cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Symptom Expression in Hyperactive Children An Analysis of Observations

Hyperactivity is typically diagnosed when children display overactivity, inappropriate inattention, and impulsivity during the school day when involved in tasks that require sustained and voluntary attention. However, distinguishing children with hyperactivity from children with other learning and behavior disorders is often difficult because of an overlap in symptom expression. Some studies have failed to find any factors associated only with the hyperactive syndrome. The present study compared the behavior of students diagnosed as hyperactive or having attention deficit disorder to students diagnosed as having learning disabilities. Symptoms associated with overactivity, inattention, and impulsivity of 19 hyperactive and 17 nonhyperactive (learning disordered) students were observed and counted using a direct diagnostic procedure following a momentary time sampling technique. Analyses revealed that differences between the groups were often qualitative rather than quantitative, and only a few symptoms distinguished one diagnosis from the other. Hyperactive students demonstrated more talking, unsystematic search, and motor impersistence than nonhyperactive students. Nonhyperactive students demonstrated more upper extremity movement and displayed more inattention when engaged in visual tasks than hyperactive students. The findings questioned the use of general categories of behavior such as overactivity to discriminate hyperactive from nonhyperactive students. Implications for diagnosis and the need for continued studies are reviewed.
Revised PORT Recommendations

The updated Schizophrenia Patient Outcomes Research Team (PORT) recommendations (Lehman et al. 2004) represent an excellent, well-reasoned, and appropriately cautious synthesis of the available evidence on treatments for schizophrenia. Importantly, the authors caution against "biological reductionism," by which they mean neglect of psychological and social issues that affect individuals with schizophrenia and their families. They stress the need to develop and test new modalities that may facilitate the recovery of individuals with schizophrenia. They point out the critical need for better access to mental health services and better integration of mental health, general health, and social services. They call for continued research on available treatments. We agree with all of these points.
Life as a major groove: riffing on the art of biology.

Genes and Jazz (part of the Works & Process series), performed by Harold and Jacob Varmus, 16-17 November 2008, Peter B. Lewis Theater, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York ![Figure][1] The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, with its distinctive exterior and helical main gallery,
Phonological convergence in a contracting language variety

Most work investigating the role of convergence in situations of language attrition has focused on the morpho-syntactic restructuring of the dying language variety. A central concern of such research has been untangling the factors driving the restructuring with an eye towards establishing whether the changes observed are best viewed as externally driven or, by contrast, as internally motivated. A second and equally important concern of this research attempts to define the domains of the linguistic system that may be the most permeable to external influence. The present study provides a contribution to this line of research and sheds light on its two leading concerns from the domain of phonology and phonetics. Specifically, we present the results of an instrumental study of the phonological vowel system of Frenchville French and argue that this linguistic variety is undergoing a perceptually striking process of phonetic convergence with English that is motivated by the auditory and acoustic similarity between a subset of vowels in the contact languages. An interesting consequence of our analysis is that bilingual phonologies may become particularly permeable to inter-linguistic influence precisely where they are acoustically and perceptually unstable, and where they are already congruent to some degree.
Approximate separation of volcanic and 11‐year signals in the SBUV‐SBUV/2 total ozone record over the 1979‐1995 Period

The combined Nimbus 7 SBUV, NOAA 11, and preliminary NOAA 9 SBUV/2 monthly zonal mean total ozone data set, extending from January 1979 to December 1995, is analyzed with a multiple regression statistical model that includes a term to describe the direct effect of volcanic aerosols on total ozone. Outside of polar regions, which are not included in this analysis, the volcanic regression coefficients in the northern hemisphere are negative (consistent with heterogeneous chemical losses of ozone on volcanic sulfate aerosols) and reach their maximum values between 40°N - 60°N latitude. Although inclusion of the aerosol term in the statistical model introduces some additional uncertainty to the derived solar response, statistically significant values of the solar coefficients are found in northern and southern subtropical regions throughout the year, with maximum amplitudes of ∼2.5% at 30° latitude in both hemispheres during winter. We conclude that the 11-year signal in the SBUV-SBUV/2 total ozone record is approximately separable from volcanic aerosol effects.
Performance analysis of physical signature authentication

In physical signature authentication schemes, a candidate signature presented for authentication is compared to a previous signature measurement. The uniqueness of a signature is a result of a random physical process underlying the signature formation. We model signatures as realizations of random processes with known statistics. Rate functions for the false alarm and miss probabilities are determined. The case where the candidate signature and previous signature measurement are zero-mean, stationary, and Gaussian is covered in detail, yielding quantitative measures of performance for system design. The binary case is also discussed.
Definitions and Pathophysiology of Sepsis

