cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Implementing an Internet-Based Communication Network for Use during Skilled Nursing Facility to Emergency Department Care Transitions: Challenges and Opportunities for Improvement

Abstract Objectives To explore the feasibility of implementing an Internet-based communication network for communication of health care information during skilled nursing facility (SNF)-to-ED care transitions, and to identify potential barriers to system implementation. Methods Qualitative. Setting The largest SNF affiliated with the ED of an urban tertiary care center. Participants Consecutive sample of all patients transferred from SNF to ED over 8 months between June 2007 and January 2008; ED and SNF care providers. Intervention The development and implementation of an Internet-based communication network for use during SNF-to-ED care transitions. This network was developed by adapting a preexisting Internet-based system that is widely used to facilitate placement of hospitalized patients into SNFs. Internet-based SNF and ED surveys were used to help identify barriers to implementation. Results There were 276/276 care transitions reviewed. The Internet-based communication network was used in 76 (28%) care transitions, with usage peaking at 40% near the end of the study. Barriers to success that were identified included lack of an electronic medical record (EMR) at the SNF; pervasive negative attitudes between ED and SNF personnel; time necessary for network use during care transitions; frustration by emergency physicians at low system usage rates by SNF personnel; and additional login requirements by ED personnel. Conclusions Although implementing an Internet-based network for nursing home to ED communication may be feasible, significant barriers were identified in this study that are likely generalizable to other health care settings. Understanding such barriers is an essential first step toward building successful electronic communication networks in the future.
COMPLICATIONS OF THE COPELAND IMPLANT

The Copeland lens is easy to insert, requires no intraocular suture or clip for fixation, and is rarely dislodged from its proper position. It has enjoyed long follow-up and wide usage in the United States. Properly managed, its complications are not as formidable as once believed. It remains an acceptable alternative for the intraoperative correction of surgical aphakia.
Professional abuse of children: Responsibility for the delivery of services.

Determination of which children will receive or be excluded from services, as well as the nature and extent of those services is largely the province of professionals. This paper examines the responsibility of professionals and social service agencies for the delivery - and denial-of services to children,discusses children's rights, and examines the role and oligation of professionals in the resolution of larger social issues. Language: en
Teaching NeuroImages: Sarcoidosis presenting as longitudinally extensive myelitis: Excellent response to infliximab

A 44-year-old man presented with 2 weeks of progressive right body numbness, weakness, and circumferential burning sensation around his trunk. MRI spine demonstrated longitudinally extensive myelitis (figure 1). MRI brain and laboratory investigations were normal except for CSF lymphocytic pleocytosis (9 leukocytes/mm3). CT revealed hilar and mediastinal lymphadenopathy, which on biopsy showed noncaseating granulomas suggestive of sarcoidosis. As the patient had multiple clinical relapses on steroids, he was treated with infliximab infusions (5 mg/kg every 4 weeks) and had complete clinical and radiologic resolution after 1 year (figure 2). Myelitis as the presenting feature of sarcoidosis is exceptionally rare and responds to infliximab.1,2
Discourse, Pragmatics, Conversation, Analysis

In a period given to emphasizing diversity among humans, we would do well to explore diversity among forms of discourse and among forms of talk-in-interaction in particular. Among the speech-exchan...
Relative sensitivity of marine species to an effluent with elevated total dissolved solids

The acute toxicity of aged gold mill effluent was compared for two reference species (juvenile mysid shrimp [Mysidopsis bahia (Americamysis bahia)] and larval sheepshead minnows [Cyprinodon variegatus]) and larvae of three species that are indigenous to the southern coast of Alaska (red king crab [Paralithodes camtschaticus], northern shrimp [Pandalus borealis], and Pacific herring [Clupea harengus pallasi]). Effluent osmolality was equivalent to that of 12 ppt seawater. Concentration–response relationships for the effluent, adjusted to equal the osmolality and pH of 31 ppt seawater, were determined after 24 h of exposure for immobility, paralysis, and death. The magnitude of differences and rank of sensitivity of the indigenous species depended on the response that was used for the comparison. For all responses, M. bahia and C. variegatus were the most and least sensitive species, respectively.
Rates of Exchange of Cs+ and Sr2+ for Poorly Crystalline Sodium Titanium Silicate (CST) in Nuclear Waste Systems

The compound sodium titanium silicate, popularly known as CST, is highly selective for Cs+. It was synthesized for the purpose of removing 137Cs from basic nuclear waste systems. This compound has a tunnel structure in which the Cs+ ion just fits but diffusion through the tunnels is relatively slow. CST loses its ability to sequester Cs+ in the strongly basic nuclear waste solutions. However, replacement of titanium with 25 mol% of niobium increases the selectivity to a satisfactory level. It has been found that producing a less crystalline form of Nb-CST greatly improves the rate of Cs+ removal. Additionally, the non-niobium CST is selective for strontium both as Sr2+ and Sr(OH)+. It is suggested that both radioisotopes of cesium and strontium may be efficiently extracted by a combination of a mixture of poorly crystalline CST and Nb-CST.
A Comparison Study of Urban and Small Rural Hospitals Financial and Economic Performance

