cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ethical Issues in Inpatient Rehabilitation Length of Stay Determination

The intersection of financial considerations and patient care is fraught with conflicts of interest and, frequently, with accompanying ethical dilemmas. Inpatient rehabilitation is a unique component of the health care delivery system and presents a distinctive set of ethical dilemmas, including issues of patient autonomy and decision making. This article focuses on the particular issue of resource allocation and the determination of inpatient rehabilitation hospital length of stay. The challenges posed by uncertain endpoints as goals of rehabilitative care and the psychological aspects of recovery from major disabling illness are among the issues confronted by health care providers in the rehabilitation setting when they try to balance patient and institutional goals.
Assessing quality in nursing home dementia special care units: a pilot test of the Joint Commission protocol.

Dementia is a serious and growing public health problem in the United States. Nearly 60% of nursing home residents are estimated to be cognitively impaired. Currently about 10% of nursing homes have special care units for residents with serious dementia including Alzheimer's disease. This research evaluates a protocol developed by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations to assess the capability of special care units to provide quality care. The protocol was pilot tested through the use of two separate evaluations of diverse special care units in metropolitan Chicago. In comparing the two separate surveys from each site, data analysis revealed a high rate of correlation between these two evaluations at three distinct levels. The standards used, their intent, and the survey process were considered sound by those who tested the protocol and by those who were evaluated by it.
Growth and Condition of Bluegills in Wisconsin Lakes: Effects of Population Density and Lake pH

Abstract Growth and condition of bluegills Lepomis macrochirus from five acidic lakes (pH 5.1–6.0) and six circumueutral lakes (pH 6.7–7.5) in northern Wisconsin were compared. Although mean condition factors and mean back-calculated total lengths at ages 1 to 4 varied significantly among lakes, the differences were not related to lake pH. Rather, the ranks of mean condition factors and back-calculated lengths at ages 2, 3, and 4 were negatively correlated with relative density of bluegills among the lakes. Because of the dominating effect of density, growth rates and condition factors are not useful as indicators of chronic, pH-related stress on bluegill populations.
Hookah use among college students: prevalence, drug use, and mental health.

Abstract Background There is consistent evidence that hookah use is as, if not more, harmful than cigarette use. Yet, hookah users underestimate the potential deleterious effects of hookah use. This study examined the rates of hookah use and associated demographic characteristics in a sample of undergraduates at a small Northeastern university. This study also examined the relationships between hookah use and other substance use, mental health problems, and perceived levels of stress. Methods Data were drawn from the Spring 2009 American Health Association-National College Health Assessment (ACHA-NCHA) at one small, Northeastern university ( N = 1799). The relationships between hookah use and other substance use, mental health problems, and perceived stress levels were examined using logistic regression analyses. Results Hookah use (in the past month) was reported among 14.1% (253/1799) of this sample of undergraduates. Hookah users were more likely to use other substances, including cigarettes, cannabis, alcohol, cocaine, and amphetamines. The strongest associations emerged between hookah use and alcohol and cigarette use. There were no significant associations found between hookah use and any mental health problems or perceived stress levels. Conclusions Hookah users are significantly more likely to use other substances, including alcohol, cigarettes, cannabis, cocaine, and amphetamines compared with non-hookah users. In contrast to cigarette smoking, hookah use does not appear to be associated with mental health problems or perceived stress levels in this sample of undergraduates. Further investigation into the prevalence and correlates of hookah use is needed in representative population samples.
A simple metric for slew rate of RC circuits based on two circuit moments

In this paper, we introduce a simple metric for the slew rate of an RC circuit based on the first two circuit moments. Metrics focusing on 50% delay of RC circuits have been proposed recently that greatly improve the accuracy of the traditional Elmore delay model. However, these new models have not been applied to the determination of transition time or slew rates (e.g., 10-90% of V/sub dd/). We study how well existing approaches to 50% delay modeling translate to slew-rate modeling. We first describe a new metric called slew with two moments (S2M) that is based on Elmore's observation that the transition time of a step response is proportional to the standard deviation of the corresponding impulse response. The S2M metric modifies Elmore's original formulation by deriving a new constant of proportionality. This new constant is shown to be more accurate for general RC circuits. Next, we show that metrics relying on a simple constant multiplied by standard deviation such as S2M and Elmore do not work well for near-end nodes. To address this issue, we propose a new slew metric called scaled S2M that provides high accuracy across all types of nodes, while maintaining the advantage of a simple closed-form expression. Scaled S2M is shown to be very accurate for both near and far-end nodes. The average error for scaled S2M is approximately 2% with 96% of all nodes showing less than 5% error from a large set of industrial 0.18-/spl mu/m microprocessor nets.
Demonstration of high waveguide bending efficiency (>90%) in a photonic-crystal slab at 1.5-μm wavelengths

