cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stabilization of Live Mycoplasma gallisepticum Vaccines During Vaccination with Second-Generation Spray-Vac Vaccine Stabilizer

ABSTRACT Dilution and application of live Mycoplasma gallisepticum vaccines without the use of vaccine-stabilizing compounds may lead to significant loss of vaccine viability and loss of vaccine efficacy. Vaccine viability may decrease because of osmotic lysis of the mycoplasma as well as the presence of free chlorine or other detrimental chemicals in the water. Second-generation Spray-Vac vaccine stabilizer was developed and shown to maintain live Mycoplasma gallisepticum vaccine viability during exposure to free chlorine while protecting from the other factors that appear to decrease vaccine survival in solution. Increased vaccine survival in solution should lead to increased survival of the vaccine during vaccination. Field trial results demonstrate that second-generation Spray-Vac vaccine stabilizer yields excellent results without the need for distilled water or other vaccine-stabilizing compounds.
Antimicrobial susceptibility of Pasteurella multocida type D from Missouri swine

Atrophic rhinitis (AR) is a significant disease and management problem to swine producers worldwide. 1,9 For some time, Bordetella bronchiseptica was considered to be the primary etiologic agent of AR. However, current evidence indicates that toxigenic strains of Pasteurella multocida type D may also play a role in this disease process. 1,9 Pasteurella multocida type D is a fastidious microorganism, and often, when taken from turbinates, it will not initially grow on standard blood agar (trypticase soy with 5% defibrinated sheep blood), thus requiring mouse inoculation to recover the isolate. Because Bordetella bronchiseptica is readily recovered from swine with AR and P. multocida is not, the role of P. multocida has not been fully appreciated. The use of a selective medium has greatly enhanced the recovery of P. multocida type D from nasal turbinates without the necessity of mouse inoculation. The purpose of this paper is to report the antimicrobial susceptibility of P. multocida type D from Missouri swine as determined by a microdilution test procedure+ Pasteurella multocida type D was isolated from the nasal turbinates of pigs referred to the University of Missouri Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory from November 1986 to April 1988. Samples were obtained aseptically from affected portions of the turbinates after sectioning of the snouts. Swabs were inoculated to SBA (trypticase soy agar-5% defribrinated sheep blood) MacConkey agar (supplemented with 1% dextrose) and a selective Columbia Blood Inhibitory agar. Briefly, the medium was prepared with Columbia blood agar base supplemented with 5% defibrinated sheep blood, and it contained a final concentration of 2 μg/ml neomycin and 3.5 μg/ ml of bacitracin. The plates were streaked for isolation and incubated aerobically at 35 C for 24-48 hours. Bacterial growth was identified by standard methods. Pasteurella multocida type D was determined by cross-streaking the subcultured isolate on fresh trypticase soy blood agar with Staphylococcus aureus and observing for the presence or absence of capsule formation. Isolates resistant to hyaluronidase activity of the S. aureus were classified as P. multocida type D. Microdilution antimicrobial susceptibility testing was accomplished using Ca++and Mg++-supplemented Mueller-Hinton (MH) broth and a 96-well customized Sensititre
A Regional Informatics Platform for Coordinated Antibiotic-Resistant Infection Tracking, Alerting, and Prevention

Background. We developed and assessed the impact of a patient registry and electronic admission notification system relating to regional antimicrobial resistance (AMR) on regional AMR infection rates over time. We conducted an observational cohort study of all patients identified as infected or colonized with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and/or vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) on at least 1 occasion by any of 5 healthcare systems between 2003 and 2010. The 5 healthcare systems included 17 hospitals and associated clinics in the Indianapolis, Indiana, region. Methods. We developed and standardized a registry of MRSA and VRE patients and created Web forms that infection preventionists (IPs) used to maintain the lists. We sent e-mail alerts to IPs whenever a patient previously infected or colonized with MRSA or VRE registered for admission to a study hospital from June 2007 through June 2010. Results. Over a 3-year period, we delivered 12 748 e-mail alerts on 6270 unique patients to 24 IPs covering 17 hospitals. One in 5 (22%–23%) of all admission alerts was based on data from a healthcare system that was different from the admitting hospital; a few hospitals accounted for most of this crossover among facilities and systems. Conclusions. Regional patient registries identify an important patient cohort with relevant prior antibioticresistant infection data from different healthcare institutions. Regional registries can identify trends and interinstitutional movement not otherwise apparent from single institution data. Importantly, electronic alerts can notify of the need to isolate early and to institute other measures to prevent transmission.
Multi-sensor cloud retrieval simulator and remote sensing from model parameters - Part 1: Synthetic sensor radiance formulation

