cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assessing Mood Disorders and Suicidality in Hispanics

Although epidemiological studies do not consistently show differential rates of depression and bipolar disorders between US Hispanics and non-Hispanic Whites, these results mask important differences among Hispanic subgroups primarily in depression, with Puerto Rican samples exhibiting greater symptomatology than Cuban Americans and Mexican Americans. Evidence is equivocal regarding the role of somatization of depression in explaining the lower rates of diagnosed depression in some ethnic subgroups. There has been substantial empirical work done in Spanish and/or with US Hispanic samples with common depression measures, including the Beck Depression Inventory, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scales. Much less work has been done with Hispanics or Spanish-language measures in the assessment of bipolar disorder and suicidality. In general, Hispanic culture appears to be a protective factor against suicide, although there are substantial differences among US Hispanics in suicide attempts as a function of ethnic subgroup, family dynamics, and substance use patterns.
The Importance of Independence III: Market Vulnerability

I have conceded that there may be situations in which A and B have a duty to do x with or without consent, but this observation does not necessarily imply that giving a democratic majority the power to force individuals to do things is the best method to ensure that duties are done under just conditions. There is an important second-best reason to protect personal independence even if active duties exist. Mandatory participation is vulnerable to abuse and error, which are likely to produce unjust outcomes, because people are fallible, and no one has privileged knowledge of abstract morality. For the social project to be just, its goals, methods, and terms have to be just. Even if we completely disregard the possibility that participants’ agreement has a direct bearing on whether the social project is just, the requirement to obtain each participant’s agreement is an extremely powerful tool to ensure that the goals, methods, and terms of cooperation are good, fair, right, or just and not one-sided in favor of the ruling majority, property owners, or any other powerful group. Section A argues that the power to say no is useful to protect the vulnerable in a market economy. Section B argues that, to some extent, other social safeguards such as labor regulation, are deficient without it. Section C argues that independence is also a powerful tool in protecting individuals in their non-market interactions.
High performance dielectrics and processes for ULSI interconnection technologies

One method of improving the performance of silicon integrated circuits is to reduce the delay of the interconnections between individual devices by reducing the resistance and capacitance of the connection. Even though it is possible to replace the commonly used aluminium conductors in current interconnection technologies with copper, no company has done so in production, due to a series of unanswered questions pertaining to the cost and leverage of doing so. This paper will attempt to elucidate the performance and cost benefits of this approach and will try to identify and resolve some of the important integration issues related to the inclusion of polymers and copper conductors into ULSI interconnections. >
Therapeutic Complications: A Caveat for M-Protein Detection.

For the past three-quarters of a century, detecting a monoclonal immunoglobulin (also called M-protein) by serum protein electrophoresis (SPEP)2 and immunofixation (IFE) has been evidence of a monoclonal gammopathy. However, deployment of Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (t-mAbs) for a wide variety of inflammatory and neoplastic conditions necessitates a caveat when small quantities of M-proteins are found. Recognition, measurement, and characterization of M-proteins along with the serum free light chain ratio are crucial laboratory tests for evaluating patients suspected of harboring a monoclonal gammopathy. The complex array of infirmities encompassing monoclonal gammopathies ranges from the premalignant monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) to the unrelenting malignancy, multiple myeloma (MM). Because all cases of MM evolve from MGUS, even relatively small M-proteins need to be followed, although their size, isotype, and free light chain ratio along with clinical findings determine the frequency and extent of monitoring required. As Mills and Murray (1) point out in their timely review, not realizing that small M-protein spikes on an initial SPEP screen can be seen in patients receiving t-mAbs may launch a costly series of laboratory tests and radiologic examinations, as well as triggering needless concern for patients during evaluation of a nonexistent MGUS. Fortunately, the dose of most t-mAbs is too …
Circuits of Capital, Ground Rent and the Production of the Built Environment: A (New) Framework for Analysis:

This paper develops prior work on Marxian theories of ground rent and property investment to outline a framework for interpreting the long-term rise in property prices observed in the neoliberal pe...
Realizing sustainable food security in the post-2015 development era : South Asia’s progress, challenges and opportunities