Using a 2D photonic-crystal slab structure, we have demonstrated a strong 2D photonic band gap with the capability of fully controlling light in all three dimensions. Our demonstration confirms the predictions on the possibility of achieving 3D light control using 2D band gaps, with strong index guiding providing control in the third dimension, and raise the prospect of being able to realize novel photonic-crystal devices. Based on such slab structure with triangular lattice of holes, a 60 degree photonic-crystal waveguide bend is fabricated. The intrinsic bending efficiency is measured within the photonic band gap. As high as 90 percent bending efficiency is observed at some frequencies.
Mechanism of ocular dominance segregation in the lateral geniculate nucleus: competitive elimination hypothesis

Abstract Recent studies on the development of retinogeniculate connections in a variety of mammalian species support the hypothesis that competitive interactions between fibers from two eyes for their brain targets early in development lead to the elimination of a large fraction of the initial population of optic axons and eventually to segregation of ocular dominance domains. The balance between the overproduction and elimination of optic axons may ultimately determine the size of territories devoted to fibers from each eye, as well as the ratio of crossed and uncrossed retinal axons. Similar phenomena observed in other neural systems indicate that competitive elimination plays a significant role in the developing mammalian brain.
Cloud Friendly Load Balancing for HPC Applications: Preliminary Work

Cloud computing is increasingly being explored as a cost effective alternative and addition to supercomputers for some High Performance Computing (HPC) applications. However, dynamic environment and interference by other virtual machines are some of the factors which prevent efficient execution of HPC applications in cloud. Through this research, we leverage a message driven adaptive runtime system to develop techniques that reduce the gap between application performance on cloud and supercomputers. Our scheme uses object migration to achieve load balance for tightly coupled parallel applications executing in virtualized environments that suffer from interfering jobs. While restoring load balance, it not only reduces the timing penalty caused by interfering jobs, but also reduces energy consumption significantly. With experimental evaluation using benchmarks and a real HPC application, we demonstrate that our scheme reduces the timing penalty and energy overhead associated with interfering jobs by at least 50%.
Evidence for exciton confinement in crystalline organic multiple quantum wells.

Multiple-quantum-well structures based on two crystalline organic semiconductors, namely, 3,4,9,10 perylenetetracarboxylic dianhydride and 3,4,7,8 naphthalenetetracarboxylic dianhydride, have been grown by organic molecular-beam deposition. Both optical-absorption and time-resolved photoluminescence measurements reveal a significant effect on the binding energy and the radiative recombination probability of excitons due to localization of carriers. Variational calculations of the ground-state exciton energy in quantum wells have been done, and the results agree with the experimental data. This provides evidence for exciton confinement in organic quantum-well structures.
Solution NMR Characterization of Hydrogen Bonds in a Protein by Indirect Measurement of Deuterium Quadrupole Couplings

Abstract Hydrogen bonds stabilize protein and nucleic acid structure, but little direct spectroscopic data have been available for characterizing these critical interactions in biological macromolecules. It is demonstrated that the electric field gradient at the nucleus of an amide hydrogen can be determined residue-specific by measurement of15N NMR relaxation times in proteins dissolved in D2O, and uniformly enriched with13C and15N. In D2O, all backbone amide protons can be exchanged with solvent deuterons, and theT1relaxation rate of a deuteron is dominated by its quadrupole coupling constant (QCC), which is directly proportional to the electric field gradient at the nucleus.2HNT1relaxation can be measured quantitatively through its effect on theT2relaxation of its directly attached15N. QCC values calculated from2HNT1and previously reported spectral densities correlate with the inverse cube of the X-ray crystal structure-derived hydrogen bond lengths: QCC = 228 + Σi130 cos αi/ri3kHz, where α is the N–H···Oiangle andris the backbone–backbone (N–)H···Oi(=C) hydrogen bond distance in angstroms.
Low dietary vitamin D in mid-life predicts total mortality in men with hypertension: the Honolulu heart program.

Background: Vitamin D deficiency was associated with total mortality in previous epidemiological studies. Little is known about the effects of dietary vitamin D intake on mortality. We examined the association between mid-life dietary vitamin D intake and 45-year total mortality. Methods: The Honolulu Heart Program is a longitudinal cohort study of 8006 Japanese American men in Hawaii aged 45 to 68 at baseline (1965–1968). Mid-life dietary vitamin D intake was calculated from 24-hour dietary recall using Nutritionist IV v3 software. We divided subjects into quartiles of dietary vitamin D. Total mortality data were available over 45 years through 2010. Results: Age-adjusted total mortality rates were higher in the lower quartiles of dietary vitamin D intake compared to the highest (p for trend = 0.011). Using Cox regression, low dietary vitamin D was significantly associated with total mortality; quartile (Q) 1 hazard ratio (HR) = 1.14, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) = 1.07–1.22, p < 0.001; Q2 HR = 1.11,...
Diffusion activation energy of Ag in nanocomposite glasses determined by in situ monitoring of plasmon resonance evolution

