cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
URINARY EXCRETION OF PYRIDOXINE AND 4-PYRIDOXIC ACID IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS.

Seven patients with active rheumatoid arthritis excreted significantly less pyridoxine in the urine than controls when patient-control pairs were fed identical constant diets while receiving no drugs. After a 10 mg. dose of pyridoxine hydrochloride, change in objectively measured stiffness appeared to be inversely related to change in urinary excretion of pyridoxine. The study does not necessarily show that giving rheumatoid arthritics pyridoxine is beneficial. Septe patientes con active arthritis rheumatoidee excerneva significativemente minus pyridoxina in le urina gue subjectos de controlo quando pares de patiente e subjecto de controlo recipeva dietas identic e nulle medication. Post le administration de un dose de 10 mg de hydrochloruro de pyridoxina, alterationes in le objectivemente mesurate rigiditate pareva esser inversemente relationate con alterationes in le excretion urinari de pyridoxina. Le studio non indica necessarimente gue le administration de pyridoxina a patientes con arthritis rheumatoidee es benefic.
The Manufacture of NiTi Foams

Ongoing research is presented on processing of NiTi-based shape memory alloy (SMA) foams. The aim is to demonstrate a new class of materials that combine the advantages of light-weight metallic foams with the strain recovery and energy-dissipation capability of SMAs. There are a number of potential novel structural and biomedical applications that could be enabled by the unusual passive and active properties of such a material. This paper presents initial results on our attempt to fabricate functional prototype specimens using a polymeric foam precursor and a powder metallurgy process to produce NiTi foams with user-selected topology and relative density. It is shown that open-cell NiTi foams with relative density less than 5% can be produced with this technique. While definite martensitic transformational behavior has been achieved in the prototypes, the quality of the foams are found to be sensitive to the sintering temperature, the binder system employed, and the levels of interstitial contamination. Further work is needed before good superelastic and shape-memory properties can be demonstrated. Nevertheless, the current technique appears promising, since the method is capable of producing NiTi foam with a more regular structure and at a relative density nearly an order of magnitude less than other techniques currently used to produce porous NiTi.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Outcome‐Based Vocational Rehabilitation: Measuring Valuable Results

This case study illustrates one of the many possible ways to implement Kaufman’s Organizational Elements Model (1992, 2000) for identifying and aligning organizational results and the means to achieve them. The model was applied in the context of a needs assessment effort between the Florida State University’s Office for Needs Assessment & Planning (ONAP) and the Vocational Rehabilitation Program at Florida Division of Blind Services (FDBS). Conducting this study and finding data that had such radical implications for decisionmaking was life altering for many of the stakeholders, who up until that point were heavily focused on processes and resources, or at best, on Micro-level results. Appropriate actions were taken to improve the performance system, but overall, one of the most significant contributions of this project was a new-found focus on results, valuable results, and appropriate measures of success.
Karyotype variation is indicative of subgenomic and ecotypic differentiation in switchgrass

Karyotypes can provide information about taxonomic relationships, genetic aberrations, and the evolutionary origins of species. However, differentiation of the tiny chromosomes of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) and creation of a standard karyotype for this bioenergy crop has not been accomplished due to lack of distinguishing features and polyploidy. A cytogenetic study was conducted on a dihaploid individual (2n = 2X = 18) of switchgrass to establish a chromosome karyotype. Size differences, condensation patterns, and arm-length ratios were used as identifying features and fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) assigned 5S and 45S rDNA loci to chromosomes 7 and 2 respectively. Both a maize CentC and a native switchgrass centromeric repeat (PviCentC) that shared 73% sequence identity demonstrated a strong signal on chromosome 3. However, only the PviCentC probe labeled the centromeres of all chromosomes. Unexpected PviCentC and 5S rDNA hybidization patterns were consistent with severe reduction or total deletion of these repeats in one subgenome. These patterns were maintained in tetraploid and octoploid individuals. The 45S rDNA repeat produced the expected number of loci in dihaploid, tetraploid and octoploid individuals. Differences observed at the 5S rDNA loci between the upland and lowland ecotypes of switchgrass provided a basis for distinguishing these subpopulations. Collectively, these results provide a quantitative karyotype of switchgrass chromosomes. FISH analyses indicate genetic divergence between subgenomes and allow for the classification of switchgrass plants belonging to divergent genetic pools. Furthermore, the karyotype structure and cytogenetic analysis of switchgrass provides a framework for future genetic and genomic studies.
Reaction-induced phase separation during the formation of a polyurethane-unsaturated polyester interpenetrating polymer network

