cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adapting community based participatory research (CBPR) methods to the implementation of an asthma shared decision making intervention in ambulatory practices.

AbstractObjective: Translating research findings into clinical practice is a major challenge to improve the quality of healthcare delivery. Shared decision making (SDM) has been shown to be effective and has not yet been widely adopted by health providers. This paper describes the participatory approach used to adapt and implement an evidence-based asthma SDM intervention into primary care practices. Methods: A participatory research approach was initiated through partnership development between practice staff and researchers. The collaborative team worked together to adapt and implement a SDM toolkit. Using the RE-AIM framework and qualitative analysis, we evaluated both the implementation of the intervention into clinical practice, and the level of partnership that was established. Analysis included the number of adopting clinics and providers, the patients’ perception of the SDM approach, and the number of clinics willing to sustain the intervention delivery after 1 year. Results: All six clinics and p...
Stress activation of cortex and hippocampus is modulated by sex and stage of estrus.

Sex plays a major role in stress integration and stress-related affective disease states. Notably, neurocircuits regulating organismic responses to stress are prime targets for central gonadal steroid action. To assess the roles of sex and estrous cycle in central stress integration, we analyzed c-fos mRNA expression in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical-related regions of stressed male and cycling female (proestrous, estrous, and diestrous) rats. At 60 min after the onset of acute restraint stress, all animal groups showed induction of c-fos mRNA in the frontal cortex, cingulate cortex, piriform cortex, hippocampus, hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN), medial amygdala, and lateral septum. However, the magnitude of c-fos induction in cortical and hippocampal regions was substantially lower in proestrous and estrous females compared with males and diestrous females. Sex- and estrus cycle-related changes are region specific, as no difference in c-fos induction occurred in the hypothalamic PVN, medial amygdala, or ventrolateral septum in any group. Furthermore, induction of c-fos mRNA in limbic cortexes (but not hippocampus) was positively correlated with progesterone and negatively correlated with ACTH levels. Taken together, this study indicates that cortical structures are differentially stress activated in females depending on the phase of the estrous cycle, perhaps in a progesterone-dependent fashion. (Endocrinology 143: 2534 –2540, 2002)
The instability of periodic surface gravity waves

Euler's equations describe the dynamics of gravity waves on the surface of an ideal fluid with arbitrary depth. In this paper, we discuss the stability of periodic travelling wave solutions to the full set of nonlinear equations via a non-local formulation of the water wave problem, modified from that of Ablowitz, Fokas & Musslimani (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 562, 2006, p. 313), restricted to a one-dimensional surface. Transforming the non-local formulation to a travelling coordinate frame, we obtain a new formulation for the stationary solutions in the travelling reference frame as a single equation for the surface in physical coordinates. We demonstrate that this equation can be used to numerically determine non-trivial travelling wave solutions by exploiting the bifurcation structure of this new equation. Specifically, we use the continuous dependence of the amplitude of the solutions on their propagation speed. Finally, we numerically examine the spectral stability of the periodic travelling wave solutions by extending Fourier–Floquet analysis to apply to the associated linear non-local problem. In addition to presenting the full spectrum of this linear stability problem, we recover past well-known results such as the Benjamin–Feir instability for waves in deep water. In shallow water, we find different instabilities. These shallow water instabilities are critically related to the wavelength of the perturbation and are difficult to find numerically. To address this problem, we propose a strategy to estimate a priori the location in the complex plane of the eigenvalues associated with the instability.
Computational Aeroacoustic Analysis of a Heating Coil Within a Ventilation Duct

This study computationally investigates the sound generation of air flow through a heating coil within a ventilation duct. Noise sources originating from unsteady flow through the centrifugal fan, heating coil, and ducting are identified with steady RANS techniques using a commercially available CFD solver. Built-in aeroacoustic modules are used to refine the mesh to resolve acoustic frequencies in the computational model. Sound spectral analysis is performed in the near field. With the continued exponential progression of technology, computational numerical models become increasingly more applicable and practical to a larger variety of engineering problems. Traditionally, aeroacoustic analysis has been performed on noise sources such as aircraft. However, more interest into acoustic source modeling in other fields has expanded. For example, wind turbines, automotive sources such as rear view mirrors, HVAC systems, and other noise generating devices. As the population continues to grow it is of interest to characterize the acoustics of HVAC equipment, in the future, to prevent unwanted noise within buildings. Furthermore, the inquiry is to question the practicality of computational aeroacoustic methods, which are known to be computationally intensive, for industrial use in HVAC design.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Frosting performance of tube fin heat exchangers with wavy and corrugated fins

Abstract An experimental investigation was made into the effects of frost growth on the thermal performance of fin tube heat exchangers with wavy and corrugated fins. Although previous studies on frosting in heat exchangers have dealt with flat fins, there are few data on wavy or corrugated fins. Frost accumulation, pressure drop across the heat exchanger, and an energy transfer coefficient based on a logarithmic mean enthalpy difference (LMED) were quantified in terms of air humidity, fin type, and fin spacing. It was found that higher air humidity and fin density lead to more frost growth and higher pressure drops. These general trends are consistent with what has been reported in the literature. Contrary to earlier literature reports, the energy transfer coefficient was approximately constant for the duration of the test. In addition, it was found that the latent portion of the overall energy transfer process was approximately 40% of the total.
Direct microscopy of periodontal pathogens.