This study examines the performance of hospitals based on location (geographical region, rural, urban). In this study, recent data has been used to better understand the hospitals performance after the introduction of Prospective Payment System (PPS). The data set used by the study is much comprehensive in its coverage and information on a number of relevant variables. We have included a number of new economic and financial variables in the analysis and examined the effects of conversion of hospitals from not-for-profit to for-profit on hospital performance. Our empirical findings suggest that the size of hospitals, occupancy rate of hospital beds, ownership status, degree of competition faced in the market, teaching status, and measure of financial indebtedness of hospitals are significant determinants of hospital performance holding location constant. The empirical model also suggests that the relationship between hospital efficiency measure and its various determinants is actually non-linear in nature and therefore, it is important to adopt appropriate non-linear econometric models for empirical estimation of the performance function. Finally, our findings show that rural and small hospitals face significant factors that hinder its performance in comparison to urban and larger hospitals such as the lack of (DSH) payments and economy of scale due to their smaller size and lower proportion of Medicaid patients.
Improving the Performance of New Product Teams

(1990). Improving the Performance of New Product Teams. Research-Technology Management: Vol. 33, No. 2, pp. 25-29.
High Tc Bitter magnets

Bitter magnets offer some advantages to the construction of high temperature superconducting magnets. The superconductor is manufactured in the required shape. This avoids the need to develop ductile materials. This method can be utilized for manufacturing solenoidal, toroidal, saddle, and other types of magnets. The issues facing this type of magnet construction will be discussed, including quench protection, materials compatibility, stability, and cooling. The technique is especially suited to resolve some of the compatibility problems between the brittle superconductor and the structure. Novel methods to improve the compatibility between the superconductor and the structure will be presented. The results of FEM modelling and preliminary testing of the superconductor composite will be shown. >
The Fundamental Limits for Electronic Packaging and Systems

A systems analysis of the fundamental physical laws that will eventually restrict the evolution of all electronic systems is presented. To formulate the analysis, a logical framework based on a minimum set of three critical hardware parameters is constructed. These parameters serve as variables in the quantification of the physical laws as they affect electronic systems. The parameters to reduce the array of fundamental constraints to simple mathematical relationships have been chosen, which can be plotted into the space spanned by the parameter set. The mathematical relationships, together with operational criteria such as noise margins and package thermal resistance, partition this space into allowed and forbidden regions. By placing current systems into the allowed region, it is shown that current technology is approaching several fundamental limits simultaneously. It is clear from this analysis that the approach to systems design will have to be integrated to include all levels in the system package, in order to optimize the performance of the system as a whole. The properties that a systems package must possess if it is to successfully combat these approaching limits is discussed.
Stewardship Practices of U.S. Biobanks

Biobanks require new governance models that address their ethical and regulatory challenges. One model relies on stewardship of specimens throughout their life course. Here, we discuss findings from our survey of 456 U.S. biobank managers that addressed whether and how biobanks steward their specimens. The findings reveal that most biobanks do not create ongoing relationships with contributors but do practice stewardship over storing and sharing of specimens. Biobanks now need guidance to fully articulate stewardship practices that ensure respect for contributors while facilitating research.
Suppression of Ptf1a Activity Induces Acinar-to-Endocrine Conversion

Pluripotent embryonic cells become progressively lineage restricted during development in a process that culminates in the differentiation of stable organ-specific cell types that perform specialized functions. Terminally differentiated pancreatic acinar cells do not have the innate capacity to contribute to the endocrine β cell lineage, which is destroyed in individuals with autoimmune diabetes. Some cell types can be reprogrammed using a single factor, whereas other cell types require continuous activity of transcriptional regulators to repress alternate cell fates. Thus, we hypothesized that a transcriptional network continuously maintains the pancreatic acinar cell fate. We found that postembryonic antagonism of Ptf1a, a master regulator of pancreatic development and acinar cell fate specification, induced the expression of endocrine genes including insulin in the exocrine compartment. Using a genetic lineage tracing approach, we show that the induced insulin+ cells are derived from acinar cells. Cellular reprogramming occurred under homeostatic conditions, suggesting that the pancreatic microenvironment is sufficient to promote endocrine differentiation. Thus, severe experimental manipulations may not be required to potentiate pancreatic transdifferentiation. These data indicate that targeted postembryonic disruption of the acinar cell fate can restore the developmental plasticity that is lost during development.
Diagnostic accuracy of pocket-size handheld echocardiographs used by cardiologists in the acute care setting.

