cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Health self-management, transition readiness and adaptive behavior in persons with cerebral palsy or myelomeningocele.

Purpose/objective This study was conducted to examine the associations between generic and condition-specific health self-management and levels of adaptive behavior in 2 groups of transition-age youth with congenital neurodevelopmental conditions. Method The sample included 43 adolescents/young adults diagnosed with cerebral palsy (CP) and 36 with spina bifida/myelomeningocele (SBM), ages 13-29, mean age 18.96 (4.77), 51.9% female. Health self-management was assessed with the Transition Readiness Assessment Questionnaire (TRAQ) completed by the child, and the Kennedy Krieger Independence Scales-Spina Bifida (KKIS-SB) completed by the parent/guardian. The Adaptive Behavior Assessment System (ABAS-II) completed by the parent/guardian was used to assess levels of adaptive behavior. Results There were significant group differences in condition-specific health self-management, including lower KKIS-SB Initiation of Routines and KKIS-SB Prospective Memory scores in the group with SBM. Those differences were no longer significant when scoring was modified to account for item applicability. Group differences in generic health self-management and adaptive behavior were not significant. There were significant differences in the correlations between health self-management instruments and ABAS-II composite scores. Conclusions For youth with congenital neurodevelopmental conditions who are in the transition to adulthood, there are important condition-specific self-management needs that are not captured by measuring generic transition readiness or adaptive behavior. Findings highlight the need for clinicians to assess health self-management needs from multiple perspectives, utilizing generic and condition-specific measures that can inform targeted interventions and supports for optimal independence. (PsycINFO Database Record
Patients’ Opinions on Genetic Counseling on the Increased Risk of Parkinson Disease among Gaucher Disease Carriers

Gaucher disease (GD) is an autosomal recessive disease caused by GBA mutations that is especially common in the Ashkenazi Jewish (AJ) population. The link between GBA mutations and Parkinson disease (PD), a later-onset neurodegenerative condition, is well established, and studies have shown that GBA carriers have an increased lifetime risk of developing PD. Carrier screening for GD is frequently offered to couples during or prior to pregnancy, especially to those of AJ descent. However, no studies have been performed to assess if prospective parents would want to learn about their risk of developing PD incidentally through carrier screening. It is also unknown if pre-test counseling on this topic would affect screening uptake. In order to answer these questions, a survey was administered to individuals who screened negative for GBA mutations. Of the 75 participants, 86.7% believed that patients should be informed about the increased risk of PD prior to having GD carrier screening, and 93.3% responded that this information would not have changed their decision to have carrier screening. These results indicate that healthcare providers should take into consideration patient preferences when determining how to counsel about GD carrier screening. Additionally, these results have implications for genetic counseling about other later-onset conditions that may be incidentally ascertained through carrier screening.
Seven Myths of Africa in World History

An experienced historian and textbook writer, David Northrup, emeritus professor of history at Boston College, delivers another book that will have no doubt a significant impact on students of Afri...
Phytoplankton chemotaxonomy within contiguous optical layers across the western North Atlantic Ocean and its relationship to environmental parameters

Abstract A CHEMTAX analysis of the phytoplankton community composition is presented for the summertime northwest Atlantic Ocean from the Sargasso Sea to the New England continental shelf. To minimize the confounding influence of light intensity-related changes in internal pigment concentration (photo-acclimation), we compared CHEMTAX community composition within (but not between) five discrete optical depth layers (OL1 -5) arranged vertically throughout and beneath the euphotic zone, and extending horizontally from the oligotrophic to mesotrophic regions. CHEMTAX model results revealed a gradient of increasing proportions of eukaryotes to prokaryotes in the landward direction. The oligotrophic oceanic waters were dominated about equally by Prochlorococcus and haptophytes with Synechococcus and prasinophytes being secondarily important, while the mesotrophic slope and shelf waters were dominated by haptophytes and prasinophytes, with Prochlorococcus undetectable in shelf waters. Redundancy analysis revealed strong and significant niche separations between eukaryotic and prokaryotic phytoplankton, with the cyanobacteria more common in warmer, saltier waters, and eukaryotic species more common in fresher, colder waters. Salinity was the strongest predictor of the phytoplankton community composition in OLs 2 through 5, but in the surface OL1 temperature was the strongest predictor. There were positive significant correlations between salinity and Prochlorococcus, and negative significant correlations between salinity and all eukaryote groups: pelagophytes, chlorophytes, haptophytes, diatoms, prasinophytes, cryptophytes, and dinoflagellates, in most cases the strength of the correlation increased with depth. Other environmental variables, PO43-, NO3-+NO2-, and vertical density stratification were all weak predictors of phytoplankton community composition.
Morphology of Low to Very Low Density Ethylene-Octene Metallocene Copolymers