Microscopic studies of the periodontal microbiota were among the first to demonstrate the existence of distinctive microbial populations in association with various states of periodontal disease and periodontal health. These findings led to further studies which indicated that conventional mechanical debridement is able to create shifts in the composition of the periodontal microbiota from a disease- to a health-associated one. Investigations of the distribution of certain bacterial morphotypes on selected tooth surfaces confirmed that significant differences exist in the composition of the microbiota between healthy and diseased sites; however, periodontal pockets of similar probing depths in the same subject had microbiotas that were more similar lo one another than to those of comparable pockets in other subjects. These findings lend support to the use of pooled microbial samples from selected surfaces with similar clinical characteristics. On the basis of microbial samples pooled in this manner, it was possible to demonstrate in patients previously treated for periodontitis, that those with elevated proportions of motile rods and spirochetes were more likely to develop subsequent recurrences of periodontitis than subjects with low proportions of these bacterial morphotypes. The predictive reliability of this microscopic assay markedly worsened in patients receiving regularly scheduled periodontal prophylaxes. This observation suggests that caution should be exercised in the utilization of potential diagnostic tests, if the object of the assay can be readily affected by environmental factors that do not affect the subject's susceptibility lo disease in a parallel manner.
Stabilizers and Destabilizers Controlling Cell Cycle Oscillators

Various destabilizing factors of the ubiquitin system contribute to the synchrony and unidirectionality of the cell cycle clock by finely tuning the activity of various CDKs. The recent findings of hierarchical and connected waves of cyclin stabilizers highlight the complexity of this network.
Phytoplankton in the Weddell Sea, Antarctica: composition, abundance and distribution in water-column assemblages of the marginal ice-edge zone during austral autumn

At the compacted, north-south line of the ice edge, phytoplankton were sampled during early austral autumn of 1986 in the northwestern Weddell Sea. Cells from discrete water bottle samples from 12 stations on two east-west transects were counted to gain quantitative information on the composition, abundance, distribution, and condition of the phytoplankton in water-column assemblages. Over 70 species were found. The highest numbers of total cells (integrated through the top 150 m) were found in open water, well-separated from and to the east of the ice edge on the southern transect, with 6.01×1010 cells m-2. The relative abundance of diatoms was low at ice-convered stations ( 80%); however, the relative abundance of the prymnesiophyte Phaeocystis sp. was high at ice-covered stations (> 60%) and low at open-water stations (< 16%), with lower absolute abundances than during a previous austral-spring phytoplankton increase. In the open ocean, the dominants were the pennate diatoms Fragilariopsis cylindrus, Pseudonitzschia prolongatoides, F. curta, and a small form of the centric diatom Chaetoceros dichaeta in chains. Although the three pennate diatoms were frequently dominant in number, they represented less biomass than C. dichaeta in open waters. Mean phytoplankton abundance was low (0.2×106 cells l-1) but, overall, the diatom cell density (0.14×106 cells l-1) was similar to that found previously during a northward transect from ice-covered to ice-free water at the Weddell-Scotia Sea ice edge (spring 1983). The phytoplankton spatial patterns in the two autumn transects differed, with the more southerly transect exhibiting a higher abundance of diatoms and dinoflagellates. The ratio of full to empty diatoms was higher on the southern transect, indicating a healthy population, while lower ratios of full/empty frustules on the northern transect suggested a generally declining population. However, Phaeocystis sp. was more abundant on the northern transect.
Collective charge-density excitations of noncircular quantum dots in a magnetic field

Recent photoabsorption measurements have revealed a rich fine structure in the collective charge-density excitation spectrum of few-electron quantum dots in the presence of magnetic fields. We have performed systematic computational studies of the far-infrared density response of quantum dots, using time-dependent density-functional theory in the linear regime and treating the dots as two-dimensional disks. It turns out that the main characteristics observed in the experiment can be understood in terms of the electronic shell structure of the quantum dots. However, additional features arise if a breaking of the circular symmetry of the dots is allowed, leading to an improved description of the experimental results.
Isolated subscapularis tear from minimal trauma in a recreational athlete: A case report

A 49-year-old male recreational weight lifter suffered an isolated partial tear of the subscapularis muscle after minimal trauma. His history was atypical for development of a subscapularis tear, which made his case more difficult to evaluate and subsequently treat. His recovery was uncomplicated and was facilitated by a physical therapy program to enhance rotator cuff strength and proprioception. This report includes a brief review of the literature on the etiology and management of these tears. This case emphasizes the importance of an appropriate physical examination and judicious use of imaging techniques so that uncommon disorders, even those with unusual presentations, can be diagnosed and managed to obtain good outcomes.
Quantitative and qualitative cytochemical studies on the Amphiuma basophil leucocyte.