Aims Pocket-size echographs may be useful for bedside diagnosis in acute cardiac care, but their diagnostic accuracy in this setting has not been well tested. Our aim was to evaluate this tool in patients requiring an urgent echocardiogram. Methods Trained cardiologists performed echocardiograms with a pocket-size echograph (Vscan) in consecutive patients requiring urgent echocardiography. The exams were then compared in a blinded manner with echocardiograms performed with a high-end standard echocardiograph. Results A total of 104 patients were studied. There was an excellent agreement between the Vscan and the high-end echocardiograph for the left ventricular systolic function and pericardial effusion (Kappa: 0.89 and 0.81, respectively), and the agreement was good or moderate for evaluating the aortic, mitral, and tricuspid valve function and the left ventricular size (Kappa: 0.55–0.66). Visualization of the Vscan images in full-screen format on a PC did not in general confer added value. Conclusion The Vscan used by a trained cardiologist has good diagnostic accuracy in the emergency setting compared with a high-end echocardiograph, despite small screen size and lack of pulse-wave and continuous Doppler.
The Planck-Benzinger thermal work function: Determining the thermal set point in interacting biological systems

One of the more interesting discoveries in recent studies of biological thermodynamics concerns the way in which application of the Planck–Benzinger methodology allows one to evaluate how the thermal set point of a biological system is established and maintained on a molecular level. Macromolecular interactions will always exhibit a negative minimum value of the Gibbs free energy change at a well-defined temperature, , which may be defined as the thermal set point. Each interacting biological system will have its own unique value of where the bound unavailable energy TΔS0 = 0. In the human body, that thermal set point is 37°C. At the thermal set point, the maximum work can be accomplished and the system is at its most stable. Each interacting biological system examined by the Chun method confirms the existence of a thermodynamic molecular switch wherein a change of sign in ΔCp0(T) leads to true negative minimum in the Gibbs free energy change of reaction, and hence a maximum in the related equilibrium constant, Keq. Application of the Planck–Benzinger methodology has demonstrated that there is a lower cutoff point, , where entropy is favorable but enthalpy is unfavorable, and an upper cutoff, , above which enthalpy is favorable but entropy unfavorable. Only between these two limits, where ΔG0(T) = 0, is the net chemical driving force favorable for such biological processes as protein folding, protein–protein or protein–nucleic acid interaction and protein self-assembly. In examining interacting biological systems, the thermal set point will vary from one organism to another, but TΔS0, the bound unavailable energy, will always be equal to zero. It is apparent from Chun's extensive studies of biological interactions that the origins of life in any chosen system are inevitably linked to a single, unique thermal set point. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2007
Lymphomyeloid organs of amphibia. II. Vasculature in larval and adult Rana catesbeiana.

There were no lymphatic vessels and lymph nodes demonstrable in adult and larval Rana catesbeiana by a method that adequately demonstrated the same in mammals. Although the parenchymal arrangement in the lymphomyeloid organs is not exactly the same as in mammalian hemal nodes, nonetheless the vascular patterns of the lymph glands and jugular bodies are prima facie evidence that they function as blood-filtering organs among other probable functions. The vascular pattern of the lymph gland is that of a rete mirabile, particularly a venous portal system, inasmuch as the afferent and efferent vessels are venous in character and interposed between them is a labyrinth of sinusoids. This is not the case, though, in the adult organs. The vascular pattern of the jugular bodies is very much like the spleen, viz., artery-capillary-sinusoid-vein sequence. It is doubtful, however, if the propericardial and procoracoid bodies ever filter blood, because the smallest blood vessels in them are capillary in type Because of the absence of a well-defined capsule in some parts of the propericardial body, similarly to lymphoid follicles, especially in the mammalian gastrointestinal tract, it is probable that it filters tissue fluid. The last two organs are apparently mainly blood cell-forming organs. It is inferred from the vascular connections of the larval and the adult lymphomyeloid organs that they are not genetically related. This aspect was analyzed from earlier developmental data, but actual follow-up of the larval organs to the adult stage is still in progress.
LOWER LIMB ALIGNMENT CONTROL: IS IT MORE CHALLENGING IN LATERAL COMPARED WITH MEDIAL UNICONDYLAR KNEE ARTHROPLASTY?

