cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development and evaluation of a questionnaire to assess knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors towards hearing loss prevention.

AbstractObjective: To develop and evaluate a questionnaire assessing knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors (KAB) as they pertain to hearing conservation, using the constructs of the health belief model (HBM). Design: The KAB was completed by 235 participants. Relationships between knowledge and attitudes about hearing and hearing conservation, participation in noisy activities, and use of hearing protection were examined. Study sample: 117 males and 118 females aged between 18 and 80 years (mean = 42.3, SD = 4.1) recruited from the Portland VA Medical Center, local universities, and a community college. Results: Knowledge scores ranged from 15.6% to 93.8%. Factor analyses revealed six attitude factors, interpreted as measuring perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, perceived self-efficacy, and cues to action. Over 95% of participants routinely participated in at least one noisy activity but few used hearing protection while doing so. The attitude scores of indi...
On the Current Drive Capability of Low Dimensional Semiconductors: 1D versus 2D

Low-dimensional electronic systems are at the heart of many scaling approaches currently pursuit for electronic applications. Here, we present a comparative study between an array of one-dimensional (1D) channels and its two-dimensional (2D) counterpart in terms of current drive capability. Our findings from analytical expressions derived in this article reveal that under certain conditions an array of 1D channels can outperform a 2D field-effect transistor because of the added degree of freedom to adjust the threshold voltage in an array of 1D devices.
The Minimally Invasive Repair of Pectus Excavatum

Only patients with a severe pectus excavatum deformity should be candidates for surgical repair. Mild and moderate degrees of deformity should be treated with a deep breathing and exercise program and the vacuum bell. The best age for repair is during puberty, but successful repair in adult patients (up to 70 years of age) has been reported. Those scheduled for minimally invasive repair should be measured for bar length and screened for metal allergies. The minimally invasive technique for pectus excavatum repair is done thoracoscopically and requires no rib cartilage or sternal resection. Instead, it relies on bracing the anterior chest wall with a sub-sternal support bar placed in position under the sternum after first correcting the deformity with an introducer specially developed for the procedure. Two bars generally give better correction than one bar. It is essential that the bars be adequately stabilized to prevent bar displacement and recurrence of the deformity. Several techniques have been developed to elevate the sternum during mediastinal tunneling to improve thoracoscopic visibility in very severe and asymmetric deformities. Since 1987 we have evaluated 3836 patients in our chest wall deformities clinic, of whom 1921(50%) have undergone repair. 1738 patients were primary repairs and 1346 of these have had their bars removed two to three years after placement. The biggest challenge in the early years was bar displacement but that has now been reduced to just over 1% by use of a stabilizer on the left side and "0" PDS pericostal sutures on the right side. 88.9% of patients reported an excellent result, 9.6% a good result and 1.5% a poor or failed result. In conclusion: The minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum is highly successful when carried out by experienced surgeons in a center dedicated to the management of chest wall malformations.
Modelling of porous media by renormalization of the Stokes equations

The permeability of a random array of fixed spheres has been calculated over the range of volume fractions from dilute to almost closest packing, by assuming pairwise-additive (low-Reynolds-number) hydrodynamic interactions within an effective medium. Non-convergent pair interactions arising from the long-range decay of the Stokeslet were removed by renormalizing the Stokes equation to determine the permeability of the effective medium, i.e. to include the mean screening effect of the other spheres. Pair interactions in this Brinkman medium were calculated by the method of reflections in the far field and boundary collocation in the near field.The permeability predicted by the theory asymptotes correctly to established results for dilute arrays, and compares favourably (within 15%) with the Carman correlation for volume fractions between 0.3 and 0.5. The magnitude also falls within the range of exact results for periodic arrays at the higher concentrations, but our model does not reproduce the dependence on structure.Use of the Brinkman equation with an effective viscosity leads to an apparent slip velocity at the boundary of a porous medium. Our calculation of the bulk stress via volume averaging determines the effective viscosity and hence the slip coefficient unambiguously for dilute porous media. However, at concentrations corresponding to the available experimental results the lengthscale characterizing pressure or velocity gradients becomes comparable to the interparticle spacing, and the averaging technique fails. Indeed the Brinkman equation itself is no longer valid.
The Utility of Force in a World of Scarcity

modern history to the mid-twentieth century, relations between states were conducted in an atmosphere darkened by the ever present possibility of violence. Although moral conceptions imposed some restraints on the actions of statesmen, in the absence of a world government and firm moral consensus, issues could rarely be settled solely by appeals to reason and justice. Coercion, not persuasion, was thus an all-too-frequent means of resolving disputes, and because the resort to force could never be completely precluded, organized violence became the most effective form of coercion and the ultimate arbiter in world politics. Even when disputes were ended through negotiation, the threat of force still lay in the background and shaped the results profoundly. As Nicholas Spykman concluded in the grim world of the early 1940s, world politics is power politics and the ultimate form of power in that domain is military force.' In the past five decades, however, the great powers have shown increasing reluctance to employ force overtly against one another or even against weaker states. Their apparent hesitation has led several sophisticated observers of international affairs to conclude that the once-central role of armed force is rapidly diminishing, perhaps soon to the point of irrelevance. The central assertion of these authors is that the costs, risks, and difficulties in applying force are rising while the benefits derived therefrom are declining.* This optimistic school has presented an impressive case with important implications for
The MODIS (Collection V005) BRDF/albedo product: Assessment of spatial representativeness over forested landscapes