Abstract. In this paper we describe a general procedure for calculating synthetic sensor radiances from variable output from a global atmospheric forecast model. In order to take proper account of the discrepancies between model resolution and sensor footprint, the algorithm takes explicit account of the model subgrid variability, in particular its description of the probability density function of total water (vapor and cloud condensate.) The simulated sensor radiances are then substituted into an operational remote sensing algorithm processing chain to produce a variety of remote sensing products that would normally be produced from actual sensor output. This output can then be used for a wide variety of purposes such as model parameter verification, remote sensing algorithm validation, testing of new retrieval methods and future sensor studies. We show a specific implementation using the GEOS-5 model, the MODIS instrument and the MODIS Adaptive Processing System (MODAPS) Data Collection 5.1 operational remote sensing cloud algorithm processing chain (including the cloud mask, cloud top properties and cloud optical and microphysical properties products). We focus on clouds because they are very important to model development and improvement.
Novel statistical methodology reveals that hip shape is associated with incident radiographic hip osteoarthritis among African American women

Summary Introduction Hip shape is a risk factor for the development of hip osteoarthritis (OA), and current methods to assess hip shape from radiographs are limited; therefore this study explored current and novel methods to assess hip shape. Methods Data from a prior case–control study nested in the Johnston County OA Project were used, including 382 hips (from 342 individuals). Hips were classified by radiographic hip OA (RHOA) status as RHOA cases (baseline Kellgren Lawrence grade [KLG] 0 or 1, follow-up [mean 6 years] KLG ≥ 2) or controls (KLG = 0 or 1 at both baseline and follow-up). Proximal femur shape was assessed using a 60-point model as previously described. The current analysis explored commonly used principal component analysis (PCA), as well as novel statistical methodologies suited to high dimension low sample size settings (Distance Weighted Discrimination [DWD] and Distance Projection Permutation [DiProPerm] hypothesis testing) to assess differences between cases and controls. Results Using these novel methodologies, we were able to better characterize morphologic differences by sex and race. In particular, the proximal femurs of African American women demonstrated significantly different shapes between cases and controls, implying an important role for sex and race in the development of RHOA. Notably, discrimination was improved with the use of DWD and DiProPerm compared to PCA. Conclusions DWD with DiProPerm significance testing provides improved discrimination of variation in hip morphology between groups, and enables subgroup analyses even under small sample sizes.
Selection in experimental populations. I. Lethal genes.

THE main concerns of population genetics are the frequencies of genes in populations and the forces that alter them. Central in importance among these forces is natural selection. The analysis of selection in experimental populations began with the work of L’H~RITIER and TEISSIER in 1934 and is today a standard laboratory procedure. Despite the attention of geneticists for thirty years, however, certain important aspects of selection remain undemonstrated. The purpose of this article is to investigate in detail two particular aspects of selection: how it varies, and how it is partitioned among its more important components. Lethal genes have been chosen for this inquiry into the mechanisms of selection, since for them the algebra of selection is greatly simplified. We shall consider selection which acts on two alleles, one of them lethal, at a single locus on one of the autosomes. A lethal allele is one which, when homozygous, causes death before reproduction. The selection against the homozygotes for the lethal allele is thus complete; our task is to estimate the selection on heterozygotes for the lethal allele (LETH) and a non-lethal allele (NL) . COMPONENTS OF SELECTION We shall first develop an algebraic model for the study of lethal genes. The model will involve discrete generations; that is, it will be constructed with specific, non-overlapping periods for reproduction. Let us call the total selective value of organisms carrying two non-lethal alleles, W. “W” is assigned to the heterozygotes in accordance with the usual convention in discussions o€ lethal genes. It measures the average number of off spring produced by heterozygotes relative to the number produced by organisms carrying two non-lethal alleles. The homozygotes for a lethal produce no offspring, so their selective value is 0. The number of offspring, of course, determines the number of alleles present in the next generation. Thus the selective values determine the frequencies of the alleles. In order to reproduce, a fly must live to reproductive age; thus, the total selective value W is composed of all the various types of selection which occur from the formation of zygotes in one generation to the formation of zygotes in the next. The terms “fitness” and “adaptive value” are frequently used as synonyms for selective value. Consider a population in which we determine the frequencies of the genotypes among the adults of each generation before they are transferred to fresh food and
Rigorous software engineering using design by contract: tutorial presentation

An important aspect of any software system is correctness, that is, whether the system does what it is supposed to do. Despite this importance, it is frequently the case that either the software specification or code is flawed. In this session, we discuss a theory, known as Design by Contract, which can be used to improve this situation. This theory uses the business contract as metaphor for how software components interact with each other based on their mutual obligations and benefits. We introduce the fundamentals of this approach, explore how to integrate Design by Contract into the undergraduate computer science curriculum, and explain its distinct pedagogical and software engineering advantages.
High performance graphics processor based computed tomography reconstruction algorithms for nuclear and other large scale applications.