1. A histological survey of Amphiuma means tissues indicated that mast cells do not occur in this species although basophil leucocytes are relatively abundant in the circulating blood. 2. Basophil leucocytes in this species are not formed in the liver subcapsular or renal intertubular myelopoetic tissue, but the precursors appear to arise in the spleen and mature in the peripheral blood. 3. Amphiuma basophil leucocyte nuclei tend to increase in size as the cell enlarges, but determinations of relative DNA and histone content per nucleus indicated that these were diploid, non-replicating cells. 4. Using ultraviolet microscopy at 2600 A, the presence of some cytoplasmic RNA was demonstrated in Amphiuma basophils. 5. The mucoprotein nature of the basophilic inclusions was confirmed by use of several cytochemical methods for demonstrating proteins, but these granules failed to stain with the mercuric bromphenol blue method, with a method for protein histidine, or with acid dyes at alkaline pH. 6. Various methods for proteins including ultraviolet absorption at 2800 A indicated a differential/partition of various classes of proteins stained by these methods in the basophil nucleus. 7. Studies of the acid mucopolysaccharides of Amphiuma basophils indicated that the sulfate group was chiefly responsible for the observed basophilia of the inclusions, but qualitative cytochemical studies as well as quantitative assessments of metachromatic ratios in toluidin blue stained cells indicated that the sulfated acid mucopolysaccharides of these cells were less sulfated than those of rat mast cells.
Wear of zirconia edge guides for conveyance of plastic webs

Abstract A laboratory investigation was conducted to determine the cause of less than expected service life of zirconia edge guides used in the conveyance of polyester sheet. Worn guides generate wear debris that can contaminate the web product. A “zero” wear system was the goal in installing the zirconia to replace hardened stainless steel. Zirconia guides from different manufacturing lots were examined for defects that might contribute to the unsatisfactory service life. None were identified. Loop abrasion tests (ASTM G174 using 30 μm alumina lapping film) were conducted on the problem zirconias as well as other ceramics and some cemented carbides. These tests indicated that the zirconia that “failed” in service had at least 10 times the abrasion resistance of the hardened stainless steel guides previously used as guide material, but the cemented carbides tested had better abrasion resistance than the zirconias and other ceramics tested (silicon carbide and silicon nitride). The conclusion of the test program was that goal of a “zero-war” edge guides could best be met with diamond-coated cemented carbide.
Pre-employment urine drug testing of hospital employees: future questions and review of current literature

Background: Patient safety and optimisation of worker performance are high current priorities. Arguments over employee drug testing have been debated over the past two decades. Aims: To review prior information to reveal how current principles and practices regarding pre-employment drug testing of health care workers evolved, and to explore pressing current and future issues. Methods: A literature search of Medline from 1980 to 1999 was performed. This yielded seven citations that reported results of pre-employment drug testing of health care workers, which we critically reviewed. Results: The process by which a rational testing process was developed for pre-employment urine drug screening in the health care field is illustrated. Also depicted are some important principles, inequities, and shortcomings of the system. The range of positive tests was wide, from 0.25% to 12%. Testing was not always applied uniformly to all health care workers. It became apparent that positive tests also require medical review to determine if they were truly due to illicit substance use. Conclusions: Although pre-employment drug testing programmes in the health care industry have been firmly in place for many years, it is unclear whether such strategies have achieved their stated purposes. The next step is to study whether such programmes are effective at accomplishing specific goals, such as decreasing absenteeism, turnover, accidents, and medical errors, in order to justify continuing pre-employment testing versus changing to an alternative testing strategy.
Chronic Constipation in the Elderly

Chronic constipation is a common problem in the elderly, with a variety of causes, including pelvic floor dysfunction, medication effects, and numerous age-specific conditions. A stepwise diagnostic and therapeutic approach to patients with chronic constipation based on historical and physical examination features is recommended. Prudent use of fiber supplements and laxative agents may be helpful for many patients. Based on their capabilities, patients with pelvic floor dysfunction should be considered for pelvic floor rehabilitation (biofeedback), although efficacy in the elderly is uncertain. Clinical awareness and focused testing to identify the physiologic abnormalities underlying constipation, while being mindful of situations unique to the elderly, facilitate management, and improve patient outcomes.
Impact of Bead Density on Paint Pavement Marking Retroreflectivity

