cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The relationship between childhood abuse and violent victimization in homeless and marginally housed women: The role of dissociation as a potential mediator.

OBJECTIVE Previous studies have established a link between childhood abuse and dissociation. Other work has shown childhood abuse increases the likelihood of violent victimization in adulthood. Although it has been posited that dissociation may mediate childhood abuse and adult violent victimization, research investigating this hypothesis is sparse, particularly for extremely vulnerable populations such as homeless and unstably housed individuals. investigated the relationship between childhood abuse and dissociation on violent victimization in a cohort of homeless and unstably housed women. We also assessed whether dissociation mediated childhood abuse and violent victimization in this sample. METHOD Participants were asked at an initial assessment and a 6-month follow-up to report any physical or sexual violence experienced in the previous 6 months. Questionnaires recording history of specific types of childhood abuse, dissociation, and other factors were also recorded at the initial assessment. RESULTS Hierarchical logistic regression models revealed that childhood sexual abuse (Odds ratio [OR] = 3.10, p < .01) and severe dissociation (OR = 1.99, p < .01) were significantly associated with recent physical violence, and childhood sexual abuse (OR = 3.88, p < .01) and dissociation (OR = 1.87, p < .05) were also associated with recent sexual violence. Dissociation mediated neither childhood abuse on recent physical violence or recent sexual violence. CONCLUSION Developing approaches that effectively identify and treat dissociation as a part of an overall framework of trauma-informed care in homeless and unstably housed women may be an effective way to decrease future physical violence in this vulnerable population. (PsycINFO Database Record
Detecting Eating Episodes by Tracking Jawbone Movements with a Non-Contact Wearable Sensor

Eating is one of the most fundamental human activities, and because of the important role it plays in our lives, it has been extensively studied. However, an objective and usable method for dietary intake tracking remains unrealized despite numerous efforts by researchers over the last decade. In this work, we present a new wearable computing approach for detecting eating episodes. Using a novel multimodal sensing strategy combining accelerometer and range sensing, the approach centers on a discreet and lightweight instrumented necklace that captures head and jawbone movements without direct contact with the skin. An evaluation of the system with 32 participants comprised of three phases resulted in eating episodes detected with 95.2% precision and 81.9% recall in controlled studies and 78.2% precision and 72.5% recall in the free-living study. This research add technical contributions to the fields of wearable computing, human activity recognition, and mobile health.
Therapeutics for Pruritus in Cholestatic Liver Disease: Many Treatments but Few Cures

Pruritus in cholestatic liver disease is commonly encountered and difficult to eradicate. It has a major impact on quality of life and thus is important to address. This article reviews current and future treatment options for cholestatic pruritus. In the last 5 years, the pathogenesis of cholestatic itch has been further clarified via studies of serum autotaxin, which correlates with severity of symptoms and decrease in patients on therapy. New medications under development include apical sodium-dependent bile acid transporters (maralixibat, GSK2330672), fibrates (bezafibrate), and κ-opioid receptor agonists (nalfurafine hydrochloride). While many treatments are available to treat this vexing condition, data to support consistent and dramatic improvement with any one medication is lacking. However, with so many options and several new medications under investigation in clinical trials, symptom relief is an achievable goal for many patients.
The Case for Case Study assignments in Undergraduate Operating Systems Courses

Undergraduate operating systems courses can benefit form a plethora of pedagogical activities and approaches; system-level programming, kernel programming, algorithms simulations, etc. This paper explores the benefits of assigning students a semester-long case study in such a course and discusses the lessons learned from doing so for the past 4 years. We then propose to revisit the core objectives of such an activity and suggest a generic structure which can easily be adapted to fit institutions, courses and instructors requirements. The proposed case study assignment offers a scaffolding-based guidance to students and combines a high technical level with a good diversity of topics while addressing the issues which are typical in such assignment.
Board Gender Diversity and Bank Performance

This research examines the relationship between board gender diversity and firm performance and risk of financial institutions in the US between 2007 and 2015. The study also examines the effect of the Dodd- Frank Act of 2010 on improving the diversity and inclusion efforts of this is industry. The study shows that board diversity as measured by the percent of women on the board of directors is associated with better corporate performance. While gender diversity appears to improve performance, it does not affect bank risk, which reinforces the notion that diverse banks are not assuming greater financial risk to generate higher returns.
Conceptualizing Acceptance in Postdeployment Soldiers