The melting phenomena of random, hexyl-branched ethylene copolymers have been examined for branch contents ranging from 4-53 SCB/1000C at near constant molecular weight with low polydispersity (ca. 2.0) corresponding to densities of ca. 0.94-0.866 g/cm3. We have found that, irrespective of morphology, melting after isothermal crystallization and bulk isothermal crystallization phenomena can be grouped into two types of behavior: Group 1 (Gl), nominally with up to 2% defects (as branches) and Group 2 (G2) with greater than 2% and up to 8.5% defects. The first group is characterized by single peak melting behavior above Tc and classical annealing via thickening as evidenced by Tm–log time relations, at least for short times. G1 follows the Avrami equation up to ca 90-98% of the developed crystallinity with growth as spherulites. Group 2 is generally characterized by two melting peaks above Tc (one narrow, one broad). These samples show distinctive two-stage Avrami crystallization curves with lower than expected initial Avrami index where spherulitic forms are growing (up to 0.88 g/cm3) and even lower indices where no spherulitic forms are observed (below 0.872 g/cm3). Three unexpected phenomena are observed for the melting of isothermally crystallized G2 samples: (a) the narrower peak melts at a lower temperature than an underlying, broad peak; (b) the early peak is absent at short times (less than 1 m) and develops with increasing time and shifts to higher melting temperatures with time and; (c) the early melting peak appears representative isothermally crystallized samples, at lower undercoolings, insofar as these melting points show parallel Tm-Tc behavior in a Hoffman-Weeks Plot whereas the broad melting peak (observed at short times) exhibits more conventional behavior. The use of WAXD, DSC, and to a lesser extent, density are used on slow cooled and quenched bulk crystallized samples to gain some insight into this process.
Metallization Technology for GaAs Integrated Circuits

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the interconnect design considerations, GaAs contact and interconnect systems, fabrication techniques, and yield/reliability issues. It also presents the future trends for GaAs metallization development, and highlights the technological areas that are addressed in support of future ultrahigh-speed GaAs very-large-scale-integration circuits. Metallization systems can be classified as contacts and interconnects. Contact metallization provides the electrical connection to the active regions of the semiconducting material. The interconnects provide the lateral electrical connection to the various active and passive circuit elements of an integrated circuits (ICs) as well as the link to the external world through the bonding pads. An ideal system has low contact and interconnects resistance, controllable interaction with the semiconductor, and long-term reliability. The considerations of internal compatibility of the metal system as well as fabrication techniques available are important to all systems. The choice of metallization system has a profound effect on the design and layout of any IC. Resistance, capacitance, yield, and reliability of the system all play a major role in determining an optimized design.
Differential Effect of Aging on Hippocampal Pyramidal Cell Responses to Muscarine and Nicotine

Problems with learning and memory are a nearly inevitable consequence of senescence (Perlmutter et al., 1987; Ciocon and Potter, 1988; Winocur, 1988; Craik, 1990). A rational approach to explaining this phenomenon involves looking for changes in the central nervous system of aged, memory-impaired subjects. Many studies have been done to evaluate age-related alterations in brain areas known to be important for learning and memory (Barnes, 1979, 1988; Lippa et al., 1981; Meyer et al., 1984; Gallagher et al., 1990). One brain region that is crucial for long-term memory encoding is the hippocampal formation (Scoville and Milner, 1957). In particular, hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons have been shown to be necessary for normal mnemonic processing to occur (Zola-Morgan et al., 1986). Although many different physiological and biochemical mechanisms in the hippocampus have been studied with respect to their possible role in learning and memory, of particular interest is the function of cholinergic afferents to this structure (see Kesner, 1988 for review).
Age, sex, and experience as related to the neural basis of cognitive development.

Publisher Summary Studies of rhesus monkeys raised from infancy without portions of their central nervous systems provide evidence regarding the timing of functional maturity of specific regions. This chapter presents some findings that show that deficits following lesions of specific cortical areas emerge at that age when abilities dependent upon the cortical area in question take on adult form in unoperated monkeys. However, age is but a convenient abstraction for conditions that vary over time. One such condition is the presence and titer of gonadal hormones. The finding that orbital functions may develop at different times in males and females is of interest from a number of perspectives, but it is especially stimulating to consider the possibility that the development of cortical tissue may be regulated by neuroendocrine factors in a fashion analogous to that envisioned for differentiation of hypothalamic mechanisms. Finally, experiential factors may depend greatly on the maturational status of those brain regions designed to be recipients of that stimulation.
Daydreaming, Consciousness, and Self-Representations: Empirical Approaches to Theories of William James and Sigmund Freud

In honor of Saul Rosenzweig's lifelong efforts to provide empirical tests of psychoanalytic theories, this paper has focused on a series of research approaches to examining the concepts of William James and Sigmund Freud relating to waking fantasy, ongoing thought, and beliefs about the self. Studies involving projective methods, psychometric analyses of self-report questionnaires, laboratory tests of daydreaming during signal-detection tasks, thought-sampling during natural daily activities and psychological correlates of actual-self and ideal-self discrepancies are described. Clinical applications of these methods are also presented. The findings in general point to the value of James's conception of conscious thought as an important basis along with cognitive unconscious processes for studying clinical phenomena, personality, and even the metaphors of dreams. Rosenzweig's emphasis on formal research testing of psychoanalytic processes is supported.
AO Formulates Its Credo