This paper addresses the impact of bead density on paint pavement marking retroreflectivity. The writers collected retroreflectivity data and glass bead images on 40 segments of two-lane highways. Bead density is defined as the surface percentage of glass beads exposed above the paint marking material. Numerous methods for determining bead density were considered and studied. A new approach, referred to as a computer-aided counting method, was developed and a bead density analysis program was written. The program was used to analyze 108 images to obtain a bead density value for each image. A correlation study was conducted between pavement marking retroreflectivity and bead density. The findings of the study show that the normal range of glass bead density for older markings is 9–24% of the paint marking surface area. Furthermore, bead density values have a positive correlation with marking retroreflectivity readings; higher bead density leads to higher retroreflectivity. White paint markings have significantly higher retroreflectivity values than do yellow markings when the bead density values are the same.
Childhood Immunization Registries-Reply

In Reply. —Clarification of the ideas presented in our article on IIS by Dr Orenstein and colleagues is most welcome. The CDC's National Immunization Program supported our study and contributed richly to its intellectual development. Orenstein and colleagues raise 2 central issues in the conceptualization of IIS—implementation of IIS at the state, as opposed to the national level, and the adequacy of privacy protection for children and their families. Orenstein and colleagues make a strong case for state data systems to accommodate local solutions and preferences. While state-based data systems achieve many benefits, variability in state rules can render them less effective from a public health perspective. The flow of immunization information is rarely restricted to the state in which it is generated. Families move from state to state, and the ability to track children and meet their medical needs wherever they live remains an important feature of IIS. Managed
On the value of soil columns for assessing the transport pattern of viruses through soils: A critical outlook

The U.S. Water Pollution Control Act Amendment of 1972 (PL 92-500) has made land disposal of wastewater effluents and residuals a viable and attractive alternative (Thabaraj, 1975; Wright, 1975). Land spreading of wastewater effluents and residuals has many advantages, inclding the addition of plant nutrients, water conservation, improvement of soil physical properties, and increased soil organic matter. Public health risks associated with land disposal of wastes containing human pathogens can be assessed only through a thorough examination of the survival and transport pattern of these pathogens through soils. This topic has been thoroughly covered in recent reviews (Bitton, 1975, 1979; Burge and March, 1978; Foster and Engelbrecht, 1973; Gerbaet al., 1975) and need not be examined any further. In this review, we are primarily concerned with a critical examination of the various methods frequently used to assess soils' potential to retain viruses. Knowledge concerning the transport pattern of viruses through soils can be gained through field monitoring of these infectious particles in wastewater effluents, sludges, soils and groundwater, and/or through soil column experiments. The latter have been criticized and our purpose is to examine these criticisms and suggest, if necessary, some alternate solutions. Furthermore, we will review the practical information gained through soil column studies and examine, with the aid of examples of land application sites across the country, the relationship between laboratory and field studies.
Creek Country: The Creek Indians and Their World

Reconstructing the human and natural environment of the Creek Indians in frontier Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee, Robbie Ethridge illuminates a time of wrenching transition. Creek Country presents a compelling portrait of a culture in crisis, of its resiliency in the face of profound change, and of the forces that pushed it into decisive, destructive conflict. Ethridge begins in 1796 with the arrival of U.S. Indian Agent Benjamin Hawkins, whose tenure among the Creeks coincided with a period of increased federal intervention in tribal affairs, growing tension between Indians and non-Indians, and pronounced strife within the tribe. In a detailed description of Creek town life, the author reveals how social structures were stretched to accommodate increased engagement with whites and blacks. The Creek economy, long linked to the outside world through the deerskin trade, had begun to fail. Ethridge details the Creeks' efforts to diversify their economy, especially through experimental farming and ranching, and the ecological crisis that ensued. Disputes within the tribe culminated in the Red Stick War, a civil war among Creeks that quickly spilled over into conflict between Indians and white settlers and was ultimately used by U.S. authorities to justify their policy of Indian removal. |Reconstructing the human and natural environment of the Creek Indians in frontier Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee, Ethridge presents a compelling portrait of a culture in economic, political, and ecological crisis; of its resiliency in the face of profound change; and of the forces that pushed it into decisive, destructive conflict.
Association rule mining with mostly associated sequential patterns

Extraction of interesting patterns from data in the form of mostly associated sequential patterns.Speeding up the finding interesting patterns in data.Providing a tool for visual exploration of patterns extracted from data.Ability to be used for searching patterns in big data.The proposed algorithm can be extended to find different type of patterns such as the weakest associated patterns. In this paper, we address the problem of mining structured data to find potentially useful patterns by association rule mining. Different than the traditional find-all-then-prune approach, a heuristic method is proposed to extract mostly associated patterns (MASPs). This approach utilizes a maximally-association constraint to generate patterns without searching the entire lattice of item combinations. This approach does not require a pruning process. The proposed approach requires less computational resources in terms of time and memory requirements while generating a long sequence of patterns that have the highest co-occurrence. Furthermore, k-item patterns can be obtained thanks to the sub-lattice property of the MASPs. In addition, the algorithm produces a tree of the detected patterns; this tree can assist decision makers for visual analysis of data. The outcome of the algorithm implemented is illustrated using traffic accident data. The proposed approach has a potential to be utilized in big data analytics.
Flameholding Tendencies of Natural Gas and Hydrogen Flames at Gas Turbine Premixer Conditions