Lower limb alignment after unicondylar knee arthroplasty (UKA) has a significant impact on surgical outcomes. The literature lacks studies that evaluate the limb alignment after lateral UKA or compare it to alignment outcomes after medial UKA, making our understanding of this issue based on medial UKA studies. Unfortunately, since the geometry, mechanics, and ligamentous physiology are different between these two compartments, drawing conclusions for lateral UKAs based on medial UKA results may be imprecise and misleading. The purpose of this study was to compare the risk for limb alignment overcorrection and the ability to predict postoperative limb alignment between medial and lateral UKA. We evaluated the results of mechanical limb alignment in 241 patients with unicompartmental knee osteoarthritis who underwent medial or lateral UKA; there were 229 medial UKAs and 37 lateral UKAs. Mechanical limb alignment was measured in standing long limb radiographs pre and post-operatively, intra-operatively it was measured using a computer assisted navigation system. Between the two cohorts, we compared the percentage of overcorrection and the difference between post-operative alignment and alignment measured by the navigation system. The percentage of overcorrection was significantly higher in the lateral UKA group (11%), when compared to the medial UKA group (4%), (p= 0.0001). In the medial UKA group, the mean difference between the intraoperative “virtual” alignment provided by the navigation system, and the post-operative, radiographically measured mechanical axis, was 1.33°(±1.2°). This was significantly lower than the mean 1.86° (±1.33°) difference in the lateral UKA group (p=0.019). Our data demonstrated an increased risk of mechanical limb alignment overcorrection and greater difficulty in predicting postoperative alignment using computer navigation, when performing lateral UKAs compared to medial UKAs.
Bub3 promotes Cdc20-dependent activation of the APC/C in S. cerevisiae

The spindle checkpoint ensures accurate chromosome segregation by sending a signal from an unattached kinetochore to inhibit anaphase onset. Numerous studies have described the role of Bub3 in checkpoint activation, but less is known about its functions apart from the spindle checkpoint. In this paper, we demonstrate that Bub3 has an unexpected role promoting metaphase progression in budding yeast. Loss of Bub3 resulted in a metaphase delay that was not a consequence of aneuploidy or the activation of a checkpoint. Instead, bub3Δ cells had impaired binding of the anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) with its activator Cdc20, and the delay could be rescued by Cdc20 overexpression. Kinetochore localization of Bub3 was required for normal mitotic progression, and Bub3 and Cdc20 colocalized at the kinetochore. Although Bub1 binds Bub3 at the kinetochore, bub1Δ cells did not have compromised APC/C and Cdc20 binding. The results demonstrate that Bub3 has a previously unknown function at the kinetochore in activating APC/C-Cdc20 for normal mitotic progression.
Normative data on audiovisual speech integration using sentence recognition and capacity measures

AbstractObjective: The ability to use visual speech cues and integrate them with auditory information is important, especially in noisy environments and for hearing-impaired (HI) listeners. Providing data on measures of integration skills that encompass accuracy and processing speed will benefit researchers and clinicians. Design: The study consisted of two experiments: First, accuracy scores were obtained using City University of New York (CUNY) sentences, and capacity measures that assessed reaction-time distributions were obtained from a monosyllabic word recognition task. Study sample: We report data on two measures of integration obtained from a sample comprised of 86 young and middle-age adult listeners: Results: To summarize our results, capacity showed a positive correlation with accuracy measures of audiovisual benefit obtained from sentence recognition. More relevant, factor analysis indicated that a single-factor model captured audiovisual speech integration better than models containing more f...
Freedom of Speech and Government Employees: A Reasonable Test for the Digital Age

This paper traces the history of the Court’s precedent on free speech protections for government employees and argues that the Court’s traditional test for evaluating free speech claims of government employees should be reevaluated to fit the changing speech climate resulting from increased prevalence of internet publication and social networking in our culture.
Effect of Gender on the Radiation Sensitivity of Murine Blood Cells.

Space travel beyond the Earth’s protective magnetosphere risks exposing astronauts to ionizing radiation, such as that generated during a solar particle event (SPE). Ionizing radiation has well documented effects on blood cells and it is generally assumed that these effects contribute to the hematopoietic syndrome (HS), observed in animals and humans, following total body irradiation (TBI) exposure. The purpose of the current study was to assess the role of gender on the effects of gamma radiation on blood cells. C3H/HEN mice were irradiated with a 137Cs gamma source. Radiation had similar effects on white blood cells, lymphocytes and granulocytes in male and female C3H/HeN mice, while RBC counts and hematocrit values remained stable following radiation exposure. Non-irradiated male mice had 13% higher platelet counts, compared with their female counterparts and showed enhanced recovery of platelets on day 16 following radiation exposure. Hence, gender differences influence the response of platelets to TBI exposure.
Media visualization of book cover images: exploring differences among bestsellers in different countries

Interest in the role of book cover images in readers' reading experience and book marketing has been long-standing. This study attempts to compare book covers from different countries with a media visualization tool called ImagePlot. The top 100 bestselling books from 13 Amazon.com's international sites were identified and their cover images were downloaded. Using ImagePlot, median values of brightness, hue and saturation for each image in the data set were extracted and analyzed. Along with one-way ANOVA tests by SPSS, ImagePlot outputs show differences in these graphical properties of bestsellers' cover images in different countries. From the outputs, with all the book cover images displayed on a single canvas (screen), hidden patterns emerged and findings were clearly confirmed. This study makes a contribution by providing connection between research interests in book cover images and media visualization techniques for further research.
Notes on Some Bombyliidæ (Diptera) from the Republic of Honduras.

