cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Plasmonic Devices for Fast Optoelectronics and Enhanced Raman Sensors

Strong light confinement on the scale comparable to that of electronics components is desirable for future optical interconnects in high-performance computing systems. It would also open up new possibilities for integrated sensors with much enhanced sensitivity and selectivity. The refraction index contrast provided by group IV and III–V materials becomes insufficient for that, and one has to use metals providing much larger contrast. The dynamics of free carriers in metals is plasma like, resulting in negative dielectric constant below the plasmon frequency, \( \varepsilon (\omega ) < 0 \). This brings us into the area of plasmonics and opens up a possibility to make negative index artificial electromagnetic structures (metamaterials, NIMs) with so-called magnetoplasmon resonances that will mimic the behavior of materials with negative permeability, \( \mu (\omega ) < 0 \), in some frequency range. We will describe various properties of NIMs and then turn over to modern Raman sensors providing single-molecule detection sensitivity. For surface-enhanced Raman probes, the achieved enhancement may reach in excess of 11 orders of magnitude, and we describe the method of pinching gold “nanofingers” to achieve this record enhancement reproducibly.
Septic Arthritis in Emergency Departments in the US: A National Study of Health Care Utilization and Time Trends

Objective To assess the health care utilization and emergency department (ED) charges for septic arthritis. Methods We performed a retrospective cohort study of ED visits with septic arthritis as the primary diagnosis using the US Nationwide Emergency Department Sample data from 2009-2012. We examined ED charges, hospitalization, and associated time trends. Multivariable models were adjusted for demographics (age, sex, insurance status, residence, and household income), comorbidity, and hospital characteristics to assess factors associated with ED charges and hospitalization. Results Septic arthritis was responsible for 16,382 ED visits in 2012 in the US, which constituted 0.01% of all ED visits. The number of ED visits was stable from 2009-2012. Total ED charges were $34.6, $30.6, and $36.9 million in 2009, 2010, and 2012, respectively, and mean ED charges were $2,149, $1,866, and $2,257, respectively. The majority of the patients with an ED visit for septic arthritis were hospitalized: 82%, 83%, and 84% in 2009, 2010, and 2012, respectively. Metropolitan residence and western US location were associated with higher ED charges, and the highest income quartile, renal failure, or osteoarthritis were associated with lower ED charges. Female sex, metropolitan residence, metropolitan teaching hospital status, and medical comorbidity (diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, coronary heart disease, gout, osteoarthritis, renal failure, and heart failure) were associated with a higher risk of hospitalization. Conclusion Comorbidities were associated with a higher risk of hospitalization after an ED visit for septic arthritis, but not higher ED charges. No time trends in ED visit incidence, ED charges, or hospitalization rate for septic arthritis from 2009-2012 were noted.
Special session — A framework for engineering student innovation that connects cognitive, psychological, and cultural aspects of learning

Engineering is inherently an innovative profession with design at the center of its core practices. Over the last decade, its importance for engineering students has heightened with the emergence of policy efforts and the rise of collegiate programs developed to support student innovation. Yet, research on how engineering students approach and experience innovation has been limited. During this special session, our goal is to present a framework for engineering student innovation along with research findings that informed the development of this framework. We will engage the audience in discussion of how this framework and related studies can inform teaching and student learning.
Iron Status of Vegetarian Adults: A Review of Literature:

The goal of this study was to review published data on iron status among vegetarian adults. Thirteen original articles met the inclusion criteria. Among female vegetarians, the percentage of the sample with ferritin <12 µg/L or <12 ng/mL ranged from 12% to 79%. An inadequate hemoglobin concentration ranged from 6% to 30.3%. Among males, the range of ferritin <12 µg/L across studies was from 1.7% to 29%. The prevalence of hemoglobin below deficiency cutoff ranged from 0% to 15.3%. A higher percentage of vegetarian females, compared to nonvegetarian participants, had ferritin below deficiency cutoff in all but one study (34% vs 0%, 47% vs 42%, 18% vs 13%, 27.8% vs 6.5% among Catholic nuns and 19.4% among college students, 79% Indian, and 56% Caucasian vegetarian vs 27% of nonvegetarian). Serum ferritin was lower in male vegetarians than male nonvegetarians in each study (11% among vegans and 21% among vegetarians compared to 6% and 7% among high and moderate meat consumers, 3% of vegetarians, and 25% vegans vs 0% of nonvegetarians, 29% vs 7%, 9% vs 0%). Vegetarians have a high prevalence of depleted iron stores. A higher proportion of vegetarians, compared to nonvegetarians, had iron deficiency anemia. This is especially true for premenopausal vegetarian women.
Various Cranial and Orbital Imaging Findings in Pediatric Abusive and Non-abusive Head trauma, and Relation to Outcomes.