In this study, an interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) based on a polyurethane (PU) and a partially end-capped unsaturated polyester (UPE) was prepared. The reaction-induced phase separation process of the IPN was studied using a phase contrast optical microscope and a transmission electron microscope (TEM), while reaction kinetics and onset of gelation were determined by a differential scanning calorimeter and a rheometer respectively. Except at low temperatures, the phase separation patterns were found to follow the spinodal decomposition mechanism. An interconnected phase developed quickly and was followed by coalescence of the periodic phase to form droplet/matrix type of morphology. A second level of phase separation also occurred within both the droplet and the matrix phases in some cases. The domain sizes resulting from both levels of phase separation gradually increased until the structure was locked by chemical gelation. Reaction temperature, PU reaction rate, and UPE reaction rate all had significant effects on the final morphology of the formed IPNs.
Methods for collapsing multiple rare variants in whole-genome sequence data

Genetic Analysis Workshop 18 provided whole-genome sequence data in a pedigree-based sample and longitudinal phenotype data for hypertension and related traits, presenting an excellent opportunity for evaluating analysis choices. We summarize the nine contributions to the working group on collapsing methods, which evaluated various approaches for the analysis of multiple rare variants. One contributor defined a variant prioritization scheme, whereas the remaining eight contributors evaluated statistical methods for association analysis. Six contributors chose the gene as the genomic region for collapsing variants, whereas three contributors chose nonoverlapping sliding windows across the entire genome. Statistical methods spanned most of the published methods, including well-established burden tests, variance-components-type tests, and recently developed hybrid approaches. Lesser known methods, such as functional principal components analysis, higher criticism, and homozygosity association, and some newly introduced methods were also used. We found that performance of these methods depended on the characteristics of the genomic region, such as effect size and direction of variants under consideration. Except for MAP4 and FLT3, the performance of all statistical methods to identify rare casual variants was disappointingly poor, providing overall power almost identical to the type I error. This poor performance may have arisen from a combination of (1) small sample size, (2) small effects of most of the causal variants, explaining a small fraction of variance, (3) use of incomplete annotation information, and (4) linkage disequilibrium between causal variants in a gene and noncausal variants in nearby genes. Our findings demonstrate challenges in analyzing rare variants identified from sequence data.
Cultural History of Science: An Overview with Reflections.

The increased popularity of the label "cultural" within science studies, especially in relation to "cultural studies, " invites consideration of how it is and can be used in historical work. A lot more seems now to be invested in the notion of "cultural history. " This article examines some recent historiography of science as a means of considering what counts as cultural history in that domain and attempts to coordinate it with the sociologically informed studies of the past ten orfifteen years. The label "sociocultural" seems a more useful term by which to capture recent developments.
Exploiting Model Uncertainty Estimates for Safe Dynamic Control Learning

Model learning combined with dynamic programming has been shown to be effective for learning control of continuous state dynamic systems. The simplest method assumes the learned model is correct and applies dynamic programming to it, but many approximators provide uncertainty estimates on the fit. How can they be exploited? This paper addresses the case where the system must be prevented from having catastrophic failures during learning. We propose a new algorithm adapted from the dual control literature and use Bayesian locally weighted regression models with dynamic programming. A common reinforcement learning assumption is that aggressive exploration should be encouraged. This paper addresses the converse case in which the system has to reign in exploration. The algorithm is illustrated on a 4 dimensional simulated control problem.
Channel substrate prediction from GIS for habitat estimation in Lake Erie tributaries

Abstract The conservation of ecologically and economically important species, as well as the management of invasive species, benefits from the ability to make broad-scale predictions of habitat. In this paper, we revised an existing substrate size model based upon stream power to include variables that are readily-quantifiable in a Geographic Information System (GIS) (i.e. stream slope and drainage area). We found no significant difference between slopes measured in the field using surveying techniques and slopes measured in a GIS using a 10 m digital elevation model and high resolution stream dataset. GIS-derived drainage areas and those measured with hand-delineations were also statistically similar. The revised model can be applied using both GIS and field-derived variables to predict median particle sizes from stream power in northeastern Ohio streams draining to Lake Erie. Integration of such models into a GIS could result in regional estimates of the amount and location of preferred fish habitat, which has important applications in fisheries management. In particular, we provide examples of how the predictive substrate model could improve assessment methodologies for invasive sea lamprey, thereby improving eradication measures, and how we may better understand geographic linkages between walleye spawning and nursery habitats.
The Military and the Conduct of Foreign Policy