While research on the role of acceptance in psychological well-being and treatment of posttraumatic distress is promising, significant challenges remain in developing a workable conceptualization of acceptance. The current study contributes to a more measureable and functional conceptualization of acceptance in postdeployment soldiers using a latent variable approach. Participants were a large sample of active duty service members who had recently returned from deployment (n = 1, 524). Exploratory factor analysis identified substantial common variance among several facets of acceptance-related measures, including nonjudgmental awareness, acceptance of internal experiences, and not using worry and experiential avoidance to control internal experiences. These results, confirmed with CFA, suggest that acceptance in postdeployment adjustment may be best conceptualized as a combination of awareness, nonjudgment of experience, and the tendency to refrain from using strategies such as worry to avoid feelings and emotions. Additionally, results of structural regression indicated that the latent variable of acceptance was negatively associated with measures of postdeployment maladjustment. These results are discussed in the context of current conceptualizations of acceptance and related constructs, and the burgeoning literature supporting the development and implementation of acceptance-based interventions for potentially traumatized populations.
Children's help-seeking behaviors and effects of domain knowledge in using Google and Kids.gov: Query formulation and results evaluation stages

Abstract Effective information seeking in IR systems is difficult for children because the designs of such systems do not reflect their needs and searching behaviors. A study of 30 8- to 10-year-old children explored help-seeking behaviors and use of help features when they formulated search queries and evaluated search results in IR systems. Data collection methods included performance-based domain knowledge quizzes as direct measurement, domain knowledge self-assessments as indirect measurement, questionnaires, think-aloud protocols, observations, and interviews. Open coding analysis, descriptive statistics and linear regression analysis were used to analyze children's help-seeking situations, types of help features used and desired, and the effect of domain knowledge on help-seeking situations and use of help features when they formulated keywords and evaluated search results in Google and Kids.gov. Findings suggest that children encountered help-seeking situations when they formulated search queries and evaluated results. Also they used help features when they formulated keywords and evaluated search results in using Google and Kids.gov and suggested help features that they would have liked to have had. Finally, children's domain knowledge affected their help-seeking situations when they formulated keywords and use of help features when they evaluated search results. This study provides valuable information to systems designers.
Bag-of-Deep-Features: Noise-Robust Deep Feature Representations for Audio Analysis

In the era of deep learning, research into the classification of various components of the acoustic environment, especially in-the-wild recordings, is gaining in popularity. This is due in part to the increasing computational capacities and the expanding amount of real-world data available on social multimedia. However, the noisy nature of this data can add an additional complexity to the already complex deep learning systems. Herein, we tackle this issue by quantising deep feature representations of various in-the-wild audio data sets. The aim of this paper is twofold: 1) to assess the feasibility of the proposed feature quantisation task, and 2) to compare the efficacy of various feature spaces extracted from different fully connected deep neural networks to classify six real-world audio corpora. For the classification, we extract two feature sets: i) DEEP SPECTRUM features which are derived from forwarding the visual representations of the audio instances, in particular mel-spectrograms through very deep task-independent pre-trained Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), and ii) Bag-of-Deep-Features (BODF) which is the quantisation of the DEEP SPECTRUM features. Using BODF, we show the suitability of quantising the deep representations for noisy in-the-wild audio data. Finally, we analyse the effect of early and late fusion of the CNN features and models on the classification results.
The Association of High Resolution Cervical Auscultation Signal Features With Hyoid Bone Displacement During Swallowing

Recent publications have suggested that high-resolution cervical auscultation (HRCA) signals may provide an alternative non-invasive option for swallowing assessment. However, the relationship between hyoid bone displacement, a key component to safe swallowing, and HRCA signals is not thoroughly understood. Therefore, in this work we investigated the hypothesis that a strong relationship exists between hyoid displacement and HRCA signals. Videofuoroscopy data was collected for 129 swallows, simultaneously with vibratory/acoustic signals. Horizontal, vertical and hypotenuse displacements of the hyoid bone were measured through manual expert analysis of videofluoroscopy images. Our results showed that the vertical displacement of both the anterior and posterior landmarks of the hyoid bone was strongly associated with the Lempel-Ziv complexity of superior-inferior and anterior-posterior vibrations from HRCA signals. Horizontal and hypotenuse displacements of the posterior aspect of the hyoid bone were strongly associated with the standard deviation of swallowing sounds. Medial-Lateral vibrations and patient characteristics such as age, sex, and history of stroke were not significantly associated with the hyoid bone displacement. The results imply that some vibratory/acoustic features extracted from HRCA recordings can provide information about the magnitude and direction of hyoid bone displacement. These results provide additional support for using HRCA as a non-invasive tool to assess physiological aspects of swallowing such as the hyoid bone displacement.
Associations Between Objective Television Exposure and Cancer Perceptions in a National Sample of Adults

The expanding sources of media coverage of cancer may have a powerful impact on emotions, cancer knowledge, information seeking, and other health behaviors. We explored whether television advertise...
Mirror feedback assisted recovery from hemiparesis following stroke In Reply to Morkisch et al.: How to perform mirror therapy after stroke? Evidence from a meta-analysis.