In order to be formally recognized as an association under Swiss law, the group needed to adopt written by-laws in line with legal requirements—only then could they obtain tax-free status. It was not until the second membership meeting that a draft was submitted to members for their consideration and adoption.
Simultaneous Alcohol and Marijuana Use Among College Students: Patterns, Correlates, Norms, and Consequences

Background Alcohol and marijuana users often engage in simultaneous alcohol and marijuana (SAM) use (i.e., using the 2 substances together so that their effects overlap), which can result in more negative consequences than using either substance alone. Nevertheless, little is known about SAM use among contemporary college students to aid in the development of preventive interventions. This study examined SAM use patterns, demographic correlates of SAM use, and normative influences on SAM use and related negative consequences among college students. Methods Students who had used alcohol and marijuana in the past year were recruited from 3 state universities in states with different laws regarding recreational marijuana use (N = 1,389). They completed an online survey, which assessed their own alcohol, marijuana, and SAM use and related consequences, their perceptions of the proportion of same-gender peers and close friends who engaged in SAM use, marijuana access, and demographic characteristics. Results About three-fourths of participants reported at least 1 occasion of SAM use in the past year with an average frequency of twice per month among SAM users. There were significant differences in SAM use prevalence and frequency by sociodemographic characteristics controlling for past-year alcohol and marijuana frequency. Students in a state with decriminalized recreational marijuana use reported higher frequency of past-year SAM use than students in states with legalized or criminalized use. There were significant demographic differences in perceived norms regarding SAM use among close friends and same-gender peers. SAM users endorsed significantly higher perceived peer and friend norms than nonusers. Also, higher perceived norms predicted more frequent SAM use and more negative consequences of use. Conclusions Results indicate a need for prevention programs on college campuses that address SAM use. Interventions that use personalized normative feedback may be effective.
Patterns of polysubstance use and overdose among people who inject drugs in Baltimore, Maryland: A latent class analysis.

Abstract Background Opioid-related overdose rates continue to climb. However, little research has examined the reach of overdose education and naloxone trainings among people who inject drugs (PWID). Understanding gaps in coverage is essential to improving the public health response to the ongoing crisis. Methods We surveyed 298 PWID in Baltimore City, MD. We conducted a latent class analysis of drug use indicators and tested for differences by class in past month overdose, having received overdose training, and currently having naloxone. Results Three classes emerged: cocaine/heroin injection (40.2%), heroin only injection (32.2%), and multi-drug/multi-route use (27.6%). The prevalence of past month overdose differed marginally by class (p = 0.06), with the multi-drug/multi-route use class having the highest prevalence (22.5%) and the heroin only class having the lowest (4.6%). The prevalence of previous overdose training differed significantly by class (p = 0.02), with the heroin/cocaine class (76.5%) having more training than the other two classes. Training was least common amongst the multi-drug/multi-route class (60.3%), though not statistically different from the heroin only class (63.0%). Classes did not differ significantly in current naloxone possession, although the multi-drug/multi-route class exhibited the lowest prevalence of naloxone possession (37.2%). Conclusions People who inject multiple substances are at high risk for overdose and are also the least likely to receive overdose trainings. The current service landscape does not adequately reach individuals with high levels of structural vulnerability and high levels of drug use and homelessness. Actively including this subgroup into harm reduction efforts are essential for preventing overdose fatalities.
Introduction to the special issue: Resilience and wellbeing in forced migration

This set of articles is the result of a panel held at the 78th annual meeting of the Society for Applied Anthropology from April 3-7, 2018, in Philadelphia, United States of America. The title of the panel, during which the four authors presented papers, was “Forced Migration as Liminal Experience: Policy and Agency.” The articles highlight forced migration to the United States, illustrated by Hispanic women without legal immigration status near Chicago, Illinois; resettled Syrian refugees in Austin, Texas; resettled Cambodian refugees living near Mobile, Alabama; Karen refugees resettled near Atlanta, Georgia; and Karenni refugees who were resettled in Omaha, Nebraska. These articles reveal lives of both refugees with legal status and forced migrants without legal documentation. This set of articles also represents national and ethnic groups from Latin America, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia, regions with large numbers of forced migrants. The articles focus on the intersection of three concepts with complex and varying definitions: migration, resilience, and wellbeing. These concepts highlight differing social and cultural contexts but also shared experiences and struggles. We briefly describe our understanding of these concepts and then highlight how these are useful conceptual frameworks to see commonalities and differences among the four different case studies.
56 Year Old with a Widespread, Slightly Itchy Rash with Discoloration