Abstract We report an in situ non-destructive optical microspectroscopy method for measurement of the diffusion activation energy for silver in glass. The approach is based on a set of isothermal time-dependent characteristics of the surface plasmon resonance of Ag nanoparticles analyzed in the context of Mie extinction and crystal growth theories. The material studied in real time during thermal processing consisted of a melt-quenched phosphate-based glass system to which 4 mol% of Ag2O along with reducing agent SnO in the same amount were added. A diffusion activation energy of 5.2 eV was obtained and discussed in terms of glass composition. The mechanism of Ag nanoparticle growth was elucidated as well.
On the Relationship Between International Telecommunications Development and Global Women's poverty:

The article discusses the relationship between international telecommunications development and global women's poverty by examining three questions: (1) Who benefits economically from international telecommunications development? (2) Why is women's poverty a peripheral concern in neoclassical economics? (3) How and by whom should women's poverty be defined? By focusing on the World Bank's policies, programs and lending to telecommunications, and women's empowerment since the 1980s, and drawing on the perspectives of the political economy of communication, feminist economics and critical studies of global women's poverty, this article argues that the problem of global women's poverty should be understood in the contexts of an unequal distribution of goods and services across the globe and between men and women, the androcentrism and ethnocentrism of neoclassical economics and the processes of women's poverty and poor women's agency in poverty alleviation at a local level.
Implementation of a smart grid system to remotely monitor, control and schedule energy sources using Android based mobile devices

In the present day scenario the energy consumption awareness plays an important role as demand for huge amount of energy generation is growing day by day. This proposed model gives a solution to encourage people to know their energy footprint and take required action to reduce it. Here the proposed model comprises of hardware setup which includes smart meters and embedded hardware establishing a smart grid network. Parameters like voltage, current, units (KWH) etc. using smart meter are measured by Embedded Controller. The Controller collects data from smart meters and then sends all data to an internet based server. End user not only can access his consumption statistics but also can remotely control power supply to his household using Android App on his mobile device. The complete infrastructure containing embedded system hardware, software and android App is developed at the Embedded Systems lab at the "TIFAC CORE for 3G/4G Communication Technologies" and tested at National Institute of Science and Technology campus. All the data presented in this paper are actual data collected by the system present at NIST campus.
Assessment of Resistance of Tubers of Potato Cultivars to Phytophthora erythroseptica and Pythium ultimum.

ABSTRACT Tubers of 34 potato cultivars were examined for their susceptibility to infection by zoospores of Phytophthora erythroseptica and mycelia of Pythium ultimum. Incidence of infected tubers (%) and penetration of rot (mm) were the parameters used to determine the susceptibility of each cultivar. Tubers of cv. Atlantic appeared to have some resistance to infection and colonization by Phytophthora erythroseptica. Cvs. Russet Norkotah and Snowden were the most susceptible to infection by P. erythroseptica. Snowden was found to be highly susceptible to P. erythroseptica, but it was the most resistant to Pythium ultimum. Cvs. FL-1625 and FL-1867 also were less susceptible to P. ultimum than the other cultivars. Cvs. Superior, Itasca, and Dark Red Norland were the most susceptible to P. ultimum. Cultivar susceptibility should be considered when making disease management decisions, particularly in fields where these soilborne diseases are a recurring problem.
Radionuclide Imaging of Thoracic Malignancies

Over the past decade a variety nuclear medicine imaging studies have become available that are of considerable value to patients who have pulmonary malignancies. By far the greatest impact on the management of patients who have thoracic malignancy has been the availability of 18FDG-PET imaging. In the patient who has newly diagnosed lung carcinoma, 18FDG-PET improves the accuracy of staging the disease by identifying or excluding mediastinal disease and distant metastatic foci. 18FDG-PET is superior to anatomic methods for evaluating the response to therapy and for distinguishing recurrent disease from posttreatment changes. Studies are in progress to evaluate the role of 18FDG-PET imaging in assessing prognosis. In patients who have bronchial carcinoid, somatostatin receptor imaging with 111In-DTPA-pentetreotide (Octreoscan) can help identify patients who are candidates for curative surgery, detect unsuspected metastatic spread, and identify patients who might benefit from certain types of medical therapy. Although it was initially speculated that 18FDG-PET imaging would not be sensitive for tumor detection in patients who have neuroendocrine tumors because of the usual slow metabolism and biology of these tumors, many neuroendocrine tumors are positive on 18FDG-PET imaging. Nevertheless, there has been no direct comparison of 18FDG-PET imaging and somatostatin receptor imaging, nor does a positive or negative 18FDG-PET image exclude neuroendocrine tumor. 18FDG-PET imaging and somatostatin receptor imaging with (99m)Tc-depreotide (Neotect) are safe, cost-effective methods that are valuable in the diagnosis and management of patients who have suspected or known lung cancer. 18FDG-PET and (99m)Tc-depreotide imaging have a high degree of sensitivity, specificity, overall accuracy, and positive and negative predictive values in the evaluation of the solitary pulmonary nodule. These agents provide noninvasive, cost-effective methods for selecting patients for aggressive intervention without contributing to increased morbidity. Both methods have incremental value over CT imaging in selecting patients who have solitary pulmonary nodules for invasive biopsy or for thoracotomy.
Cutaneous manifestations and the Chiari I malformation

This article presents a child with Chiari I malformation and cutis marmorata telangiectatica congenita and reviews the medical literature regarding Chiari I malformation and other cutaneous disorders. In addition to cutis marmorata telangiectatica congenita and Chiari I malformation, our patient exhibited hemihypertrophy, Tourette's syndrome, scoliosis, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and seizures. Other associated findings seen in patients with Chiari I malformation include basilar invagination, Klippel-Feil syndrome, atlantoaxial assimilation, scoliosis from an underlying syrinx, and hydrocephalus.
Inhibition of methotrexate-induced chromosomal damage by folinic acid in V79 cells.