South Asia has made tremendous progress toward alleviating hunger and food insecurity during the last quarter century. Notwithstanding this impressive progress, the rate of decline of chronic undernourishment is too low to completely eliminate chronic undernourishment even by 2050. This paper reviews South Asias progress, challenges and opportunities for realizing sustainable food security in the post-2015 development agenda. The review finds that South Asias average dietary energy supply is inadequate to reduce the Prevalence of Undernourishment (PoU) to 5% level, which can be considered as the lowest attainable level for a country. The current level of undernourishment in each country is determined by a diverse set of factors including related to domestic supply and how food is utilised.These differences appear to have been well recognized in national food and nutrition security policies, but the extent to which these policies have yielded desired results is not clear. Much more effort at evaluating their efforts is needed. There is a strong case for much greater effort at the regional level for coordinating policy responses given the trans-boundary implications of food production systems, distribution and trade with huge implications for food security. The region can do much more to improve agricultural productivity and production, enhance agricultural RD managing agro-ecological zones including large river-basin systems; managing food security risks and vulnerability; and share knowledge on implementing safety nets.There is greater scope for better coordinating national and regional efforts on food security within the post-2015 development agenda in alignment with the Zero Hunger Challenge. The current practice of using the rate of PoU as the basis for food security planning limits the scope of such efforts to chronically undernourished people. The post-2015 development agenda needs to cover all forms of malnutrition, both undernourishment and overweight, and their underlying sources including food requirements to meet different physical activity levels and transitory food insecurity, all within a framework of sustainable development and structural transformation in agriculture. Food security planning processes need to be inclusive and must be informed by local knowledge, community aspirations, and feasible dispute settlement mechanisms.
Outpatient hematologist and oncologist perceptions of inpatient continuity visits at an urban academic medical center.

99Background: In 2012, in an effort to improve continuity between inpatient and outpatient care, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) began sending automated email notifications to outpatient physi...
Effects of diet forage:concentrate ratio and metabolizable energy intake on visceral organ growth and in vitro oxidative capacity of gut tissues in sheep.

We used 28 crossbred wether lambs to determine the effects of dietary forage:concentrate ratio and metabolizable energy intake on visceral organ growth and oxidative capacity of gut tissues in lambs. Lambs were assigned randomly to a factorial arrangement of dietary treatments consisting of pelleted diets containing either 75% orchardgrass or 75% concentrate fed once daily at either .099 or .181 Mcal ME x (kg BW(.75))(-1) x d(-1). After a 52-d feeding period, lambs were slaughtered to obtain measurements of visceral organ mass and composition and oxidative capacity of isolated epithelial cells. Lamb performance, as measured by DMI, ADG, and efficiency of gain, was greater (P = .0001) for both diets at high ME intake. Likewise, lambs fed 75% concentrate gained faster and more (P < or = .01) efficiently than lambs fed 75% forage. Total digestive tract (TDT; includes rumen, reticulum, omasum, abomasum, and intestines) weight increased (P = .0001) with ME intake and was greater (P = .03) in lambs fed 75% forage than in those fed 75% concentrate. As a percentage of empty body weight (EBW), TDT weight increased with ME intake in lambs fed 75% forage, but it was unaffected by ME intake in lambs fed 75% concentrate (diet x intake, P = .03). Liver weight increased (P = .0001) with ME intake and was greater (P = .005) in lambs fed 75% concentrate vs 75% forage; however, liver weight as a percentage of EBW was increased (P = .0002) with ME intake but was unaffected by diet. Greater ME intake increased (P < or = .02) small intestinal (SI) epithelial and muscle mass of 15-cm sections, whereas jejunal epithelial mass was greater (P = .01) for lambs fed 75% forage vs 75% concentrate. Rumen epithelial concentrations of DNA and RNA increased (P < or = .02) with greater ME intake, whereas SI concentrations of DNA and RNA were largely unaffected by diet or ME intake. The activity of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase increased in ileal epithelium (P < or = .02) with ME intake and concentrate in the diet, but activity in ruminal epithelium increased (P = .05) with concentrate. Total oxygen consumption by isolated ruminal and intestinal epithelial cells was unaffected by treatment. These data suggest that ME intake and level of dietary forage affect ruminal and intestinal growth via changes in cellular hyperplasia. Additionally, this study supports the concept that ME intake and diet composition alter gut energy expenditure, at least in part, through changes in mass rather than mass specific metabolism.
A novel system architecture to extract maximum energy from photo voltaic modules

Photovoltaic energy is one of the key renewable energy resources of present day. Optimal usage of maximum power available from photovoltaic panels still remains an engineering challenge. Focusing on this issue, a novel photovoltaic power generation system based on a low voltage DC generation with panel level MPPT based on look up table, medium frequency square wave AC link, medium frequency transformer, cyclo-converter based medium frequency to line frequency conversion and three phase grid integration is proposed in this paper. Each PV panel is connected to a boost converter to achieve MPPT and these systems are connected to the same DC bus followed by a medium frequency (400–500 Hz) single phase inverter. The output of the inverter is fed to the medium frequency transformer which provides isolation and also the high voltage square wave on the secondary side. A 3-phase cyclo-converter controlled by a dedicated switching pattern is connected to the secondary of the transformer which unfolds the medium frequency into line frequency and the output of cyclo-converter is connected with grid via line inductor. The design, analysis and simulation via MATLAB/Simulink presenting the efficacy of the proposed topology are the topics of discussion of this article.
Indoor positioning system using multiple services set identifiers-based fingerprints