A 56 female presented at the clinic complaining of a widespread rash. The rash was mildly itchy and becomes prominent when exposed to sunlight and after showering.
The Effects of Intellectual Openness on the Processes of Critical Thinking in Computer-Supported Collaborative Argumentation

This study examined how intellectual openness affected the extent to which students engaged in the processes of critical thinking in computer-supported collaborative argumentation (CSCA). This study found: a) indications of differences in the number of personal rebuttals posted in reply to direct challenges between more versus less open students (ES = +0.33); b) significant differences in number of personal rebuttals posted between the less versus more open students among the males (ES = +1.32), but not among the females (ES = -0.19); and c) no difference in the way students responded to challenges. These findings identify how specific traits and gender can potentially affect performance in CSCA and suggest new process-oriented strategies and tools for analyzing and structuring discussions to promote critical inquiry. Cette etude examine comment l’ouverture d’esprit et le genre affecte l’engagement des etudiantes et etudiants dans un discours dialectique critique d’une argumentation collaborative soutenue par ordinateur (ACSO). Il a ete trouve : a) des indications de differences dans le nombre de refutations personnelles placees en reponse a des contestations entre des etudiants plus ouverts par rapport a des etudiants moins ouverts d’esprit (ES = +0,33), b) des differences significatives entre le nombre de refutations placees par les hommes et les femmes (ES = +0,66), c) des differences significatives dans le nombre de refutations personnelles placees par les moins ouverts d’esprit et les plus ouverts d’esprit parmi les hommes (ES = +1.32), mais pas parmi les femmes (ES = -0,19), et d) pas de difference dans les types de reponses placees en reponse aux contestations entre les etudiants plus ouverts d’esprit et les moins ouverts d’esprit. Ces resultats illustrent comment les effets de l’ouverture d’esprit peuvent etre influences par le genre, ou vice versa, comment l’ouverture d’esprit peut potentiellement affecter la performance etudiante en ACSO, et comment les strategies orientees sur le processus peuvent etre utilisees pour analyser et structurer les discussions pour promouvoir le discours critique.
Saudi Women Driving Change? Rebranding, Resistance, and the Kingdom of Change

If the lifting of the Saudi women’s driving ban on June 24, 2018 was so momentous, why did so few women embrace the opportunity to drive? Answers to this question are considered in the following pa...
Microwave-Responsive Nanomaterials for Catalysis

Microwave heating is a powerful and non-conventional energy source for heterogeneous catalytic reactions, which has attracted considerable attention during the past decades. With the presence of microwave-responsive catalysts, microwave can selectively heat the designed catalyst surface, and expedite the reaction rate at catalyst/solvent interface. This chapter strives to extensively review the recent work on microwave-responsive catalysts and their roles in heterogeneous catalytic reactions. The fundamental mechanism of microwave heating is illustrated to explain its functions in the catalytic reactions. The working principle of microwave-responsive catalyst and related evaluation methods are discussed in this chapter. Additionally, the advantages of microwave-responsive catalysts for specific reactions have been categorized and reviewed. At last, a few different strategies to enhance microwave thermal effects have been summarized. It is concluded that developing microwave-responsive catalysts is a practical method to expedite reaction rate, enhance energy-efficiency, and improve product quality. Therefore, designing microwave-responsive catalysts could be an effective strategy for highly efficient reactions and future industrial-scale applications.
Estimating the Effect of Magnetite on Nitrogen and Phosphorus Removal Using Intervention Analysis

AbstractThis study investigated the effectiveness of magnetite as ballast material through a technology called BioMag in nitrogen and phosphorus removal and in processing peak flows at a wastewater...
Local testing and calibration of species-specific competition indices in Sierran mixed conifer forests: Application transfer to evolving objectives

Forest growth processes are driven by site productivity and species functional traits, which are ultimately constrained by cumulative resource demand, resulting in competitive dynamics across succe...
locStra: Fast analysis of regional/global stratification in whole-genome sequencing studies.

locStra is an R -package for the analysis of regional and global population stratification in whole-genome sequencing (WGS) studies, where regional stratification refers to the substructure defined by the loci in a particular region on the genome. Population substructure can be assessed based on the genetic covariance matrix, the genomic relationship matrix, and the unweighted/weighted genetic Jaccard similarity matrix. Using a sliding window approach, the regional similarity matrices are compared with the global ones, based on user-defined window sizes and metrics, for example, the correlation between regional and global eigenvectors. An algorithm for the specification of the window size is provided. As the implementation fully exploits sparse matrix algebra and is written in C++, the analysis is highly efficient. Even on single cores, for realistic study sizes (several thousand subjects, several million rare variants per subject), the runtime for the genome-wide computation of all regional similarity matrices does typically not exceed one hour, enabling an unprecedented investigation of regional stratification across the entire genome. The package is applied to three WGS studies, illustrating the varying patterns of regional substructure across the genome and its beneficial effects on association testing.
Interpretation, resonance, embodiment: affect theory and ethnomusicology