Abstract Methotrexate (MTX), an anticancer compound, is widely used in the treatment of leukemia. It induces cytogenetic damage as well as cytostatic effects on a variety of cell systems. Folinic acid (Leucovorin) is generally administered along with MTX as a rescue agent to decrease MTX-induced toxicity. However, information regarding the inhibitory effect of folinic acid against cytogenetic damage caused by MTX is limited. This study was conducted to assess the cytogenetic effect of MTX and its inhibition by folinic acid (FA) using the micronucleus and chromosomal aberration assays concurrently. Exponentially growing V79 cells were treated with MTX at five different concentrations (5–100 μ g ml −1 ) with S9 microsomal fraction for 6 h and post-treated with two concentrations of FA (5 or 50 μ g) for 40 h. Results indicate that MTX alone induced a concentration-related increase in % micronucleated binucleated cells (MNBN) and % aberrant cells (Abs). There was a decrease in nuclear division index (NDI) with increase in MTX concentration. Similarly, the mitotic index (MI) also decreased in all concentrations of MTX tested. The addition of FA at 50 μ g ml −1 significantly reduced % MNBN (40–68%) and % Abs (36–77%). Inhibition was also seen at 5 μ g FA (12 to 54% for MNBN and 20 to 61% for Abs). These results indicate that FA is capable of reducing the cytogenetic damage induced by MTX and appears to be an anticlastogenic agent.
WE‐E‐330D‐03: Feasibility of High‐Resolution Contrast Enhanced Digital Mammography

Purpose: This study is aimed at investigating the feasibility of high‐resolution contrast enhanced digital mammography (CEDM). Method and Materials: Recent studies report certain promising aspects of contrastmammography [Jong et al., Radiology 228, 842–50, 2003] for identifying subtle lesions that might not be detectable by conventional mammography. In this study we investigate certain physical aspects of high‐resolution CEDM. The objective was to study the feasibility of high resolution and low dose CEDM with acceptable contrast characteristics. We used a prototype imager [Vedantham et al., Med Phys 31, 1462–72, 2004] that consists of a 2 × 2, CCD array. The imager was operated in a 78 μm mode by pixel binning. Computational studies with a 49 kVp, W spectrum with 0.6 mm Cu added filtration (1st HVL: 1.9 mm of Al) indicated dose levels in the range of 0.1–0.5 mGy for a 5 cm thick, 50% glandular breast for the entire mammography exam. Theoretical modeling was performed using the parallel cascaded approach described by Cunningham and Yao [Proc. SPIE 3336, 220–30, 1998, Med Phys 28, 2020–38, 2001] for various physical conditions. In addition, experimental evaluation of the physical characteristics of the imager was conducted. Results: The resolution characteristics at 10% MTF was ∼7.8 and ∼4.2 cycles/mm and the DQE(0) estimate was ∼0..4 and ∼0.65 for 150 and 450 μm thick CsI:Tl scintillators respectively. Model results for pixel size range of 39–156 μm and CsI:Tl thickness range of 150–300 μm indicate that a 250–300 μm thick CsI scintillator with an imager pixel size of 78 μm could potentially offer a reasonable trade‐off between spatial resolution and DQE(f) characteristics. Conclusion: The results suggest that high‐resolution CEDM appears to be feasible at dose levels substantially lower then digital mammography. This research was supported in part by: NIH‐NIBIB Grant RO1‐EB002123 and the Georgia Cancer Coalition.
Death awareness and organizational behavior

This Incubator introduces scholars to death awareness research. We explicate how mortality salience can be studied in conjunction with workplace behavior. Using the Terror Management Theory (TMT) framework, we explore morality salience in combination with several workplace phenomena, including aggression, discrimination, and punishment; and, several ideas for future research are suggested. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Weight Perception, Substance Use, and Disordered Eating Behaviors: Comparing Normal Weight and Overweight High-School Students