A new methodology for establishing the spatial representativeness of tower albedo measurements that are routinely used in validation of satellite retrievals from global land surface albedo and reflectance anisotropy products is presented. This method brings together knowledge of the intrinsic biophysical properties of a measurement site, and the surrounding landscape to produce a number of geostatistical attributes that describe the overall variability, spatial extent, strength of the spatial correlation, and spatial structure of surface albedo patterns at separate seasonal periods throughout the year. Variogram functions extracted from Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) retrievals of surface albedo using multiple spatial and temporal thresholds were used to assess the degree to which a given point (tower) measurement is able to capture the intrinsic variability of the immediate landscape extending to a satellite pixel. A validation scheme was implemented over a wide range of forested landscapes, looking at both deciduous and coniferous sites, from tropical to boreal ecosystems. The experiment focused on comparisons between tower measurements of surface albedo acquired at local solar noon and matching retrievals from the MODerate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) (Collection V005) Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF)/albedo algorithm. Assessments over a select group of field stations with comparable landscape features and daily retrieval scenarios further demonstrate the ability of this technique to identify measurement sites that contain the intrinsic spatial and seasonal features of surface albedo over sufficiently large enough footprints for use in modeling and remote sensing studies. This approach, therefore, improves our understanding of product uncertainty both in terms of the representativeness of the field data and its relationship to the larger satellite pixel.
Invasive Lespedeza cuneata and native Lespedeza virginica experience asymmetrical benefits from rhizobial symbionts

Background and Aims Lespedeza cuneata (Dum. Cours.) G. Don is an invasive legume that displaces populations of native N. American congeners. Our aims are to determine the growth benefits of different rhizobacterial strains for L. cuneata and native Lespedeza virginica (L.) Britton, and to determine if these strains influence competition between these plants.
Cardiac output and uteroplacental blood flow in diet-restricted and diet-repleted pregnant rats.

Abstract Cardiac output and uteroplacental blood flow were measured with 15 μ radioactive microspheres in anesthetized pregnant rats which were fed: (1) ad libitum throughout gestation; (2) a 50% restricted diet from day 5 of gestation; and (3) a 50% restricted diet from days 5 to 13 of gestation and ad libitum from day 14 of gestation. An additional group of nonpregnant rats fed ad libitum was also used. Dietary restriction caused a net maternal weight loss and a 20% reduction in mean fetal weight and mean placental weight by day 21 of gestation. Restricted dams fed ad libitum during the last week of gestation showed a net maternal weight gain, while mean fetal weight, but not placental weight, was near that of the ad libitum-fed controls. In the diet-restricted rats, total cardiac output was reduced 30% relative to controls by days 20 and 21 of gestation, but cardiac output per unit maternal body weight was not significantly different. Dietary restriction decreased both total uterine and placental blood flow by about 65%. Diet repletion late in gestation did not significantly increase total cardiac output or cardiac output per unit body weight. Total uterine and placental blood flows were near those of controls, primarity because of an increased fraction of cardiac output distributed to the uterus.
Cycloartane Triterpenes from the Aerial Parts of Actaea racemosa.

Investigating the phytochemical equivalence of the aerial parts of Actaea racemosa (syn. Cimicifuga racemosa) relative to the widely used roots/rhizomes, this study provides a perspective for the potential use of renewable (“green”) plant parts as a source of black cohosh botanical preparations. In addition to the characterization of Nω-methylserotonin as one representative marker of the Actaea alkaloids, nine cycloartane triterpenes were isolated and characterized, including the two new triterpene glycosides (1S,15R)-1,15,25-trihydroxy-3-O-β-d-xylopyranosyl-acta-(16S,23R,24R)-16,23;16,24-binoxoside (1) and 3-O-α-l-arabinopyranosyl-(1S,24R)-1,24,25-trihydroxy-15-oxo-acta-(16R,23R)-16,23-monoxoside (2). Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic data interpretation. The relative configuration of 1 was deduced by 1H iterative full-spin analysis (HiFSA), making it the first example of the complete analysis of the complex 1H NMR spectrum of a triterpene glycoside. In addition to the new compounds 1 and...
FPGA implementation of advanced FEC schemes for intelligent aggregation networks