IT would be difficult to find a social scientist who is not aware of the impact of military and strategic problems upon all phases of contemporary American life and who does not realize the need for further studies in the many areas of public policy affected by military factors. In recent years, to be sure, scholars have responded to this need, but it is an undeniable fact that much of the work in the field of civilmilitary relations has so far been expended upon topics which date from the period of World War II and beyond. Moreover, we are not even two decades removed from the time when social scientists, with but few exceptions, spurned the subject of military policy. The gaps in our knowledge of the historical development of civil-military relations are, therefore, great; the scholar concerned with current problems simply does not have available the basic monographs which would provide historical perspective. For the student of American policy, for instance, it is relatively easy to find detailed studies which demonstrate the impact of military logic upon Franklin D. Roosevelt's wartime policies in the Far East or show the influence of the ABC talks of early 194I upon the diplomatic crisis with Japan; but it is impossible to find comparable histories which discuss the role of naval strategists in shaping Theodore Roosevelt's Far Eastern policies or consider the function of the General Board of the Navy in any of the major diplomatic crises of the Wilson years. The obvious need to fill these gaps in historical knowledge serves as the primary justification for Alfred Vagts' massive study of the role of the military in the formulation and conduct of international relations. He has produced 547 double-column, extra large pages which cover every conceivable ramification of the problem from the nineteenth century to the present. Dr. Vagts contends that contemporary historians have so completely neglected the materials of military his-
Mortality and treatment patterns among patients hospitalized with acute cardiovascular conditions during dates of national cardiology meetings.

Importance Thousands of physicians attend scientific meetings annually. Although hospital physician staffing and composition may be affected by meetings, patient outcomes and treatment patterns during meeting dates are unknown. Objective To analyze mortality and treatment differences among patients admitted with acute cardiovascular conditions during dates of national cardiology meetings compared with nonmeeting dates. Design, Setting, and Participants Retrospective analysis of 30-day mortality among Medicare beneficiaries hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), heart failure, or cardiac arrest from 2002 through 2011 during dates of 2 national cardiology meetings compared with identical nonmeeting days in the 3 weeks before and after conferences (AMI, 8570 hospitalizations during 82 meeting days and 57 471 during 492 nonmeeting days; heart failure, 19 282 during meeting days and 11 4591 during nonmeeting days; cardiac arrest, 1564 during meeting days and 9580 during nonmeeting days). Multivariable analyses were conducted separately for major teaching hospitals and nonteaching hospitals and for low- and high-risk patients. Differences in treatment utilization were assessed. Exposures Hospitalization during cardiology meeting dates. Main Outcomes and Measures Thirty-day mortality, procedure rates, charges, length of stay. Results Patient characteristics were similar between meeting and nonmeeting dates. In teaching hospitals, adjusted 30-day mortality was lower among high-risk patients with heart failure or cardiac arrest admitted during meeting vs nonmeeting dates (heart failure, 17.5% [95% CI, 13.7%-21.2%] vs 24.8% [95% CI, 22.9%-26.6%]; P P = .01). Adjusted mortality for high-risk AMI in teaching hospitals was similar between meeting and nonmeeting dates (39.2% [95% CI, 31.8%-46.6%] vs 38.5% [95% CI, 35.0%-42.0%]; P = .86), although adjusted percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rates were lower during meetings (20.8% vs 28.2%; P = .02). No mortality or utilization differences existed for low-risk patients in teaching hospitals or high- or low-risk patients in nonteaching hospitals. In sensitivity analyses, cardiac mortality was not affected by hospitalization during oncology, gastroenterology, and orthopedics meetings, nor was gastrointestinal hemorrhage or hip fracture mortality affected by hospitalization during cardiology meetings. Conclusions and Relevance High-risk patients with heart failure and cardiac arrest hospitalized in teaching hospitals had lower 30-day mortality when admitted during dates of national cardiology meetings. High-risk patients with AMI admitted to teaching hospitals during meetings were less likely to receive PCI, without any mortality effect.
Deviant gender-role behavior in children: relation to homosexuality.

There is ample evidence to show that homosexuality, in a certain proportion of cases, has its roots in childhood. Follow-up observations in the literature, as well as those reported here, show a high risk of homosexuality in children with deviant gender-role behavior, that is, effeminate or sissy boys and tomboyish girls. Family backgrounds of those children show no consistent pattern. A discussion of whether gender-role behavior is inborn or learned is included. The author inclines to the view that it is inborn. Suggestions for management, which are designed to encourage gender appropriate behavior and to prevent homosexuality are offered.
Pulse compression by pulse-stacking in a KrF amplifier

A laser pulse-compression technique employed to obtain intense pulses (~1 GW) from an electron-beampumped KrF amplifier is demonstrated. This technique consists of time-sequencing and angle-coding separate pulses through the amplifier. The system described uses four pulses for a nominal temporal compression factor of 4. The input vs output temporal pulse shapes and saturation characteristics are demonstrated. Also discussed are the issues of parasitic oscillations, optical cross talk, saturation pulse broadening, and limitations on scaling to larger compression factors.
Susceptibility of bollworm and tobacco budworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) to Cry2Ab2 insecticidal protein.