Disordered eating behaviors and substance use are two risk factors for the development of serious psychopathology and health concerns in adulthood. Despite the negative outcomes associated with these risky behaviors, few studies have examined potential associations between these risk factors as they occur during adolescence. The importance of accurate or inaccurate weight perception among adolescents has received increased interest given documented associations with nutritional beliefs and weight management strategies. This study examined the associations among the perceptions of weight and substance use with disordered eating behaviors among a diverse sample of normal weight and overweight adolescent males and females. Data came from the 2007 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). The sample consisted of 11,103 adolescents (53.4% female; 44% Caucasian, 21% African American; 13% Hispanic; age responses ranged from 12 and under to 18 and over), with 31.5% meeting criteria for being either at-risk for obesity or already obese (i.e., overweight). As hypothesized, overestimation of weight among normal weight adolescents and accurate perceptions of weight among overweight adolescents were associated with higher rates of disordered eating behaviors. In normal weight adolescents, use of all three substances (tobacco, binge drinking, and cocaine) was associated with each disordered eating behavior. In contrast, findings revealed differences for overweight adolescents between the type of substance use and disordered eating behavior. Post hoc analyses revealed that gender moderated some of these relationships among overweight individuals. Implications for the development and implementation of secondary prevention programs aimed at reducing disordered eating behaviors, substance use, and obesity risk among normal and overweight adolescents are considered.
Galaxy clustering spectrum and cosmic luminosity

A PRELIMINARY correlation between richness class1 and total cluster luminosity can be obtained from the sample studied by Oemler2 (see also ref. 3), the two quantities being related by the equation: log (richness)=1.21 + 1.13 log〈L/L⊙×10−12) where richness is given by the mean of the counts as defined for each richness class by Abell. We show here that the correlation is not a very strong one due to the dispersion intrinsic to each richness class and, above all, to the fact that there are no clusters of richness class 4 in Oemler's sample and only one cluster of richness class 5 has been found in the volume searched by Abell, about 109 Mpc3.
Prevalence of antibodies reactive to pathogenic and nonpathogenic bacteria in preimmune serum of New Zealand white rabbits.

Abstract Polyclonal antibodies are typically produced in rabbits. The rabbit's health plays an important role in the quality of antibodies produced. Therefore, recommendations have been made by organizations on which bacteria and how frequently to test rabbit colonies. Since it is well known that rabbits may contain cross‐reactive antibodies in their preimmune serum, it is common to test the rabbits for reactivity prior to immunization. Here preimmune sera from 19 different rabbits were tested with ELISA against 27 pathogenic and nonpathogenic bacterial cultures. ELISA results showed that Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium and Bacillus cereus AS4‐12 had the highest average absorbance values (0.60 and 0.54, respectively) and the most preimmune serum samples testing positive was 17. Pseudomonas putrefaciens and B. subtilis had the lowest absorbance values (<0.1) and did not test positive in any of the preimmune serum samples. Fourteen of the 27 cultures showed positive reactions with 50% or more of the...
The space of human body shapes: reconstruction and parameterization from range scans

We develop a novel method for fitting high-resolution template meshes to detailed human body range scans with sparse 3D markers. We formulate an optimization problem in which the degrees of freedom are an affine transformation at each template vertex. The objective function is a weighted combination of three measures: proximity of transformed vertices to the range data, similarity between neighboring transformations, and proximity of sparse markers at corresponding locations on the template and target surface. We solve for the transformations with a non-linear optimizer, run at two resolutions to speed convergence. We demonstrate reconstruction and consistent parameterization of 250 human body models. With this parameterized set, we explore a variety of applications for human body modeling, including: morphing, texture transfer, statistical analysis of shape, model fitting from sparse markers, feature analysis to modify multiple correlated parameters (such as the weight and height of an individual), and transfer of surface detail and animation controls from a template to fitted models.
Distribution-free consistency of empirical risk minimization and support vector regression

In this paper, we focus on the generalization ability of the empirical risk minimization technique in the framework of agnostic learning, and consider the support vector regression method as a special case. We give a set of analytic conditions that characterize the empirical risk minimization methods and their approximations that are distribution-free consistent. Then utilizing the weak topology of the feature space, we show that the support vector regression, possibly with a discontinuous kernel, is distribution-free consistent. Moreover, a tighter generalization error bound is shown to be achieved in certain cases if the value of the regularization parameter grows as the sample size increases. The results carry over to the ν-support vector regression.
Synthesis of Single Crystal Bismuth-Telluride and Lead-Telluride Nanowires for New Thermoelectric Materials

Dimensionality can play an important role in determining the properties of materials. In the case of thermoelectric materials, it has been proposed that one-dimensional quantum wires, or nanowires, and two-dimensional superlattices could exhibit substantially higher efficiencies compared to the corresponding bulk, three-dimensional solids. To explore such predictions we have initiated a program directed towards the controlled growth of nanowires, and herein, we report the synthesis of single crystal Bi2Te3 and PbTe nanowires by a pulsed laser ablation method. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) show that Bi2Te3 wires 80 nm to 200 nm in diameter and lengths exceeding 10 microns, and PbTe wires 25 nm to 60 nm in diameter and lengths to 2 microns can be readily produced by the laser ablation method. High-resolution TEM and electron diffraction show that Bi2Te3 nanowires are single crystals with wire axes along the crystal direction. TEM and electron diffraction measurements also show that the PbTe nanowires are single crystals with a growth axis. The transport properties of these new nanowire materials will be discussed.
Differential biological activity of disease‐associated JAK2 mutants