In state-of-the-art fiber-optics communication systems the fixed forward error correction (FEC) and constellation size are employed. While it is important to closely approach the Shannon limit by using turbo product codes (TPC) and low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes with soft-decision decoding (SDD) algorithm; rate-adaptive techniques, which enable increased information rates over short links and reliable transmission over long links, are likely to become more important with ever-increasing network traffic demands. In this invited paper, we describe a rate adaptive non-binary LDPC coding technique, and demonstrate its flexibility and good performance exhibiting no error floor at BER down to 10 -15 in entire code rate range, by FPGA-based emulation, making it a viable solution in the next-generation high-speed intelligent aggregation networks.
The Effect of HRWR and AEA on the Air System of Vibrated Concrete

Air entrainment in concrete railroad ties is typically included to prevent freeze-thaw damage. Uniformly-distributed microscopic air voids in concrete ties helps to resist against freeze-thaw. The air entrainment system stability with time after mixing is dependent on a number of factors which include chemical, environmental, and construction related parameters. These resulting differences in the air void system can in turn lead to different performances of concrete under freeze-thaw loading. Vibration is mainly used to consolidate concrete but can also alter the air structure of concrete. This study investigates the effect of different chemical admixtures and rheological properties on the stability of the air system inside vibrated concrete. Form vibration of 75 Hz frequency and 3 g or 10 g peak acceleration was applied to the tested concrete after the lapse of several time durations. This was done to investigate the stability of the air system of concrete as time passes on under different vibration conditions. The testing included slump, unit weight, temperature, rheology and fresh air content before vibration and after vibration for each elapsed time duration. Fresh air content tests showed that the air loss increases linearly with time for almost all mixtures. Concrete rheological properties immediately after mixing were not a good indicator of the concrete air system stability after delayed placement. Tall oil based air entraining agents (AEA) was found to produce slightly lower air instability; however, the differences between AEA were small. The results showed that for precast concrete railroad ties, any instability with time of entrained air should not be a significant problem for precast concrete railroad tie plants if the concrete is placed and consolidated within 30 minutes from mixing at room temperatures.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Impact of Sibling Rivalry on the Nutritional Status of Children: Evidence from Matlab, Bangladesh

This paper examines the impact of sibling rivalry for resources on children's health outcomes by studying the effect of sibling composition and birth order on the height for age of children below ten years. This study determines whether relaxing resource constraints reduces the impact of sibling rivalry. Further, sibling gender effect on the health outcomes for young boys and girls are examined. Results indicate that siblings that face more competition fare worse. Relaxing time, credit and information constraints alleviate sibling rivalry effects for boys. Additional siblings make boys in less landed households worse off but make girls in more landed households worse off suggesting a threshold for sibling rivalry. Boys are not always better off than girls and presence of male siblings can negatively impact boys more than girls.
Knowledge Engineering for Hypertext Instructional Systems

Hypertext is increasingly being used in training and education to provide an alternative (non-linear) presentation format for both verbal and graphic information. While hypertext provides a very flexible format for structuring information, this flexibility itself can lead to information that is structured in a vague or inconsistent form. We suggest that hypertext system designers perform “knowledge engineering” just as AI system designers do. This includes acquiring some body of knowledge in a systematic fashion, determining the global structure to be imposed on the information, and then using explicit algorithms to structure the information into hypertext form. This paper contains two separate but complementary components that address the latter two processes. First, we describe certain features and issues specific to instructional applications of hypertext, and provide some suggestions for structuring the system to accomodate those features. We then present an algorithm for engineering hypertext informa...
Case 1: Weight Loss and Hypercalcemia in a Female Neonate

A 25-day-old female infant is admitted for weight loss. She was born at 40 6/7 weeks’ gestation to a 33-year-old mother via vaginal delivery; the infant’s Apgar scores were 2, 5, and 7 at 1, 5, and 10 minutes, respectively. She was pale and hypotonic at birth. Initial arterial blood gas showed a pH of 6.9, partial pressure of carbon dioxide of 38.6 mm Hg (5.13 kPa), partial pressure of oxygen of 92 mm Hg (12.24 kPa), bicarbonate of 8.4 mEq/L (8.4 mmol/L), and base excess of –23.2 mEq/L (–23.2 mmol/L). Resuscitation included positive pressure ventilation for 6 minutes, sodium bicarbonate, and multiple normal saline boluses, which led to an improvement of her heart rate and respiratory rate. With concern for sepsis and birth depression, she was transferred to the neonatal intensive care unit. Upon transfer, she quickly improved and did not meet requirements for a cooling trial. She received antibiotic treatment for 48 hours, had negative cultures and improved neurologic findings, and was sent home on oral feeds on day 10. After discharge, she initially fed well. However, within a week, the infant’s mother noted decreasing oral intake and increasing episodes of emesis. Attempts were made to change her formula and initiate antireflux medication, but her weight continued to drop. Increasing the formula’s caloric content did not induce weight gain. After …
Analysis on epidemiological features of injury among aged population in Zhejiang,2009-2010