Abstract Susceptibilities of 82 bollworm,Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), and 44 tobacco budworm,Heliothis virescens (F.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), populations to Cry2Ab2 protein were measured in diet incorporated assays at the University of Arkansas from 2002 to 2005. Resulting data were used to calculate overall (pooled data) estimates of species susceptibility for future benchmarks of resistance. Variabilities among populations also were studied by comparing regressions for individual populations and calculating mean susceptibilities for different subgroups of the colonies studied. Individual lethal concentration (LC50) estimates for nine laboratory, seven laboratory-cross, and 28 field populations ofH.virescens varied up to 48-fold when adjusted for the response of the most susceptible laboratory colony studied. Mean susceptibilities of all laboratory, laboratory-cross, or field colonies varied only two-fold. When grouped by host plants, populations collected on tobacco,Nicotiana tabacum (L.), seemed to be l...
Relational Demography: A Question of Measures

The relational demography literature uses a variety of measures to describe how overt human differences in two entities, such as a group and its individual members, influence individual and collective outcomes (Tsui & Gutek, 1999). Although there has been much debate on the relative suitability of these measures (e.g., Bedeian, Day, Edwards, Tisak, & Smith, 1994), the demography literature lacks within-sample comparisons of the measures that might help to settle the question. This study tests the relative efficacy of absolute squared difference scores, interactions, polynomial regression, and perceptions of differences in representing relational demography among members of a workgroup against affective and performance outcomes.
Celerity of Transient Bed Profiles

The applicability of a formula for the calculation of celerity of alluvial channel bed transients has been verified using data from flume experiments. The formula is easy to use; the celerity is expressed in terms of readily identified hydraulics and sediment transport parameters. The results obtained are encouraging, and show the promise of this approach in the qualitative analysis of unsteady alluvial channel hydraulics. The need for additional research in this area is recognized.
Turn back the tide of cardiogenic pulmonary edema.

Find out how to recognize patients at risk for this sudden and life-threatening disorder and what to do if it occurs.
Persistence of Increased Inducibility of NADP-linked Dehydrogenases in Rat Liver

SummaryLiver cells of rats starved and then refed a high-protein diet retain the cellular memory of starvation and respond to a high-carbohydrate diet by developing the enzyme overshoot. A second cycle of starvation causes an even greater overshoot and the increased capability after one starve-refeed cycle is retained during and after a second cycle. The best explanation of the data is that during refeeding the high-carbohydrate diet after starvation new RNA is formed which persists during subsequent dietary manipulations.
Cat-2 gene expression. Developmental control of translatable CAT-2 mRNA levels in maize scutellum.

Poly(A)4 RNA was isolated from maize scutella of different stages of post-germinative development and translated in vitro in a rabbit reticulocyte translation system. Immunoprecipitation of the translation products with CAT-2-specific antibody was used to quantitate the relative levels of translatable CAT-2 mRNA at each stage. The results show a close correlation between the developmental profile of Cat2 gene expression and the profile of CAT-2 mRNA levels. Evidence that the levels of CAT-2 mRNA are regulated by a temporal regulatory gene (Car1) is presented and the possible mechanism(s) of this regulation discussed.
Bridging eastern & western philosophies and models

In view of the increasing need formeaningful cross-cultural understanding, thefacilitation of dialogue about diverse modelsof human wellness will help promote greaterunderstanding for educational professionalsacross divergent cultural backgrounds. Such adiscussion will by necessity is comprehensiveand far-reaching. Topics of consideration willinclude the common concerns of counselors andeducators, cross-cultural trainingopportunities, and Eastern and Westernphilosophies of education, development, andemotional wellness. As a beginning step in thisprocess of understanding perspectives fromdifferent parts of the globe, a pilot studyusing a questionnaire was conducted withrespect to Chinese and U.S. Universityeducators. Findings regarding similaritiesand differences are described. Preliminaryfindings suggest that differing philosophiesmay underlay the perspectives of Chineseeducators, who are strongly influenced byConfucius, and American educators who arestrongly influenced by Western thinkers such asDewey. Yet, both Chinese and Americaneducators agreed that the top priority ofeducators was student academic achievement. The results of the study suggested that therole of counselor be construed differently inChina as compared to the U.S. for a complexityof reasons described in this article.
Pit morphology and depth after low-temperature hot corrosion of a disc alloy

Hot corrosion of the low solvus, high refractory (LSHR) disc alloy was studied at 700 °C. The purpose of this study was to determine the conditions which result in a discrete, isolated pit morphology and to examine the influence of SO2 gas additions and various salt concentrations on the depth of those pits. Three salts, pure Na2SO4 and two Na2SO4–MgSO4 compositions, were used. It was found that with a eutectic Na2SO4–MgSO4 salt, there was no significant increase in pit depth between 0 and 30 ppm SO2 when O2 was also present in the gas stream. Gas flow was observed to affect pit formation, but the variation in the position of the corrosion mounds/pits on the sample surface was unexpected. There was limited evidence that pit nucleation was not associated with grain boundaries or grain triple point junctions. An evolution from single, isolated pits, to coalesced pits, to overlapping pits on a single sample was observed. At higher SO2 concentrations, the extent of attack increased, resulting in a uniform typ...
An Empirical Study on Cluster Network Architecture and Enterprise Innovation Performance