Differentiating Abusive Head Trauma (AHT) from Non-abusive Head trauma (NAHT) has profound clinical prognostic and legal implications, as certain imaging findings can individually be more suggestive of NAHT, while others are more suggestive of AHT. This study was set out to evaluate for an association between the various imaging findings in AHT with outcome. Over 7-years, 55 children (age 0-4 years’) with head trauma and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were included as either: abusive (n = 16), non-abusive (n = 35), or indeterminate (n = 4). Two pediatric neuroradiologists jointly reviewed the imaging. The frequency of imaging findings and their association with ≥6 months’ outcome were calculated. Comparing abusive versus non-abusive head trauma, complex subdural hematoma was present in 81% (n = 13/16) and 29% (n = 10/35), hypoxic-ischemic injury in 44% (n = 7/16) and 6% (n = 2/35), and diffuse axonal injury in 12% (n = 2/16) and 26% (n = 9/35), respectively. Susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) retinal hemorrhages were absent in non-abusive trauma (0/35), but present in 44% (n = 7/16) of the abusive group. In abuse, simple subdural hematomas were absent. Significant associations were found between the presence of abusive trauma with both hypoxic ischemic insult (OR = 12.83, p = 0.0024) and complex subdural hematoma (OR = 10.83, p = 0.0007). The presence of hypoxic ischemic injury (HII) did correlate significantly with clinical outcome (p = 0.017), while retinal hemorrhages on SWI and complex subdural hematoma did not (p = 0.1696-p = 0.2496). Neuroimaging findings can be helpful in discriminating these two conditions on presentation, as well as in helping solidify the suspicion of AHT. Regarding eventual outcome in AHT, the most important predictor is clearly HII.
Risk-based assessment of aftershock and mainshock-aftershock seismic performance of reinforced concrete frames

Abstract The increase in seismic activity after a large-magnitude earthquake coupled with the reduction in the lateral load-carrying capacity of the affected structures presents a significant human and financial risk to communities. The focus of this paper is placed on quantifying the impact of both the elevated post-mainshock seismic hazard as well as the mainshock-induced structural damage on the seismic risk of three reinforced concrete moment frame structures. The seismic hazard due to sequential earthquakes is examined in both pre- and post-mainshock environments. The time-dependent nature of seismic hazard in the post-mainshock environment is accounted for through the adoption of a Markov risk assessment framework. In the post-mainshock environment, the seismic risk is examined as a function of the time elapsed since the mainshock’s occurrence while in the pre-mainshock environment, the risk is investigated during an assumed lifespan of 50 years for the studied structures. For the buildings and the high-seismicity site used in this study, both the increased post-mainshock seismic hazard as well as the reduction in the structural capacity are found to have a great influence on the seismic risk. The substantial contribution of aftershocks to the collapse risk in the pre-mainshock environment highlights the need for a design procedure that accounts for the additional seismic risk from aftershocks.
Separation of Parafollicular Cells from Thyroid Follicular Cells by Affinity Chromatography Using Thyroglobulin-Coupled Sepharose

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses a separation technique for separation of parafollicular cells from thyroid follicular cells by affinity chromatography using thyroglobulin-coupled sepharose. The thyroid parenchyma is comprised of two cell types: follicular and parafollicular cells. These cells are enmeshed in a highly vascularized connective tissue stroma that contains, in addition to the usual cellular and fibrous components, a large number of mast cells. Parafollicular cells produce, store, and secrete calcitonin. Parafollicular cells originate from the neural crest and, in a manner that is reminiscent of enteric neurons, associate with endodermally derived parenchymal cells and a mesenchymal stroma. The follicular and parafollicular cells do not differ very much in size. They are both approximately 10 μm in diameter at their widest point. In an experiment described in the chapter, it was found that follicular cells internalized the silica instead of resulting in a denser cell; the silica was toxic to the follicular cells and caused breakage of lysosomes and subsequent release of hydrolytic enzymes into the cytosol. An affinity column composed of thyroglobulin-coupled sepharose was successful in retarding the movement of TSH-stimulated follicular cells. Consequently, the ratio of parafollicular to follicular cells was considerably increased in certain fractions of the effluent, as were the concentration of 5-HT and the activity of SBP.
Towards Building Active Defense Systems for Software Applications

Over the last few years, cyber attacks have become increasingly sophisticated. PDF malware – a continuously effective method of attack due to the difficulty of classifying malicious files – is a popular target of study within the field of machine learning for cybersecurity. The obstacles to using machine learning are many: attack patterns change over time as attackers change their behavior (sometimes automatically), and application security systems are deployed in a highly resource-constrained environments, meaning that an accurate but time-consuming machine learning cannot be deployed.
Chromatin proteins are determinants of centromere function.