Theorising the relationship between music and affect is nothing new; scholars have long engaged the ways music expresses and influences emotions and bodily intensities. Why is it, then, that (ethno...
Illegal Drugs and the Criminal Offender

Although most assume that drug use causes criminal behavior, the causal nature of this relationship is rather weak in most regards. Drug users are likely to find themselves under correctional supervision, but rarely is this due to isolated drug use. Rather, most drug offenders under correctional supervision have other behavioral problems and are best treated by a combination of drug treatment and other behavioral therapies. The more serious cases of drug-related offenders that you are likely to face include those that are heavily dependent on illegal substances and those that are involved in illegal drug trafficking. For these individuals, continuous assessment of risk and needs is critical to adequate treatment plans. Detoxification under medical supervision is a good first step for those that are highly dependent, but long-term abstinence requires psychosocial intervention. Urinalysis can be useful for correctional workers, but erroneous results and tracking of synthetic, mind-altering substances can limit the usefulness of these tests. It is recommended that correctional workers stay abreast of the symptoms of intoxication of the most common illegal substances in their jurisdiction and closely monitor changes in the behavior, mood, or temperament of their clients.
Sex-based Disparities in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Recurrence After Liver Transplantation.

BACKGROUND Women with chronic liver disease have lower rates of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) as compared to men; it is unknown if there are sex-based differences in HCC recurrence postliver transplant. METHODS We conducted an analysis of patients who underwent liver transplant for HCC in the United Network for Organ Sharing/Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network from January 1, 2012 through December 31, 2017. RESULTS A total of 12 711 patients underwent liver transplant for HCC: 2909 (23%) women and 9802 (73%) men. Women had significantly lower rates of postliver transplant HCC recurrence than men (4.0% versus 5.4%, P = 0.002). A cox-regression analysis for postliver transplant HCC recurrence highlighted that even after accounting for etiology of cirrhosis, alpha-fetoprotein at liver transplant, tumor diameter, tumor pathology, and vascular invasion, female sex was associated with a 25% lower risk of postliver transplant HCC recurrence (95% confidence interval: 0.57-0.99). There were no interactions between female sex and the following variables: age, type of locoregional therapy, alpha-fetoprotein, donor sex, body mass index, or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis etiology (P > 0.05 for each). CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates an independent effect of sex on risk for HCC recurrence postliver transplant. Our data highlight an opportunity to better understand HCC tumor biology by investigating the drivers of this sex-based difference in HCC recurrence.
Clinical Reaction Time After Concussion: Change From Baseline Versus Normative-Based Cutoff Scores.

Context Pre-season testing is often used to establish baseline scores for post-concussion interpretation. However, pre-season testing can be time-intensive and cost-prohibitive, in which case normative data may be used for post-injury interpretation. Objective To compare change from baseline and normative-based cutoff scores in interpreting clinical reaction time (RTclin) following concussion. Design Prospective case-control study. Setting Multi-site study with testing completed in university athletic training rooms. Patients or other participants An overlapping sample of 99 participants (age=19.0±1.1 years) evaluated within 6 hours post injury, 176 participants (age 18.9±1.1 years) evaluated 24-48 hours post injury, and 214 participants (18.9±1.1 years) evaluated at the time they were cleared to begin a return-to-play progression. Concussion participants were compared to 942 control participants (age=19.0±1.0 years) who did not sustain a concussion during the study period but completed preseason baseline testing one year apart. Main outcome measures At each time point, follow-up RTclin (i.e., post injury or year 2) was compared to individualized year 1 preseason baseline RTclin and to normative baseline data (i.e., sex- and sport-specific). Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to compare sensitivity and specificity of RTclin change from baseline and normative-based cutoff scores. Results Within 6h, change from baseline of 16ms maximized combined sensitivity (52%) and specificity (78%, AUC=0.702), while normative-based cutoff scores of 19ms maximized combined sensitivity (45%) and specificity (86%, AUC=0.700). At 24-48h, change from baseline of 2ms maximized combined sensitivity (64%) and specificity (61%, AUC=0.666), while normative-based cutoff scores of 0ms maximized combined sensitivity (63%) and specificity (62%, AUC=0.647). Conclusions Normative-based cutoff scores can be used for interpreting RTclin scores following concussion when individualized baseline data is not available, although low sensitivity and specificity may limit clinical use as a stand-alone test.
The interaction of bubbles with solidification interfaces

The behavior of bubbles at a dendritic solidification interface was studied during the coasting phase of a sounding rocket flight. Sequential photographs of the gradient freeze experiment showed nucleation, growth and coalescence of bubbles at the moving interface during both the low-gravity and one-gravity tests. In the one-gravity test the bubbles were observed to detach from the interface and float to the top of the melt. However, in the low-gravity tests no bubble detachment from the interface or steady state bubble motion occurred and large voids were grown into the crystal. These observations are discussed in terms of the current theory of thermal migration of bubbles and in terms of their implications on the space processing of metals.
Accuracy of administrative database estimates of national surgical volume: Solid organ transplantation in the National Inpatient Sample.