The goal of this work is to develop a fast computed tomography (CT) reconstruction algorithm based on graphics processing units (GPU) that achieves significant improvement over traditional central processing unit (CPU) based implementations. The main challenge in developing a CT algorithm that is capable of handling very large datasets is parallelizing the algorithm in such a way that data transfer does not hinder performance of the reconstruction algorithm. General Purpose Graphics Processing (GPGPU) is a new technology that the Science and Technology (ST computational times could be improved by a factor of 20. Additionally, cost benefits will be realized as commodity graphics hardware could potentially replace expensive supercomputers and high-end workstations. This project will take advantage of the CUDA programming environment and attempt to parallelize the task in such a way that multiple slices of the reconstruction volume are computed simultaneously. This work will also take advantage of the GPU memory by utilizing asynchronous memory transfers, GPU texture memory, and (when possible) pinned host memory so that the memory transfer bottleneck inherent to GPGPU is amortized. Additionally, this work will take advantage of GPU-specific hardware (i.e. fast texture memory, pixel-pipelines, hardware interpolators, and varying memory hierarchy) that will allow for additional performance improvements.
Honoring Patient Care Preferences: Surrogates Speak:

A growing body of evidence has pointed to the stressful experience surrounding surrogate decision-making on behalf of incapacitated patients. This study (N = 59) asked surrogates to speak about their experiences immediately after having made a life-sustaining treatment decision. Grounded theory analysis revealed four themes: (1) the emotional impact of the decision-making process on the surrogate; (2) the difficulty of watching a loved one's health deteriorate; (3) the importance of having a Living Will (LW) or other written/verbal instructions; and (4) the reliance on spirituality as a means of coping with the surrogate experience. Findings of this study suggest that engaging surrogates at the time of patient admission may be essential in order to clarify patient preferences and strengthen communication between surrogates and the interdisciplinary healthcare team.
Gold nanoparticles functionalized with deep-cavity cavitands: synthesis, characterization, and photophysical studies.

In this report, we present methods of functionalization of AuNP's with deep-cavity cavitands that can include organic molecules. Two types of deep-cavity cavitand-functionalized AuNP's have been synthesized and characterized, one soluble in organic solvents and the other in water. Functionalized AuNP soluble in organic solvents forms a 1:1 host–guest complex where the guest is exposed to the exterior solvents. The one soluble in water forms a 2:1 host–guest complex where the guest is protected from solvent water. Phosphorescence from thiones and benzil included within heterocapsules attached to AuNP was quenched by gold atoms present closer to the guests included within deep-cavity cavitands. During this investigation, we have synthesized four new deep-cavity cavitands. Of these, two thiol-functionalized hosts allowed us to make stable AuNP's. However, AuNP's protected with two amine-functionalized cavitands tended to aggregate within a day.
Variation of the Chip Vocalization of Three Species of Townsend Chipmunks (Genus Eutamias)

Sound spectrographic analysis was used to determine patterns of vocal variation in three species of chipmunks from northern California and Oregon. Recorded alarm-call vocalizations differed in Eutamias ochrogenys, E. senex , and E. siskiyou . The chip vocalization characteristic of E. ochrogenys consisted of paired syllables that varied little geographically. The call of E. senex was a rapid series of syllables that usually numbered three or four, with as many as 10. E. siskiyou produced a call with a single syllable, greater frequency range, greater intensity, and longer duration between calls than other species examined. Calls often are more distinctive and less variable in populations at species boundaries than in populations centrally located in species ranges. Calls from one particular population suggest that it may contain hybrid individuals. Together with evidence from morphometric, biochemical, and genital-bone studies, our examination of alarm calls in these three Eutamias taxa support their recognition as distinct species. In addition, the species boundary between E. senex and E. ochrogenys appears to be the larger Eel River rather than the ephemeral Van Duzen River as believed previously.
Employment Gaps Between Military Spouses and Matched Civilians

Drawing upon data from the Deployment Life Study, this article examines whether female military spouses (SPs) are disadvantaged relative to matched civilian peers in terms of hours worked and earnings, paying particular attention to gaps among the highest educated women. Female SPs do earn less than comparable civilian peers in terms of raw dollars and percentage earnings. Moreover, military wives who are part of the labor force work as many hours as their civilian counterparts, but still earn significantly less for that work. Contrary to predictions, the most educated SPs are not disproportionately affected compared to spouses with less education. These results suggest that SPs at all education levels could benefit from employment assistance; in particular, women already participating in the labor force may benefit from support in finding higher paying jobs.
Contribution of non-native species to soft-sediment marine community structure of San Francisco Bay, California