Tracking people and localizing objects within indoor environments have become a necessity and thus motivated many researchers to tackle this challenge. Indoor positioning systems (IPSs) have been proposed using several technologies and efforts are honing down on mitigating the positioning error. The Received Signal Strength (RSS)-fingerprint based IPS has been recognized as one of the possible most promising techniques. In this paper, we propose a new technique which uses the general framework that is based on fingerprinting of multiple service set identifiers (SSIDs) configured on the same access point. A voting scenario is also proposed as a tool to enhance IPS performance. We implemented the system inside the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences (CEAS) at Western Michigan University, and compared its performance with some of the conventional techniques such as K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN) and support vector machine (SVM). The results also demonstrate the effect of redundancy when using a random selection technique of access points and its impact on IPS performance.
Comparative finite element and experimental analysis of a quasi-static inflation of a thin deployable membrane space structure

Abstract The deployment of a thin, one-segment, large membrane space structure is examined by the means of a real time quasi-static inflation experiment with photogrammetry and finite element analysis with the explicit and implicit schemes applied to control volume, corpuscular and arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian inflation methods. The numerical solutions comparison is based on mesh size, energy ratio, number of particles, bleed-through leak coefficient, fluid pressure - surface depth stiffness coupling, accuracy and computational efficiency. An optimization of the number of particles and minimization of the bleed-through effects is effectively implemented in corpuscular and ALE approaches. The corpuscular and arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian are found to be most resembling the experimental results in the dynamic shape changes and the time history of the gas properties, but computationally expensive. The control volume, although computationally efficient, is lacking the adequate fluid-structure interaction, thus less accurately recreating the overall dynamics of the morphing surface. Only 0.2%–1.75% and 0.5%–2.5% difference is observed between the experimental, analytical and finite element inflation results respectively.
Empathic understanding: Benefits of perspective-taking and facial mimicry instructions are mediated by self-other overlap

The current study sought to better understand the utility of two strategies—perspective-taking and facial mimicry—proposed to increase empathic responding. Thirty-seven female participants were presented an interpersonal situation (a betrayal) that would elicit the use of empathic responding to achieve conflict resolution between friends. Each participant was given instructions to partake in either perspective-taking, facial mimicry, or to remain neutral (control condition). The results demonstrated that individuals who engaged in perspective-taking reported significantly higher state empathy than the control condition, but there was no significant difference in state empathy between the mimicry and control condition. Also, those who engaged in either strategy reported significantly higher self-other overlap relative to those not instructed to engage in a particular strategy. Importantly, self-other overlap mediated the association between the instructional sets and state empathy. Both strategies are arguably means of enhancing interpersonal understanding.
A Content Analysis of College Students’ Health Behaviors

Background: The perception of college students’ health is overall positive, yet research indicates that they engage in negative behaviors that can lead to long-term health consequences. Purpose: Th...
“Machinery Knows No Sex:” Ruth Law, Women's Abilities, and World War I Aviation

In January 1917, three months before the United States entered World War I, the aeronautical engineer Lawrence Sperry floated an unusual suggestion before the Aviation Board of Engineers of the War...
Long-Term Outcomes of Corrective Osteotomies Using Porous Titanium Wedges for Flexible Flatfoot Deformity Correction.

Abstract Common corrective osteotomies used in flexible flatfoot deformity reconstruction include Cotton and Evans osteotomies, which require structural graft to maintain correction. Auto-, allo-, and xenografts are associated with a number of limitations, including disease transmission, rejection, donor site morbidity, technical challenges related to graft fashioning, and graft resorption. Porous titanium is a synthetic substance designed to address these flaws; however, few studies have been reported on the efficacy, safety, and long-term outcomes. A multicenter retrospective cohort of 63 consecutive preconfigured porous titanium wedges (PTWs) used in flexible flatfoot reconstructions from June 1, 2009 to June 30, 2015 was evaluated. The primary outcome measure was the pre- to postdeformity correction efficacy. The secondary outcomes included maintenance of correction at a minimum follow-up point of 12 months, complications, graft incorporation, and graft safety profile. Multivariate linear regression found a statistically significant improvement in all radiographic parameters from preoperatively to the final weightbearing radiographs (calcaneocuboid 18.850 ± 4.020 SE, p p = .04; Meary's 13.910 ± 3.100 SE, p = .0001; calcaneal inclination, 5.550 ± 2.140 SE, p = .015). When restricted to patients with >4 years of follow-up data, maintenance of correction appeared robust in all 4 measurements, demonstrating a lack of bone or graft resorption. No patients were lost to follow-up, no major complications or implant explantation or migration occurred, and all implants were incorporated. Minor complications included hardware pain from plates over grafts (8%), 1 case of scar neuritis, and a 5% table incidence of transfer pain associated with the PTWs. These results support the use of PTWs for safety and degree and maintenance of correction in flatfoot reconstruction.
Single, Dual, and Poly Use of Flavored Tobacco Products Among Youths.