In the early part of 1926, the author spent three months in the Republic of Honduras in research on the sandflies (biting Ceratopogoninae) for the Medical Department of the United Fruit Company. During the time there, a number of insects, especially Diptera, were collected. Since little is known concerning the dipterous fauna of this region, the notes which follow are presented partly to fill this lack. In Biologia Centralia Americana (6, 10) very few species are recorded from Honduras and none of these Bombyliidae. The several papers on Diptera of medical importance, published in the annual report of the Medical Department of the United Fruit Company and elsewhere, constitute almost our entire knowledge of the dipterous fauna of that country. The work on the sandflies was done at or near Puerto Castilla, Honduras, and dealt with the biology, immature stages and the control of some sandflies of the genera Culicoides and Leptoconops . A full report of this work has already appeared (7).
In situ hydrodynamic lateral force calibration of AFM colloidal probes

Lateral force microscopy (LFM) is an application of atomic force microscopy (AFM) to sense lateral forces applied to the AFM probe tip. Recent advances in tissue engineering and functional biomaterials have shown a need for the surface characterization of their material and biochemical properties under the application of lateral forces. LFM equipped with colloidal probes of well-defined tip geometries has been a natural fit to address these needs but has remained limited to provide primarily qualitative results. For quantitative measurements, LFM requires the successful determination of the lateral force or torque conversion factor of the probe. Usually, force calibration results obtained in air are used for force measurements in liquids, but refractive index differences between air and liquids induce changes in the conversion factor. Furthermore, in the case of biochemically functionalized tips, damage can occur during calibration because tip–surface contact is inevitable in most calibration methods. The...
NON - SUPPRESSED ION CHROMATOGRAPHY IS APPLIED TO DETERMINATION OF IONIC SOLUTES IN THE GAS FIELD WATER

The paper discusses analysis condition and application of non - suppressed ion chromatography for analyzing ionic solutes in gas field water, such as alkali metal ions , alkali earth metal ions and inorganic anions. The technology possesses advantages of high resolution, high speed, accuracy , simple and conven- ience.
Determination and Modeling of Mechanical Properties for Graphene Nanoplatelet/Epoxy Composites

Structural components of modern aircraft, such as the fuselage and control surfaces, are commonly constructed using carbon-filled polymer composites. The addition of graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) to traditional fiber-reinforced composites often increases the tensile modulus. In this work, composites were fabricated with epoxy (EPON 862 with EPIKURE Curing Agent W) and 1–4 wt% (0.6–2.44 vol%) GNP. The GNP used in this study was Asbury Carbon's TC307. To the authors' knowledge, mechanical data for composites with TC307 have not been published before. Composite specimens were tested for macroscopic tensile modulus and modulus as determined by nanoindentation. The macroscopic tensile modulus increased from 2.72 GPa for neat epoxy to 2.93 GPa for 4 wt% (2.44 vol%) TC307 in epoxy. The modulus as determined by nanoindentation showed a similar trend. For all these composites, the tensile strength ranged from 76 to 81 MPa. A multiscale modeling approach, using molecular dynamics data and micromechanical modeling, was used to verify the experimental data, and both experiments and modeling demonstrated that a three-dimensional random dispersion of GNP (∼3 to 4 layers) in epoxy was achieved. The constant level of strength with GNP loading is important in applications where GNP is added to the epoxy matrix to increase thermal and electrical conductivity. POLYM. COMPOS., 2016. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers
The Effects of Online News Package Structure on Attitude, Attention, and Comprehension

Research has shown that website structure can impact storytelling. Based on theory regarding website interactivity and navigability, this study examined the effects of two online news packages’ website designs—a multiple-page, nonlinear, click-through design and a single-page, linear, scroll-through design—on users’ attitudes toward the website, factual and structural comprehension of site content, and attention to the site. Results of a 2 × 2 between-subjects experiment revealed that both types of comprehension were influenced by the interaction between website design and attention. Among participants who spent at least 10 min browsing, users were better able to recognize facts after looking at the scroll-through site, but they showed a deeper understanding of content after looking at the click-through site. Theoretical and practical implications for storytelling are discussed.
Developing a Mental Health Code for Minors

This article examines the piecemeal, haphazard fashion that the mental health codes of most states address the needs and rights of children with mental health impairments. The article addresses the few constitutional rights that children have when seeking mental health care. It then provides a comparative survey of legislation to determine whether states provide minors more safeguards than the few required by the Constitution. The article suggests several strategies for reforming state mental health law to protect the distinct treatment needs and legal concerns of children.
667. Natural Selection of a Neurovirulent Herpes Simplex Virus Type1 Strain via Passage in Human Glioma Xenografts

