated with every origin-destination pair and every mode of transportation. For this model, we define the concepts of user-optimality and equilibrium. We establish, by means of a constructive proof motivated by the theory of variational inequalities, the existence of a unique equilibrium under appropriate monotonicity conditions. We then show that the existence proof induces an algorithm for the computation of equilibrium traffic patterns. The algorithm proceeds by iteration, each step of which amounts to computing the equilibrium pattern for a single modal linear traffic equilibrium problem with elastic demands. We derive estimates for the speed of convergence.
Association of Generalized Joint Hypermobility With a History of Glenohumeral Joint Instability

Abstract Context: Little is known about the relationship among sex, generalized joint hypermobility, and glenohumeral joint instability. Objective: To examine the relationship among sex, generalized joint hypermobility scores, and a history of glenohumeral joint instability within a young, physically active cohort and to describe the incidence of generalized joint hypermobility within this population. Design: Cross-sectional cohort study. Setting: United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. Patients or Other Participants: Of the 1311 members of the entering freshman class of 2010, 1050 (80%) agreed to participate. Main Outcome Measure(s): Generalized joint hypermobility was assessed using the Beighton Scale. A history of glenohumeral joint instability was identified via a baseline questionnaire. Results: Most participants (78%) had no signs of generalized joint hypermobility. Only 11 volunteers (1.5%) had Beighton Scale scores of 4 or greater. Logistic regression analysis revealed a relationsh...
High moment epitaxial Fe-N thin films

High moment epitaxial Fe-N films were produced using reactive sputtering in an ultra clean sputtering system with in-situ RHEED, and the effects of nitrogen concentration and annealing on magnetic and structural properties were investigated. A sulfur-passivated GaAs substrate was annealed at 450/spl deg/C to get a good RHEED pattern. A 1 nm thick Fe seed layer was then deposited to promote epitaxial growth of a 20 nm thick Ag[100] buffer layer. Fe-N films were grown on these Ag[100] buffer layers. Nitrogen partial pressure and annealing temperature was varied to obtain epitaxial high moment films. Epitaxial GaAs[001]/1 nm Fe/20 nm Ag[001]/40 nm Fe-N[001]/Ru 10 nm films with low nitrogen concentration exhibited an /spl alpha/'-FeN single phase with a magnetization of about 18 kG. Films with high nitrogen concentration exhibited a mixture of /spl alpha/'-FeN and /spl gamma/'-Fe/sub 4/N phases, resulting in low magnetization. Post-annealing of films with low nitrogen concentration increased the magnetization up to 20 kG, but the post-annealing of films with high nitrogen concentration increased the amount of the /spl gamma/'-Fe/sub 4/N phases, resulting in lower magnetization. For films with low nitrogen concentration, sharp RHEED streaks are observed and this is an indication of well-ordered smooth epitaxial films. For films with high nitrogen concentration RHEED streaks are broadened and the background increases which is indicative of an increasing amount of disorder and roughness or possibly a multiphase film. Rms surface roughness of the films was in the range of 0.2-0.6 nm.
Accurate power estimation of CMOS sequential circuits

The existence of near-closed sets makes the power estimation of sequential circuits more complicated and time consuming. If caution is not taken, the Monte Carlo-based power estimation techniques for sequential circuits can wrongly terminate the simulation with undesired results. In this paper, we have developed a strategy for a statistical power estimation technique to take into account the possible existence of near-closed sets. We propose an algorithm that partitions states into near-closed sets, if they do exist, and a technique that reduces the computation time of the probabilities of states if state transition graph (STG) is available. If STG is not available, we propose a Monte Carlo-based technique with a warm-up period. The results show that the partitioning algorithm also serves as a detector that signifies whether there may exist near-closed sets. The computation time of state probability can be reduced up to 50% in cases when near-closed sets are present. The relative error of the estimated individual node activity by the Monte Carlo-based technique with a warm-up period is within 3% of the result of long run simulation.
On Living Together Unmarried Awareness Contexts and Social Interaction

This article examines the practice of youthful unmarried cohabitation among heterosexual couples, most of whom later married. It attempts to identify the contingencies leading to cohabitation, the forms of adaptation to actual or perceived reactions by family to the relationship, and the consequences of these adaptations for the cohabiters and their relations with family. The analysis suggests that cohabitation can be understood as a gradual movement characterized by drift in a situation of opportunity isolated from immediate social controls. The form of adaptation to family varies by the awareness context (Glaser and Strauss, 1964) existing between cohabiters and family. The study points out the sources of change in awareness contexts and concludes that the enactment of traditional role obligations or marriage is generated by actual or perceived reactions of others, problems associated with various forms of awareness contexts, and other factors.
Integration and bit distribution of production-worthy FRAM embedded with 130nm CMOS logic

High density embedded FRAM has been fabricated within a 130nm, 5LM Cu/FSG CMOS logic process with only two additional masks. Integrated arrays, fabricated with 70nm-thick MOCVD lead zirconate titanate (PZT) as the ferroelectric and Ir/IrO2 electrodes, show good separation voltage and wide signal margin between the two data states. Ferroelectric processing does not adversely affect the CMOS properties. Opposite state retention measurements of the arrays project greater than 10 years lifetime at 85degC
3D optical coherence tomography image registration for guiding cochlear implant insertion

In cochlear implant surgery, an electrode array is inserted into the cochlear canal to restore hearing to a person who is profoundly deaf or significantly hearing impaired. One critical part of the procedure is the insertion of the electrode array, which looks like a thin wire, into the cochlear canal. Although X-ray or computed tomography (CT) could be used as a reference to evaluate the pathway of the whole electrode array, there is no way to depict the intra-cochlear canal and basal turn intra-operatively to help guide insertion of the electrode array. Optical coherent tomography (OCT) is a highly effective way of visualizing internal structures of cochlea. Swept source OCT (SSOCT) having center wavelength of 1.3 micron and 2D Galvonometer mirrors was used to achieve 7-mm depth 3-D imaging. Graphics processing unit (GPU), OpenGL, C++ and C# were integrated for real-time volumetric rendering simultaneously. The 3D volume images taken by the OCT system were assembled and registered which could be used to guide a cochlear implant. We performed a feasibility study using both dry and wet temporal bones and the result is presented.