BACKGROUND Little is known about the accuracy of procedural coding in the National Inpatient Sample, in part because it is challenging to validate population-level estimates. METHODS We evaluated the accuracy of the National Inpatient Sample by comparing estimates of solid organ transplantation to known national transplant volumes from the Organ Procurement and Transplant Network. RESULTS The mean deviation of National Inpatient Sample point estimates from true transplant volume for the study period was 17.5 ± 20.8%. The mean deviation of point estimates from 2005 to 2011 was 26.4 ± 22.8% compared to 4.9 ± 6.3% from 2012 to 2016 (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS Although future National Inpatient Sample transplantation research may be limited by the inability to subgroup procedures by donor type, surgical procedure coding of solid organ transplantation within the National Inpatient Sample appears to be accurate and reliable for generating national estimates, particularly after the National Inpatient Sample redesign in 2012.
Plant-associate interactions and diversification across trophic levels

Interactions between species are widely understood to have promoted the diversification of life on earth, but how interactions spur the the formation of new species remains unclear. Interacting species often become locally adapted to each other, but they may also be subject to shared dispersal limitations and environmental conditions. Moreover, theory predicts that different kinds of interactions have different effects on diversification. To better understand how species interactions promote diversification, we compiled published genetic data for host plants and intimately associated herbivores, parasites, and mutualists. We first tested whether host and associate population structures were correlated --- an indication of associates locally adapting to hosts --- and tested for confounding correlations with geographic distance or climate variation. We used Bayesian multiple regression to estimate the effect of host plant genetic differentiation on associate genetic differentiation over and above the confounding effects of geography and climate. We found that plant and associate genetic structures are indeed often congruent, but isolation by distance and by climate are also common. Multiple regressions established that the effect of host plants on associates is robust to accounting for geographic distance and climate. Finally, associate genetic structure was significantly explained by plant genetic structure more often in antagonistic interactions than in mutualistic ones. This supports a key prediction of coevolutionary theory, that antagonistic interactions promote diversity through local adaptation of antagonists to hosts, while mutualistic interactions promote diversity via the effect of hosts9 geographic distribution on mutualists9 dispersal.
Age-Related Slowing in Online Samples

Three experiments assessed the use of online samples recruited from the Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) worker pool for studying the psychology of aging. The results replicated several. benchmark findings: Older adults’ response times (RTs) improved more with practice, but their asymptotic RTs remained longer than those of the younger adults (Experiment 1); greater age-related declines were observed in visuospatial processing speed than in verbal speed (Experiment 2); and although working memory decreased with age, age was not a significant predictor of working memory once processing speed was statistically controlled (Experiment 3). The present results establish that online samples that include adults up to at least age 70 are easily recruited via MTurk and that the relations among age, speed, and working memory ability in such samples correspond to those typically observed in laboratory settings. These findings are important because using online samples to study aging provides a cost-effective way of collecting data from large samples of participants in a fraction of the time that it takes to conduct similar studies in the laboratory.
The Taste of Class

MLA 2011 | Los Angeles, California Melville and the Syntax of Class Chair: Ivy G. Wilson, Northwestern University In settings as various as whaling ships and Wall Street offices, pastoral meadows and English leisure clubs, Melville’s writings are preoccupied with class formations and with contradictions of decadence and poverty, excess and paucity. While much of the criticism on Melville and class has approached the topic through psychoanalysis to limn readings about his own personal anxieties in works such as Pierre or “Bartleby,” this panel sought to underscore what a historical materialist approach to Melville’s work can reveal about his social world. Glenn Hendler argued that, in “The House-Top,” Melville forced a recognition of the ways in which the white participants of the New York Draft Riots coalesced as a contingent but nonetheless specific class formation. Calling for a more sustained critical engagement with Melville’s transnationalism and tracing his early use of the word “cholo,” Rodrigo Lazo showed how Melville invoked South America and the South American to make class distinctions legible to his readers. Kyla Tompkins analyzed Melville’s preoccupation with taste in “Poor Man’s Pudding and Rich Man’s Crumbs” as a metaphor for the organization of social differentiation and inequity. Feeling Like a State Glenn Hendler Fordham University Melville’s “The House-Top,” a lyric poem about the 1863 New York City Draft Riots published in Battle-Pieces, remains exceptional not simply as an example of Melville’s genius for compressing the epichistorical into the space of a lyric but also for how it compels the reader to come to terms with the effects and affects of the war’s various permutations. Acknowledging Melville’s engagement with affect, we become aware that the c © 2011 The Melville Society and Wiley Periodicals, Inc. 124 L E V I A T H A N A J O U R N A L O F M E L V I L L E S T U D I E S
Development of a hybrid automotive wireless harness