While non-native species (NIS) are important components in many coastal bays and estuaries, quantitative measures that characterize their effects on community structure at bay-wide scales are rare. In this study, we measure species composition and abundance for soft-sediments to assess the contribution of NIS to multiple dimensions of community structure, focusing on one of the most highly invaded bays in the world, San Francisco Bay. Benthic macrofauna was sampled in the high salinity, muddy shallow subtidal (2 m depth) across 10 sites, using replicate 0.1 m2 Van Veen grabs. Invertebrates retained on a 1 mm sieve were identified, counted, and used to estimate the overall contribution of NIS to (a) abundance (b) species richness, and (c) community similarity. Soft-sediment communities were dominated numerically by NIS, which accounted for 76 % of all organisms detected and had a mean bay-wide abundance that was three and half-fold higher than native biota. Overall, NIS contributed to 36 % of observed taxa and 24–29 % of total estimated regional diversity. Native species accounted for 21 % of total abundance and 45 % of total species richness. Compared to native species, NIS occurred more frequently among samples and also explained more of the variation in community structure among sites. NIS dominate several key attributes of the soft-sediment infaunal community in San Francisco Bay. Percent contribution of NIS to species richness was at least two-fold higher than reported from two decades ago. Unique to this bay, these measures establish a quantitative baseline on the state of invasions and provide an important model for evaluating the extent of NIS in estuaries. Application of this approach across estuaries, with repeated measures over time, is critically needed to advance scientific understanding of invasions and also evaluation of efficacy and gaps in management to reduce new invasions.
Roll Shifting Strategy With Varying Stroke and Its Optimization Research in Hot Strip Mill

Work roll shifting technology is an effective way to achieve schedule-free rolling,and roll shifting strategy significantly affects strip profile in hot strip mill.The roll shifting strategy with varying stroke and fixed step and the one with varying stroke and varying step were presented,and the corresponding recursive algorithms for two types of roll shifting strategy were proposed.Four modes of roll shifting strategy with varying stroke were gained by the given shifting parameters.Then,the two multi-objective optimization models for the roll shifting strategy with varying stroke were built up.The four modes of roll shifting strategy were compared by optimization experiment of a typical rolling campaign from Baosteel,and the industrial application confirms the feasibility of the optimized roll shifting strategy,and it can improve strip profile,extend the rolling miles of rolling campaigns.
Effect of Fibrin Glue Combined with Cervical Cerclage on Premature Rupture of Membranes

Objective: To observe the effect of fibrin glue combined with cervical cerclage on premature rupture of membranes.Methods: 48 pregnancy patients(pregnancy 30 weeks) were treated in hospital.The method of fibrin glue sealing combined with cervical cerclage was applied to treat the premature rupture of membranes.Amniotic fluid index,fetal biparietal diameter,body weight of birth,and maternal side effects was observed after treatment of pregnant women.Results: All patients underwent just one closure.There was no case of adverse reactions,and the volume of postoperative vaginal water was significantly reduced.Two cases of vaginal flow stopped after one week.Leakage of amniotic fluid volume decreased obviously in all patients.B-ultrasound once a week showed the amniotic fluid index were 6±2 cm,and fetal biparietal diameter increased 0.15±0.02 cm per week,extending the shortest gestational age(5 ± 2) weeks.10 cases had premature delivery.38 cases continued pregnancy to 37 weeks.Neonatus had birth weight of 2000 ± 260g,and did not occur NRDS.Over the same period 10 patients who did not block the cervix miscarriage but only for medical treatment,extended the gestational age up to 10 days,preterm birth within 24 hours for the shortest,and the average weight of 1400 g for premature children,and NRDS occurred.Two gave up treatment,and 4 patients live in NICU treatment,but finally failed due to various complications.48 cases of pregnant women all had no allergic reaction,no vaginal bleeding,no fever before and after the termination of pregnancy and no postpartum hemorrhage and infection.Conclusion: The fibrin glue combined with cervical cerclage treatment on premature rupture of membranesn has a wide application prospect for its advantages like operating simply,extending the gestational age and improving neonatal survival rate,and without adverse reaction.
Transient Response Measurements with Ion-Beam-Damaged Si-on-Sapphire, GaAs, and InP Photoconductors

In recent years optoelectronic methods with the potential for making extremely high speed measurements of transient response in electronic devices and circuits have begun to be studied. In this paper we report correlation measurements using high speed photoconductor pulsers and sampling gates excited by femosecond laser pulses. We observe experimentally some of the circuit limits inherent in the photoconductors themselves, and limits imposed by the geometry of the test structures.
Early up-regulation of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 expression in rats with hemorrhagic shock and resuscitation.