Objective To describe and analyze characteristics and distribution of injury in senior residents over 60 years old in Zhejiang Province,and to provide the evidence for comprehensive prevention and effective interventions.Methods The old patients who seek medical care for injury for the first time in sentinel hospital in Zhejiang from 2009 to 2010 were collected to analyze the distributions of severity and outcomes by internet.Results A total of 19412 injury cases were investigated(the sex ratio was 1.14∶1).The leading causes of injury were fall,traffic accident and bite,and the first 3 sites where injury occurred were at home,on street and at work.The injuries mainly occurred between 8∶00 a.m.and 10∶00 a.m.in the morning and 13∶00 p.m.and 16∶00 p.m.in the afternoon,and it was much common in summer and autumn.The first 3 injury sites on body were lower limb,upper limb and head.The severity was mainly mild or moderate,and there were more sever cases in males than females(χ2=11.650,P0.001).Most cases were caused unintentionally and went back home after treatments.Only 0.58% of cases were suicide or autolesion,which were mainly caused by poison.Conclusions The characteristics of injury among aged population were different from other age groups in time,sites and types,so specific preventive measures should be applied to reduce the injury occurred among aged population.
[The larval stage, sanctuary of the phylogeny and of the taxonomy in Acarians].

Apres quinze annees d’etudes des formes larvaires des Acariens, l’auteur exprime son opinion concernant l’usage preferentiel du stade larvaire en matiere de taxonomie en vue de l’etablissement d’une classification valable, harmonieuse et de toute evidence plus simple, plus claire, et mieux equilibree. Il introduit huit principes supportant son opinion et defend une these concernant les barrieres stadiales en faveur de l’idee d’une specificite en matiere de deviations ontogeniques.L’ontologie particuliere de Vatacarus ipoides est revue en appendice. L’auteur demontre qu’une difference existe entre le phenomene de « Neosomie » et « Neotenie » ; en arguant que dans le cas de Vatacarus la tachygenese qui suit la neosomie ressort d’une phenomenologie differente. Il suppose l’existence de certaines reserves materielles avant que l’Acarien puisse passer d’un stade au stade suivant.
Deleuze and Guattari and Minor Marxism

‘Felix Guattari and I have remained Marxists, in our two different ways, perhaps, but both of us. You see, we think any political philosophy must turn on the analysis of capitalism and the ways it has developed’, Gilles Deleuze said in 1990 in conversation with Toni Negri (Deleuze, 1995, p. 171). It is fairly clear in Anti-Oedipus what happens to Freud at the hands of Deleuze and Guattari: psychoanalysis gets transformed into a ‘revolutionary materialist psychiatry’ called schizoanalysis. It is not so clear, even taking the two volumes of Capitalism and Schizophrenia together, what happens to Marx — especially in light of the fact that a Marxist concept central to the first volume, the mode of production, gets demoted (though not eliminated) in the second volume: in A Thousand Plateaus they ‘define social formations by machinic processes and not by modes of production’; it is modes of production, they go on to say, that ‘on the contrary depend on the processes’ (Deleuze and Guattari, 1987, p. 435). And so ‘[i]t is not the State that presupposes a mode of production; quite the opposite, it is the State that makes productions a “mode”’ (1987, p. 429). Marx nonetheless remains crucial to the political philosophy that develops across the two volumes of Capitalism and Schizophrenia and in their last collaboration, What Is Philosophy? — and, in effect, what happens is that orthodox or dialectical Marxism gets transformed into what I call a ‘minor marxism’ (see Holland, 2011).
Method and Equipment Selection

Main methods to deliver cryogens include the cryospray and the cryoprobe techniques. A flat cryoprobe applied with pressure can result in a deeper freeze in relation to lateral spread than obtained with the spray method. A pointed cryo probe tip produces an ice ball that is deeper than its radius on the surface whereas a round probe produces a hemisphere-shaped ice ball. Open-ended cryoprobes are devices where a central opening sprays nitrogen on center of a lesion rather than near the enclosed periphery. This is best used with a pyrometer or electrical impedance needle. When selecting a cryosurgical unit find one that is well constructed and has a good safety record. The cryogen of choice is generally LN. Solid carbon dioxide can be used for treatment of benign lesions. Nitrous oxide units are available but have disadvantages and are not recommended for treatment of malignant lesions. Fluorocarbon sprays can be used for treatment of acne pustules and cysts and for peeling of the skin surface, for acne scarring as well as treating plaques of psoriasis, actinic or seborrheic keratoses.
An Approach to the Problem