Ground based gas turbines are responsible for generating a significant amount of electric power as well as providing mechanical power for a variety of applications. This is due to their high efficiency, high power density, high reliability, and ability to operate on a wide range of fuels. Due to increasingly stringent air quality requirements, stationary power gas turbines have moved to lean-premixed operation. Lean-premixed operation maintains low combustion temperatures for a given turbine inlet temperature, resulting in low NOx emissions while minimizing emissions of CO and hydrocarbons. In addition, to increase overall cycle efficiency, engines are being operated at higher pressure ratios and/or higher combustor inlet temperatures. Increasing combustor inlet temperatures and pressures in combination with lean-premixed operation leads to increased reactivity of the fuel/air mixture, leading to increased risk of potentially damaging flashback. Curtailing flashback on engines operated on hydrocarbon fuels requires care in design of the premixer. Curtailing flashback becomes more challenging when fuels with reactive components such as hydrogen are considered. Such fuels are gaining interest because they can be generated from both conventional and renewable sources and can be blended with natural gas as a means for storage of renewably generated hydrogen. The two main approaches for coping with flashback are either to design a combustor that is resistant to flashback, or to design one that will not anchor a flame if a flashback occurs. An experiment was constructed to determine the flameholding tendencies of various fuels on typical features found in premixer passage ways (spokes, steps, etc.) at conditions representative of a gas turbine premixer passage way. In the present work tests were conducted for natural gas and hydrogen between 3 and 9 atm, between 530 K and 650K, and free stream velocities from 40 to 100 m/s. Features considered in the present study include a spoke in the center of the channel and a step at the wall. The results are used in conjunction with existing blowoff correlations to evaluate flameholding propensity of these physical features over the range of conditions studied. The results illustrate that correlations that collapse data obtained at atmospheric pressure do not capture trends observed for spoke and wall step features at elevated pressure conditions. Also, a notable fuel compositional effect is observed.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Terminal slider control of robot systems

Many robotic systems would, in the future, be required to operate in environments that are highly unstructured (with varying dynamical properties) and active (possessing means of self-actuation). Although a significant volume of results exist in model-based, robust and adaptive control literature, many issues pertinent to the stabilization of contact interactions with unpredictable environments remain unresolved, especially in dealing with large magnitude and high frequency parametric uncertainties. The primary intent of this paper is nonlinear control synthesis for robotic operations in unstructured environments. We introduce the notion oftime constrained terminal convergence for controlled systems, and propose an approach to nonlinear control synthesis based upon a new class of sliding modes, denotedterminal sliders. Terminal controllers that enforce finite convergence to equilibrium are synthesized for an example nonlinear system (with and without parametric uncertainties). Improved performance is demonstrated through the elimination of high frequency control switching, employed previously for robustness to parametric uncertainties [2]. The dependence of terminal slider stability upon the rate of change of uncertainties over the sliding surface, rather than the magnitude of the uncertainty itself, results in improved control robustness. Improved reliability is demonstrated through the elimination ofinterpolation regions [2]. Finally, improved (guaranteed) precision is argued for through an analysis of steady state behavior.
Decision Making in Evidence‐Based Practice: Science and Art

In this article the author reviews problems in the implementation of evidence‐based practices (EBP) and concludes that these derive not only from numerous practical concerns, but also from fundamental epistemological issues. These include an antiquated understanding of the scientific method, involving types of naive inductivism and rationalism. The central argument of this article is that recent developments in the field of naturalistic decision making provide a critical framework for understanding the problems in the implementation of EBP, as well as possible avenues for their resolution. Developments that are reviewed include the use of heuristics, decision trees, case‐based reasoning, as well as an example of a generalized model of expert decision making. Such models increasingly combine situational awareness with critical thinking and metacognitive capacities. They promise to more effectively focus the application of rational and empirical problem‐solving methods, such as EBP, on the most complex prob...
Effect of relational bullying on attitudes, behavior and injury among adolescent bullies, victims and bully-victims

Abstract This study examined whether dysfunctional correlates of relational bullying parallel those that have been found for physical bullying. We used data from the population of 2,494 respondents in grades 7–12 from a school district in Colorado to compare latent variables of self-esteem, attitudes toward school, delinquent behavior, physical injury, physical bullying, and physical victimization among 291 relational bullies, 303 victims, 213 bully-victims, and 1,687 neutrals. We used gender as a control variable. Neutrals had the best school attitudes, least problem behavior, least injury, and were less likely to be physical bullies or victims. Bully-victims reported worse outcomes on the latent variables than either neutrals or victims, and they were more likely to be physically victimized than bullies. These outcomes parallel findings among physical bullies in a similar sample. Results show the need for improved intervention, heightened awareness, and particular attention to relational bully-victims.
Continuous arterial spin-labeling perfusion magnetic resonance imaging of the human testis1