INTRODUCTION Flavoring has become the leading reason for current tobacco use among adolescents. This study sought to evaluate patterns of flavored tobacco product use and associated risk factors among youths. METHODS Weighted estimates of single, dual, and poly use of flavored tobacco products were calculated from the 2014 National Youth Tobacco Survey (n = 21,926). Multinomial logistic regression was performed to assess factors associated with flavored product use. RESULTS Among current tobacco users (n = 3,805), 70.0% of students were current users of flavored tobacco products: 42.6% used a single flavored product, 16.8% used 2 flavored products (dual users), and 10.6% used more than 2 flavored products (poly users). Flavored product use, especially dual and poly use, was higher among high school students compared with middle school students. Compared with single flavored tobacco product users (36%), dual (57%) and poly users (79%) of flavored tobacco products had higher prevalences of using flavored e-cigarettes (P < .001). Non-Hispanic blacks and those of other races had lower prevalences than non-Hispanic whites of using flavored products but not nonflavored products. Tobacco use by household members, no perception of harm from tobacco products, and more frequent exposure to tobacco advertisement in newspapers/magazines and stores were associated with increased odds of flavored product use. CONCLUSION The concurrent use of flavored tobacco products is prevalent among youths. E-cigarettes were the leading flavored product and often concurrently used with other flavored tobacco products. Comprehensive control and prevention strategies to reduce flavored tobacco use among youths are needed.
Deformation at High Temperatures

ABSTRACT The steady-state creep of pure metals and solid solution alloys is reviewed, and it is shown that there are both similarities and important differences. The behavior is discussed with reference to the dependence on stress, the substructural characteristics, and the shape of the transient in stress change experiments.
Brain and Behavior Relationships

Advances in the natural sciences and medicine have resulted in a shift from exclusively theological or philosophical explanations of human behavior to those that are subject to scientific methods. With this revolution in scientific thought has come the understanding that human behavior is the result of brain activity. Different brain regions are responsible for discrete functions. Emotions, behavior, and cognition are produced and controlled by widely distributed neural systems. The brain and, in turn, behavior are shaped by genetics and a host of environmental factors throughout life. New technologies, such as fMRI and PET, enable scientists to study brain function in vivo and are beginning to yield insights into mental illness and normal cognitive functions such as empathy and wisdom, which have traditionally been left to philosophical speculations. Developments in neuroscience hold great promise for continuing to shape our understanding of ourselves and our relationship with the world around us.
Borderline personality disorder traits and suicide risk: The mediating role of insomnia and nightmares

Abstract Background : Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is associated with high rates of suicide risk and problems related to sleep, including insomnia and nightmares. The purpose of the current study was to assess the potential indirect effect of BPD traits on suicide risk through both/either insomnia and nightmares. Methods : Participants (N = 281) were recruited via Amazon's Mechanical Turk to complete the study remotely online. Participants completed measures of BPD traits and symptoms, suicide risk (history of suicidal thoughts and behaviors), insomnia symptoms, and distress and impairment related to nightmares. Results : BPD traits and symptoms were moderately to highly correlated to suicide risk, insomnia, and nightmares. In parallel mediation models, BPD traits had a significant indirect effect on suicide risk through insomnia symptoms but not nightmares. Limitations : The current study assessed problems within the general population and not in a clinical sample. Second, the study relied solely on self-report measures. Futures studies would benefit from investigating these relations in clinical samples utilizing observer-report and interview methods. Conclusions : BPD traits appear to relate to increased risk for suicide through the relation with sleep concerns, particularly insomnia symptoms. Therefore, assessing and treating sleep problems within individuals with BPD may result in a lower risk for suicide.
Tumour-Secreted Hsp90α on External Surface of Exosomes Mediates Tumour - Stromal Cell Communication via Autocrine and Paracrine Mechanisms

Extracellular heat shock protein-90alpha (eHsp90α) plays an essential role in tumour invasion and metastasis. The plasma eHsp90α levels in patients with various cancers correlate with the stages of the diseases. Nonetheless, the mechanism of action by tumour-secreted eHsp90α remained unclear. Here we show that eHsp90α accounts for approximately 1% of the total cellular Hsp90α and is associated with tumour-secreted exosomes. CRISPR-cas9 knockout of Hsp90α did not affect the overall distribution and quantity of secreted exosomes, but it caused increased exosome-associated CD9 and decreased exosome-associated TSG101, Alix, and CD63. However, Hsp90α-knockout tumour cells have not only lost their own constitutive motility, but also the ability to recruit stromal cells via secreted exosomes. These defects are specifically due to the lack of eHsp90α on tumour cell-secreted exosomes. Anti-Hsp90α antibody nullified the pro-motility activity of tumour-secreted exosomes and human recombinant Hsp90α protein fully rescued the functional defects of eHsp90α-free exosomes. Finally, while current exosome biogenesis models exclusively implicate the luminal location of host cytosolic proteins inside secreted exosomes, we provide evidence for eHsp90α location on the external surface of tumour-secreted exosomes. Taken together, this study elucidates a new mechanism of action by exosome-associated eHsp90α.
Will Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (ENDS) use reduce smoking disparities? Prevalence of daily ENDS use among cigarette smokers.