This chapter provides an overview of the system that is one of the most widely used concepts in scientific investigations. Different types of systems are familiar to us from everyday experience: mechanical systems, such as clocks; electrical systems, such as radios; industrial systems, such as factories; educational systems, such as universities; information processing systems, such as computers; medical systems, such as hospitals; organizational systems; environmental systems; and cybernetic systems. The behavior of systems is not always exemplary. Economic systems are subject to inflation, recession, and depression; biological systems are subject to disease and decay; educational systems are subject to obsolescence; ecological systems are subject to pests and pollution; and hydrosystems are subject to floods and droughts. Different ways help to improve the quality of performance of systems. One can build a new system and discard the old one. This is a common phenomenon in some political systems and can be done with simple mechanical systems. In several cases, replacement is not at all a feasible solution. Examples belonging to this category include human bodies and environment.
Ground Freezing Technology For Environmental Remediation

Effluents from underground storage tanks and waste dumps of toxic and hazardous materials are entering or threatening aquifers which supply drinking water in many parts of the world. Cryogenic methods, using currently available technology, are suitable for the complete containment and immobilization of many of these sources of radioactive and chemical pollution. Thick frozen ground barriers can be installed as complete shields against downward as well as lateral migration, at sites as deep as hundreds of meters. Advantages include thermal and chemical stability, excellent resistance to diffusion, repairability in situ, economy of installation and long term maintenance, and ease of complete removal. The physical basis for these characteristics has been established by laboratory experiments and field demonstrations. On the basis of these tests the US Department of Energy has designated ground freezing among the top ten waste management technologies.
The Turnbull Loop Stoma

The stoma is the weak link of external urinary diversion. Improper stomal position or configuration produces the unnecessary burden of leakage for the patient with diversion. Stomal bleeding, incrustation and peristomal dermatitis cause inconvenience and expense. Stomal stenosis is the most common reason for repeat operation of an ileal conduit. The Turnbull loop stoma obviates many of these problems. We have performed 100 urinary diversions using this stoma with minimal stomal complications and no episodes of stomal stenosis from 1 to 7 years postoperatively. The significant complication has been parastomal hernia. Minor modifications of the technique have lowered the incidence of hernia. Loop stomas are our principal form of stomal construction.
Correlates of Helmet Use Among Recreation and Transportation Bicyclists.

Introduction Helmet use prevents injury and mortality if a bicyclist is in a collision while riding. This cross-sectional study sought to identify domain-specific (recreation versus transportation) correlates of helmet use among U.S. adult bicyclists, using nationally representative data from 2012. Methods This analysis, conducted in 2015–2016, utilized data from the 2012 National Survey of Bicyclist and Pedestrian Attitudes and Behaviors, administered for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Bivariate logistic regressions identified sociodemographic, behavioral, and environmental correlates of helmet use among U.S. adult bicyclists. Backwards elimination procedures selected final multivariate models for bicyclists’ helmet use in both domains. Results Among recreation cyclists, helmet use was significantly associated with income ($30,000–$75,000, OR=1.79, 95% CI=1.04, 3.10; ≥$75,000, OR=2.34, 95% CI=1.38, 3.97), safety training (OR=2.94, 95% CI=1.46, 5.93), not riding at dark (OR=1.92, 95% CI=1.24, 2.98), feeling threatened while riding (OR=2.24, 95% CI=1.12, 4.45), and using bike lanes/paths (OR=2.04, 95% CI=1.42, 2.93). Helmet use among transportation riders was significantly associated with education (less than high school, OR=2.45, 95% CI=1.13, 5.32; post-high school, OR=3.55, 95% CI=1.96, 6.42), income ($30,000–$75,000, OR=2.11, 95% CI=1.17, 3.8; ≥$75,000, OR=2.33, 95% CI=1.26, 4.27), unemployment (OR=0.29, 95% CI=0.11, 0.76), not using electronics while riding (OR=2.3, 95% CI=1.41, 3.75), safety training (OR=3.19, 95% CI=1.44, 7.07), and injury while riding within the past 2 years (OR=2.81, 95% CI=1.14, 6.94). Conclusions Correlates of helmet use among bicyclists are domain specific. Although confirmatory longitudinal studies are needed, findings suggest that interventions to increase bicyclists’ helmet use consider riding domain.
The effects of increased color rendering index on stress and depression

Several studies [6,7,8] have found that sunlight has a stress-reducing effect on those who are exposed to it. An innovative new design of artificial lighting known as RaLight is proposed to reflect light with a color rendering index (CRI) nearly identical to natural sunlight. This study will examine the relationship between exposure to RaLight (as a substitute for sunlight) and levels of stress. RaLight is predicted to decrease levels of stress in test subjects. In a commercial call center setting, test subjects will consist of an estimated 50 employees both male and female with ages ranging from 18 to 30 years. The initial control condition will be the common indoor environment which exposes patients to standard fluorescent lighting. Replacing light fixtures with RaLight will then establish both the second phase of the experiment and the independent variable. Throughout each phase, questionnaires, modified from the peer reviewed Wakefield Self-Report Questionnaire, regarding the overall well-being of employees will be completed to assess potential deviations in stress and depression levels. Analysis of the results showed a significant correlation between increased CRI and stress and depression.
U.S. military service and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome: Findings from a cross-sectional analysis of the Cooper Center Longitudinal Study, 1979-2013.