Mortality rates for sepsis and septic shock have not improved in the past decade. The Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) guidelines released in 2012 emphasize early recognition and treatment of sepsis, in an effort to reduce the burden of sepsis worldwide. This series of review articles will discuss the pathophysiology of sepsis; comorbidities, such as multiorgan dysfunction syndrome (MODS), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and endocrine issues; and finally, management of sepsis and septic shock.
Phospholipid Hydrolysis Caused by Clostridium perfringens α-Toxin Facilitates the Targeting of Perfringolysin O to Membrane Bilayers

Clostridium perfringens causes gas gangrene and gastrointestinal disease in humans. These pathologies are mediated by potent extracellular protein toxins, particularly α-toxin and perfringolysin O (PFO). While α-toxin hydrolyzes phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin, PFO forms large transmembrane pores on cholesterol-containing membranes. It has been suggested that the ability of PFO to perforate the membrane of target cells is dictated by how much free cholesterol molecules are present. Given that C. perfringens α-toxin cleaves the phosphocholine headgroup of phosphatidylcholine, we reasoned that α-toxin may increase the number of free cholesterol molecules in the membrane. Our present studies reveal that α-toxin action on membrane bilayers facilitates the PFO−cholesterol interaction as evidenced by a reduction in the amount of cholesterol required in the membrane for PFO binding and pore formation. These studies suggest a mechanism for the concerted action of α-toxin and PFO during C. perfringens pathog...
Dynamic Bit Allocation for Object Tracking in Wireless Sensor Networks

In this paper, we study the target tracking problem in wireless sensor networks (WSNs) using quantized sensor measurements where the total number of bits that can be transmitted from sensors to the fusion center is limited. At each time step of tracking, a total of R available bits need to be distributed among the N sensors in the WSN for the next time step. The optimal solution for the bit allocation problem can be obtained by using a combinatorial search which may become computationally prohibitive for large N and R. Therefore, we develop two new suboptimal bit allocation algorithms which are based on convex optimization and approximate dynamic programming (A-DP). We compare the mean squared error (MSE) and computational complexity performances of convex optimization and A-DP with other existing suboptimal bit allocation schemes based on generalized Breiman, Friedman, Olshen, and Stone (GBFOS) algorithm and greedy search. Simulation results show that, A-DP, convex optimization and GBFOS yield similar MSE performance, which is very close to that based on the optimal exhaustive search approach and they outperform greedy search and nearest neighbor based bit allocation approaches significantly. Computationally, A-DP is more efficient than the bit allocation schemes based on convex optimization and GBFOS, especially for a large sensor network.
Quake swarm in California

A series of four earthquakes shook an area centered 24 km north of Bishop, Calif., on July 20–21, 1986. The earthquake swarm prompted the director of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to send a letter to the California Office of Emergency Services, advising state officials of increased risk that additional earthquakes of the same or greater magnitude could soon follow. The earthquakes near Bishop had no apparent connection to two quakes in other parts of the state earlier in the month. As Eos went to press, the seismic activity near Bishop was tapering off, “as it does in a normal aftershock sequence,” according to David P. Hill, a geophysicist with USGS in Menlo Park, Calif.
Variable effect of co-infection on the HIV infectivity: Within-host dynamics and epidemiological significance

Background Recent studies have implicated viral characteristics in accounting for the variation in the HIV set-point viral load (spVL) observed among individuals. These studies have suggested that the spVL might be a heritable factor. The spVL, however, is not in an absolute equilibrium state; it is frequently perturbed by immune activations generated by co-infections, resulting in a significant amplification of the HIV viral load (VL). Here, we postulated that if the HIV replication capacity were an important determinant of the spVL, it would also determine the effect of co-infection on the VL. Then, we hypothesized that viral factors contribute to the variation of the effect of co-infection and introduce variation among individuals.
Mothers, Men, and Child Protective Services Involvement

This study used data on 2,297 families from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study to examine whether Child Protective Services (CPS) involvement varies by maternal relationship status. Families were categorized according to whether the mother was living with a (male) partner or spouse, was involved in a dating relationship, or was not romantically involved. Families in which the mother was romantically involved were further delineated by whether her partner was the biological father of none, some, or all of the children in her household. Results indicated that families in which the mother was living with a man who was not the biological father of all children and those in which she was not romantically involved were significantly more likely to be contacted by CPS than those in which she was living with the biological father of all resident children. These findings withstood the inclusion of detailed controls for the mother's characteristics and behaviors and (in two-parent families) her partner's characteristics and behaviors, suggesting that they are not fully explained by observable social selection factors.
Radiographic Identification Using Midline Medical Sternotomy Wires

Forensic anthropologists are regularly asked to assist with the identification of unknown individuals using comparative medical radiography. This study addressed the use of midline medical sternotomy wires as a means for personal identification. Antemortem and postmortem radiographic comparisons were completed by 46 professional forensic anthropologists and anthropology graduate students familiar with comparative medical radiography as a technique for assessing identification. Participants were asked to make five radiographic matches from a pool of 20 radiographs. Participants also completed an anonymous survey detailing their education level and experience making radiographic comparisons. Participants were 99.5% accurate in matching the radiographs. Sensitivity was 98.7%, and specificity was 99.7%. Logistic regression analysis found no statistically significant differences in the participants' ability to make a correct match. As the high accuracy rates indicate, the shape, size, and various characteristics of the sternotomy wires are individualizing and can confidently be used when assisting with personal identification cases.
Cord blood telomere length in Latino infants: relation with maternal education and infant sex.