Abstract Many smokers reported using Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (ENDS, e.g., electronic cigarettes or e-cigarettes) to quit cigarette smoking. Previous studies suggested that daily ENDS use may promote cigarette smoking cessation. We assessed variations in the prevalence of daily ENDS use among adult smokers by demographics and implications for cigarette smoking disparities. Data were from a nationally representative sample of US adults who participated in the 2014–2015 Tobacco Use Supplement to the Current Population Survey (n = 163,920). Participants reported socio-demographics, current cigarette smoking, current ENDS use, and past-year cigarette smoking cessation attempts. We estimated the prevalence of current cigarette smoking in the full sample by socio-demographics. We also estimated the prevalence of daily ENDS use among current smokers (n = 23,232) and those who attempted to quit smoking in the past year (n = 9,341) by socio-demographics. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to assess associations between daily ENDS use and socio-demographics. Prevalence of daily ENDS use was low: 1–6% among current smokers and 2–9% among those who made a past-year quit attempt, across socio-demographics. Hispanic (Adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.45, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.29–0.69) and non-Hispanic black smokers (AOR = 0.38, 95% CI = 0.23–0.61) were less likely than non-Hispanic white smokers to use ENDS daily. Similar associations were observed among current smokers who made a past-year quit attempt (p
Ethical Climate at the Frontline: A Meta-Analytic Evaluation:

Long-term customer relationships develop over repeated interactions, underscoring the importance of frontline employees (FLEs) engaging in ethical behaviors. Therefore, organizations must understan...
An assessment of sanidine from the Fire Clay tonstein as a Carboniferous 40Ar/39Ar monitor standard and for inter-method comparison to U-Pb zircon geochronology

Abstract Radioisotopic geochronology applied to the high-resolution calibration of Earth history requires a set of synthetic and natural reference materials for both 40Ar/39Ar and U-Pb techniques that permit both inter-laboratory and inter-technique comparisons. The sanidine- and zircon-bearing Carboniferous Fire Clay tonstein provides a potential natural Paleozoic reference for these two widely used radioisotopic systems. Here we report results for both radioisotopic systems, examining the suitability of this tonstein as a geochronologic reference. Sanidine crystals from the Fire Clay and co-irradiated monitors from eight irradiation positions were divided into eleven 40Ar/39Ar experiments. Single-grain sanidine 40Ar/39Ar analyses (n = 263) of the simplest 9 experiments have internal 2σ uncertainties at the ±1 Myr level (±0.3%), with a range of dates between ~315 and ~317 Ma (~1% precision), similar to the observed dispersion in the Fish Canyon sanidine monitor dates. Forty-one U-Pb analyses by the CA-ID-TIMS method on carefully selected single Fire Clay tonstein zircons have produced 206Pb/238U dates with an average 2σ precision of ±0.23 Myr (0.14%). Our Fire Clay preferred mean 40Ar/39Ar date of 315.36 ± 0.10 Ma (±1.10 Ma: fully propagated 2σ uncertainty, relative to a Fish Canyon age of 28.201 Ma) is consistent with our weighted mean 206Pb/238U zircon date of 314.629 ± 0.039 Ma (±0.35 Ma: fully propagated 2σ uncertainty; n = 27). The good single-crystal reproducibility of the sanidine data and the overall consistency between the two chronometers suggest that the tonstein holds promise as a Paleozoic age reference material.
Simulation of Airfoil Shape for Optimum Wing Characteristics

Abstract Aviation Industry is speedily growing with several new technical challenges. This has attracted the research community to put forward some innovative idea to make the design of wing better air worthy, which will profile better lift and reduced drag. This work concentrates over design & analysis of an optimum airfoil wing profile. Initially the design profile of NASA 4-digit airfoil NACA-6415 has been considered as base airfoil. A computer program JAVAFOIL has been used to simulate the airfoil. The coordinates & parameters like thickness & camber of base profile i.e. NACA-6415 have been modified for optimized airfoil. The relationship of Angle of attack with coefficients of lift & drag has been observed
On adaptive multi-objective optimization for greener wired networks

In this study, we develop a novel adaptive Multi-Objective Optimization (MOO) algorithm to jointly minimize the Power Consumption (PC) and Maximum Link Utilization (MLU) of wired computer networks. This novel algorithm, based on Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II), is able to discover the optimal link weights configuration for wired networks based on live network traffic data. The goal is to minimize both PC and MLU when this optimal link weights configuration is applied to the network. The impact of the Internet and wired networks’ growing power consumption on costs and environment continues to be a major concern of network operators. Our adaptive MOO scheme can be applied to any wired network to reduce its power consumption with acceptable load balancing to help achieve greener energy-efficient networks. In order to validate our solution, we run experiments on two different network topologies with various network traffic data to compare the performance of three different methods of updating the link weights: random, delta-weight, and hybrid. The experiment results show that all three methods can find optimal solutions to achieve both reduced PC and MLU. Compared to the default link weights configuration, the optimal solution found by hybrid approach is the best since it can reduce the PC by 35.24%, while reducing MLU by 42.86% for specific traffic pattern on Abilene network topology.
Traumatic Brain Injury: What Is a Favorable Outcome?