Abstract U.S. military service confers both health benefits and risks potentially associated with a clustering of cardiovascular risk factors called metabolic syndrome. However, the association between prior military service and metabolic syndrome has not sufficiently been examined. The purpose of the study was to compare the prevalence of metabolic syndrome by prior military service status. Among 42,370 men (887 with prior military service) examined from 1979 to 2013 at the Cooper Clinic (Dallas, TX), we used a cross-sectional study design to examine the association between military service and metabolic syndrome. First, an unadjusted log binomial regression model was performed by regressing the prevalence of metabolic syndrome on prior service. This was followed by performing Kleinbaum's modeling strategy for assessing confounding. The same methodology was used to explore the association between individual metabolic syndrome risk factors and prior service. Prior military service was not significantly associated with the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (PR = 0.98, 0.89–1.07). None of the variables explored were identified as confounders. Participants with prior military service had lower prevalence of both elevated levels of triglycerides (PR = 0.89, 0.80–0.99) and low levels of high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (PR = 0.78, 0.70–0.88). They had a higher prevalence of elevated resting systolic blood pressure (PR = 1.23, 1.12–1.35). However, none of these associations were significant after adjusting for identified confounders: age; cardiorespiratory fitness; and exam year. Study findings indicate that military service was not independently associated with the prevalence of metabolic syndrome or its components. Future research is warranted longitudinally assessing the impact of military service on long-term outcomes.
Atmospheric circulation patterns associated with monthly and daily temperature and precipitation extremes in Alaska

This study presents (1) the temporal variations and trends of monthly and daily temperature and precipitation extremes in Alaska, and (2) the synoptic-scale circulation patterns associated with these extremes. The analysis is based on daily station observations of maximum temperature, minimum temperature and precipitation from 1948–2012 as well as monthly average temperatures and precipitation from 1920–2012 from 13 Alaska climate divisions. The frequencies of daily and monthly temperature extremes show variability and trends over the past 50–90 years consistent with a warming climate in Alaska. This warming is superimposed on low-frequency variability attributed to the Pacific Decadal Oscillation. Unlike the temperature extremes, occurrences of heavy-precipitation extremes do not display a coherent signal through time. The changes do not appear to be linked with an overall increase in the variance of temperature or precipitation. Composite analysis of sea level pressure (SLP) anomalies associated with a representative sample of different daily and monthly temperature extremes across Alaska shows that temperature and moisture advection, subject to topographic and coastal influences, is a key driver of these events. Composite SLP fields for daily and monthly extremes are similar, especially in winter, indicating that monthly extremes represent the recurrence of daily extreme patterns during those extreme months. The SLP anomalies were also often reduced in magnitude in the summer events compared with winter, consistent with the lower variance of temperature and SLP during summer.
Transference-Focused Psychotherapy (TFP) Principles in the Management of Co-occurring Medical and Personality Disorder Symptoms

The interface between personality disorder pathology and issues related to medical conditions and medical care is complex. Patients with personality disorder diagnoses will often have co-occurring medical conditions (some directly related to the personality disorder symptoms, such as the results of self-injury), and personality disorder pathology can sometimes undermine a patient’s access to medical care, even if the medical complaints are not directly related to the personality disorder diagnosis. Transference-focused psychotherapy (TFP) has principles to guide therapists in the management of co-occurring psychiatric and medical complaints. In addition, TFP principles can be of use to clinicians in a variety of medical fields who will see patients with personality disorder pathology in their practices but will not necessarily assume responsibility for these patients’ psychiatric treatment. TFP principles in these settings can include consideration of a personality disorder diagnosis, active contracting, and monitoring of countertransference.
Diurnal observations of HCl altitude variation in the 70-100 km mesosphere of Venus

Abstract First submm spectroscopic observations of the 625.9 GHz H 35 Cl absorption lines of the Venus dayside atmosphere were obtained with the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT) on March 2, 2013. These data, which support retrieval of HCl altitude distributions in the Venus mesosphere (70–100 km), are presented here and compared with previously reported JCMT observations of Venus nightside HCl ( Sandor et al., 2012 ). The measured dayside profile agrees with that of the nightside, indicating no diurnal variation is present. More specifically, the nightside spectra revealed a secular decrease of upper mesospheric HCl between observations one month apart, at fixed latitude and local time. The dayside profile reported here presents upper mesospheric abundances that are bracketed by the two previously measured nightside profiles, indicating that if diurnal variation is present, it must be weaker than the secular variations occurring at fixed local time. The previous study, which measured nightside HCl abundances above 85 km to be much smaller than predicted from photochemical modeling, suggested a dynamical explanation for the disagreement wherein nightside downwelling associated with the SubSolar to AntiSolar (SSAS) atmospheric circulation might suppress upper mesospheric abundances predicted purely from photochemistry. However a straightforward prediction from the proposed mechanism is that HCl abundance on the dayside, where the SSAS drives upward rather than downward transport should at least agree with, and perhaps exceed that of the photochemical model. The finding that dayside HCl abundance agrees with that of the nightside, hence also is much smaller than that of the model shows the SSAS hypothesis to be incorrect.
Management of hazardous materials generated by environmental analytical laboratories