This study evaluated the effect of resuscitation fluids on intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1). Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 36) were subjected to a 27 mL/kg hemorrhage over 5 min followed by a 1 h shock and 1 h resuscitation. Animals groups included: 1) cannulation only (Sham); 2) hemorrhage only (NR); 3) resuscitation with 1:1 shed blood (Blood); 4) resuscitation with 3:1 lactated Ringer's (81 mL/kg, 3LR+); 5) no hemorrhage but infusion with 3:1 lactated Ringer's (3LR); and 6) resuscitation with .36:1 hypertonic saline (7.5%, 9.7 mL/kg, HTS). At the end of resuscitation, the spleen and lung were harvested for detection of adhesion molecule mRNA and protein by RT-PCR and immunostaining. ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 expression exhibited the following pattern: 3LR+ > HTS approximate to 3LR > Blood approximate to NR approximate to Sham. VCAM-1 mRNA in the lung of the 3LR+ group was 2 or more times more than the groups of Sham, NR, Blood, and 3LR (p < .05). ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 mRNA in the spleen was significantly increased in the 3LR+ group compared with the groups of Sham, NR, and Blood (p < .05). Animals in the 3LR+ group showed enhanced staining for ICAM-1 in the pulmonary microvessels and in the marginal and trabecular areas of the spleen. Pulmonary edema and inflammatory cell infiltration were observed only in the 3LR+ group. In summary, resuscitation with LR following hemorrhagic shock induced immediate up-regulation of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1, which was associated with tissue injury. Thus, the type of resuscitation fluid used affected resuscitation injury.
Academic Promotion and Titles

I have to be honest with you: I have never quite fully understood the significance of the academic hierarchy. Allow me to clarify. I understand that there may be certain coveted accolades that accompany promotion—such as tenure or increased salary—which cannot and should not be belittled or ignored. And I also understand the prestige factor that also goes along with promotion—there is something satisfying about calling yourself a professor. Our culture has invested the title of professor with a certain amount of glamour: it can most certainly be considered a capstone to a career of dedicated work. But when you come right down to it, what does promotion mean and does it really matter?
Information Systems and the Engineering Paradigm: Integrating the Formal Methods into the Development Process

Formal methods are mathematically-based techniques which can be used for rigorous mode lling, analysis, specification, and design of information systems. We discuss the role of formal methods in the context of an engineering paradigm and how it applies to information systems development. An introduction to precise, concise, and unambiguous description of information systems using a formal method is provided. An example is given to illustrate the effectiveness of formal methods in describing an informat ion system. The misconceptions about the use of formal methods are examined, and gu idelines for transferring formal methods technology into the actual workplace are presented. This discussion emphasizes automated tools to assist in developing systems specification, marketing of formal methods through additional industrial-strength case studies, and the need for a framework for reusable specifications. The overall aim of the paper is to narrow the gap between the results of academia and pragmatic concerns of the information systems industry, emphasizing the importance of formal methods in the development of information systems and encouraging further progress in information systems methodologies.
Outcome of Opsoclonus with Neuroblastoma

The neurologic and developmental outcomes in 10 children with opsoclonus-myoclonus (“dancing eyes syndrome”) and neuroblastoma were reviewed by examination of records at Northwestern University Medical School and Children’s Memorial Hospital, and the University of Illinois Hospital, Chicago.
Smoking status, dental visits and receipt of tobacco counseling in dental office among mobile and trailer home adolescents

Mobile and trailer home (MTHs) residents are an understudied group. In this study we determined the cigarette smoking status, dental visits in the past 12 months, and receipt of tobacco counseling in adolescents living in MTHs compared to adolescents living in other types of housing. For this secondary data analysis study, we used data of adolescents aged 10 to 19 years (n = 74,890) from the 2012 Florida Youth Tobacco Survey (FYTS). Weighted multiple logistic regression model was conducted to understand the differences between adolescents living in MTHs compared to those living in other types of housing. Approximately 6 % of the sample reported living in MTHs. The regression model showed that older (p < 0.0001), female (p = 0.0091), and middle school (p < 0.0001) adolescents were more likely, and those who identified as Asians (p = 0.0006), Black/African Americans (p < 0.0001), and Hispanics (p < 0.0001) were less likely to be living in MTHs compared to their counterparts. Current established smokers (p < 0.0001) and non-established smokers (p < 0.0001) were more likely to report living in MTHs compared to non-smokers. Those reporting to have not visited a dental office (p < 0.0001) were more likely to be living in MTHs. Those who visited a dental office but not received any tobacco counseling (p < 0.0001) were less likely to be living in MTHs compared to their counterparts. Current cigarette smokers and those not visiting a dental office were more likely to be MTH adolescents. Adolescents reporting to have received tobacco counseling in a dental office were more likely to be living in MTHs.
Understanding Perceptions of Fresh Produce Safety and Barriers to Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) Use Among Amish Growers in the Holmes County Settlement of Ohio