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) results in disparate outcomes ranging from persistent disorders of consciousness to symptom resolution. Despite the breadth and complexity of TBI recovery, most clinical trials dichotomize outcome by establishing an arbitrary cut-point, above and below which recovery is described as "favorable" and "unfavorable," respectively. For example, the widely used, eight level Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended (GOSE) is typically collapsed into these two categories. Dichotomizing the GOSE into "favorable" and "unfavorable" outcome may limit detection of treatment effects in TBI clinical trials, contribute to imprecise prognostic counseling, and unduly influence decision-making with regard to withdrawal of life-sustaining therapy. We illustrate the lack of standardization in defining "unfavorable" and "favorable" TBI outcome on the GOSE by identifying the broad range of cut-points, from a score of 3 (part-time supervision in the home required) to 7 (presence of some residual of symptoms), that have been used to dichotomize the GOSE. We also highlight the ethical concerns related to characterizing TBI outcomes solely from the perspective of investigators and clinicians, rather than patients and caregivers. Finally, we suggest that a pragmatic, immediate solution to GOSE dichotomization is to report the likelihood of achieving each of the eight GOSE outcome levels and propose a study design for a new patient and caregiver centered TBI outcome metric.
A comparison of integral, differential and hybrid methods for TE-wave scattering from inhomogeneous dielectric cylinders

Trade-off's between integral and differential equation formulations for electromagnetic wave scattering from highly inhomogeneous dielectric bodies are evaluated, via a comparison of three different frequency-domain formulations for TE-wave scattering from dielectric cylinders. The formulations considered include a volume integral equation, a volume differential equation combined with an approximate near-field radiation condition, and a hybrid method using both a surface integral and volume differential equation. Numerical results indicate that all three methods have similar accuracy for a given scatterer model, and that the methods incorporating differential equations have significant computational advantages over volume integral formulations.
Endobronchial ultrasound in a patient with right aortic arch.

ABSTRACT Background: A right-sided aortic arch (RAA) is a rare anomaly of the cardiovascular system, presenting in only 0.1% of the population. In some reported cases, RAA is accompanied by another cyanotic vascular anomaly such as tetralogy of Fallot, and patients with such anomalies are usually diagnosed in fetal life or early childhood. Most patients are asymptomatic if the RAA presents individually. Case Report: We report the case of a 27-year-old African American man who presented to urgent care with 3 weeks of progressive dry cough with mild shortness of breath, low-grade fevers, and night sweats. He was not on any medication. Radiographic examination of the chest showed a right paratracheal mass displacing the trachea to the left, suggesting a vascular anomaly with mediastinal adenopathy. Radiographic images suggested either lymphoma or chronic granulomatous disease, and the patient underwent endobronchial ultrasound bronchoscopy under general anesthesia. He was ultimately diagnosed with sarcoidosi...
Modelling of carrot tissue as a fluid-filled foam

Experimental values of the stiffness of carrot tissue were compared with the predictions from models of fluid-filled closed cell foams. Compared to an experimental value of 7 MPa for fresh carrot, predictions gave moduli in the range 2 to 33 MPa based on a compressible fluid, an isotonic state turgor pressure of 0.8 MPa, a cell wall modulus of 100 MPa and cell lengths from 54 to 3 times the wall thickness. The modulus was predicted to increase linearly with turgor pressure in agreement with experiment for turgor pressures up to about 1 MPa, whereafter the experimental modulus increased more sharply, reaching a value of 14 MPa at a turgor pressure of 2.1 MPa, closer to the predicted rate of increase in an earlier shell model. Predictions based on an incompressible fluid gave initial and equilibrium moduli of 14 and 2 MPa, respectively, in agreement with the experimental values at high and low levels of turgor, again assuming a cell wall modulus of 100 MPa but requiring small cells of length ratio less than three times their wall thickness.
The Digital Divide: Free Expression, Technology and a Fair Democracy