All environmental analytical laboratories unavoidably generate some hazardous waste in the performance of their activities. A workable plan to manage this waste is essential to the safe, economical, and legal operation of such a laboratory. Government environmental laboratories have the added responsibility of serving as examples to the industrial community and public under their jurisdiction. Other laboratories engaged in this kind of work may find our Standard Operating Procedure for the management of laboratory generated hazardous waste a helpful resource for developing their own plan appropriate to their specific needs.
Stop the LVAD bleeding.

Among the therapeutic options available for patient with advanced heart failure, left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) are a safe and durable option as bridge to transplantation or as destination therapy. Despite improving survival and quality of life, nonsurgical bleeding—manifesting as epistaxis, gastrointestinal bleeding, and hemorrhagic strokes—contribute to plague this group of patients and is a major cause of both morbidity and mortality and contributes to a significant socioeconomic burden. While much has been made of shear forces, breakdown of von Willebrand polymers, and anticoagulation regimens, little has changed with respect to LVAD-related bleeding complications. As such, much interest exists to identify biomarkers that could not only predict these events but that could also inform potential therapeutic targets.
Dental and orofacial mesenchymal stem cells in craniofacial regeneration: The prosthodontist’s point of view

Of the available regenerative treatment options, craniofacial tissue regeneration using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) shows promise. The ability of stem cells to produce multiple specialized cell types along with their extensive distribution in many adult tissues have made them an attractive target for applications in tissue engineering. MSCs reside in a wide spectrum of postnatal tissue types and have been successfully isolated from orofacial tissues. These dental- or orofacial-derived MSCs possess self-renewal and multilineage differentiation capacities. The craniofacial system is composed of complex hard and soft tissues derived from sophisticated processes starting with embryonic development. Because of the complexity of the craniofacial tissues, the application of stem cells presents challenges in terms of the size, shape, and form of the engineered structures, the specialized final developed cells, and the modulation of timely blood supply while limiting inflammatory and immunological responses. The cell delivery vehicle has an important role in the in vivo performance of stem cells and could dictate the success of the regenerative therapy. Among the available hydrogel biomaterials for cell encapsulation, alginate-based hydrogels have shown promising results in biomedical applications. Alginate scaffolds encapsulating MSCs can provide a suitable microenvironment for cell viability and differentiation for tissue regeneration applications. This review aims to summarize current applications of dental-derived stem cell therapy and highlight the use of alginate-based hydrogels for applications in craniofacial tissue engineering.
La inteligencia colectiva

Entiendo que todo pensamiento es siempre colectivo; nadie es capaz de crear una sola idea ex nihilo, mucho menos un tipo de pensamiento. Casi todas las definiciones de inteligencia, en cambio, tienen fuertes connotaciones biologicas. Excepto si entendemos que existe otro tipo de inteligencia. Podemos entender que la educacion es la inteligencia colectiva. No es un problema de cantidad de neuronas sino de las conexiones convenientes que seamos capaces de construir entre los individuos de una sociedad y entre las sociedades todas.
Behavioral Responses of the Common Bed Bug, Cimex lectularius, to Insecticide Dusts

Bed bugs have reemerged recently as a serious and growing problem not only in North America but in many parts of the world. These insects have become the most challenging pest to control in urban environments. Residual insecticides are the most common methods used for bed bug control; however, insecticide resistance limits the efficacy of treatments. Desiccant dusts have emerged as a good option to provide a better residual effect for bed bug control. Several studies have focused on determining the efficacy of dust-based insecticides against bed bugs. However, behavioral responses of bed bugs to insecticide dusts could influence their efficacy. The behavioral responses of bed bugs to six insecticide dusts commonly used in the United States were evaluated with an advanced video tracking technique (Ethovision). Bed bugs took longer to make first contact with areas treated with the diatomaceous earth (DE)-based products MotherEarth D and Alpine than pyrethroid, pyrethrins or silica gel based products, DeltaDust, Tempo 1% Dust and CimeXa, respectively. Lower visitation rates of bed bugs were recorded for areas treated with MotherEarth D, Alpine and CimeXa than that of DeltaDust, Tempo 1% Dust, and Tri-Die Silica + Pyrethrum Dust. Bed bugs spent less time in areas treated with Tri-Die Dust, CimeXa, Alpine, and MotherEarth D than DeltaDust and Tempo 1% Dust, and they exhibited a reduction in locomotor parameters when crawling on areas treated with CimeXa and Alpine. The implications of these responses to bed bug control are discussed.
Left atrial appendage occlusion: 2016 in review