The strategy of using oncolytic viruses (OVs) in cancer therapy is based on their replicative selectivity in tumor compared to normal tissue. In general, these tumor-tropic OVs are genetically engineered to be attenuated to minimize toxicity and for retargeting towards tumors. Directed genetic manipulation of viruses depends on knowledge of the host-virus interactions at the molecular level, which can be highly complex and context-dependent. Another approach is to utilize natural selection and evolution to adapt a virus to be more selective for tumor cells. We thus obtained a wild-type HSV1 strain harvested from a human patient with HSV1 encephalitis patient. This HSV1 was repeatedly passaged in nude mice with human glioblastoma xenografts. After 10 rounds of serial passage, we propagated and purified the passaged virus for subsequent experiments. To assay for phenotypic differences, the parent virus and passaged virus were compared in their replicative efficiency in glioma cells in vitro and in vivo, as well as in toxicity by injection in nude mouse brains. There was a statistical significant increase in the replication yield of the passaged virus compared to the parental virus. Although there was also a trend for enhanced anticancer efficacy of the paasaged virus compared to the parental virus, it did not reach a p value less than 0.05. There was no difference in the toxicity of either virus in nude mouse brains. These results suggest that natural evolution by serial passage may lead to a more efficacious oncolytic HSV1, but that more passages may be required to further evolve this strain.
Heavy meson chiral perturbation theory in finite volume

Abstract We present the first step towards the estimation of finite volume effects in heavy-light meson systems using heavy meson chiral perturbation theory. We demonstrate that these effects can be amplified in both light-quark and heavy-quark mass extrapolations (interpolations) in lattice calculations. As an explicit example, we perform a one-loop calculation for the neutral B meson mixing system and show that finite volume effects, which can be comparable with currently quoted errors, are not negligible in both quenched and partially quenched QCD.
Using a Web-Based Simulation as a Problem-Based Learning Experience: Perceived and Actual Performance of Undergraduate Public Health Students

Graduate and undergraduate programs in public health education and health promotion typically include five core competencies: biostatistics, epidemiology, environmental sciences, health services administration, and social and behavioral sciences.1 Within those competencies lies the field of health education. Health education can be defined as “any combination of learning experiences designed to facilitate voluntary adaptations of behavior conducive to health.”2 This article addresses the professional preparation of public health educators using a problem-based learning (PBL) approach in an undergraduate curriculum.
Understanding the needs of individuals ageing with impairment

Individuals ageing with pre-existing sensory and mobility impairments are more likely than ever before to survive into older adulthood. Successful ageing may be complicated for these individuals because of compounding challenges related to their impairment and challenges related to ageing. To promote successful ageing, it is necessary to know where human factors interventions could help older adults with sensory or mobility impairments. The goal of this study was to identify the range of challenges in everyday activities that might be experienced by older adults ageing with pre-existing impairments in vision, hearing, or mobility. As a starting point for research in this area, we present data from interviews with subject matter experts, who represented a range of personal and professional experiences with older adults with these specific pre-existing impairments. The interview data revealed what challenges older adults with sensory and mobility impairments face as they age. Emphasis was placed on challenges in technology use, access to community and health resources, and housing. The results have implications for future research as well as for technology design, instruction, and use. Through alleviating everyday challenges, the human factors community can ultimately improve ageing for this understudied sector of adults with pre-existing sensory and mobility impairments.
Outdoor Wayfinding and Navigation for People Who Are Blind: Accessing the Built Environment

People who are blind use a range of tools and training to optimize their travel in the built environment. However, changes in the built environment have brought new challenges for blind mobility. Developments in technology, whether used by the person who is blind or designed within the built environment offer ways to overcome mobility challenges. Technology used by a person who is blind includes GPS units, ultrasonic detectors, and smartphone applications that offer travel system information. Technology designed to increase accessibility to the built environment includes accessible pedestrian signals, smart paint, talking signs, autonomous vehicles, integrated travel systems, and devices that communicate between the pedestrian and the built environment.
Arbitrage pricing in non-Walrasian financial markets

This paper presents conditions under which a model of non-Walrasian trading in financial markets separates the real equilibrium outcomes from the details of the financial structure, and hence permits the pricing of non-traded derivatives by means of no-arbitrage formulae. I demonstrate that these conditions hold in a number of standard models, including the canonical settings of Cournot and Stackelberg. In contrast, Nash equilibrium in the model of strategic market games proposed by Shapley and Shubik does not allow for the pricing of non-traded derivatives, and I explain why this is the case.
Galvanic interaction of grinding media with arsenopyrite and pyrite and its effect on gold cyanide leaching