In this paper,Xi'an telecommunications equipment industry cluster is the object of study,Author analyzes the cluster network architecture can improve innovation performance of enterprises,and made some suggestions.
Clinical application of sirolimus-eluting stents in patients with coronary heart disease

Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of sirolimus-eluting(CYPHER) stents in patients with coronary heart disease.Methods From March to December 2003,39 CYPHER stents were implanted in 30 patients with de novo lesions.For each patient the demographic,interventional and short-term follow-up informations were recorded,and compared with those in 30 sex-matched patients undergoing 53 Bx-sonic stents contemporarily(control group).Results In drug-eluting stent (DES) group,more patients had diabetes mellitus or impaired glucose regulation ( 46.7% vs 16.7%,P= 0.012),the lesions were more complex morphological characteristics (type B 2 or C),smaller reference vessel diameter ,and longer compared with those in control group [( 66.7% vs40%),P= 0.004; ( 18.8± 4.5) mm vs ( 14.1± 4.9) mm,P 0.001; ( 2.69± 0.32) mm vs( 3.10± 0.56) mm,P 0.001,respectively].The mean diameter of the CYPHER stents was smaller than that of the Bx-sonic stents [( 2.75± 0.26) mm vs( 3.06± 0.42) mm,P 0.001],the mean stent length was longer [( 20.33± 5.53) mm vs( 16.17± 3.82) mm,P 0.001],and the mean stent deploy pressure was significantly higher than that of the control stents [( 15.13± 1.73) atm vs( 10.83± 1.32) atm,P 0.001].Procedural success was 100%.With a mean follow-up of 4.1 months (range 3-12 months),no major adverse cardiac events (MACE) occurred,1( 3.3%) patient with incomplete revascularization in DES group and 3 (10%) in control group suffered from recurrent angina.Conclusion The CYPHER drug-eluting stent is safe and effective in treating coronary artery disease,might be still effectively used for patients with complex,small vessel or long lesions and concomitant with diabetes mellitus.
Meta-Analysis of Treatment Outcomes Measured by the Y-OQ and Y-OQ-SR Comparing Wilderness and Non-Wilderness Treatment Programs.

Monitoring youth treatments requires outcome instruments sensitive to change. The Y-OQ and the Y-OQ-SR measure behavioral change during psychological treatment. The focus of this study was to compare treatment progress of youth in studies using the Youth Outcome Questionnaire (YOQ) or the Youth Outcome Questionnaire Self Report (YOQSR) in wilderness and non-wilderness treatment programs. Seventy-six manuscripts were examined. Inclusion criteria were (a) contained a version of the YOQ, (b) implemented mental health treatment, (c) contained sufficient data to obtain an effect size, and (d) had at least two data points (e.g., intake and termination). The final number of studies included for the Y-OQ was 15 and for the Y-OQ-SR was 11. Random effects model results, for studies using the YOQ, indicated a large (Cohen in Psychol Bull 112(1):155, 1992) effect size (g = .98, 95 % CIs [.71, 1.26]). The YOQ-SR results also indicated a large effect size (g = .80, 95 % CIs [.63, .96]). Treatment setting demonstrated a difference between wilderness and non-wilderness programs. For the Y-OQ (parent/guardian observation) effect sizes were higher for wilderness programs Qbetween = 91.82, df = 1, p < .001 and for the Y-OQ-SR (adolescent’s self report) effect sizes were higher for non-wilderness programs Qbetween = 8.62, df = 1, p = .003. Treatment programs for youth using the Y-OQ and Y-OQ-SR to measure behavioral change, are indicating strong and positive effects from pre to post testing. Clinicians should consider routinely monitoring progress of their clients to better understand changes between pre and post testing.
Is Chronic Spinal Cord Injury Associated with Increased Risk of Venous Thromboembolism

ABSTRACTTo determine the incidence of symptomatic thromboembolism in patients with chronic spinal cord injury, a retrospective review of patients followed in a Veteran's Affairs Spinal Cord Injury Unit was conducted. Followed for a mean of 13.7 years after injury, 287 patients were reviewed. Forty events were identified, an incidence of 10 percent. Thirty-three (83 percent) occurred in the first 6 months following injury. The remainder occurred at 1, 1.5, 7, 9, 10, 12, and 14 years after injury, an incidence of 0.17 percent per year.The incidence of clinically significant thromboembolism in spinal cord injury decreases dramatically after the first 6 months to a level similar to that in the general population (0.18 percent). Possible explanations for this include: 1) immobilization by itself may not be a risk factor for thromboembolism; 2) physiologic adaptations in the chronic state may protect against thromboembolism; and, 3) thromboembolism occurs, but remains subclinical in most patients.
Regulation of epithelial Na+ channels from M-1 cortical collecting duct cells.