1 out of 6 people worldwide will have suffered a stroke in their lifetime, 1/3rd of whom will die. Of the 2/3rd who survive, half will be permanently disabled (World Stroke Organization). Given these alarming statistics, it's not surprising that tremendous of amounts of time, resources and funding have been devoted towards research into stroke rehab. In view of this, simple, easy-to-implement procedures are highly sought after. One such procedure is the use of visual feedback conveyed by a mirror, which seems to reactivate some dormant pathways in patients who have suffered a recent stroke (Altschuler et al., 1999; Ramachandran & Altschuler, 2009). This procedure has been validated in several dozen clinical trials, of which a substantial number were conducted rigorously. Morkisch et al. (2019) now present a systematic review and meta-analysis of this dense literature pertaining to this topic. They conclude that "there is a high level evidence for mirror therapy's effectiveness in treating post-stroke hemiparesis". A novel conclusion that emerged from this meta-analysis was that the larger the mirror the more effective the treatment is. Additionally, if an object is manipulated by the normal hand and its reflection viewed in the mirror, the procedure is not as effective, possibly because the discrepancy of signals between the visual feedback (reflection of the object) and the lack of confirmatory somatosensory input from the affected limb leads to inhibition rather than synergy. Lastly, for reasons yet unclear, sending movement commands to the unaffected hand alone (unilateral) is more effective than sending bilateral commands, contrary to the original protocol.Taken collectively, research in this field has two implications - First, the immediate practical utility in the clinic by optimizing mirror therapy's efficacy for hemiparesis after stroke. Second, it leads to a rejection of the model of the brain as made up of isolated, autonomous modules, towards a more dynamic picture, in which the brain is composed of a fluctuating mosaic of neural activity as it adapts to changing sensory inputs. Therefore, dysfunction results not from 'punch out a module - lose a function', but by shifts in equilibria, which can be corrected, perhaps, by hitting a reset button. Even if this turns out to be true for a minority of syndromes, it will be well worth the effort.
Two-phase flow of CO2-brine in a heterogeneous sandstone: Characterization of the rock and comparison of the lattice-Boltzmann, pore-network, and direct numerical simulation methods

Abstract Understanding the physics of two-phase flow of CO2 and brine in porous geological formations is essential to sequestration of carbon dioxide in deep saline reservoirs, as well as the older problem of enhanced oil recovery from hydrocarbon reservoirs by CO2 injection. A pilot CO2 injection in Decatur, Illinois, was undertaken, with the injection zone being the highly saline and heterogeneous Mt. Simon sandstone, in order to better understand the feasibility of full-scale sequestration process. This paper reports the results of an extensive study of the morphology of the sandstone and its heterogeneity, and simulation of single-phase and two-phase flow of CO2 and brine in the formation's three-dimensional images. As we demonstrate by extensive analysis, the formation is much more heterogeneous than the typical sandstone, such as Berea sandstone. In addition to characterizing the morphology of the sandstone and computing its important flow characteristics, an important goal of the study is to compare the accuracy and computational efficiency of three distinct simulation approaches, namely, the lattice-Boltzmann (LB) approach, direct numerical simulation (DNS) of the governing equations of fluid flow that uses the finite-volume method coupled with the OpenFOAM simulator, and pore-network (PN) simulation. After validating the simulators by comparing the computed relative permeabilities that they produce for Berea sandstone, we simulate displacement of brine by CO2 at low and relatively high capillary numbers, and compute the relative permeabilities and other quantities of interest. We demonstrate that all the three methods provide consistent relative permeability-saturation functions that are in close agreement with one another. However, although the LB and DNS both produce similar relative permeabilities, the DNS approach is computationally more efficient because it simulates drainage by only a single set of computations over the entire saturation range, whereas the LB simulation requires separate simulation for each set saturation. Thus, the question of what method to use for simulating such flow processes at the scale of core plugs should mainly be addressed based on the computational time that one can afford and the computational resources that one has access to. Another important question addressed is the effect of the resolution of the computational grids or lattices used, particularly when one uses the LB method with voxelized images of porous media. We show that, unlike many claims in the past, one may need many lattice units per voxel in order to obtain reliable, lattice-independent results.
Behavior-Specific Cognitions Moderate Rural Women's Responsiveness to Web-Based Interventions for Weight Loss

Abstract Objective To examine whether baseline behavior-specific cognitions moderated the effects of 2 Web-based interventions with enhanced features on weight loss success in rural women. Design Secondary analysis of behavior-specific cognition data from a community-based, randomized controlled trial, as potential moderators of weight loss over 30 months. Participants Women, overweight or obese, from rural communities, aged 40–69 years (n = 200). Interventions Theory-based Web interventions, with enhanced features of either peer-led Web discussion or professional e-mail counseling. Main Outcome Measures Benefits and barriers to healthy eating and activity; self-efficacy and interpersonal support for healthy eating and activity using validated surveys; and weight. Analysis Longitudinal multilevel models. Results Women in the professional e-mail counseling group were more likely to lose weight if they perceived fewer barriers to and higher self-efficacy for healthy eating and activity. Greater weight loss in the peer-led discussion group was observed for women with lower self-efficacy and higher perceptions of barriers. Interpersonal support did not moderate the effects of the interventions. Conclusions and Implications Although women in 2 different Web-enhanced interventions achieved similar weight loss, their baseline perceptions of behavior-specific cognitions moderated their relationship with the type of intervention and weight loss success. These findings, although exploratory, may assist in matching women to Web interventions that would best maximize weight loss success. Further research is needed.
NEW PATHWAYS IN CHEMISTRY