The JAK2V617F mutation has been identified in most patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), including polycythemia vera, essential thrombocythemia and primary myelofibrosis. Although JAK2V617F is the predominant allele associated with MPNs, other activating Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) alleles (such as K539L, T875N) also have been identified in distinct MPNs. The basis for the differences in the in vivo effects of different JAK2 alleles remains unclear. We have characterized three different classes of disease-associated JAK2 mutants (JAK2V617F, JAK2K539L and JAK2T875N) and found significant differences in biochemical, signaling and transforming properties among these different classes of JAK2 mutants.
Expert systems in communications system control

Two projects are underway to develop expert system software to leverage system control operator skills while improving the Defense Communication System (DCS) control effectiveness. The author describes the roles of the two expert systems at the middle and bottom layers, respectively, of the DCS control hierarchy. A project seeks to distribute expert system modules throughout the DCS for greater system control robustness and efficiency. These projects are discussed in the more general context of controlling large systems of independent elements, using simulation as a tool for knowledge development, testing, and operator training, and looking to such future developments as learning abilities in distributed, expert system control structures. >
Unintended consequences: How science professors discourage women of color

This study examined how 16 Black, Latina, and American Indian women science students reacted to their undergraduate science classes. I focused on the meanings they made of the common features of university science documented by Seymour and Hewitt (1997), including large, competitive, fast-paced classes, poor teaching, and an unsupportive culture. I also explored their responses to the values manifested in their science classes and laboratories. The research took place at a large, predominantly White research university; participants were recruited from a science enrichment program for high-achieving students. I interviewed the participants and attended science classes and laboratories with them. I analyzed the data using J. Spradley's semantic structural analysis method (1979, 1980) and validated it through triangulation and member-checking. The women in the study found three features of science classes particularly discouraging: the size of the lecture classes, asking and answering questions in class, and (in some cases) engaging in undergraduate research. They were negatively impacted by two cultural values: a narrow focus on decontextualized science and the construction of science as a gender-, ethnicity- and race-neutral meritocracy. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed91:805–821, 2007
No clear evidence that hypnotherapy for smoking cessation is more effective in the long term than no treatment or other interventions

Commentary on: J Barnes, CY Dong, H McRobbie, et al.. Hypnotherapy for smoking cessation. Cochrane Database Syst Rev2010;10:CD001008.
Marshmallows used as saliva stimulant do not affect cortisol concentrations: finally a palatable alternative for toddler saliva collection.

Two studies were conducted to validate marshmallows as a saliva stimulant for use with toddlers. First, cortisol concentrations from 14 subjects (ages 6–46 years) were compared using three saliva collection methods: (1) plain cotton dental roll, (2) dental roll with one mini-marshmallow, and (3) expectorating into a collection tube using no cotton or stimulant. EIA was used for analyses. There were no significant differences among cortisol concentrations. Second, saliva collection compliance rate was compared for 21-month-olds (n = 51) using either flavored drink crystal- (compliance rate = 16.7%) or marshmallow-flavored (compliance rate = 60%) dental rolls for saliva collection (χ2 )1) = 4.02, p = .045). These studies indicate that marshmallow is a viable option for saliva stimulation to determine toddler cortisol concentrations using EIA. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 49: 702–707, 2007.
Battery state of charge estimation based on a combined model of Extended Kalman Filter and neural networks

This paper presents our research in battery State of Charge (SOC) estimation for intelligent battery management. Our research focus is to investigate online dynamic SOC estimation using a combination of Kalman filtering and a neural network. First, we developed a method to model battery hysteresis effects using Extended Kalman Filter (EKF). Secondly, we designed a SOC estimation model, NN-EKF model, that incorporates the estimation made by the EKF into a neural network. The proposed methods have been evaluated using real data acquired from two different batteries, a lithium-ion battery U1-12XP and a NiMH battery with 1.2V and 3.4 Ah. Our experiments show that our EKF method developed to model battery hysteresis based on separated charge and discharge Open Circuit Voltage (OCV) curves gave the top performances in estimating SOC when compared with other advanced methods. Secondly, the NN-EKF model for SOC estimation gave the best SOC estimation with and without temperature data.
Building a Better MBA: From a Decade of Critique Toward a Decennium of Creation

During the past 10 years AMLE has made significant progress toward fulfilling its central mission of stimulating discourse within the field of management learning and education. Indeed, AMLE has be...
Overexpression of Interleukin-1β in the Murine Pancreas Results in Chronic Pancreatitis