Addressing the complex problem of ensuring on-farm produce safety entails processes that allow for participation of affected groups, and integration of their knowledge and perceptions into the solutions. Such participatory processes, however, are difficult to develop among underserved groups, like the Amish communities of Ohio, where members seek deliberate separation from mainstream society and have insular social networks and limited trust in government agents. Using a mental models framework, we present research findings that will be used to help develop an outreach program to address produce safety in Amish communities in Ohio. These findings expand our understandings of Amish growers' perceptions and knowledge of on-farm produce safety practices in the following areas: the microbial risks to fresh and fresh-cut produce; practices that can prevent contamination; perceptions of the economic feasibility of adopting these practices; preparedness for a contamination event; and information needs and preferences. Information was collected to aid the development of outreach that respects the values and goals of the Amish produce growers, which is a key factor for program success, and that encourages the adoption of food safety principles in scale-appropriate ways by addressing barriers and building rapport and trust with community members. We believe that the information learned in this study is useful to a variety of people working with Plain Communities and other non-mechanized, small-scale farmers in addition to these communities.
Comparative and cost-effectiveness research: Competencies, opportunities, and training for nurse scientists.

Abstract Background Comparative and cost-effectiveness research develops knowledge on the everyday effectiveness and value of treatments and care delivery models. Purpose To describe comparative and cost-effectiveness research; identify needed competencies for this research; identify federal funding; and describe current training opportunities. Methods Published recommended competencies were reviewed. Current federal funding and training opportunities were identified. A federally funded training program and other training opportunities are described. Discussion Fourteen core competencies were identified that have both analytic and theoretical foci from nursing and other fields. There are multiple sources of federal funding for research and training. Interdisciplinary training is needed. Conclusion Comparative and cost-effectiveness research has the opportunity to transform health care delivery and improve the outcomes of patients. Nurses, as clinicians and scientists, are in a unique position to contribute to this important research. We encourage nurses to seek the needed interdisciplinary research training to participate in this important endeavor. We also encourage educators to use the competencies and processes identified in current training programs to help shape their doctoral programs.
A comparative study of conventional single-mass and amplitude amplified dual-mass MEMS Vibratory Gyroscopes

This paper presents preliminary experimental results on a novel dual-mass MEMS gyroscope with mechanical amplification of amplitude. A side-by-side comparison between proposed dual-mass and conventional single-mass gyroscopes is presented and the effect of amplitude amplification on the scale factor and noise characteristics is discussed. The dual-mass gyroscope demonstrated a scale factor of 0.465 mV/(deg/s) in the open-loop rate-mode of operation, which is three times higher sensitivity than the single-mass gyroscope. The dual-mass gyroscope also showed a superior performance in bias stability and Angle Random Walk (ARW).
An oral care survey for critically ill patients

Abstract:Oral care is a high priority in critically ill patients. Information about the frequency and type of oral care may optimize patient outcomes. This article outlines the development and use of the Oral Care Survey and makes it available for public use.
Teach for America Placement and Teacher Vacancies: Evidence from the Mississippi Delta:

Background/ContextTeach for America (TFA) represents an influential yet controversial preparation route for new teachers. In recent years, TFA has received criticism from traditionally trained teac...
Quantitative study of cortical orientation selectivity in visually inexperienced kitten.

1. Extracellular recordings were made from single units in the visual cortices of six kittens deprived of experience with pattern vision by binocular lid suture. 2. Selectivity for stimulus orienta...
HydraNets: Specialized Dynamic Architectures for Efficient Inference

There is growing interest in improving the design of deep network architectures to be both accurate and low cost. This paper explores semantic specialization as a mechanism for improving the computational efficiency (accuracy-per-unit-cost) of inference in the context of image classification. Specifically, we propose a network architecture template called HydraNet, which enables state-of-the-art architectures for image classification to be transformed into dynamic architectures which exploit conditional execution for efficient inference. HydraNets are wide networks containing distinct components specialized to compute features for visually similar classes, but they retain efficiency by dynamically selecting only a small number of components to evaluate for any one input image. This design is made possible by a soft gating mechanism that encourages component specialization during training and accurately performs component selection during inference. We evaluate the HydraNet approach on both the CIFAR-100 and ImageNet classification tasks. On CIFAR, applying the HydraNet template to the ResNet and DenseNet family of models reduces inference cost by 2-4A— while retaining the accuracy of the baseline architectures. On ImageNet, applying the HydraNet template improves accuracy up to 2.5% when compared to an efficient baseline architecture with similar inference cost.
Elevated androstenedione in young adult but not early adolescent prenatally androgenized female rats.