Bluetooth-compliant wireless signals are used to replace electrical signal wires in the interconnection of automobile components and modules. A hybrid concept, consisting of wired ''clusters'' of automobile components and wireless inter-cluster connections, is used. Initial implementation used switches and lamps to simulate automotive sensors and transducers. Current prototype uses dash panel and rear lamp assemblies to replace the switches and lamps. The ongoing work include a restructuring of the software to function as a layer under a controller area network (CAN) so as to provide a transparent migration of existing CAN applications to run on a wireless layer. Computer models are also being developed to provide extensive studies of the performance, reliability, and security implications of such automotive wireless applications.
Application of Decision-Making Process

The leadership at the firm, Thomas Cook AG, has positioned the company as a leader within the tourism and travel industry. As a worldwide organization the Thomas Cook Company has been a familiar icon to many travelers for over 150 years.
Jadeitite from Guatemala: new observations and distinctions among multiple occurrences

In Guatemala, jadeitite occurs as blocks in serpentinite melange in distinct settings on opposite sides of the Motagua fault. Jadeitites north of the Motagua fault are associated with eclogites, blueschists, and garnet amphibolites and distributed over a 200km E-W area. Omphacitite, omphacite - taramite metabasite, albitite, and phengite rock are found with jadeitite. The assemblages indicate formation at 6-12kbar and 300-400°C, however jadeite - omphacite pairs yield T from ~200 to gt;500oC for jadeite crystallization. Jadeitites south of the Motagua fault are sourced from three separate fault slices of serpentinite in Jalapa and Zacapa departments and are distinctive: 1) Jadeitite near Carrizal Grande is found in serpentinite with lawsonite eclogites, variably altered to blueschist, and rarely in schists. A large jadeite – omphacite gap and lawsonite suggests T=300-400°C, but at high P as indicated by the presence of quartz: Pgt;12-20kbar. Lawsonite eclogites (P=20-25kbar, T=350-450°C) occur with these jadeitites. 2) At La Ceiba, jadeitites coexist with omphacite blueschists and contain late-stage veins of quartz, diopside, cymrite, actinolite, titanite and vesuvianite. A large jadeite – omphacite gap suggests 300-400°C, but at lower P as indicated by quartz + albite: P=10-14kbar. 3) At La Ensenada jade i tites occur with lawsonite-glaucophane blueschists and chloritite. It is a fine-grained jadeite-pumpellyite rock, intensely deformed and veined with grossular, omphacite, albite and titanite, but no quartz. A large jadeite–omphacite gap and pumpellyite suggest ~200-~300°C at lower P consistent with primary albite: P=6-9kbar. The silicates contain little iron
Laboratory Examination of Organic Fungicides Against Zoopathogenic Fungi in Soil

Seven commercial and five experimental organic fungicides were tested against Histoplasma capsulatum, Cryptococcus neoformans, Allescheria boydii, and Sporotrichum schenckii in a series of laboratory studies. Preliminary agar dilution plate tests indicated that Lanstan, DAC 649, DAC 469, DAC 2787, He 3944, maneb, and nabam, in order of decreasing activity, inhibited all test fungi. Terraclor, Dexon, and He 13274 were active only in high concentration. The best fungicidal properties were exhibited by Lanstan, Vapam, and DAC 649; maneb, nabam, DAC 469, and DAC 2787 were fungicidal but to a lesser degree than the former compounds. In subsequent tests against H. capsulatum and C. neoformans in artificially infested soil or by use of the buried plug technique, Lanstan, Vapam, and DAC 649 showed good activity and merit further study.
Functional Foods and Health Promotion

Statements about the ability of selected foods to reduce the risk of diseases and to enhance the quality of life continue to captivate, and at times polarize, opinions. Interests in these functional foods and their active components are being propelled by increasing health care cost, recent legislative events and mounting scientific evidence. Increasingly, scientists are being asked to clarify the precise role that foods have in maintaining and promoting health. Accepting this movement as an opportunity to optimize nutrition rather than as a way in which to endorse good or bad foods or as a marketing gimmick will surely make it more acceptable to many scientists. However, the response to functional foods depends on several factors, including genetics, physiologic state and the composition of the entire diet. Although evaluation of the benefits or risks of foods normally does not entail the same extensive examination as that required of drugs, this does not negate the need for sound scientific information for making recommendations to the consumer. Identification of sensitive and reliable biomarkers will be key to adequate assessment of the true effect of foods and their components. Inulin and oligofructose are components of the diet that deserve added attention for their potential health benefits. Evidence that oligofructose and inulin alter several biomarkers, including gastrointestinal transit time, experimentally induced neoplasia and colonic microflora, suggests that these nondigestible carbohydrates are naturally occurring dietary constituents that may improve the quality of life and increase disease resistance in both humans and animals.
Micro-Wear Technique and its Application to Ultra Thin Film Systems