Cord blood telomere length in Latino infants: relation with maternal education and infant sex
FAMILIAL MAMMARY TUMORS IN THE RABBIT : II. GROSS AND MICROSCOPIC PATHOLOGY.

The pathological histories of two types of familial mammary cancer in the rabbit have been described. One type was distinguished by characteristic antecedent mammary changes similar to those found in Schimmelbusch's disease in women and by a distinctive papillary structure. The second type originated in normal breast tissue and was characterized histologically by an atypical proliferation of acini.
Building a Sustainable Supply Chain

As companies increasingly move their supply bases to emerging economies, they maybe exposed to increasing risk of supply disruptions. In particular, they can be subjected to the risk of their suppliers going out of business or changing their lines of business due to the rapid changes in the socio-economic development of these economies. This is especially the case when we are talking about emerging economies in underdeveloped countries such as Africa, parts of East Asia like Indonesia, Central America and parts of South America, In industries requiring raw materials that come from natural resources - mining and agriculture, for example - many companies do not have a choice but to source from the emerging economies endowed with such resources. In such situations, we need to pay attention to the dimension of sustainability of supply as a business objective in managing the supply chain. Efficiency in cost and time is simply not sufficient. What can we do to assure supply in the long term? The key is that we must invest in the suppliers, giving them assistances and incentives, so that they could be successful in their business, and hence, be sustainable suppliers. Otherwise, the cost of not having sufficient supply in the long run, or the cost of having to develop new supply sources, could be excessive. In this chapter, we describe how the world’s leading coffee company develops its supply chain to be sustainable. To build a sustainable supply chain, Starbucks helped to enable their suppliers to have equitable returns in their business, be sound global citizens of the environment, and have employees whose welfare is improving over time. The sustainable supply chain has also led to Starbucks having a socially responsible supply chain.
Batching-Based Approaches for Optimized Packing of Jobs in the Spatial Scheduling Problem

Spatial resources are often an important consideration in shipbuilding and large-scale manufacturing industries. Spatial scheduling problems (SSP) involve the non-overlapping arrangement of jobs within a limited physical workspace such that some scheduling objective is optimized. The jobs are typically heavy and occupy large areas, requiring that the same contiguous units of space be assigned throughout the duration of their processing time. This adds an additional level of complexity to the general scheduling problem. Since solving large instances using exact methods becomes computationally intractable, there is a need to develop alternate solution methodologies to provide near optimal solutions for these problems. Much of the literature focuses on minimizing the makespan of the schedule. We propose two heuristic methods for the minimum sum of completion times objective. Our approach is to group jobs into a batch and then apply a scheduling heuristic to the batches. We show that grouping jobs earlier in the schedule, although intuitive, can result in poor performance when jobs have sufficiently large differences in processing times. We provide bounds on the performance of the algorithms and also present computational results comparing the solutions to the optimal objective obtained from the integer programming formulation for SSP. With a smaller number of jobs, both algorithms produce comparable solutions. For instances with a larger number of jobs and a higher variability in spatial dimensions, we observe that the efficient area model outperforms the iterative model both in terms of solution quality and run time.
"Guadalupanismo en Guatemala: Culto mariano y subalternidad étnica." Arturo Taracena Arriola.

Since the mid-nineteenth century, non-indigenous parents from Guatemala City and Antigua have sought the favor of the Virgin of Guadalupe on December 12 th by dressing their children up as “inditos” ( disfrazan de inditos ). In his new book, Arturo Taracena demonstrates how the image of thousands of non-indigenous children masquerading as “inditos” is a stirring symbol of Guatemala’s piercing ethnic and racial divisions. One of Latin America’s most emblematic religious icons, the Virgin of Guadalupe is not only saturated with religious and cultural symbolism, but also reveals the political and cultural processes through which national and ethnic identities are mobilized, contested and re-imagined. While in late colonial Mexico the Virgin was a bearer of a proto-nationalism that united and integrated the castas into a common project against the Spanish empire, in striking contrast Taracena demonstrates how the cult of the Virgin symbolized “la logica segregadora” of Guatemalan nationalism that divided the population into bipolar indigenous and non-indigenous sectors. Taracena explores the Virgin of Guadalupe’s unique historical trajectory in Guatemala through eleven chapters that cover the appropriation of the religious cult from its Mexican roots in the mid-eighteenth century until the late twentieth-century processes of globalization and transnational migration that produced counter-hegemonic forms of Guadalupanismo .
HF/VHF antenna characterization from very-near-field measurements over arbitrary closed surfaces