Chemistry is a science whose progress is exponential as it touches every aspect of our existence and provides all the things required for life to survive on this planet. Chemistry is rightly called the Science of Life. Chemical processes provide food, clothing, shelter medicines, and energy to sustain life. Feeding the ever-increasing population is a big challenge calling for increased production of crops, minimizing losses during their harvesting and storage and use of new, improved varieties like Genetically modified (GM) food grains and pulses. The use of fertilizers has increased manifold over the years, leading to an increase in the production of food. Clothing is made from plant fibres like cotton and silk. New and better varieties of cotton have been developed. Nylon, produced by the polymer industry is also a critical clothing material in some parts of the world. New materials like composites, fly ash bricks, and polymeric wastes are being increasingly used for construction purposes, especially for housing and roads. Research for the synthesis of new drugs to combat diseases is a continuous activity, and the pharmaceutical industry has a considerable investment, especially in our country. Indigenous medicine systems like Ayurveda, Homoeopathy and Unani are also contributing to health welfare, especially in India. Of late, nanomedicines are emerging as an essential area of medicine. Non-conventional energy sources like solar, nuclear, hydro, biodiesel and wind energy are being increasingly tapped as possible substitutes for the fast depleting coal and oil reserves. The International Solar Alliance, initiated by India, aims at forging a strong partnership between all nations to tap and use solar energy.
Thermochemical stability and microstructural evolution of Yb2Si2O7 in high-velocity high-temperature water vapor

Abstract Thermochemical stability and microstructural evolution of Yb2Si2O7 was studied in high-temperature high-velocity water vapor at temperatures between 1200–1400 °C. Two reactions were shown to occur in the steam environment: Yb2Si2O7 reaction to form Yb2SiO5, and further Yb2SiO5 reaction to form Yb2O3. Parabolic rates of both reactions were observed, and similar reaction enthalpies were determined for each reaction; 207 kJ/mol and 205 kJ/mol, respectively. Densification of the product phase Yb2SiO5 shut off pore connectivity for gas transport to the reaction interface at gas velocities exceeding 115−125 m/s and for temperatures of 1300 °C and 1400 °C, resulting in reduced reaction rates at higher velocities. Outward gas diffusion by a silicon hydroxide species is predicted to govern ytterbium silicate reactions with high temperature water vapor. Microstructure changes at high temperatures and velocities were shown to greatly impact the long-term stability of Yb2Si2O7.
A case of the blues: Inadvertent ocular injury from accidental instillation of blue ink.

Abstract Purpose Many consumer products and non-ophthalmic medications are packaged in plastic “eye dropper” bottles, posing a risk of accidental ocular chemical injury when these substances are mistaken for eye drops. Observations We present the case of an elderly glaucoma patient who mistook blue stamper ink for the glaucoma medication Combigan®, and suffered ocular injury as a result. Conclusions and importance The packaging of non-ophthalmic products in plastic “eye dropper” bottles poses a significant risk of accidental ocular chemical injury. Elderly individuals with low vision and/or cognitive deficits may be at particular risk of accidental injury. Ophthalmologists have been calling for a greater distinction between the packaging of ophthalmic and non-ophthalmic products for over 35 years, but to date little progress has been made in this regard.
Relational Hermeneutics: Essays in Comparative Philosophy

Moving through this rich and wide-ranging compendium was somewhat akin to the experience of attending a series of talks at a lively and informative conference. Conferences organized around an uncon...
A Miniature Actively Matched Antenna for Power-Efficient and Bandwidth-Enhanced Operation at Low VHF

Active matching techniques with non-Foster reactive elements have been introduced to overcome fundamental performance limits on electrically small passive antennas. While several experimental studies have demonstrated successful bandwidth enhancement with active matching applied to small unmatched passive antennas, their radiation performance against similar-sized, efficient, resonant antennas alone (and/or applied to active matching) has not yet been confirmed to assess their effectiveness for practical wireless communications applications. Beginning with a highly miniaturized efficient resonant antenna ( ${\lambda }_{0}$ /50 in height), we design an active matching network derived from an antenna impedance model. We conduct an extensive simulation analysis to address challenging issues associated with the design arising from a tradeoff between degree of bandwidth enhancement and stability of the matching network. Based on experimental performance assessment, the effective 3 dB bandwidth of the proposed actively matched antenna is improved by more than three times compared with the passive version and improved in efficiency by more than 10 dB relative to cases that apply active matching techniques to similar-sized, unmatched passive antennas.
Genicular Artery Embolization for the Treatment of Symptomatic Knee Osteoarthritis.