Background & Aims: Chronic pancreatitis is a significant cause of morbidity and a known risk factor for pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Interleukin-1β is a proinflammatory cytokine involved in pancreatic inflammation. We sought to determine whether targeted overexpression of interleukin-1β in the pancreas could elicit localized inflammatory responses and chronic pancreatitis. Methods: We created a transgenic mouse model (elastase sshIL-1β) in which the rat elastase promoter drives the expression of human interleukin-1β. Mice were followed up for up to 2 years. Pancreata of elastase sshIL-1β mice were analyzed for chronic pancreatitis-associated histologic and molecular changes. To study the potential effect of p53 mutation in chronic pancreatitis, elastase sshIL-1β mice were crossed with p53R172H mice. Results: Three transgenic lines were generated, and in each line the pancreas was atrophic and occasionally showed dilation of pancreatic and biliary ducts secondary to proximal fibrotic stenosis. Pancreatic histology showed typical features of chronic pancreatitis. There was evidence for increased acinar proliferation and apoptosis, along with prominent expression of tumor necrosis factor-α; chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 1; stromal cell-derived factor 1; transforming growth factor-β1; matrix metallopeptidase 2, 7, and 9; inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1; and cyclooxygenase 2. The severity of the lesions correlated well with the level of human interleukin-1β expression. Older mice displayed acinar-ductal metaplasia but did not develop mouse pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia or tumors. Elastase sshIL-1β*p53R172H/+ mice had increased frequency of tubular complexes, some of which were acinar-ductal metaplasia. Conclusions: Overexpression of interleukin-1β in the murine pancreas induces chronic pancreatitis. Elastase sshIL-1β mice consistently develop severe chronic pancreatitis and constitute a promising model for studying chronic pancreatitis and its relationship with pancreatic adenocarcinoma.
Ulcerative colitis reactivation after mercury vapor inhalation.

Background After exposure to mercury vapor at three consecutive 10-month intervals, an electrician in an electroplating plant had flare-ups of ulcerative colitis within 24 hr, that subsided in several days, then returned upon re-exposure 10 months later. Methods The patient and his workplace were both evaluated for mercury exposure. In addition to workplace inspection, both personal and area monitoring for environmental mercury was performed, using both multiple mercury diffusion badges and direct (instantaneous) readings, during maintenance of mercury-filled electrical blocks. Results Eight-hour time weighted average (TWA) mercury vapor exposure was measured at 0.41 mg/m3 (ACGIH and NIOSH recommended TWA = 0.025 mg/m3; OSHA permissible exposure limit −0.1 mg/m3) for 5 years since stopping overexposure to mercury, the patient remained symptom free in clinical remission. Conclusions In a patient with chronic ulcerative colitis in remission, occupational exposure to mercury vapor led to episodes of disease reactivation. Am. J. Ind. Med. 49:499–502, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Care planning for individuals with chronic mental illness and/or substance abuse problems: policy implementation for community mental health centers.

In an earlier edition of Cambridge Quarterly , in the “Networking News” section ( CQ Vol 9, No 4), Larry Gottlieb sought advice on ethics committee assembly and policy implementation for a community mental health center. One concern mentioned is that staff members frequently encounter ethical issues—specifically, questions about competency, informed consent, and treatment refusal—regarding the care of clients whose decisionmaking abilities are impaired by chronic mental illness and/or substance abuse. My response offers a suggestion for policy development and implementation, which may be integrated into guiding staff members of community mental health centers toward a model of care planning that is centered on clients' experiences of their treatments and on relationship-building among clients, community members, and mental health professionals.
The need for a full-chip and package thermal model for thermally optimized IC designs

Modeling and analyzing detailed die temperature with a full-chip thermal model at early design stages is important to discover and avoid potential thermal hazards. However, omitting important aspects of package details in a thermal model can result in significant temperature estimation errors. In this paper, we discuss the applications of an existing compact thermal model that models both die and package temperature details. As an example, a thermally self-consistent leakage power calculation of a POWER4-like microprocessor design is presented. We then demonstrate the importance of including detailed package information in the thermal model by several examples considering the impact of thermal interface material (TIM), which glues the die to the heat spreader. The fact that detailed package information is needed to build an accurate compact thermal model implies a design flow, in which the chip- and package-level compact thermal model acts as a convenient medium for more productive collaborations among circuit designers, computer architects and package designers, leading to early and efficient evaluations of different design tradeoffs for an optimal design from a thermal point of view.
The Effect of Three Lighting Regimes on Broiler Performance

Abstract The effect of three lighting regimes on broiler performance was determined. An environmentally controlled poultry house with 12 light controlled chambers was utilized and chicks received A) continuous illumination, B) illumination for 12 hours followed by 15 minutes of illumination each 2 hours or C) 15 minutes illumination each 2 hours. Two trials were conducted using 1920 male broiler chicks. No significant differences were found in body weight at 4 and 7 weeks of age in either trial. No significant differences were found in feed efficiency between the three regimes at 4 weeks of age; however, in both trials at 7 weeks of age feed gain ratio was significantly reduced for both intermittent programs. No significant differences were found in breast blisters among the three treatments.
Structural Analysis Framework for Concrete-Faced Rockfill Dams

AbstractConcrete-faced rockfill dams (CFRDs) are commonly built around the world. As energy demands soar and construction methods evolve, the interest in the construction of CFRDs with larger heights has increased tremendously. However, because of the construction of higher CFRDs, some dams have experienced considerable fractures at the concrete faces. Well-known cases include Campos Novos (Brazil), Barra Grande (Brazil), and Mohale (South Africa), where in some instances these cracks have led to dewatering of the reservoirs to allow for the concrete slabs’ repairs. The development of these fractures may be attributed to the highly deformable rockfill body. In general, the state-of-the-art design of CFRDs is mostly based on common practice rather than rigorous analysis procedures. And as such, cracking problems because of deformability of the rockfill may not be properly predicted unless a detailed analysis is performed. In this work, a new framework for the analysis of CFRDs is developed that is capable ...
Discrepant findings of clozapine effects on prepulse inhibition of startle: is it the route or the rat?