Abstract Rationale and Objectives. The purpose of this study was to determine if continuous arterial spin-labeling perfusion magnetic resonance imaging could be used to detect testicular perfusion in human subjects. Materials and Methods. Continuous arterial spin-labeling magnetic resonance perfusion imaging was performed in seven normal male volunteers and in one patient with a painful scrotum following vasectomy. Results. Normal testicular blood flow was demonstrated in 14 of 14 normal testes in seven volunteers, as well as in two normally perfused testes in the post-vasectomy patient. A change in the steady state magnetization was observed in all of the normally perfused testes of the seven volunteers. Conclusion. It is possible to detect blood flow to the normally perfused testes using noninvasive spin-labeling perfusion magnetic resonance imaging. This modality could potentially, in future investigations, be used to image patients with suspected testicular torsion and resultant testicular ischemia.
Tenacity of Routine: The Absence of Geo-Ethnic Storytelling in Constructing Immigration News Coverage

In 2006, millions of immigrants protested in cities around the United States against H.R. 4437, a new bill in Congress that threatened to criminalize undocumented immigrants and strengthen border enforcement. For this study, I interviewed immigration editors and reporters at California newspapers about the discourse surrounding this bill to determine the presence and/or prevalence of geo-ethnic storytelling, which posits that racial and geographic location of a particular subject community creates a unique network for the way journalists tell and understand stories. This study suggests that although reporters and editors acknowledge the importance of their own sense of race and community in creating reports, the journalistic norms of fairness and objectivity were more influential than geo-ethnic storytelling, suggesting the resilience of news routines and values despite changes in the field and an issue couched in race.
Electronic visual prosthesis

Abstract: Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) are incurable diseases that result in profound vision loss due to degeneration of the light sensing photoreceptors. However, the discovery that direct electrical stimulation of the retinal neurons creates visual sensation has inspired prosthetic devices aimed to restore useful vision in RP/AMD patients. The approach to one such electronic visual prosthesis is described in this article. The prosthesis consists of an external unit and an internal unit. The communication link has three components—power and data transfer from the external to the internal unit, and data transfer from the internal to the external unit. A novel method of integrating power transfer and back telemetry is described here. The goal is to design a stimulator chip with a small area with low power consumption. This chip, capable of stimulating 60 dedicated electrodes, is fabricated using AMI 1.2 µm process technology and the results are presented. Improvements in the design to increase the number of outputs to 1,000 have been discussed. The new circuit is aimed at increasing the circuit density, reducing power per stimulus, and meeting the requirements more closely than the previous designs. The results of the designed chip are presented.
Manipulative Interplay of the Interstrand Cross-Linker Bizelesin with d(TAATTA)2 To Achieve Sequence Recognition of DNA

As expected, Bizelesin, which is a biscyclopropa[c]pyrrolo[3,2-e]indol-4(5H)-one [(+)-CPI]-derived DNA−DNA cross-linker, has a high interstrand cross-linking reactivity with the palindromic sequence 5‘-d(CGTAATTȦCG)2 ( ˙ and indicate (+)-CPI alkylation sites at adenines on the same and opposite strands, respectively). Contrary to expectations, the target duplex is rearranged to yield two products: one (major product) contains an AT step wherein both adenines are syn-oriented and hydrogen bonded to thymines forming a stable Hoogsteen base-paired region flanked by Watson−Crick base-paired regions (5HG); the other (minor product) contains anti-oriented AT-step adenines that show no evidence of hydrogen bonding with pairing thymines (5OP) in an otherwise normally base-paired duplex. In another unexpected outcome, the reaction of two “uncoupled” monoalkylating (+)-CPI “halves” of Bizelesin with the same duplex alkylates same-strand adenines three base pairs apart [5‘-d(CGTAȦTTȦCG)2] rather than the antici...
Magnetization Transfer Imaging Provides a Quantitative Measure of Chondrogenic Differentiation and Tissue Development

The goal of the present investigation was to test whether quantitative magnetization transfer imaging can be used as a noninvasive evaluation method for engineered cartilage. In this work, we used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to monitor the chondrogenesis of stem-cell-based engineered tissue over a 3-week period by measuring on a pixel-by-pixel basis the relaxation times (T1 and T2), the apparent diffusion coefficient, and the magnetization transfer parameters: bound proton fraction and cross-relaxation rate (k). Tissue-engineered constructs for generating cartilage were created by seeding mesenchymal stem cells in a gelatin sponge. Every 7 days, tissue samples were analyzed using MRI, histological, and biochemical methods. The MRI measurements were verified by histological analysis, and the imaging data were correlated with biochemical analysis of the developing cartilage matrix for glycosaminoglycan content. The MRI analysis for bound proton fraction and k showed a statistically significant increase...
Lognormal approach - A new approach to data communications performance allocation