Genicular artery embolization (GAE) is a novel therapy to treat patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis (OA) by reducing synovial arterial hypervascularity. This study evaluates the safety and efficacy of GAE for the treatment of symptomatic knee OA. Methods A prospective, single-center, open-label U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved investigational device exemption study was conducted. Patients enrolled in the study were 40 to 80 years old, with moderate or severe knee OA (Kellgren-Lawrence grade 2, 3, or 4), who previously had failure of conservative therapy. Baseline pain (visual analog scale [VAS]) and symptom scores (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index [WOMAC]) were assessed. After femoral arterial access was achieved, GAE of 1, 2, or 3 genicular arteries supplying the location of the subject's pain, as determined by digital subtraction angiography and cone-beam computed tomography, was performed using 100-μm particles. Adverse events and symptoms scores were assessed at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year after GAE. Results Over a 10-month period, 40 subjects were enrolled. The median age was 69 years (range, 49 to 80 years). The median body mass index was 29 kg/m2 (range, 19 to 44 kg/m2). Knee OA severity was grade 2 in 18% of the patients, grade 3 in 43%, and grade 4 in 40%. Technical success was achieved in 100% of the subjects. Transient skin discoloration and transient mild knee pain after the procedure were common and expected. Treatment-related adverse events included a groin hematoma requiring overnight observation in 1 subject, self-resolving focal skin ulceration in 7 subjects, and an asymptomatic small bone infarct on magnetic resonance imaging at 3 months in 2 subjects. The WOMAC total and VAS pain scores decreased by 61% and 67% at 12 months from a median baseline of 52 (of 96) and 8 (of 10), respectively. Twenty-seven patients (68%) had a reduction of ≥50% in both WOMAC total and VAS pain scores. Conclusions This prospective trial demonstrates that GAE is effective and durable in reducing pain symptoms from moderate or severe knee OA that is refractory to other conservative therapy, with an acceptable safety profile. Level of evidence Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Can biotechnology move us toward a sustainable society

A case study of biodegradable polymer production from agricultural feedstocks casts doubt on the premise that alternative biological processes always offer environmental benefits over conventional manufacturing processes.
Glucose transport in isolated brush border membrane from rat small intestine.

Abstract Uptake of labeled d- and l-glucose has been shown to occur with highly purified brush border membranes from the epithelial cells of rat small intestine using a Millipore filtration technique. An intact glucose carrier system in the isolated membranes was demonstrated as evidenced by the following. (a) d-Glucose was taken up and released faster than l-glucose. (b) Sodium ions increased initial rate and extent of d-glucose uptake 3- to 5-fold; no other cation showed this effect. (c) d-Glucose uptake and release was inhibited by phlorizin. (d) Countertransport of d-glucose was demonstrated. (e) d- and l-glucose reached the same level of uptake after prolonged incubation. (f) Uptake of labeled d-glucose was inhibited by higher concentrations of unlabeled d-galactose and vice versa. Glucose uptake by membrane vesicles represented entry into an intravesicular aqueous space rather than binding to the membrane. Exposure of the membrane to increasing cellobiose concentrations led to osmotic shrinkage of the intravesicular space and decreased glucose uptake. Infinite medium osmolarity and therefore zero intravesicular space resulted in no glucose uptake. Sodium in the medium (but not in the intravesicular spaces) stimulated d-glucose transport. It is concluded that isolated brush border membranes of intestinal epithelial cells retain the glucose carrier system. The reported findings are consistent with the concept that (a) glucose transport across the brush border membrane represents "facilitated diffusion"; (b) the glucose carrier is dependent on sodium ions; and (c) high extracellular, but not intracellular sodium concentrations lead to increased glucose transport.
Evolving concepts in chronic constipation in Europe and elsewhere: not worlds apart

Chronic constipation (CC) is widely prevalent in the Western world, with a significant negative impact on quality of life, yet new and effective pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment options have only recently emerged. The article by Tack and colleagues in the current issue of NGM is timely with the recent introduction of the serotonin type 4 receptor agonist prucalopride in Europe and wider acceptance of anorectal biofeedback for patients with pelvic floor dyssynergia. This Editorial (i) highlights the importance of identifying patients with pelvic floor dysfunction who are candidates for pelvic floor retraining programs and (ii) discusses the potential limitations of the 5-HT4 agonist, prucalopride, as an early option in the treatment algorithm for CC.
Cryptoanalysis of the Immunized LL Public Key Systems