Studies examined methodological differences that might account for discrepant reports related to the ability of clozapine to restore prepulse inhibition (PPI) of acoustic startle in apomorphine (APO)-treated rats. Changes in PPI after APO and clozapine were compared in Sprague-Dawley (SD) versus Wistar rats. In SD rats, intraperitoneal administration of clozapine (4–12 mg/kg) completely reversed the PPI-disruptive effects of APO (0.5 mg/kg), with significant effects evident at the lowest dose of clozapine. Compared to SD rats, Wistars exhibited a relatively weaker (but statistically significant) disruption of PPI with the same or higher doses of APO and were also less sensitive to the PPI-restorative effects of clozapine. Clozapine administered via subcutaneous route completely restored PPI after APO treatment in SD rats. Discrepant findings with this model can be attributed to differences in rat strain; SD rats exhibit patterns of drug responses in this model that are optimal for examining profiles of putative atypical antipsychotics.
Further characterization of bacteriocins Plantaricin BN, bavaricin MN and pediocin A

Abstract We report here several characteristics of bacteriocins which are inhibitory to Clostridium botulinum and Listeria monocytogenes. Plantaricin BN produced by Lactobacillus plantarum BN, bavaricin MN produced by Lactobacillus bavaricus MN, and pediocin A produced by Pediococcus pentosaceus 43200 all demonstrated a bactericidal mode of action and retained some activity after heating at 60°C for ten minutes or 100°C for 5 minutes. pH and temperature optima for production on solid media were pH 7.9 and 15°C for plantaricin BN, pH 6.5 and 30°C for bavaricin MN, and pH 6.15–7.9 and 30°C for pediocin A. The molecular weight of plantaricin BN appeared greater than 10,000, that of bavaricin MN 22,600, and that of pediocin A 11,000. All of these bacteriocins were produced during the growth phase of the bacterial cultures.
A Large Retrospective Cohort of Patients Receiving Intravenous Olanzapine in the Emergency Department

Background Olanzapine is an atypical antipsychotic with similar pharmacologic properties to droperidol. Due to the current droperidol shortage, the authors’ clinical practice has been to substitute olanzapine for droperidol in many situations. At this time, olanzapine is U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved for oral and intramuscular (IM) use only, but due to its increased utility, intravenous (IV) olanzapine was recently approved for use in the study emergency department (ED). Objectives The authors sought to review the use and safety of IV olanzapine in the ED patient population. Methods A retrospective review of consecutive patients receiving IV olanzapine between January 1, 2014, and July 1, 2014, was conducted. Data were collected via an electronic medical record review. The study was deemed exempt from informed consent by our institutional review board. Results A total of 713 patients received IV olanzapine during the study period. The median age was 38 years (range = 18 to 85 years), and 313 patients were male (43.9%). Primary indications for IV olanzapine administration included acute agitation (n = 245, 34.4%), abdominal pain (n = 165, 23.1%), headache (n = 121, 17.0%), nausea and vomiting (n = 107, 15.0%), pain (other; n = 60, 8.4%), and unknown (n = 15, 2.1%). IV dosing varied: 1.25 mg (n = 20, 2.8%), 2.5 mg (n = 185, 25.9%), 5 mg (n = 507, 71.1%), and 10 mg (n = 1, 0.1%). Forty-nine patients required a second dose of olanzapine (22 IV, 26 IM, one oral). The maximum total dose of olanzapine was 20 mg. Ninety-eight patients required a total of 146 doses of additional sedatives during their ED course. Other sedative medications included ketamine (n = 17, 2.4%), haloperidol (n = 48, 6.7%), and benzodiazepines (n = 81, 11.4%). Hypoxia was noted in 74 patients (10.4%). Major respiratory complications, including airway stimulation or repositioning maneuvers and intubation, occurred in 15 patients (2.1%). After consensus review, one intubation was classified as “likely related” to olanzapine administration, and two were classified as “possibly related” to olanzapine. Akathisia likely occurred in four patients (0.6%), and no allergic reactions were identified. Electrocardiograms (ECGs) were performed in 322 patients. A total of 251 patients had an ECG performed before olanzapine administration (median QTc = 404 ms), and 88 patients had an ECG performed after olanzapine administration (median QTc = 415 ms). Acute alcohol and drug intoxication was common, 118 (16.5%) patients were positive for ethanol, and seven of 23 drug screens were positive for sympathomimetics. Thirty-four of 284 admissions (4.5%) were to intermediate or intensive care unit beds. No patients died while in the ED and no cases of sudden cardiac death were noted. Conclusions In this large retrospective review, IV olanzapine appears to be a safe in the management of a variety of ED indications. Hypoxia was common, but serious airway compromise was rare.