MITRE has been supporting RTCA Special Committee - 214 (SC-214)/EUROCAE Working Group - 78 (WG-78) in development of Global Air Traffic Control (ATC) Data Communications Safety and Performance Requirements Standards since 2007. The development work will culminate in 2015, with a Final Aeronautical Telecommunication Network (ATN) Baseline 2 standard. During the standards development process, some limitations were discovered in the performance requirement allocation methodology being applied. The Lognormal approach described in this paper addresses those limitations.
The Effect of Cancer Therapies on Pediatric Anophthalmic Sockets

Purpose To determine the impact of chemotherapy or external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) on pediatric anophthalmic sockets. Design A retrospective, nonrandomized, interventional cohort study. Participants A total of 135 sockets of 133 children undergoing enucleation from late 1999 to early 2009 at the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital were included. Methods A retrospective chart review of outcomes after enucleation in patients treated with systemic chemotherapy or orbital EBRT either before or after removal of the eye compared with patients who received no other treatment. Main Outcome Measures Incidence of implant exposure, migration, extrusion, socket contracture, and pyogenic granuloma formation. Results Retinoblastoma was the primary diagnosis in 128 eyes (95%). Median follow-up was 3.6 years (range, 0.1–9.3 years). Event-free course was observed in 94 sockets (69.6%). Complications included implant exposure (n = 28, 20.7%), socket contracture (n = 16, 11.9%), pyogenic granuloma (n = 9, 6.7%), implant extrusion (n = 3, 2.2%), and migration (n = 2, 1.5%). Exposure resolved in 21 sockets (77.8%) and improved in 2 sockets (11.1%); 1 patient with exposure died. Use of prior, adjuvant, or subsequent chemotherapy increased the long-term risk of exposure (odds ratio [OR] = 3.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.4–9.4), and contracture (OR could not be calculated, P Conclusions In this unique pediatric population with cancer, chemotherapy and EBRT had an additive effect, significantly increasing the incidence of exposure and socket contracture. Financial Disclosure(s) The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.
A Ten-Year Clinical Experience with Mycobacterium kansasii

During a ten-year period 35 patients with pulmonary disease due to Mycobacterium kansasii have undergone treatment and close clinical follow-up. There has been no evidence of bacteriologic, roentgenographic or clinical relapse in 31 of 35 patients (89 percent) on chemotherapy for a mean of 24.3 months. The clinical characteristics are similar to other reported series. Multiple drug regimens were used in a majority of the patients. Thirtyone patients were observed for a mean period of 27.2 months. Twenty-nine patients received medical therapy, and four received combined medical-surgical treatment. During the study period 6 of 33 patients died, with none of the deaths directly attributed to Myco kansasii infection or its treatment.
Impact of hadronic decays of the lightest neutralino on the reach of the CERN LHC

If $R$ parity is not conserved, the lightest supersymmetric particle could decay via lepton-number-violating or baryon-number-violating interactions. The latter case is particularly insidious since it leads to a reduction of the ${\stackrel{/}{E}}_{T}$ as well as leptonic signals for supersymmetry. We evaluate cross sections for jets plus ${\stackrel{/}{E}}_{T},$ 1$\mathcal{l}$, $2\mathcal{l}$ (same sign and opposite sign), and $3\mathcal{l}$ event topologies that result from the simultaneous production of all sparticles at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC), assuming that the lightest supersymmetric particle ${\stackrel{\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{}}{Z}}_{1}$ decays hadronically inside the detector via $R$-parity-violating interactions. We assume that these interactions do not affect the production rates or decays of other sparticles. We examine the SUSY reach of the LHC for this ``pessimistic'' scenario, and show that experiments at the LHC will still be able to search for gluinos and squarks as heavy as 1 TeV, given just 10 fb${}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ of integrated luminosity, even with cuts designed to explore the canonical SUSY framework with a conserved $R$ parity.
New advances in regularized inversion of gravity and electromagnetic data

The interpretation of potential and electromagnetic fields observed over 3D geological structures remains one of the most challenging problems of exploration geophysics. In this paper I present an overview of novel methods of inversion and imaging of gravity and electromagnetic data, which are based on new advances in the regularization theory related to the application of special stabilizing functionals, which allow the reconstruction of both smooth images of the underground geological structures and models with sharp geological boundaries. I demonstrate that sharp-boundary geophysical inversion can improve the efficiency and resolution of the inverse problem solution. The methods are illustrated with synthetic and practical examples of the 3D inversion of potential and electromagnetic field data.
Inclusive photoproduction of η mesons at 9.7 GeV

Inclusive $\ensuremath{\eta}$ photoproduction has been studied at 9.7 GeV, on hydrogen and deuterium targets. A simple, parameter-free ${\ensuremath{\rho}}^{0}$-dominance model adequately fits the forward cross sections, but overestimates the cross section at large momentum transfer.
Ultramicroanalysis of pH,\(P_{CO_2 } \) and carbonic anhydrase activity at calcifying sites in cartilage