Abstract Galvanic interactions between different types of grinding media and arsenopyrite and pyrite, during the grinding was quantified and the effect of galvanic interactions on gold cyanide leaching was investigated. The synthetic ores were prepared by mixing arsenopyrite or pyrite with clean gravity gold concentrate and quartz. In the presence of arsenopyrite, the results showed that when the grinding of the ore was performed using the 30% chromium or ceramic grinding media, the gold leaching was more efficient than that when the forged steel media was used. Based upon the measurement, it was suggested that the galvanic interactions between the forged steel grinding media and sulfide minerals resulted in the formation of more iron hydroxide than that when the 30% chromium or ceramic grinding media was used. As a result, free cyanide was converted to ferrocyanide thereby lowering the cyanide available for the gold leaching. Additionally, the galvanic interactions also reduced the dissolved oxygen content and thus cyanide gold leaching was more difficult particularly at the early stages of the leaching process because the dissolved oxygen is required to dissolve gold. In contrast, when the grinding was performed with the 30% chromium or ceramic media, a very small amount of free cyanide was converted into by-products. Cyanide gold leaching was the most efficient when the 30% chromium media was used during the grinding of the ore for both pyrite and arsenopyrite. In addition, in the presence of pyrite, due to the lower galvanic current between pyrite and grinding media in comparison with arsenopyrite, the amount of iron hydroxide was lower, and thus more free cyanide was available for the gold extraction. These results indicated that more gold was extracted in the presence of pyrite rather than the arsenopyrite for a given media type used. More precisely, in the presence of pyrite, when the 21% chromium grinding media was used, 70% of gold was extracted while it was 60% in the case of arsenopyrite in 24 h. The selection of grinding media appears to be significant when cyanide reagent consumption is evaluated.
Investigating the role of non-governmental organizations in new public diplomacy

The purpose of this study is to examine the role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) as a part of new public diplomacy. The study specifically investigates NGO’s use of soft power and social media and how they collaborate with the government. This study utilizes qualitative analysis to investigate how an NGO called the Voluntary Agency Network of Korea (VANK) influences the national reputation of South Korea. In-depth interviews were conducted with VANK employees and officers from Korean government agencies who have expertise in promoting Seoul, South Korea, and Korean culture and have previously collaborated with VANK. Findings show that VANK shares functional roles with the government to convey positive information about South Korea based on boundary-spanning theory. VANK specifically demonstrates expertise in correcting misconceptions about Korea online and implanting positive images of Korea to foreigners by actively employing its extensive networks, social media, and soft power.
Sex as an Intergroup Arena: How Women and Gender Minorities Conceptualize Sex, Sexuality, and Sexual Health

We present a qualitative analysis of 186 women and gender minorities’ definitions of sex, sexuality, and sexual health, as well as their accounts of how those concepts changed for them over time. P...
Geologic 3D velocity model in Keathley Canyon and Walker Ridge, Gulf of Mexico

Abstract This 3D velocity model was constructed using high-resolution 2D seismic data with 15 km offsets and 22 s of record for which a Kirchhoff depth migration produced a 40 km (130,000+ ft) depth record constrained by sonic logs from 94 wells, 34 vertical seismic profile or borehole seismic velocity surveys, and 38 calculated time versus depth tables derived from other borehole data. All forms of sonic information were loaded into a velocity modeling application in an interval velocity (Vint) versus depth format. Comparison of the resultant 3D velocity model with available constraints shows that regional geologic trends expressed in the 3D Vint model faithfully reproduces the observed borehole Vint profiles at 18 locations where the seismic velocity control is in close proximity to measured borehole velocity data. The sonic velocity for salt from 13 of these boreholes matches the seismic salt velocity within 2%, and another four wells match within 5%. Zones of overpressure (anomalously low Vint) and zo...
Zinc and Copper in Oral Submucous Fibrosis

Oral Submucous Fibrosis (OSMF) is a precancerous condition of the oral cavity that is characterized by inflammation and progressive fibrosis of the submucosal tissues. This chronic condition is more prevalent among South Asian population, but cases have also been identified in Europe and North America. The trace elements zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu), act as cofactors of antioxidant enzymes that are protective against free radicals. Studies have reported altered Zn and Cu in the body fluids of OSMF subjects; but findings are inconsistent. The objective of this research is to perform a meta-analysis to summarize studies that report Zn and Cu status in subjects with and without OSMF. A literature search of Embase, PubMed, Cochrane library and Web of Science electronic databases was conducted for cross sectional, case-controlled and prospective studies investigating the trace element concentrations in OSMF subjects up to November 2016. Values for these trace elements for control and patient groups were extracted...
Comparison Between Electric, Magnetic, and Optical Sensors

In this chapter we present a comparative study of different sensing means that are used with comparable sensing shells to detect small displacement/force and accelerations. We consider the cantilever beam shown in Figure 1 as the sensor shell commonly used by all the sensors discussed in the present chapter. It is a simple silicon cantilever beam that is fabricated as discussed in section II. The sensing mean translates the displacement of the cantilever beam to a signal. The sensor shell we have described is used in a variety of sensors including atomic force and scanning tunneling microscopes.
The Effect Of Wire Indentation On Cable Rotation