The M-1 cell line is derived from the mouse cortical collecting duct and displays the low-conductance, highly Na(+)-selective channel activity of the alpha,beta, gamma-heterotrimeric epithelial Na+ channel (ENaC). The short-circuit current (Isc) across M-1 monolayers was 89 +/- 4 microA/cm2, and the transepithelial conductance was 2.1 +/- 0.2 mS/cm2. Isc was abolished by blocking the Na+ pump with ouabain. Both Isc and transepithelial conductance (gT) were inhibited by benzamil > amiloride >> dimethylamiloride. Under our experimental conditions, vasopressin, vasopressin, forskolin, and dibutyryl adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) had no detectable effects on Isc or gT. Increasing apical Na+ entry with nystatin increased Isc. The possible regulation of the M-1 Na+ channel by cAMP-activated protein kinase A (PKA) was further examined with excised inside-out patches. The open-time probability (Po) was not fixed, displaying substantial variance. Perfusion with ATP itself, with the catalytic subunit o...
Progress in a Single-Frequency Ti:A12O3 Laser*

We have carried out a series of experiments on a ring cavity Ti:A12O3 laser*, shown schematically in Figure 1; this design is similar to a ring dye laser cavity. An argon ion laser pumps a four-mirror ring containing the laser crystal, a Lyot filter, a thin etalon, and a Faraday rotator/compensator. The peak output power using a commercially available 3-5% output coupler is 300 mW at 800 nm when pumping with 7 W from the argon ion laser. The laser threshold was 3.6 W of blue-green giving a slope efficiency of 9%. The single-frequency laser tunes between 740 and 840 nm.
Writing Instructional Objectives

One of the first considerations after determining the needs of the audience and the content to be delivered is to formulate instructional objectives. Instructional objectives are written by the instructor to guide the design process, with consideration of delivery strategies and principles of adult learning. Often these objectives will be negotiated with the learner so that it will meet their individual needs (e.g. learning contracts). Keeping in mind that learners have diverse learning needs and preferences, it is important to understand the three major domains of learning: cognitive, affective, and psychomotor. There are also guideposts to ensure that the instructional objectives are written so that they measure the intended outcomes. How do you write instructional objectives that are specific and measurable? Why is this important?
Reducing Contamination in Forensic Science

The sensitivity of modern forensic techniques has drastically increased, with sensitive technology detecting even the smallest traces of DNA evidence left behind. This has made it possible to detect DNA profiles deposited through contamination. When DNA contamination occurs in forensic science, it has the potential to change the outcome of a criminal investigation and may have significant social and financial repercussions. A compilation of global research shows that DNA evidence transfer can occur during forensic product manufacturing, the fingerprinting process, or even autopsy and crime lab examinations. These vital areas of the forensic investigation are vulnerable to contamination, and national standards should address this susceptibility. Understanding the origins of contamination events provides the greatest insight into preventing their occurrence and maintaining the integrity of forensic evidence.
Obstetric team simulation program challenges.

Abstract Objective To describe the challenges associated with the development and assessment of an obstetric emergency team simulation program. Design The goal was to develop a hybrid, in-situ and high fidelity obstetric emergency team simulation program that incorporated weekly simulation sessions on the labor and delivery unit, and quarterly, education protected sessions in the simulation center. All simulation sessions were video-recorded and reviewed. Setting Labor and delivery unit and simulation center. Participants Medical staff covering labor and delivery, anesthesiology and obstetric residents and obstetric nurses. Measurements Assessments included an on-line knowledge multiple-choice questionnaire about the simulation scenarios. This was completed prior to the initial in-situ simulation session and repeated 3 months later, the Clinical Teamwork Scale with inter-rater reliability, participant confidence surveys and subjective participant satisfaction. A web-based curriculum comprising modules on communication skills, team challenges, and team obstetric emergency scenarios was also developed. Main results Over 4 months, only 6 labor and delivery unit in-situ sessions out of a possible 14 sessions were carried out. Four high-fidelity sessions were performed in 2 quarterly education protected meetings in the simulation center. Information technology difficulties led to the completion of only 18 pre/post web-based multiple-choice questionnaires. These test results showed no significant improvement in raw score performance from pre-test to post-test ( P =.27). During Clinical Teamwork Scale live and video assessment, trained raters and program faculty were in agreement only 31% and 28% of the time, respectively (Kendall's W=.31, P P P Conclusion Program feedback indicates a high level of participant satisfaction and improved confidence yet further program refinement is required.
Quantitative characteristics of sickle cell retinopathy in optical coherence tomography angiography