In CRYPTO '93 Lim and Lee provided a valuable investigation of public key encryption systems secure against adaptive chosen ciphertext attacks. In this paper we identify several insecurities of both their RSA and El Gamal based schemes. We first demonstrate that the RSA based scheme is insecure under an adaptive chosen ciphertext attack. We also point weaknesses in the design of both their RSA and EI Gamal based schemes regarding the use of pseudorandom-generators, and in particular show that their choice of pseudorandom-generators for the RSA based scheme may be insecure even with respect to a known ciphertext only attack.They further claim that their schemes are particularly useful in the context of group-oriented cryptosystems due to the unique verification method used. (In fact their scheme is the only group-oriented practical encryption claimed to be secure against chosen ciphertext attacks). Group oriented cryptosystems distribute the decryption process amongst a multiple of individuals in order to provide a mechanism in which no single person is trusted. We further demonstrate that both their schemes are completely insecure in this setting.
Block Liposomes: Vesicles of Charged Lipids with Distinctly Shaped Nanoscale Sphere-, Pear-, Tube-, or Rod-Segments

Abstract We describe the preparation and characterization of block liposomes, a new class of liquid (chain-melted) vesicles, from mixtures of the highly charged (+ 16 e) multivalent cationic lipid MVLBG2 and 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine (DOPC). Block liposomes (BLs) consist of distinct spherical, tubular vesicles, and cylindrical micelles that remain connected, forming a single liposome. This is in contrast to typical liposome systems, where distinctly shaped liposomes are macroscopically separated. In a narrow composition range (8–10 mol% MVLBG2), an abundance of micrometer-scale BLs (typically sphere-tube-sphere triblocks) is observed. Cryo-TEM reveals that BLs are also present at the nanometer scale, where the blocks consist of distinctly shaped nanoscale spheres, pears, tubes, or rods. Pear-tube diblock and pear-tube-pear triblock liposomes contain nanotubes with inner lumen diameter 10–50 nm. In addition, sphere-rod diblock liposomes are present, containing rigid micellar nanorods ≈4 nm in diameter and several µm in length. Block liposomes may find a range of applications in chemical and nucleic acid delivery and as building blocks in the design of templates for hierarchical structures.
Incorporating study skills in a freshman engineering course

Freshman engineering at West Virginia University is being revised. Our long standing commitment to design projects is retained, but goals are changing to include greater use of mathematics and computers and emphasis on college survival skills. Survival skills am divided into two areas: personal study habits and group study. A poll was taken of seniors, asking how much time they had spent on freshman courses. The same survey was given to the freshmen. The results were presented to the freshmen. Students wrote a schedule of classes and amusement time and the remaining time was discussed. We tried to help students decide how to use time efficiently. We reviewed the study habits of successful people, and note taking and homework exercises were discussed. Teaching styles, the utility of "old tests", preparation for tests, and test taking skills were reviewed. The engineering reliance on team work was discussed. Students were organized into study groups, and group study sessions were planned. The group concept as reinforced by the faculty throughout the course. Math homework was assigned to be done by the groups. Quizzes were given where the grade depends upon the group score. At this point, the results are primarily anecdotal. They appear to show the value of group study. Simple instruction in study skills by itself did nor produce the same success which was accomplished by the group activities m e conclude that reaching "how to study" is not as effective as teaching group study. Thus the focus should not be on simply teaching study skill but rather in teaching group study habits and enforcing this group activity.
Obstetric malpresentations: twenty years' experience.

Abstract Two hundred fifty-eight cases of face, brow, compound, and shoulder presentation are analyzed with regard to incidence, etiology, management, and outcome. Maternal parity is etiologically significant in face and shoulder presentation, while prematurity is significant only in compound and shoulder presentation. Cephalopelvic disproportion accompanies face, brow, and shoulder presentation. All four malpresentations are associated with an increased incidence of premature rupture of the membranes. X-ray pelvimetry is most useful in the management of brow presentation. Vaginal delivery can be expected in 88 per cent of face presentations and 70 per cent of brow presentations. In the management of shoulder presentation, version and extraction should be reserved for very immature infants and classical cesarean section should be employed very infrequently.
Selective Media Exposure and Partisan Differences about Sarah Palin's Candidacy

In today's fragmented media environment, citizens have an enhanced ability to select information outlets that match their preexisting political beliefs and avoid information sources that clash. This modern version of “selective exposure” means that citizens can more easily isolate themselves from perspectives unlike their own. In this article, we employed a quasi-experimental design to test (1) the extent to which subjects selectively exposed themselves to opinion articles that were congenial to their presumed predispositions about Sarah Palin and (2) whether selective exposure reinforced these predispositions, thereby magnifying differences between Republicans and Democrats. We found that subjects did indeed tend to engage in selective exposure. And among those who did, there was evidence of reinforcement. Interestingly, there was evidence of persuasion among the relatively few subjects who exposed themselves to sources that ran counter to their predispositions. En el ambiente fragmentado de los medios de comunicacion actuales los ciudadanos tienen una mayor habilidad de seleccionar medios de comunicacion que sean compatibles con sus creencias politicas preexistentes y evitar fuentes de informacion incompatibles. Esta version moderna de la “exposicion selectiva” permite que los ciudadanos puedan aislarse mas facilmente de perspectivas contrarias a la propia. En este articulo, empleamos un diseno cuasi-experimental para examinar: (1) la medida en la que los sujetos selectivamente se exponen a articulos de opinion que congenien con sus predisposiciones acerca de Sarah Palin y (2) si la exposicion selectiva refuerza esta opinion, por lo tanto magnificando las diferencias entre Republicanos y Democratas. Encontramos que los sujetos efectivamente tienden a emplear una exposicion selectiva. Y entre aquellos que lo hacen, hay evidencia del reforzamiento de dicha opinion. Curiosamente, hubo evidencia de persuasion entre los sujetos que se expusieron a fuentes contrarias a su ideologia.
Defocussed dark-field images of crystal surfaces