Recent advances in the identification of molecular components of centromeres have demonstrated a crucial role for chromatin proteins in determining both centromere identity and the stability of kinetochoremicrotubule attachments. Although we are far from a complete understanding of the establishment and propagation of centromeres, this review seeks to highlight the contribution of histones, histone deposition factors, histone modifying enzymes, and heterochromatin proteins to the assembly of this sophisticated, highly specialized chromatin structure. First, an overview of DNA sequence elements at centromeric regions will be presented. We will then discuss the contribution of chromatin to kinetochore function in budding yeast, and pericentric heterochromatin domains in other eukaryotic systems. We will conclude with discussion of specialized nucleosomes that direct kinetochore assembly and propagation of centromere- defining chromatin domains.
Mice and Elephants Visualization of Internet Traffic

Internet traffic is composed of flows, sets of packets being transferred from one computer to another. Some visualizations for understanding the set of flows at a busy internet link are developed. These show graphically that the set of flows is dominated by a relatively few “elephants”, and a very large number of “mice”. It also becomes clear that “representative sampling” from heavy tail distributions is a challenging task.
Family therapy and dialectical behavior therapy with adolescents: Part I: Proposing a clinical synthesis

Although the practice of family therapy in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) with multiproblem suicidal adolescents is common and generally indicated, a particular model has yet to be delineated with this age group. The purpose of this article is to propose a coherent clinical synthesis of the more individually oriented DBT strategies with a broader family-systems orientation that maintains the integrity of both theoretical approaches while addressing the treatment needs of adolescents and their families. First, the authors briefly review the literature. Second, they describe the core dialectic of DBT, balancing acceptance and change, and its relevance to family therapy. Finally, the authors propose several specific acceptance and change strategies useful when implementing DBT family therapy with multi-problem adolescents.
College Football Players Less Likely to Report Concussions and Other Injuries with Increased Injury Accumulation

Athletes sometimes choose not to report suspected concussions, risking delays in treatment and health consequences. How and why do athletes make these reporting decisions? Using original survey data from a cohort of college football players, we evaluate two assumptions of the current literature on injury reporting: first, that the probability of reporting a concussion or injury is constant over time; second, that athletes make reasoned deliberative decisions about whether to report their concussion or other injury. We find that athletes are much less likely to report a concussion to a medical professional than they are to report another injury (47% vs. 80%), but no association between reporting and a measure of athletes' ability to switch from fast, reactive thinking to reasoned, deliberative thinking. The likelihood of reporting decreases as the number of injuries and concussions increases, and no athlete reported more than four concussions. Sports medicine clinicians sometimes use four concussions as a time to discuss possibly curtailing sports participation, which may influence athletes' subsequent reporting behavior. Sports medicine clinicians may want to consider athlete injury history as a risk factor for concussion and injury under-reporting.
Microhabitat predicts species differences in exploratory behavior in Lake Malawi cichlids

Encountering and adaptively responding to unfamiliar or novel stimuli is a fundamental challenge facing animals and is linked to fitness. Behavioral responses to novel stimuli, or exploratory behavior, can differ strongly between closely related species; however, the ecological and evolutionary factors underlying these differences are not well understood, in part because most comparative investigations have focused on only two species. In this study, we investigate exploratory behavior across 23 species in a previously untested vertebrate system, Lake Malawi cichlid fishes, which comprises hundreds of phenotypically diverse species that have diverged in the past one million years. We investigate behavioral variation across species, across microhabitats, and across environmental contexts. We find strong species differences in behavior that are associated with microhabitat, demonstrate that intermediate microhabitats are associated with higher levels of exploratory behavior, show that patterns of behavioral covariation across contexts are characteristic of modular complex traits, and contrast Malawi cichlid data with behavioral data from selectively bred high- and low-exploratory zebrafish. Taken together, our results tie ecology to species differences in behavior, and highlight Lake Malawi cichlids as a powerful system for understanding the evolution, ecology, and biology of natural behavioral variation.
A Clinical Approach to Diffusion-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Evaluating Chest Wall Invasion of Breast Tumors.