A micro-wear testing technique has been developed by incorporating a piezoelectric pusher into an existing micro-indenter system. The pusher and its associated servo-control circuitry were designed to generate a precise reciprocating horizontal motion at the indenter tip for implementing micro-scaled wear test. The information acquired from the test includes the wear loading curve, i.e., the normal applied load versus wear penetration depth, the friction force and in turn, the apparent wear friction coefficient. Acquiring the electrical resistance across the coating thickness is also possible if an electrical conducting indenter is utilized. Furthermore, in collaboration with the surface characterization tools, the wear morphology revealed useful information regarding the coating failure mechanism(s) and shed some light towards understanding coating tribology. The tester design concepts, operating procedure, data acquisition and analysis will be examined. Experimental results on ultra thin carbon coatings with various thicknesses will be employed to illustrate the capabilities of the microwear tester.
Experiential meeting system

We are developing experiential meeting systems to allow people to be tele-present in a remote meeting and to be able to review proceedings of a meeting or of several meetings using all the data recorded in a meeting. We consider this as a problem in management and experiential access to all multimedia data acquired in a meeting. The data includes video, audio, presentations, text material, databases and websites related to people and the discussions in the meeting, and any other data or information that could be obtained related to the events in the meeting. For experiential access to live and archived meetings, we propose detecting and storing events at three levels, domain, elemental, and data. We address issues in organizing information at domain level and using current signal processing algorithms for detecting events at data level. We show that to provide better specifications for processing algorithms for video and audio, it is essential to identify what is expected from them and define the environment and expectations very clearly. We also believe that while data processing algorithms are being developed for automatic detection of events, it may be essential to build tagging environments that will allow rapid semiautomatic tagging of data at all three levels so practical meeting systems could be implemented. Use of tagging environment is not only required to enable development of meeting systems in near future, but for defining environments for automatic detection of events in multifarious data. In this paper we present our ideas and experience with different techniques and outline our future directions.
Comparative hematology: Studies on chiroptera, Pteropus giganteous☆

Abstract 1. 1. Bat blood clotted slowly and showed prolonged (compared to human) activated partial thromboplastin (APTT) and thrombin times. The long APTT's appeared due to very low levels of factor XI and the long thrombin times to a heparin-like inhibitor. 2. 2. Platelets were small and numerous and aggregated promptly with ADP and collagen. The bat platelets did not aggregate with ristocetin nor did the plasma contain a ristocetin cofactor for human platelets. Ultrastructure appeared similar to that of human platelets. 3. 3. Erythrocytes were also small and numerous. They were biconcave, deeply dimpled disks. 4. 4. Protein electrophoresis on Panagel™ gave a pattern strikingly different from that of human serum.
A plume-triggered delamination origin for the Columbia River Basalt Group

The Columbia River Basalt Group reveals a complete and detailed stratigraphic succession to assess the interplay of lithospheric and asthenospheric processes. This record of chemical change through time is used to evaluate genetic models for Columbia River Basalt volcanism. We recognize four primary constraints on source melting: (1) a plume component appears to be the dominant source of Imnaha Basalt; (2) Grande Ronde Basalt is best interpreted as being derived from a mafic pyroxenite or eclogite source; (3) the sequence of source melting must correspond with the stratigraphic record; and (4) working models must explain a step-function chemical change at the Imnaha–Grande Ronde stratigraphic boundary. We can envision only three potential models to satisfy these primary constraints: (1) melting of a mantle plume entrained with eclogite, (2) plume interaction with the Juan de Fuca plate, and (3) delamination triggered by plume emplacement. The first two of these are inconsistent with the time-stratigraphic sequence of melting and cannot satisfy all four primary constraints. In contrast, a model of plume-triggered delamination accurately predicts a progressive sequence of melting that satisfies each of the primary constraints. Such a model is consistent with recent numerical experiments demonstrating that delamination is the expected result of plume emplacement beneath thin Mesozoic lithosphere lying adjacent to a thick cratonic boundary. We test this model by comparing the observed history of uplift and tectonism in eastern Oregon and adjacent Washington to that predicted by the numerical models to reveal consistent stress regimes and strikingly similar topographic and structural profiles.
Finite-element simulation and design of a high-extinction-ratio THz wire-grid polarizer

A THz wire grid polarizer was simulated, designed, and demonstrated. The polarizer consists of 40-micron periodic aluminum strips mounted on a polycarbonate substrate. Finite element numerical simulations were performed from 100 GHz to 550 GHz. The results of these simulations predicted that the transmission in perpendicular polarization would be much higher than that predicted by geometric optics, leading to a very high extinction ratio of ~ 60 dB at high fill factors (~ 90%). This behavior was qualitatively demonstrated in experiments between 100 and 530 GHz where extinction ratios exceeding 40 dB were achieved. These results are explained physically as an electromagnetic field concentration effect in the gaps characteristic of plasmonic-like behavior. The effect is strongly dependent on gap width and weakly dependent on frequency.