Abstract Dark-field scanning transmission electron microscope images have been obtained using electrons deflected by the potential fields which extend into the vacuum from flat crystal surfaces of MgO. The dark-field images shift with defocus relative to the bright-field images. Measurements of these shifts agree well with calculations made on the assumption of a simple image-force potential for which no good theoretical basis can be found.
Using Transaction Log Analysis to Improve OPAC Retrieval Results

This OPAC transaction log analysis study compared data derived from two sets of logs within a six-month period. Analysis of the first set of data revealed that users experienced difficulty with basic searching techniques. The OPAC introductory screens were simplified and clarified to help users improve search success rates. The second set of data, analyzed after screen changes had been made, showed statistically significant differences in search results. Regular monitoring of OPACs through transaction log analysis can lead to improved retrieval when changes are made in response to an analysis of user search patterns.
Selective regulation of thalamic sensory relay nuclei by nucleus reticularis thalami

Stimulation in the segment of nucleus reticularis thalami adjacent to the lateral geniculate body (RLG), abolished visual evoked potentials for up to 150 msec. Both photic stimulation in the contralateral visual field and electric stimulation in the ipsilateral optic tract elicited primary cortical responses that were markedly reduced or abolished by prior conditioning stimulation in RLG. Stimulation of the segments of nucleus reticularis thalami adjacent to the medial geniculate (RMG) or the ventrobasal complex (RVBC) had the effect of markedly reducing or abolishing unilaterally projected primary evoked responses in the auditory and cutaneous systems, respectively. Only the sensory evoked potentials mediated by the relay nucleus adjacent to the region of R stimulated were affected. The reduction of the cortical evoked potentials was not due to the processes underlying the cortical recovery cycle, because conditioning stimulation on either side of RLG stimulated the primary geniculocortical fibers, but had a minimal or no effect on the visual test evoked response. These results suggest that R functions as a topographically organized inhibitory gate which can regulate the patterns of sensory input from the thalamus to the cortex. The regulatory effects on R by the mesencephalic reticular formation and the mediothalamic-frontocortical system may mediate both generalized and selective control of cortical sensory evoked potentials.
Unimolecular heteroaromatic photoinitiators

Abstract We report herein the synthesis and use for polymerization of new photoinitiators based on benzo(b)thiophene.
Boundary element analysis of sound scattered by a moving surface

A solution for the acoustic field scattered from a uniformly moving rigid body in the presence of a harmonic incident source has been obtained using a boundary integral method. A derivation of the Kirchhoff formula given by Farassat and Myers (1988) for moving surfaces forms the basis for the analysis, and the development of a boundary integral method for the solution of scattering problems from moving rigid bodies is described. Finite elements are used in conjunction with the Galerkin method in order to solve the integral equation that results from the Kirchhoff formula when the observer point is placed on the moving body surface. Once appropriate surface field values are known they are inserted back into the formula in order to predict the field scattered off the body. Tests, including the so called superposition method, are carried out in order to validate the technique and to establish some confidence in its accuracy. Application of the superposition method to moving bodies is presented, and results of the two approaches are discussed. Sample calculations of scattering from a simple body are presented to illustrate the effects of variations in relevant parameters.
Algorithm-independent optimal input fluxes for boundary identification in thermal imaging

An inverse boundary determination problem for a parabolic model, arising in thermal imaging, is considered. The focus is on intelligently choosing an effective input heat flux, so as to maximize the practical effectiveness of an inversion algorithm. Three different methods, based on different interpretations of the term 'effective', are presented and analyzed, then demonstrated through numerical examples. It is noteworthy that each of these flux-selection methods is independent of the particular inversion algorithm to be used.
Smarter log analysis

Modern computer systems generate an enormous number of logs. IBM Mining Effectively Large Output Data Yield (MELODY) is a unique and innovative solution for handling these logs and filtering out the anomalies and failures. MELODY can detect system errors early on and avoid subsequent crashes by identifying the root causes of such errors. By analyzing the logs leading up to a problem, MELODY can pinpoint when and where things went wrong and visually present them to the user, ensuring that corrections are accurately and effectively done. We present the MELODY solution and describe its architecture, algorithmic components, functions, and benefits. After being trained on a large portion of relevant data, MELODY provides alerts of abnormalities in newly arriving log files or in streams of logs. The solution is being used by IBM services groups that support IBM xSeries® servers on a regular basis. MELODY was recently tested with ten large IBM customers who use zSeries® machines and was found to be extremely useful for the information technology experts in those companies. They found that the solution's ability to reduce extensively large log data to manageable sets of highlighted messages saved them time and helped them make better use of the data.
Computational approaches to mapping allosteric pathways