The digital divide is primarily discussed in terms of its economic impact, and policy solutions aimed at addressing it tend to narrowly focus on this aspect of the divide. But a much more damaging result has lurked unidentified in the background: the impairment of free expression rights. The US Constitution protects freedom of expression by guaranteeing each citizen’s right to free speech, free assembly and a free press. The efficacy of freedom of expression, and our power of dissent, depends on the citizenry having access to the free flow of information, access to quality education which enables effective analysis of this information, and access to open forums whereby they can freely discuss, analyze and argue the issues. These three points of access form the “Optimal Free Expression Environment”, and this cornerstone of our democracy is increasingly dependent on and determined by access to technology.The internet greatly expands access to information and avenues to express dissent, however, citizens do not have equal access to this resource. This article asserts that the digital divide threatens the core principles of our democracy, and also threatens to disenfranchise a significant segment of our population. The author proposes the use of a multi-stakeholder process that would bring together private industry, non-profits, state government and federal government to create flexible and lasting solutions for the digital divide.
Independent detector testing laboratory and the NGST detector characterization project

The Independent Detector Testing Laboratory (IDTL) has been established by the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) and the Johns Hopkins University (JHU), and it will assist the Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST) mission in choosing and operating the best near-infrared detectors. The NGST is the centerpiece of the NASA Office of Space Science theme, the Astronomical Search for Origins, and the highest priority astronomy project for the next decade, according to the National Academy of Science. NGST will need to have the sensitivity to see the first light in the Universe to determine how galaxies formed in the web of dark matter that existed when the Universe was in its infancy (z ~10-20). To achieve this goal, the NGST Project must pursue an aggressive technology program and advance infrared detectors to performance levels beyond what is now possible. As part of this program, NASA has selected the IDTL to verify comparative performance between prototype NGST detectors developed by Rockwell Scientific (HgCdTe) and Raytheon (InSb). The IDTL is charged with obtaining an independent assessment of the ability of these two competing technologies to achieve the demanding specifications of the NGST program within the 0.6-5 μm bandpass and in an ultra-low background (<0.01 e-/s/pixel) environment. We describe the NGST Detector Characterization Project that is being performed in the IDTL. In this project, we will measure first-order detector parameters, i.e. dark current, read noise, QE, intra-pixel sensitivity, linearity, as functions of temperature, well size, and operational mode.
Social shopping promotions from a social merchant's perspective

Abstract Taking advantage of Web 2.0's user-participation and social networking capabilities, social shopping intermediaries have emerged as a promising online liaison between merchants and consumers by offering group discount deals to price-sensitive customers and early technology adopters. Our study compares the two most popular types of social merchants—restaurants and healthcare services—in terms of seven key factors that influence a merchant's sales using a Groupon promotion. We find that these two types of social merchants show significantly different characteristics for successful promotions. Based on a new proposed lifetime value model for social shopping promotions, this study also discusses its applicability with an illustration of the model and presents guidelines for social merchants who want to achieve the maximum lifetime value from a social shopping promotion. Finally, we discuss implications of our study for social merchants and social shopping intermediaries.
Cycles of Dose-Intensive Chemotherapy with Peripheral Stem Cell Support in Persistent or Recurrent Platinum-Sensitive Ovarian Cancer

Abstract Objective. The objective was to determine the toxicity and surgically documented response rate of sequential high-dose chemotherapy with peripheral stem cell support in patients with persistent or recurrent cisplatin-sensitive ovarian cancer. Methods. Fourteen patients (average age, 45 years) were treated with cyclophosphamide (4.5 g/m 2 ), followed by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF)-stimulated peripheral stem cell harvests. The subsequent regimen prescribed three courses of carboplatin (1 g/m 2 ) and cyclophosphamide (1.5 g/m 2 with 2-mercaptoethanesulfonate) every 2 weeks with stem cell support. This was followed by three courses of paclitaxel at 250 mg/m 2 every 2 weeks with G-CSF support only. Six patients were entered on the basis of a positive second-look laparotomy and 8 patients had a first recurrence after at least a 6-month disease-free interval. Results. Fourteen patients were entered and 12 patients completed all planned courses of therapy (mean time, 13 weeks). Normal hematopoiesis was reestablished after each cycle. Hospitalization for neutropenic fever occurred in 11/93 cycles (11.8%). Thirteen patients required blood transfusions and in 12 patients platelet transfusions were given. One patient had grade 3 neurotoxicity. An initial elevated CA 125 returned to normal in 7/8 patients (88%) and 71% of patients with measurable disease responded to therapy. There were 2 pathologic complete responders (PCR), making the PCR rate 2/14 or 14% (0–35%). Conclusion. Although this regimen was well tolerated and clinical response rates were high, the surgically documented response rate was not clearly superior to conventional salvage regimens in platinum-sensitive patients.
A novel synthesis and characterization of phenylacetylene end‐capped poly(aryl ether sulfone) and poly(aryl ether ketone) oligomers

A series of controlled molecular weight poly(aryl ether sulfone) oligomers with benzophenone moieties at the chain termini were prepared. The two carbonyl groups at the chain ends were converted to ethynyl groups by using trimethylsilyldiazomethane/BuLi in tetrahydrofuran. Reactions of 4,4′-isopropylidenediphenol with 4,4′-difluorobenzophenone and 4-fluorophenylphenylacetylene as the end-capping reagent in N,N-dimelthylacetamide afforded the desired poly(aryl ether ketone) oligomers Both sulfone and ketone containing oligomeric polyethers undergo crosslinking reactions at elevated temperatures.
An Integration of Kelley's Attribution Cube and Weiner's Achievement Attribution Model