A novel, efficient characterization technique for HF/VHF antennas from very-near-field measurements is presented. A measurement system with a non-intrusive broadband electro-optical (EO) probe is utilized to measure the tangential electric fields of an antenna under test (AUT) at a very-near surface enclosing the antenna. The non-metallic and small-size fiber-coupled EO probe does not perturb the current distribution over the antenna and is free from the complicated probe compensation. Far-field quantities of the AUT are derived from a newly developed near-field to far-field transformation method. In this way, a full spherical radiation pattern and gain of the AUT are attained without expensive computation and truncation errors. A miniaturized antenna operating low-VHF band (40 MHz) with dimensions 10 cm × 10 cm × 15 cm (0.013λ0 ×0.013λ0 × 0.02λ0).[)) is employed as the AUT. The performance of the proposed approach is evaluated through comparison with the results obtained from full-wave simulation and direct far-field measurement performed in an outdoor range.
Playing the “Immigrant Card”: Reflections of Color-blind Rhetoric within Southern Attitudes on Immigration

Polls measuring attitudes on immigration suggest that Americans generally agree that immigration is good for the United States. However, these same polls suggest that Americans support strict border enforcement and racial profiling to curtail illegal immigration. These same mixed responses about immigration also characterize southern views, particularly in new immigrant destinations. Drawing on 180 in-depth interviews from southern college students, this article uses color-blind racism and racist nativism theories to examine immigration rhetoric. Results suggest that respondents fear immigrants “taking over,” racializing the immigration debate to only focus on Mexican immigrants. They also conflate their views of blacks and Mexican immigrants, suggesting these two groups are essentially the same. However, they deflect being blatantly racist nativist by camouflaging their comments with color-blind frames. Many note that the mistreatment of immigrants is “fair” in comparison with their immigrant ancestors, ...
Champion Social Mobility

Few developed countries transfer economic disadvantage from one generation to the next as effectively as the US, UK, and Italy. If your father held a job as a tradesman, you often will. If he held a job as a professional, you probably will, too. If your father earned mediocre wages, you often will. If he earned a big salary, you probably will, too. Data from the OECD (2010) on intergenerational income mobility, as measured by intergenerational income elasticity, makes the point. In a range between 0 and 1, the lower the number the higher the income mobility across generation, the US came in at an inelastic 0.47, the UK at 0.50, and Italy at 0.48. This compares, for example, with particularly mobile (elastic) countries, Denmark at 0.15 and Norway at 0.17.1
Nano-Bio Architectures: Combining Chemistry and Biology in Nanotechnology

Bionanocomposite materials have tremendous potential in biomedical product research/development and applications such as medical devices, surgical implants, pharmacological product, biologics/vaccines, and advanced diagnostics tools. Bionanocomposites are a combination of biopolymeric materials combined with inert organic or inorganic materials fabricated in the nanometer scales. Biopolymers of natural origin such as proteins, polysaccharides, aliphatic polyesters, and nucleic acids serve as the core material in bionanocomposite development. This paper will provide a summary of the Nanobiocomposites and an overview of the technical challenges in the development, purification, characterization of biopolymers, and integration with other inert organic and inorganic chemical components in the fabrication of bionanocomposites. The paper will also cover the importance of the interactions between the functional components of the active bionano-structures with the inert layers in the development of biologically effective functional bionanocomposite architectures. A brief summary of the current United States and European regulations will be provided on the release of nanoparticles in the general environment and current risk assessment approaches to assess its potential adverse effects on public health and the ecosystem
Language Recovery after Left Hemispherectomy

The language proficiency of 6 right-handed children (ages 7-14 years) with Rasmussen’s syndrome, who underwent left hemidecorticectomy after 5 or more years of normal language development before seizures, were investigated at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD.
Brief Report: A Prospective Open-Label Phase IIa Trial of Tocilizumab in the Treatment of Polymyalgia Rheumatica

Objective Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a pivotal cytokine in the pathogenesis of polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR), yet the efficacy of IL-6 blockade with tocilizumab (TCZ) for the treatment of PMR is unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of TCZ in newly diagnosed PMR. Methods. In a single-center open-label study, patients with newly diagnosed PMR who had been treated with glucocorticoids (GCs) for <1 month were treated monthly with intravenous (IV) TCZ 8 mg/kg for 1 year, with a rapid tapering of GCs according to standardized protocol. The primary end point was the proportion of patients in relapse-free remission without GC treatment at 6 months. Secondary outcome measures included duration of GC use and cumulative GC dose. Patients were followed up for 15 months. Results Ten patients were enrolled in the study. One patient withdrew after 2 months, leaving 9 patients in whom the primary end point was assessed. The primary end point of relapse-free remission without GC treatment at 6 months was achieved by all 9 of these patients. All patients who received TCZ treatment were able to discontinue GCs within 4 months of study entry. The cumulative mean ± SD prednisone dose was 1,085 ± 301 mg and the total duration of GC exposure was 3.9 ± 0.9 months. Remission persisted without relapse, in all 9 patients, throughout the entire 15-month study. Conclusion Our findings suggest that TCZ may be an effective, safe, and well-tolerated treatment for newly diagnosed patients with PMR, with a robust steroid-sparing effect.
Optimal allocation of battery energy storage systems in distribution networks considering high PV penetration