The mechanism by which (HCO 3 − ) is elevated in extracellular cartilage fluids (Cfl) of rat tibial growth plates was investigated. Inin vitro studies, the pH- $$P_{CO_2 } $$ curves in a synthetic lymph were not detectably altered by proteinpolysaccharides or by a cationic protein. Also, (HCO 3 − ) in Cfl aspirated from isolated incubates of growth cartilage decreased rapidly as a function of time. Results of both of these experiments mitigated against a role for cartilage secretions as the cause of blood-Cfl (HCO 3 − ) gradientsin vivo. Acetazolamide administered to ratsin vivo reduced the blood-Cfl (HCO 3 − ) gradient to an undetectable level. This effect could not be attributed to systemic acidosis produced by acetazolamide since control rats with a similar degree of systemic acidosis resulting from NH4Cl treatment, maintained a substantial blood-Cfl (HCO 3 − ) gradient. The distribution of carbonic anhydrase activity in epiphyseal and metaphyseal tissues of similar rats was determined by microassay. Enzymatic activity was not detected in cartilage samples, but was found in significant amounts in adjacent structures. This carbonic anhydrase activity measured in adjacent structures was hypothesized to represent sites of HCO 3 − secretion. The possible involvement in HCO 3 − secretion of epiphyseal or metaphyseal capillaries and bone cells is discussed.
Optimality criteria: a basis for multidisciplinary design optimization

This paper presents a generalization of what is frequently referred to in the literature as the optimality criteria approach in structural optimization. This generalization includes a unified presentation of the optimality conditions, the Lagrangian multipliers, and the resizing and scaling algorithms in terms of the sensitivity derivatives of the constraint and objective functions. The by-product of this generalization is the derivation of a set of simple nondimensional parameters which provides significant insight into the behavior of the structure as well as the optimization algorithm. A number of important issues, such as, active and passive variables, constraints and three types of linking are discussed in the context of the present derivation of the optimality criteria approach. The formulation as presented in this paper brings multidisciplinary optimization within the purview of this extremely efficient optimality criteria approach.
UV solar irradiance low during recent solar minimum

Solar irradiance, which varies with the 11-year solar cycle and on longer time scales, can affect temperatures and winds in the atmosphere, influencing Earth's climate. As the Sun currently wakes up from a period of low sunspot activity, researchers want to know how irradiance during the recent solar minimum compares to historical levels. In addition to understanding the total received power, it is important to know how various spectral bands behave, in particular, the ultraviolet, which causes heating and winds in the stratosphere. Lockwood analyzed solar ultraviolet spectral irradiance data from May 2003 to August 2005 from both the Solar Ultraviolet Spectral Irradiance Monitor (SUSIM) instrument on board the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) and the Solar Stellar Irradiance Comparison Experiment (SOLSTICE) instrument on the Solar Radiation and Climate Experiment (SORCE) satellite. Using several different methods to intercalibrate the data, he developed a data composite that can be used to determine differences between the recent solar minimum and previous minima. The author found that solar irradiance during the recent sunspot minimum has been especially low. (Journal of Geophysical Research-Atmospheres, doi:10.1029/2010JD014746, 2011)
Dielectric, Piezoelectric and Magnetic Properties of Ferroelectromagnet Pb(Fe1/3Nb2/3)O3(PFN) Ceramics

Ferroelecromagnet Pb(Fe1/3Nb2/3)O3 has been synthesized and its crystal structure and dielectric, electrostrictive and magnetic properties have been investigated. The structure of PFN ceramics examined by X-ray diffraction was found perovskite-like. The dielectric constant and dielectric loss as a function of temperature at different frequencies was measured. A para-ferroelectric transition at a temperature of 403 K was found and the maximum dielectric constant at a frequency of 500 Hz at the transition temperature is as high as 9050. The piezoelectric strain at room temperature was examined. The magnetization measurements as a function of temperature in the temperature region from room temperature to 648 K with different applied magnetic fields revealed that the compound is antiferromagnetic.
Spectral Representations and Their Application to Inclusive Processes

We give a representation for the product of two currents sandwiched between two-particle states, akin to the Deser-Gilbert-Sudarshan representation of commutators. In this case, arguments based on causality are not available for the two-particle matrix element. It is shown that in the process $\mathrm{pp}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\ensuremath{\mu}}^{+}{\ensuremath{\mu}}^{\ensuremath{-}}+\mathrm{anything}$, the cross section cannot decrease rapidly in ${q}_{\ensuremath{\perp}}$ (the perpendicular momentum transfer) for $q_{\ensuremath{\perp}}^{}{}_{}{}^{2}ll{q}^{2}$ ($q$ is the ${\ensuremath{\mu}}^{+}{\ensuremath{\mu}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ momentum), unless it decreases extremely rapidly in ${q}^{2}$. An application of the free-quark model to the product of two pion currents yields Feynman scaling for the process $\mathrm{pp}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\pi}+\mathrm{anything}$, when proper account is taken of the rapid decrease in ${q}_{\ensuremath{\perp}}$ of this cross section.