Early detection is an essential step for effective intervention of sickle cell retinopathy (SCR). Emerging optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) provides excellent three-dimensional (3D) resolution to enable label-free, noninvasive visualization of retinal vascular structures, promising improved sensitivity in detecting SCR. However, quantitative analysis of SCR characteristics in OCTA images is yet to be established. In this study, we conducted comprehensive analysis of six OCTA parameters, including blood vessel tortuosity, vessel diameter, vessel perimeter index (VPI), area of foveal avascular zone (FAZ), contour irregularity of FAZ and parafoveal avascular density. Compared to traditional retinal thickness analysis, five of these six OCTA parameters show improved sensitivity for SCR detection than retinal thickness. It is observed that the most sensitive parameters were the contour irregularity of FAZ in the superficial layer and avascular density in temporal regions, while the area of FAZ, tortuosity and mean diameter of the vessel were moderately sensitive.
Prognostic significance of early dynamics of peripheral blood counts in patients with AML/MDS undergoing induction chemotherapy.

e18045 Background: The prognostic significance of early dynamics of peripheral blood blast cell (PBBC) clearance during induction chemotherapy for AML/MDS has not been fully established when compar...
Targeted Radiofrequency Ablation as an Adjunct in Treatment of Lumbar Facet Cysts

Lumbar facet cysts are frequently found in patients with facet degeneration and segmental instability. When the facet cyst is localized in the neural foramina and lateral recess or becomes large, it can cause radiculopathy or neurogenic claudication. These symptomatic cysts are typically treated interventionally with drainage and a corticosteroid injection or attempts via overinflation to rupture the cyst; however, these procedures have a significant recurrence rate (up to 50%) and often need to be repeated or lead to lumbar surgery if unsuccessful. This is the first report of using targeted radiofrequency (RF) current as an adjunct to cyst drainage. Although RF has been used for years to treat facet pain indirectly by targeting the medial facet nerve branches, with this technique, under image guidance, the actual cyst is percutaneously drained and then cauterized along with the associated facet capsule, where the original cyst developed. This has improved overall results with less cyst recurrence than previous percutaneous methods and was documented with both intermediate and long-term followup clinically and with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. This report reviews the underlying anatomy and pathology of the facet joint relating to the development of facet cysts and how current percutaneous treatments for lumbar facet cysts can be supplemented and improved by adding targeted RF ablation to the percutaneous options available to treat a lumbar facet cyst.
Political Uncertainty and Corporate Transparency

We examine the effect of political uncertainty on corporate transparency and market quality using gubernatorial elections as a source of plausibly exogenous variation in uncertainty. Despite real activity falling in the years leading up to a close election, voluntary disclosure, measured by the frequency and content of voluntary 8-K filings and managerial guidance, increases. These effects are stronger before elections in which the incumbent has termed out or with recent party flipping, and reverse after the election. We find that political uncertainty increases trading costs and reduces analyst information production, which firms mitigate by increasing transparency.
Experiments on the Generation of Tidal Harmonics

Abstract The dependent variables in the shallow water equations, sea level and velocity, are expanded in a time-average plus the sum of periodic components whose frequencies are known. Following harmonic decomposition, the equations are solved for sea level resulting in an elliptic equation for sea level and the two components of the momentum equation. Time-stepping methods are not used; rather, the dependent variables are the complex amplitudes. In this study, we examine the effects of various approximations to the nonlinear terms, namely wave transport, advection, and bottom friction.
Ovulation method of natural family planning

PIP: Past practices of Natural Family Planning (NFP) have included such techniques as: 1) calendar rhythm in which a constant mathematical relationship was calculated between the day of ovulation and the beginning of the succeeding menstrual period, 2) temperature rhythm in which sexual intercourse is permitted by observing that the basal body temperature rises at the time of ovulation, 3) a combination of calendar and temperature rhythm methods, 4) paper test strips which measure glucose and electrolytes in vaginal secretions, 5) electronic devices of various sorts which record changes in the potentials of the pelvic organs at the time of ovulation, and 6) recent developments in computer technology which measure a number of variables. All of these techniques depend upon the identification of the fertile and infertile periods of the menstrual cycle. More recent studies by the World Health Organization have analyzed the teaching phase of NFP and the effectiveness phase of NFP using the detection of ovulation by following changes in the quality of cervical mucus. These studies tested 869 women with varied backgrounds in 5 countries. The data support the fact that many motivated women can detect ovulation reasonably accurately by following changes in their cervical mucus (the Billings method), although teaching time and motivation are considerable. Long-term and detailed data are necessary to determine the value of these methods. The advantage of NFP is the avoidance of drugs and devices. Disadvantages are that demands are placed on the sex life of couples, and there are associations between failures and increased rates of congenital abnormalities.
Long-Term Temporal Water-Quality Trends within the Barnegat Bay Watershed, New Jersey