The question of how energy storage can be used efficiently and effectively in distribution networks is open and ongoing. This work explores optimal allocation of battery energy storage systems (BESS) in distribution networks to maximize their support in integrating high penetration solar photovoltaics (PV). A genetic algorithm (GA)-based multi-layer multi-objective optimization model is developed that minimizes the voltage deviation caused by high PV penetration and decreases energy loss in the distribution system while also accounting for the BESS capital and operational lifetime. The optimization problem considers BESS unit capacities, BESS installation points in the network and the cumulative BESS capacity of the network as decision variables. Siting constraints that would play a practical role in resource allocation, such as construction limitations, environmental and visual impacts are not included in the model. A case study with the IEEE 8500-Node test feeder is carried out to discuss the effectiveness of the proposed method. The results show a clear connection between BESS sizing and siting decisions and voltage deviation reduction benefits in a distribution network.
Time-lapse microscopy of lung endothelial cells under hypoxia

Objective: This study utilizes fluorescence microscopy to assess the effect of the oxygen tension on the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in mitochondria of fetal pulmonary artery endothelial cells (FPAECs). Introduction: Hypoxia is a severe oxygen stress, which mostly causes irreversible injury in lung cells. However, in some studies, it is reported that hypoxia decreases the severity of injuries. In this study, ROS production level was examined in hypoxic FPAECs treated with pentachlorophenol (PCP, uncoupler). This work was accomplished by monitoring and quantifying the changes in the level of the produced ROS in hypoxic cells before and after PCP treatment. Materials and methods: The dynamic of the mitochondrial ROS production in two groups of FPAECs was measured over time using time-lapse microscopy. For the first group, cells were incubated in 3% hypoxic condition for 2 hours and then continuously were exposed to hypoxic condition for imaging as well. For the second group, cells were incubated in normal oxygen condition. Time lapse images of the cells loaded with Mito-SOX (ROS indicator) were acquired, and the red fluorescence intensity profile of the cells was calculated. Changes in the level of the fluorescence intensity profile while they are treated with PCP indicates the dynamics of the ROS level. Results: The intensity profiles of the PCP-treated cells in the first group showed 47% lower ROS production rate than the PCP-treated cells in the second group. Conclusion: Time lapse microscopy revealed that hypoxic cells have lower ROS generation while treated with PCP. Therefore, this result suggests that hypoxia decreased electron transport chain activity in uncoupled chain.
Preference for and Suitability of Selected Elms, Ulmus spp. and Their Hybrids for the Elm Leaf Beetle, (Pyrrhalta luteola Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

Abstract Selected elms Ulmus spp. and their hybrids growing at the Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL were evaluated in the laboratory for feeding preference by the elm leaf beetle, Pyrrhalta luteola (Muller). Results from the single-choice and multiple-choice feeding studies showed that U. szechuanica was the least suitable for feeding and reproduction by the adult elm leaf beetle. The hybrids U. pumila x U. parvifolia and U. pumila x U. americana, and U. pumila (control) appeared to be highly suitable for feeding and reproduction by the adult elm leaf beetle. Adult longevity and the pre-ovipositional period appeared to be a function of suitability as adults feeding on U. szechuanica had the shortest longevity and the longest pre-ovipositional period. The converse was also true. Results from multiple-choice studies were consistent with the single-choice studies. The intermediately suitable species/hybrids of U. japonicawilsoniana x U. pumila, U. Japonica, U. macrocarpa, and U. wilsoniana show promise for furthe...
Patient-Reported Outcomes Can Be Used to Streamline Post-Total Hip Arthroplasty Follow-Up to High-Risk Patients

Abstract Background Patient-reported outcomes are increasingly used to capture the patients' perspective in total hip arthroplasty (THA). They can potentially be used to streamline post-THA follow-up to high-risk patients. We aimed to determine whether the long-term revision risk in THA relates to patient-reported measures at 2 and 5 years. Methods In a single-institution cohort of primary THA procedures, we examined the association between 2-year and 5-year pain and Mayo Hip Scores and the risk of revision. Results The absolute scores at 2 and 5 years were both significantly associated with the risk of revisions. Every 10-unit decline in the 2-year Mayo Hip Score Conclusion We conclude that patient-reported outcomes in THA have prognostic importance and can be taken into account when planning frequency of aftercare. This will improve the efficiency of follow-up in large registry-based follow-up efforts.
From Social Media to the Outdoors: Exploring Messages That Connect With Underserved Urban Youth