Background Elevated testosterone (T) is routinely reported as a marker of hyperandrogenemia in rodent models for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). In women with PCOS, elevated serum androstenedione (A4) is associated with more severe phenotypes, including a positive correlation with serum T, DHEAS, free androgen index (FAI), LH, and LH/FSH ratio. Furthermore, A4, along with calculated free T and FAI, was identified as one of the best predictors of PCOS in adult women of all ages (18 to > 50 y). Objective The objective of this study was to investigate serum A4 levels in early adolescent and young adult prenatally androgenized (PNA) female rats, a model for PCOS. Methods Pregnant rats were injected with 5 mg T daily during gestational days 16–19 (PNA rats, experimental group) or an equal volume of vehicle (control group). Female offspring of both groups had tail vein blood drawn for serum analysis at 8 and 16 weeks of age. ELISAs were used to quantify serum A4 and T levels. Results Serum A4 and T were elevated in 16-week-old PNA rats compared to controls. There was no significant difference in either hormone at 8 weeks of age. Conclusions The PNA rats demonstrated elevated serum A4 and T in young adulthood, as has been observed in women with PCOS, further validating this as a model for PCOS and underscoring the importance of serum A4 elevation as a parameter inherent to PCOS and a rodent model for the disorder. Significant A4 elevation develops between early adolescence and early adulthood in this PNA rat model.
Statistical Approach to the Acute Abdomen Diagnosis in Children

The diagnosis of acute abdomen in children, whose main etiology is acute appendicitis, is not always easy. This difficulty led us to elaborate a diagnostic score to help the clinician in making a decision.
Performance and scalability of MPI on PC clusters: Performances

The purpose of this paper is to compare the communication performance and scalability of MPI communication routines on a Windows Cluster, a Linux Cluster, a Cray T3E-600, and an SGI Origin 2000. All tests in this paper were run using various numbers of processors and two message sizes. In spite of the fact that the Cray T3E-600 is about 7 years old, it performed best of all machines for most of the tests. The Linux Cluster with the Myrinet interconnect and Myricom's MPI performed and scaled quite well and, in most cases, performed better than the Origin 2000, and in some cases better than the T3E. The Windows Cluster using the Giganet Full Interconnect and MPI/Pro's MPI performed and scaled poorly for small messages compared with all of the other machines. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Maritime Activities of the North West Company, 1813-1821

"As captains of industry the North West Company of Canada controlled the fur trade of the unknown wilderness reaching outward toward the Pacific and Arctic Oceans…"
Assessment of Arterial Elasticity by Cardiovascular MRI

Although some of the energy of left ventricular contraction produces forward blood flow during systole, the majority is briefly stored as potential energy in the distended arteries. During diastole, this energy is then reconverted into forward flow as the arteries contract (1,2). This serves to ease the load on the left ventricle, promote coronary artery perfusion, and maintain forward flow to the peripheral vessels. In Otto Frank’s original “Windkessel” model (3), the arterial system acts as an elastic chamber in which diastolic pressure decays exponentially with a time constant determined by total arterial resistance and capacitance or compliance. Later refinements to this model include the addition of an inductance, or blood inertia, term and the division of the arterial tree into smaller Windkessel elements in analogy to a transmission line (4,5). Systemic arterial compliance is dominated by the aorta, which contributes over 60% of the total value (6).
The Role of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance for Surveillance of Cardiac Performance upon Receipt of Potentially Cardiotoxic Cancer Therapeutics

Advancements in cancer treatment have resulted in improved cancer-related survival and consequently an increase in the number of cancer survivors. Unfortunately, associated with this increase in cancer-related survivorship, cardiac events have occurred with increasing frequency in cancer survivors. Recognition that cancer survivors are at increased risk for cardiovascular (CV) morbidity has generated interest to develop cardiac imaging techniques that identify subclinical CV disease during receipt of potentially cardiotoxic cancer treatment. Since subclinical cardiovascular disease precedes future cardiac events, early recognition of subclinical CV disease during receipt of potentially cardiotoxic cancer treatment offers the opportunity to initiate strategies that prevent further evolution of subclinical CV disease as well as cardiac events. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) is an advanced imaging technique that identifies imaging markers of subclinical cardiovascular disease in patients receiving potentially cardiotoxic cancer treatment regimens. In this article, we review the use of CMR for identifying subclinical cardiac disease in patients receiving potentially cardiotoxic cancer treatment regimens. The ability of contemporary CMR to accurately define cardiac anatomy, function, and tissue characteristics may represent a critical tool to assess patients with cancer.
A new operator splitting method for American options under fractional Black–Scholes models