ABSTRACT Goodrow, S.M.; Procopio, N.A.; Korn, L.; Morton, P.; Schuster, R.; Pang, H.; Kunz, C.; Ingelido, P., and Heddendorf, B., 2017. Long-term temporal water-quality trends within the Barnegat Bay watershed, New Jersey. In: Buchanan, G.A.; Belton, T.J., and Paudel, B. (eds.), A Comprehensive Assessment of Barnegat Bay–Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey. This regional water-quality assessment compiles and analyzes water-quality data within the Barnegat Bay watershed (Ocean County, New Jersey) to determine if significant changes and trends occurred over decadal spans. Data evaluated spanned from the 1970s through July of 2013. Trends were evaluated after regionalizing sampling locations into 17 geographic zones. Over 1700 sampling stations within freshwater and Bay zones provided over 280,000 data results for 20 parameters. The parameters evaluated include: temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, nutrients, indicator bacteria, and solids. Temperature data comparing the 1970s with the present show st...
S- and p-wave structure of S = −1 meson–baryon scattering in the resonance region

Abstract We perform a simultaneous analysis of s- and p-waves of the S = − 1 meson–baryon scattering amplitude using all low-energy experimental data. For the first time, differential cross section data are included for chiral unitary coupled-channel models. From this model s- and p-wave amplitudes are extracted and we observe both well-known I ( J P ) = 0 ( 1 / 2 − ) s-wave states as well as a new I ( J P ) = 1 ( 1 / 2 + ) state absent in quark models and lattice QCD results. Multiple statistical and phenomenological tests suggest that, while the data clearly require an I = 1 p-wave resonance, the new state just accounts for the absence of the decuplet Σ ( 1385 ) 3 / 2 + in the model.
Embedding spatial decomposition in parareal in time power system simulation

We propose an approach for combining two decompositions in power system simulation, temporal and spatial, with a goal to achieve faster simulation time than utilizing either one of them alone. The proposed approach builds upon the structure of the Parareal algorithm for temporal decomposition and explores an efficient way of embedding the spatial decomposition into its coarse and fine solutions. This introduces two types of simultaneous parallelism in power system simulations — parallelism between system areas and between coarse integration intervals for time integration. The results from the application of the proposed approach are shown on a two-area system comprised of the IEEE 16-machine, 68-bus, and the IEEE 50-machine, 145-bus system.
Using porewater profiles to assess nutrient availability in seagrass-vegetated carbonate sediments

We measured porewater profiles of inorganic (NH + ,N O − (+NO − ), PO 3− 4 (here- after referred to as DIP)) and organic (DON, DOP) nutrients in seagrass-vegetated sediments at two sites in a shallow bay in Bermuda within close proximity (200 m) but subject to different nutrient loading. At both sites, total dissolved and inorganic nutrient concentrations were usually 1-2 orders of magnitude higher in the sediments than in the water column, with the exception of NO − . Organic N and P were significant components of the total dissolved nutrient pools both in the sediment porewater and in the overlying water column (up to 75% for DON and 40% for DOP), and may be important in meeting plant nutrient demands. We used two approaches to examine how well porewater nutrient concentrations reflected the relative availabilities of N and P for seagrasses: (1) a simple stoichiometric nutrient regeneration model based on the N:P ratio of decomposing organic matter and porewater NH + concentrations to predict porewater DIP, and (2) fitting of the porewater profiles to estimate rates of net nutrient production (or consumption), which reflects the balance between nutrient sources and sinks in the rhizosphere. The stoichiometric model indicated that sediment porewaters were depleted in P relative to N in the low-nutrient outer bay site, and enriched in P relative to N in the higher- nutrient inner bay site. These results are consistent with the mechanism of carbonate sediments in oligotrophic tropical environments being a strong sink for dissolved inorganic P and our previous work suggesting that nutrient enrichment causes P to become disproportionately more available than N. Net nutrient production rates of porewater P at both sites and N at the inner bay site were low (typically < 2%) relative to the nutrient demands of the seagrasses. The implications of the profile interpretation are two-fold: (1) the low rates of net nutrient production indicate diffusive losses from the root zone were insignificant and that nutrient turnover rates were high, except in the P-limited outer bay where N accumulated in sediment porewaters; and (2) because standing stock nutrient concentrations often represent a small fraction of the total nutrients cycled in the sediments, they are in many cases a poor indicator of nutrient availability. Based on our estimates of losses from the root zone, decomposition, and plant uptake we have constructed a rough budget for the cycling of P and N at our two sites.
Are We Victims of Circumstances? Hegel and Jean-Paul Sartreon Corporate Responsibility and Bad Faith

The share in the total work of Spirit that falls to the individual can only be very small. Because of this, the individual must all the more forget himself. . . . Of course, he must make of himself and achieve what he can, but less should demanded of him, just as he in turn can expect less of himself, and may demand less for himself. –G.W.F. Hegel in the Preface of the Phenomenolgie des Geistes Shall we not say that such a person is in bad faith? –Jean-Paul Sartre, L’etre et le Neant
Tobacco Use and Cessation Behaviors in Young Adults: 2016 National Health Interview Survey.

Objectives. To examine differences in tobacco use and cessation between young adults (aged 18–24 years) and adults aged 25 years or older.Methods. We used data from the 2016 US National Health Inte...