Despite the mental and physical benefits of visiting natural areas, and increases in outdoor activity participation among U.S. youth overall in the past decade, outdoor access is skewed toward nonurban, nonminority populations. This environmental justice issue is particularly pronounced for minority youth in urban areas, such as the Los Angeles Basin. While decreased contact with nature has been associated with increased technology use, the popularity of new technologies and social media outlets presents novel opportunities to connect underserved urban youth with natural areas. Seven focus groups with 42 urban youth in the L.A. Basin explored underserved youth perspectives on connecting with nature, social media, and how social media can deliver nature-related messages of interest to this population. Content analysis revealed commonly preferred social media platforms and Web-based activities, and six themes related to participants’ perceptions of nature: unique experiences, escape, social connections, challenge, adventure, and accessibility. Subscribe to JOREL
Role of atomic-level defects and electronic energy loss on amorphization in LiNbO3 single crystals

Understanding complex non-equilibrium defect processes, where multiple irradiation mechanisms may take place simultaneously, is a long standing subject in material science. The separate and combined effects of elastic and inelastic energy loss are a very complicated and challenging topic. In this work, LiNbO3 has been irradiated with 0.9 MeV Si+ and 8 MeV O3+, which are representative of regimes where nuclear (S n) and electronic (S e) energy loss are dominant, respectively. The evolution of damage has been investigated by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) in channeling configuration. Pristine samples were irradiated with 0.9 MeV Si+ ions to create different pre-existing damage states. Below the threshold (S e,th = 5–6 keV nm−1) for amorphous track formation in this material, irradiation of the pristine samples with a highly ionizing beam of 8 MeV O3+ ions, with nearly constant S e of about 3 keV nm−1, induces a crystalline to amorphous phase transition at high ion fluences. In the pre-damaged samples, the electronic energy loss from the 8 MeV O3+ ions interacts synergistically with the pre-existing damage, resulting in a rapid, non-linear increase in damage production. There is a significant reduction in the incubation fluence for rapid amorphization with the increasing amount of pre-existing damage. These results highlight the important role of atomic-level defects on increasing the sensitivity of some oxides to amorphization induced by electronic energy loss. Controlling the nature and amount of pre-damage may provide a new approach to tuning optical properties for photonic device applications.
Prostate Cancer and Radiation Therapy: A History

Prostate cancer is truly an ancient disease with a fascinating history that was locally aggressive during the mid-to-late nineteenth century when awareness of this illness began to accrue. With the foundations of the specialty of urology, locally aggressive radical surgeries were tried in the early twentieth century with relatively poor outcomes. Only when the marker, prostate specific antigen (PSA) became available did the perfect storm arise—early detection, early treatment and rapid surgical changes. But radiation therapy also became an effective treatment alternative, beginning first with brachytherapy methods, followed by what James M. Slater has classically referred to as the four major eras of radiation therapy—the era of discovery, the orthovoltage era, the megavoltage era and finally the intensity-modulated era which is still ongoing [1]. Into this realm the proton accelerator (ion beam therapies with protons just being one) must also be factored as well as combined radiation modalities—or the high dose regimens and radiopharmaceuticals.
Radiation exposure of cardiac sonographers working in an academic noninvasive cardiovascular imaging laboratory.

Background and aim Exposure to workplace radiation among cardiac sonographers has been felt to be low, and patient-related sources have been considered negligible. Sonographers may be exposed to radiation from patient emitted sources as well as external sources in interventional laboratories. This study quantified radiation exposure to cardiac sonographers. Methods Cardiac sonographers, vascular imaging technologists, exercise physiologists, noninvasive nursing staff, and CT/MRI technologists were provided body dosimeter badges. Sonographers were provided dosimeter rings for their scanning hands. Radiation exposure was quantified from the dosimeter data, reported in millirems (mrem) for deep, eye, and shallow exposure, as well as shallow exposure data from the rings. Data were prospectively collected for 63 employees over a 12-month period and retrospectively analyzed. Results The mean annual deep body exposure in sonographers was 8.2 mrem/year, shallow exposure 9.8 mrem/year, eye exposure 8.5 mrem/year, and ring exposure 207 mrem/year. There was a significant difference between body and ring exposure (P = .0002). When comparing exposure data between the vascular imaging technologists, CT/MRI technologists, noninvasive nursing staff, and the cardiac sonographers, there were no statistical differences (P > .23). Exercise physiologists had significantly higher exposure compared to sonographers (P Conclusion This single-center experience demonstrates that, while exposure is low, cardiac sonographers are exposed to workplace radiation, most likely from patient emitted radiation. The finding that radiation exposure from rings exceeded body exposure supports this conclusion. Continued education and assessment of work flow practices should be employed to minimize staff radiation exposure.
Overview of malignant tracheal tumors