The importance of selecting lay angles to achieve torque balance in cables with contrahelically wound wire layers is well known. This paper explores a second mechanism, frequently overlooked in cable design, which can greatly affect cable torque/rotation performance. Radial deformations that occur due to indentation of helical wires into adjacent plastic cylindrical layers must be considered in computing cable torque. This paper describes a procedure based on a standard mechanical test to determine wire indentation. This procedure is demonstrated by predicting the permanent constructional stretch and attendant change of end rotation of an electrical-optical cable. Model and test results are in good agreement.
Electrospray Ionization Tandem Mass Spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS)-Based Shotgun Lipidomics

In the past decade, many new strategies for mass spectrometry (MS)-based analyses of lipids have been developed. Lipidomics is one of the most promising research fields to emerge as a result of these advances in MS. Currently, mass spectrometric analysis of lipids involves two complementary approaches: direct infusion (shotgun lipidomics) and liquid chromatography coupled to MS. In this chapter, I will demonstrate the approach of shotgun lipidomics using electrospray ionization tandem MS for the analysis of lipid molecular species directly from crude biological extracts of tissue or fluids.
Iron concentration in exhaled breath condensate decreases in ever-smokers and COPD patients.

Investigation employing bronchoalveolar lavage supports both increased and decreased iron concentrations in the epithelial lining fluid (ELF) of smokers. Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) is an alternative approach to sampling the ELF. We evaluated for an association between iron homeostasis and both smoking and a diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by measuring metal concentrations in EBC samples from non-smoker controls, smoker controls, and individuals diagnosed to have COPD. The total number of EBC specimens was 194. EBC iron and zinc concentrations (mean ± standard error) in the total study population were 0.610 ± 0.025 and 40.73 ± 1.79 ppb respectively. In linear regressions, total cigarette smoking in pack years showed a significant (negative) relationship with EBC iron concentration but not with EBC zinc concentration. Iron concentrations in EBC from GOLD stage II, III, and IV patients were all significantly decreased relative to those from non-smoker and smoker controls. In contrast to iron, zinc concentrations in EBC were not significantly different than those from non-smoker and smoker controls. It is concluded that smoking decreases EBC iron concentrations and patients diagnosed to have COPD have significantly lower EBC iron concentrations. These results likely reflect an increased burden of cigarette smoke particle in the lower respiratory tract of ever-smokers and patients with COPD and the capacity of components in this particle to complex iron.
Varieties of Young Children's Prosocial Behavior in Zambia: The Role of Cognitive Ability, Wealth, and Inequality Beliefs.

By the third year of life, children engage in a variety of prosocial behaviors, including helping others attain their goals (instrumental helping), responding to others’ emotional needs (comforting), and sharing resources (costly giving). Recent work suggests that these behaviors emerge during the first two years of life (Dunfield & Kuhlmeier, 2013; Svetlova, Nichols, & Brownell, 2010; Thompson & Newton, 2012). To date, however, work investigating early varieties of prosocial behavior has largely focused on Western samples and has not assessed the impact of poverty and inequality. In this work, we investigate prosocial behavior in 3-year-olds in Zambia, a lower-middle income country with high wealth inequality. Experiments were integrated into a larger public health study along with both objective and subjective (parent) measures of wealth and inequality. Three-hundred-seventy-seven children (Mean age = 36.77 months; SD = 2.26 months) were presented with an instrumental helping task, comforting task, and two steps of a giving task – one with higher cost (children could give away their only resource) and one with lower cost (children had 3 resources to give). As predicted, rates of prosociality varied hierarchically by the cost of the action: instrumental helping was the most common followed by comforting, lower cost giving, and higher cost giving. All prosocial behaviors were significantly correlated with one another (with the exception of high cost giving), and with general cognitive ability. Objective family wealth did not predict any of the child’s prosocial behaviors. However, subjective beliefs showed that mothers who believed that they had more than others in their village had children who were more likely to engage in instrumental helping, and mothers who believed that village inequality was a problem had children who were more likely to engage in low cost giving. Low cost giving was also more likely for children whose parents reported reading storybooks to them. This suggests that costly giving in the context of pretend play may relate to children’s experience with using stories as representations of real life events. The results suggest both cultural differences and universalities in the development of prosociality and point to environmental factors that influence prosociality.
Investigating Science Teacher Candidates’ Assessment Practices Using Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA)

The emerging paradigm in assessment argues for teachers to assess student thinking, as opposed to factual recall, thus calling for alternative-performance, project, and portfolio-based assessments that align with constructivist and sociocultural views of learning (Resnick & Resnick, 1992; Shepard, 2000). In this study, three science teacher candidates’ experience in assessing students is documented. Data analysis was from open-prompt surveys, 15 Teacher Performance Assessment edTPA artifacts collected from the three teacher candidates, and individual interviews. Findings indicated that science teacher candidates made deliberate efforts in giving students feedback to guide their learning but they struggled with strategies that encourage students to appropriately use that feedback once given to them. We argue that broadening how teacher candidates analyze assessment and feedback given to students in science classes should not only indicate correct or incorrect responses, but also act as a guide for future learning and reveal students’ strengths.