The two dimensions of stability and internality, identified by Weiner et al. (1971) as underlying attributions for achievement, can be related to the consensus and consistency dimensions of Kelley's (1967) Anova cube model of attribution. In this study it was predicted that consistency information would be used to assess stability; whereas consensus information would be used to assess internality in making causal attributions in achievement settings. It was found that high consistency increased attributions to stable factors while low consistency increased unstable attributions. In addition, high consensus increased attributions to external factors, while low consensus increased internal attributions.
Unified theory of ghost imaging with Gaussian-state light

The theory of ghost imaging is developed in a Gaussian-state framework that both encompasses prior work---on thermal-state and biphoton-state imagers---and provides a complete understanding of the boundary between classical and quantum behavior in such systems. The core of this analysis is the expression derived for the photocurrent-correlation image obtained using a general Gaussian-state source. This image is expressed in terms of the phase-insensitive and phase-sensitive cross correlations between the two detected fields, plus a background. Because any pair of cross correlations is obtainable with classical Gaussian states, the image does not carry a quantum signature per se. However, if the image characteristics of classical and nonclassical Gaussian-state sources with identical autocorrelation functions are compared, the nonclassical source provides resolution improvement in its near field and field-of-view improvement in its far field.
Stratification and Mobility in Big-Time College Football A Vacancy Chain Analysis

White's (1970) vacancy chain model of stratification and mobility in a social system was applied to American big-time college football teams during the postwar period. Two specific vacancy chain models were generated, the binomial and the more general models. Both models were found to describe the empirical results well. The vacancy chain model appeared to show potential for developing broader understandings of the generic processes of stratification and mobility. Substantively, the empirical results demonstrate the extreme stratification and slow mobility that characterize the big-time college football system, and underline the difficulties outsiders face when they try to become members of the football elite.
Cooperative Hunting and its Relationship to Foraging Success and Prey Size in an Avian Predator

Aplomado falcons (Falco femoralis) often hunt in pairs when chasing birds; 29% of 349 hunts observed in eastern Mexico involved mated pairs of falcons simultaneously chasing the same prey animal; and 66% of 100 hunts of birds were tandem pursuits. Although true cooperative hunting is uncommon in birds of prey, hunts by pairs of Aplomado falcons consistently showed signs of cooperative behavior such as use of a simple coordinative signal, and some division of labor between participating individuals. Pairs were more than twice as successful as solo falcons hunting birds (44% vs. 19%), however, there was no evidence that cooperative hunting increased the range of feasible prey sizes. The frequent use of cooperative foraging in this and similar species may relate to necessities of efficient nest defense, and food and nest procurement in savannas inhabited by a diversity of nest-site predators.
Personal, Relational and Community Aspects of Bisexual Identity in Emerging, Early and Middle Adult Cohorts

This study offered exploratory comparisons of personal, relational and community aspects of bisexual identity for women and men in emerging adulthood relative to those in early and middle adult cohorts. In this sample of 576 bisexual individuals, the pattern of findings for some aspects of bisexual identity (e.g., relationship commitment, bisexual community involvement) was consistent with the developmental perspective that characterizes emerging adulthood as a period of identity exploration and low commitment relative to increasing identity commitment across early and middle adulthood. For other aspects of bisexual identity (e.g., self-described sexual orientation, outness and sexual behavior), gender appeared to play a role, either on its own or in conjunction with life stage cohort.
Bifenthrin longevity at the termiticidal application rate

BACKGROUND: The longevity, mobility and insecticidal activity of bifenthrin at the termiticidal application rate for perimeter treatment were investigated in packed-soil columns in the laboratory and greenhouse. RESULTS: Bifenthrin was not detected in the eluates of packed-soil cones over a period of 6 months. In larger pipe plots incorporating bifenthrin into the top 15 cm of the soil, the compound degraded in a biphasic fashion. Within the treated soil, the effect of vegetation on the amount of bifenthrin remaining in the soil depended on soil depth and time, and soil half-lives were longer in non-vegetated soil. Bifenthrin residues were higher in the top 7.5 cm of soil and declined over time. Movement of bifenthrin into the top untreated soil depth was observed, but much less was observed in lower depths. The soil remained toxic to termites in 3 day and 7 day forced exposure bioassays for the 30 month duration of the study. CONCLUSIONS: Concentrations of bifenthrin will remain in the soil at levels sufficient to kill termites for more than 30 months. Published 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Saturation and power in a high-gain gas laser

Experimental verification has been obtained for a theory governing the output power of high-gain laser oscillators and a procedure is described for determining the saturation power of high-gain gas lasers. The experiments were conducted using a 3.51-μ xenon laser.