Malignant airway tumors present particular challenges for surgeons, namely: to distinguish symptoms from those of the more frequent benign airway diseases; to separate metastatic disease from the uncommon primary tumors; and to consider curative resection in appropriate candidates. Here, we present a critical review of tracheal malignant obstruction, focusing on the evaluation of a patient with malignant airway tumor, patient selection for resection and the predictors of long-term survival. The new development in primary tracheal tumors is an old story, that of making physicians aware that resection rates in epidemiologic studies remain low, mainly because opportunities for resection are missed.
Characterization of nuclear RNA synthesis in Amoeba proteus.

Abstract The synthesis of RNA in the ameba nucleus has been studied by labeling with 3H-uridine and fractionation in sucrose density gradients. After a relatively short labeling period radioactivity is primarily restricted to the 30S, 19S, (both ribosomal) and 4S regions, with no significant amount of radioactivity detectable in regions above 30S, Various tests appear to exclude the possibility of differential breakdown or loss of RNA larger than 30S during preparative procedures. We conclude that the ameba nucleus does not synthesize the high molecular weight, rapid turnover, intranuclear RNA (HnRNA) found in a variety of metazoans and possibly does not synthesize pre-ribosomal RNA. In a search of the literature we could find no convincing evidence for the synthesis of HnRNA in unicellular eukaryotes. It appears that the line of separation for the occurrence of HnRNA may not be between prokaryotes and eukaryotes but rather between unicellular eukaryotes and multicellular eukaryotes. Experiments employing long term labeling, short term labeling followed by a long “chase”, and starvation of labeled cells demonstrate relatively long-lived RNA in the ameba nucleus. This RNA is found primarily in the 30S and 4S regions of a sucrose density gradient, although significant amounts are present in the region between these size classes. In these studies the prominent 19S peak of labeled nuclear RNA observed with short term labeling is virtually absent, indicating as in other cells a much more rapid exit of 19S RNA from the nucleus in comparison to RNA in the 30S region.
North Atlantic Rossby Wave Breaking during the Hurricane Season: Association with Tropical and Extratropical Variability

AbstractThis study explores the connection of Rossby wave breaking (RWB) with tropical and extratropical variability during the Atlantic hurricane season. The exploration emphasizes subtropical ant...
Managing Energy Security: An All Hazards Approach to Critical Infrastructure

This interdisciplinary book is written for government and industry professionals who need a comprehensive, accessible guide to modern energy security. Introducing the ten predominant energy types, both renewable and non-renewable, the book illustrates the modern energy landscape from a geopolitical, commercial, economic and technological perspective. Energy is presented as the powerhouse of global economic activities. To ensure the uninterrupted supply of energy, nations, industries and consumers need to have options. Efficient energy security planning ensures that when a primary energy source is depleted, compromised or interrupted, an alternative energy source must be readily available. For this reason, the foundations of energy security are built upon the five pillars of Sustainability, Independence, Efficiency, Affordability and Accessibility. The numerous case studies presented in this book demonstrate that energy security may be compromised in the absence of one out of these five ingredients. The book also entertains the Triple-E notion of Energy Efficiency, Environmental integrity and Economies of scale, used by governments and corporations for energy optimization. One of the key strengths of the book is its ability effectively to cover various scientific disciplines, and several energy types, while remaining comprehensible. This book will be of much interest to security or logistics professionals, economists and engineers, as well as policymakers.
Malpractice litigation in cardiac surgery: Alleged injury mechanisms and outcomes.

Background and aim The feared prospect of involvement in malpractice litigation ultimately becomes a reality for many physicians in high-risk specialties such as cardiothoracic surgery. This study systematically analyzes malpractice claims by procedure type and alleged injury mechanism. Methods An extensive nation-wide database of medical malpractice claims was searched, and 140 involving cardiac procedures were identified. The primary reason for the lawsuit was classified as a periprocedural injury, postoperative mismanagement, failure to operate in a timely manner or at all, performing an unnecessary procedure, performing a procedure too soon, lack of informed consent, or patient abandonment. Results Cardiac surgeons were defendants in 47.8% of cases and cardiologists in 56.4%. Forty percent of cases involved coronary artery bypass grafting, valvular surgery, or both; 50% of these received defendant verdicts. The most common reason for the lawsuit was periprocedural injury, most frequently due to poor prosthetic valve fit/securement (23.1%) or surgical site infection (15.4%). For congenital cases, most lawsuits alleged periprocedural injury, with perfusion-related issues (cooling during circulatory arrest, failure to inform surgeon about poor oxygenation) cited in 37.5%. Cardiologists and cardiothoracic or vascular surgeons were codefendants in 14.3% of cases, most commonly coronary artery bypass grafting (40%) or cardiac catheterizations (25%). In all catheterization cases, the allegation against the surgeon was a failure to diagnose/treat the complication in a proper or timely manner. In postoperative mismanagement cases, bleeding/tamponade was the most common allegation category (31.8%). Conclusions A careful review of cardiac surgical malpractice litigation can identify common contributory factors to adverse patient outcomes and catalyze practice improvement.
Consumers’ Selection and Use of Sources for Health Information