Allosteric signaling occurs when chemical and/or physical changes at an allosteric site alter the activity of a primary orthosteric site often many Angstroms distant. A number of recently developed computational techniques, including dynamical network analysis, novel topological and molecular dynamics methods, and hybrids of these methods, are useful for elucidating allosteric signaling pathways at the atomistic level. No single method prevails as best to identify allosteric signal propagation path(s), rather each has particular strengths in characterizing signals that occur over specific timescale ranges and magnitudes of conformational fluctuation. With continued improvement in accuracy and predictive power, these computational techniques aim to become useful drug discovery tools that will allow researchers to identify allostery critical residues for subsequent pharmacological targeting.
740-1 Septal Pacing Improves Single Chamber-paced Left Ventricular Function: A Comparative Evaluation with Atrial and Apical Pacing

Right (R) ventricular (V) apical (Ap) pacing (P) alters left (L) V contraction compared to normal and may predispose to decreased LVfunction. RV septal (Sp) P maintains more normalized V depolarization and contraction patterns to improve paced LV hemodynamics and may be better suited as an electrode implant site. To evaluate efforts of pacing site on paced LV function in young hearts without coronary artery disease or intrinsic LV dysfunction. 17 patients (pts) (age 1–17 y, median 10) with normal cardiac anatomy underwent comparative LV hemodynamic evaluations during electrophysiologic studies. In each pt, LV function was assessed by measurement of LV end-diastolic pressure (p) (EDp), mean aortic (Ao) p (mmHg), LV dp/dt (mmHg/sec), Vmax (circ/sec), and Vpm (eire/sec) during sinus rhythm and after 20 min of P each from R atrium (A), RV Ap and RV Sp at 150 ppm to mimic exercise. Optimal Sp P site was confirmed by recording a His bundle potential from the transvenous P catheter placed across the septal-tricuspid valve annulus. Results (mean ± sem) Sp P showed no significant differences from sinus or atrial P values. RV Ap P showed significantly worse LV function compared with Sp P.: HR dp/dt Vmax Vpm LVEDp Aop Sinus 95 1719 ± 538 24 ± 0.9 26 ± 1 5.2 ± 08 90 ± 4 RAP 150 1945 ± 152 24 ± 08 24 ± 03 4.4 ± 0.5 94 ± 4 RVSp P 150 1655 ± 399 20 ± 07 2.7 ± 1 5.9 ± 0.9 89 ± 4 RVAp P 150 1482 ± 373 # 1.7 ± 0.1 # 2.0 ± 0.6 # 8.7 ± 14 # 82 ± 4 # P l 0.05 compared with sinus, RAP and Sp Pvalues Conclusion RV Sp P normalizes and significantly improves paced LV function over RV Ap P. In spite of loss of AV synchrony, LV function is comparable to sinus and RAP in pts without inherent myocardial dysfunction. This improvement in paced LV hemodynamics should be considered for any age pt requiring chronic single or dual chamber V P.
The Effect of Technology on the Farm Labor Market

The primary purpose of this paper was to estimate the time path of the effect of technology, as measured by research and extension expenditures, on the farm labor market. A distributed lag function was estimated by incorporating the concept of rational distributed lag functions, as developed by Dale Jorgenson, into a simultaneous equation model of the farm labor market. The estimated lag distribution, even though quite long, had a "hump" as hypothesized. The implicit production function implied a positive payoff to the economy from research and extension expenditures.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor discontinuation syndrome is associated with a rostral anterior cingulate choline metabolite decrease: a proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging study

Abstract Background The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) discontinuation syndrome (DS) is an important potential complication of treatment for major depression. We hypothesized that SSRI treatment discontinuation, resulting in change in clinical state, would be associated with reduced rostral anterior cingulate choline (Cho) metabolite ratios. Methods Individuals with a DSM-III-R diagnosis of unipolar major depression who had been stabilized on paroxetine ( n = 13) or fluoxetine ( n = 13) were study subjects. They were monitored for change in clinical state (mood ratings, discontinuation symptoms) and underwent proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging of the rostral anterior cingulate 3 days after medication substitution with active SSRI and placebo. Results Placebo-day Cho/Cre (choline/total creatine) metabolite ratios were decreased in four paroxetine and two fluoxetine subjects meeting DS criteria, as compared with asymptomatic subjects (Mann-Whitney z = −2.31, p = .021). Conclusions Discontinuation syndrome is associated with a rostral anterior cingulate Cho/Cre metabolite ratio decrease that may reflect dynamics of rostral anterior cingulate function.