A significant body of data has emerged in the area of Percutaneous Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion (LAAO). In this article, we present an overview of the most notable publications along with a review of the most important publications on LAAO in 2016. We also present important historical data such as landmark clinical studies, review of most utilized occlusion devices, and important clinical studies that are underway.
Role of Sterol Metabolism and Endoplasmic Reticulum-Associated Degradation of Proteins in Cold Adaptation of Yeasts

The environmental conditions of organisms have significant impact on their ability to grow and thrive. This chapter summarizes recent research related to the understanding of cellular mechanisms necessary for psychrophilic yeasts to overcome molecular challenges present in low-temperature environments. In an effort to identify adaptive mechanisms that allow psychrophilic yeasts to thrive in cold environments, a high number of studies have been done to investigate the low-temperature response of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The focus of this chapter is on evidence that the endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation (ERAD) pathway and membrane metabolism regulation are connected to the cellular response and adaptation to low temperature in yeasts. Specific consideration is given to three genes in the ERAD pathway, UBC7, CUE1, and DOA10, which play a role in cold adaptation and regulating membrane composition in S. cerevisiae.
The first Marxist and Fascist economic strategies in comparative perspective

It has become traditional for commentators to characterize economic strategies as either of the ‘Left’ or the ‘Right.’ This has been particularly true in the case of Marxist and Fascist economic sy...
The Validity of Submaximal Treadmill Exercise Testing in Obese Women

Background: Submaximal exercise tests use heart rate responses to low-to-moderate intensity activity in order to predict cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2max). Currently used tests may be inappropriate for obese populations as obese women have altered heart rate responses to exercise. The purpose of this study is to test the validity of the Modified Bruce Protocol submaximal treadmill test in obese women. Methods: Normal-weight (NW) women and obese (OB) women completed the Modified Bruce submaximal treadmill test (to predict VO2max using previously validated equations) and a maximal graded exercise test on a treadmill using the Standard Bruce Protocol (to obtain an actual VO2max) on two separate occasions. The relationships between actual and predicted VO2max values were analyzed using correlation coefficients. Results: 9 NW (age: 23.1 ± 8.0 y, body fat: 23.5 ± 4.9%) and 9 OB (age: 22.0 ± 4.8 y, body fat: 36.9 ± 4.4%) women participated. Actual and predicted VO2max values were not correlated among the OB wom...
A Case of Complex Visual Disturbance in a Patient with Major Depressive Disorder Successfully Treated with Buspar

Visual perceptual disturbance including illusions and hallucinations can be distressing for patients with mental illness Pareidolia is a type of complex visual illusion that occurs in health but rarely reported in patients with Depression We present a unique case of treatment resistant Major Depressive Disorder with co occurring complex visual disturbance that responded to augmentation of treatment with an anxiolytic Organic causes of visual disturbance and depression were ruled out Additionally toxicologic screen of biologic specimen for illicit substances was negative A trial of treatment with an atypical antipsychotic did not improve the patient rsquo s clinical symptoms We believe the serotonergic activity of the antipsychotic and partial agonist activity of the anxiolytic played a role in the management of this patient rsquo s perceptual and affective disturbances
Family networks and school choice

Abstract This paper uses variation in school assignments generated by Mexico City's public high school choice mechanism to document a strong causal influence of older siblings on their younger siblings' school choice behavior. The effects of older sibling admission on the probabilities of choosing both the sibling's school and distinct but observably similar schools are large and positive, even when siblings are too far apart in age to attend school together. The evidence is more consistent with information transmission and path dependence channels than cost, convenience, sibling competition, or parental pressure. Sibling-induced changes in stated preferences affect admissions outcomes, including assignment to elite schools. The results imply significant externalities from policies such as affirmative action that alter the distribution of school assignments, as well as providing insight into the role of family networks in decision-making regarding educational investments.
For Whom the Bell Tolls: A Plea for Fundamental Ontology

Does Bell’s theorem resolve the Einstein-Podolski-Rosen (EPR) paradox? Does it refute classical physics? Does it doom “hidden variables” theories to extinction? First let’s state the plaintiff’s case. The upshot of Bell’s avowedly crucial polarizer experiment is to (1) confirm Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle; (2) uphold Bohr’s (Copenhagen) interpretation of quantum mechanics (QM), which insists that we cannot sharply distinguish between the-observer and what (s)he observes; and (3) prove that the universe is acausal, i.e. based not on determinism but on probability and statistical law. This squarely places the burden of proof on whoever opposes Bell.