Health information sources for consumers become increasingly diverse, ranging from traditional interpersonal and mass media sources to internet-based websites and a wide variety of user-generated social media-based sources. The quality of information in different sources varies widely and the overall quality is worrisome. As the first step in information seeking, selecting proper sources is critical for successful health information seeking and subsequently, health decision-making. Thus, it is important to understand how consumers select and use different sources to access health information. This chapter begins with an overview of various health information sources available for consumers and explanation of why we should study consumer source selection behavior. Then, popular theoretical perspectives to understand source selection are introduced, followed by a review of consumers’ source preferences, actual behavior of selecting and using a particular source or combinations of multiple sources, and source selection criteria. Finally, several future research directions are outlined.
Special Session: Delay Fault Testing - Present and Future

This article presents a brief survey of digital delay fault testing, which lists 100+ references on fault models, simulators, ATPG, DFT, and tools. Continuing studies are needed in this maturing field for new technologies, signal integrity, process variations, faster than critical path operation, asynchronous circuits, counterfeit ICs, and hardware Trojans. This information is compiled to provide direction to students, practicing engineers, and researchers alike.
Physical geometry of the quasispherical Szekeres models

The quasispherical Szekeres metric is an exact solution to Einstein's equations describing an inhomogeneous and anisotropic cosmology. Though its governing equations are well known, there are subtle, often-overlooked details in how the model's functions relate to its physical layout, including the shapes and relative positions of structures. We present an illustrated overview of the quasispherical Szekeres models and show exactly how the model functions relate to the physical shape and distribution of matter. In particular, we describe a shell rotation effect that has not previously been fully understood. We show how this effect relates to other known properties, and lay out some mathematical tools useful for constructing models and picturing them accurately.
Short-term results in infants with multiple left heart obstructive lesions.

OBJECTIVE Deciding on a surgical pathway for neonates with ≥2 left heart obstructive lesions is complex. Predictors of the successful biventricular (2V) repair in these patients are poorly defined. The goal of our study was to identify patients who underwent the 2V repair and assess anatomic and echocardiographic predictors of success. DESIGN Infants born between July 2015 and August 2017 with ≥2 left heart obstructive lesions with no prior interventions were identified (n = 19). Patients with aortic or mitral valve (MV) atresia and critical aortic stenosis were excluded. Initial echocardiograms were reviewed for aortic, MV, tricuspid valve annulus size, and left (LV) and right (RV) ventricle diastolic longitudinal dimensions. The valve morphology and presence of a ventricular septal defect (VSD) and coarctation were assessed. Clinical outcomes included successful 2V repair, complications, and repeat interventions or surgeries. Failed 2V repair was defined as a takedown to single ventricle (1V) physiology, cardiac transplantation, or death. RESULTS For 2V repair, 14/19 patients were selected and for 1V, 5/19 patients were selected. Initial surgical procedures of the 2V group were simple coarctation repair (5), complex coarctation/arch reconstruction +/- septal defect closure (6), hybrid stage 1 (2), and none (1). Three of the 2V patients required reintervention in the first 90 days. The LV to RV diastolic longitudinal ratio >0.75 and mitral/tricuspid ratio of <0.8 were observed in 13/14 of the 2V patients. The LV:RV ratio and the aortic valve z score were significantly larger in the 2V group compared to the 1V group. All patients in the 1V group had a nonapex forming LV. There was no mortality with follow-up to three years of age. CONCLUSIONS This study showed excellent short-term and midterm surgical results in the 2V population. The LV:RV diastolic longitudinal ratio may be a useful tool in the risk stratification of a successful 2V repair even in cases with a small MV.
Structural studies of the Tudor domain from the Bombyx homolog of Drosophila PAPI: Implication to piRNA biogenesis

ABSTRACT PIWI proteins and their associated PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) play crucial roles in proper gametogenesis in animal gonads. Partner of PIWIs (PAPI) is one of the important piRNA biogenesis factors. PAPI contains a Tudor domain and tandem KH domains. The tudor domain specifically recognizes symmetrical-dimethylarginines (sDMAs) on PIWI proteins. BmPAPI, a Bombyx mori homolog of PAPI, is localized at the outer membrane of mitochondria and supports exonucleolytic trimming of piRNA precursors to form mature 3’-end of piRNAs. To understand the structural basis of piRNA processing by BmPAPI, we present crystal structures of the apo- and sDMA-liganded Tudor domain of BmPAPI.