Abstract A new operator splitting method is proposed for American options under time-fractional Black–Scholes models. The fractional linear complementarity problem is split into two easy sub-problems, with the leading coefficients separated from the convolution sum and matched through a general correction step. The method is implementation friendly in the sense that one can easily modify a fractional European solver to obtain the proposed method, since the correction step is decoupled and is trivial to solve. The method is validated through numerical experiments and demonstrated to be superior to the traditional approach. The paper also provides numerical studies including the effect of fractional orders and the comparison of fractional models.
Influence of Inhomogeneity in a Dielectric-Loaded Slot in an Infinite Thick Metallic Shield on Higher-Order Mode Resonances

Extraordinary transmission through an inhomogeneous dielectric loaded slot in a an infinite metallic shield of finite thickness is demonstrated. We show that the higher order (Fano) transmission resonances' locations and magnitudes can be controlled by introducing a region of different dielectric constant within the slot.
Spin-valley density wave in moiré materials

We introduce and study a minimum two-orbital Hubbard model on a triangular lattice, which captures the key features of both the trilayer ABC-stacked graphene-boron nitride heterostructure and twisted transition metal dichalcogenides in a broad parameter range. Our model comprises first- and second-nearest neighbor hoppings with valley-contrasting flux that accounts for trigonal warping in the band structure. For the strong-coupling regime with one electron per site, we derive a spin-orbital exchange Hamiltonian and find the semiclassical ground state to be a spin-valley density wave. We show that a relatively small second-neighbor exchange interaction is sufficient to stabilize the ordered state against quantum fluctuations. Effects of spin- and valley Zeeman fields as well as thermal fluctuations are also examined.
Toward a Care-Centered Approach for Nonprofit Management in a Neoliberal Era

Traditionally the nonprofit sector has played a dual role in American society, providing venues for both civic engagement and care for those who are unable to participate fully in either democratic...
Looptop and Footpoint Impulsive Hard X-Rays and Stochastic Electron Acceleration in Solar Flares

The discovery of hard X-rays from tops of flaring loops by the HXT of YOHKOH represents a significant progress in the understanding of solar flares. This report describes the properties of 20 limb flares observed by YOHKOH from October 1991 to August 1998, 15 of which show detectable impulsive looptop emission. Considering the finite dynamic range (about a decade) of the detection it can be concluded that looptop emission is a common feature of all flares. The light curves and images of a representative flare are presented and the statistical properties of the footpoint and looptop fluxes and spectral indexes are summarized. The importance of these observations, and those expected from RHESSI with its superior angular, spectral and temporal resolution, in constraining the acceleration models and parameters is discussed. briefly.
Exploring PCAOB inspection results for audit firms headquartered outside of the US

Abstract This study examines the audit quality, measured using Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) reports, for audit firms headquartered outside of the United States (US). We hypothesize and test if differences in firm audit quality as measured by PCAOB inspection deficiencies exist depending upon the size and nature of arrangements with other audit firms. More specifically, we examine five different categories of auditing firm arrangement: Big Four network affiliates; BDO and Grant Thornton network affiliates; firms with other network affiliations; firms with associations and alliances; and other (unknown or no stated affiliation). In this underexplored area of research, we find that non-US firms without formal connections to other firms have lower audit quality in comparison to the other four arrangement types. Our analysis also suggests that those with more formal connections (i.e., networks and larger associations/alliances arrangements) have similar levels of audit quality. Moreover, our results suggest that network firms that primarily do work referred to them by US audit firms have better results on PCAOB inspections; however, we do not find this relationship for associations and alliances. As the PCAOB explores group audit work standards, it is imperative that a more nuanced understanding of global audit quality progresses.
An overview of methods to convert cone index to bevameter parameters

Abstract This paper reviews experimental methods for the conversion of cone index measurements to bevameter parameters in support of vehicle soil/tire/track interactions for two general soil types, sand and lean clay. The accurate prediction of traction, motion resistance, and sinkage of tire/tracks off-road requires estimates of soil strength. Equipment used in the measurement of soil strength to support predictions of off-road mobility include the bevameter and the cone penetrometer. The portability of the cone penetrometer and rapid estimates of spatial/temporal variability in all terrain conditions make it an invaluable tool. The bevameter, a less portable tool, is used for the mechanical analysis of soils. The bevameter measures parameters defining soil strength in terms of cohesive modulus of soil deformation (kc), frictional modulus of soil deformation (kφ), exponent of soil sinkage (n), cohesion (c), angle of internal friction (φ), and the plate pressure at 1 in. (2.54 cm) of penetration (K) ( Bekker, 1969 ). The field of terramechanics would greatly benefit from having the ability to convert cone penetrometer data in areas where bevameter parameters are difficult to collect. That ability to convert from cone index to bevameter parameters could be used for the large sets of existing cone index data to support determination of traction and motion resistance. This paper examines those methods for converting cone index to bevameter plate penetration parameters kc, kφ, and n.