Objective The purpose of this study is to evaluate diffusion weighted magnetic rsonance imaging (MRI) acquisitions in delineating posterior extent of breast tumors and in predicting chest wall invasion prior to treatment. To our knowledge, there has not been any literature specifically evaluating the utility of diffusion-weighted acquisitions in chest wall invasion of breast tumors. Materials and methods A retrospective review of our breast imaging database for keywords "chest wall invasion" and "breast MRI" was performed over the last 14 years. Diffusion sequences, T1 sequences (pre and post contrast), and T2 sequences were evaluated. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values in tumor and chest wall were assessed. Imaging findings were correlated with surgical pathology. Results 23 patients met inclusion criteria. All 23 had loss of fat plane on T2 sequences. 22/23 had loss of fat plane on postcontrast T1 sequences. Pectoralis muscle enhancement was present in 19/23 (83%) tumors and chest wall enhancement was present 9/23 (39%) tumors. Qualitative restricted diffusion within the pectoralis muscle was present in 18/23 (71%) tumors and in the chest wall was present in 8/23 (35%) tumors. Mean ADC values were 1.15 s/mm2 in the tumor and 1.29 s/mm2 in the chest wall. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 100%, 36%, 63%, and 100% for chest wall enhancement respectively and 69%, 36%, 61%, and 80% for chest wall diffusion-weighted imaging restriction respectively. Conclusion Diffusion weighted sequences can be helpful in characterizing chest wall invasion of breast tumors.
The effects of load weight and load starting height on variability of lifting kinematics and kinetics

Abstract Trunk kinematic variables have been used to understand the risk of low back injuries in the workplace. Variability in the trunk kinematics as an individual performs a repetitive lifting task is an underexplored area of research. In the current study, it was hypothesized that workplace variables (starting height of lift and load weight) would have an impact on the variance in the kinematic and kinetic variables. Twenty participants performed 60 repetitions of an asymmetric lifting task under four different conditions representing two levels of load weight (5% or 10% of the participant's body weight) and two levels of starting height (80% or 120% of the participant's knee height). The Lumbar Motion Monitor was used to capture trunk kinematic variables from the concentric range of lifting motion while ground reaction forces were collected using a force platform. The primary dependent variables were the variance of kinematic and kinetic variables across these 60 repetitions. The results showed a significant effect of starting height on the variance of sagittal plane trunk kinematics with the lower starting height generating an increased variance (sagittal range of motion increased by 55%, average sagittal velocity increased by 95%, peak sagittal velocity increased by 105%, and peak sagittal acceleration increased by 130%). There was no consistent significant main effect of either independent variable on the variance of the transverse plane kinematics. Additionally, there was no significant effect of load weight on the variance of any trunk kinematic variables tested. In terms of ground reaction forces, it was shown that the starting height of the load had a significant effect on the variance of peak vertical ground reaction force, while the weight of the load had a significant effect on the variance of the peak shear force.
Limits to Credit-Induced Growth at the Base of the Pyramid: Lessons from Global Microfinance

We examine the recent expansion of a global market for investment in the microfinance industry as a natural experiment to explore the long-term impact of credit as a tool to fuel firm-level growth ...
Government by Contract and the Structural Constitution

Although private parties have performed government functions throughout most of Western history, mainstream administrative law scholarship is dotted with concerns over the extent to which modern federal government activities are outsourced to private contractors. Federal contractors routinely exercise authority that is classically “executive” in nature. They write regulations, interpret laws, administer foreign aid, manage nuclear weapons sites and intelligence operations, interrogate detainees, control borders, design surveillance systems, and provide military support in combat zones. Administrative law places few constraints on private contractors, and prevailing constitutional principles — the state action and private delegation doctrines, in particular — are either inept at holding private contractors to constitutional norms or utterly moribund. A common theme that appears in the vast literature on privatization, therefore, is accountability. There is no recognized constitutional theory that meaningfully prohibits Congress or the President from transferring significant amounts of discretionary governmental power to wholly private entities that operate beyond the purview of the Constitution, and there is relatively sparse scholarly analysis of the subject. This Article searches for a constitutional principle that could be employed to address hypothetical outsourcing arrangements that go too far for the American appetite. In that pursuit, it looks to the law governing independent agencies as a natural starting point for evaluating the propriety of outsourcing relationships from the standpoint of the structural Constitution. It then introduces two ideas with an eye toward sparking fresh thinking about the constitutionality of privatization: first, the notion that all actors exercising federal government power should be viewed along a constitutional continuum and not as occupying separate private/public spheres; and, second, that a democratic accountability principle may be derived from the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Free Enterprise Fund v. Public Co. Accounting Oversight Board, as a constitutional hook for addressing government-by-contract gone awry.
The relationship between externalizing behavior and school and familial attachments among girls from diverse backgrounds

Abstract Externalizing behavior is a high-risk factor for future justice involvement, and a strong predictor of recidivism among juvenile justice involved youth. Travis Hirschi's social bonding theory suggests that adolescents who are strongly bonded to socialization agents are less likely to engage in delinquent behaviors. Bonding is particularly important among girls given the high importance of bonding to their positive development. Guided by the premise of the social bonding theory, this study used secondary data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study to assess the relationship between parental and school bonding, and externalizing behavior among girls. This study also assessed the differences among girls regarding race, given the racial disparities in juvenile justice involvement among girls. The results from the hierarchical multiple regression analysis (n = 1678) displayed the significance of suspension/expulsion, parental attachment, and school belongingness in predicting externalizing behavior. Further exploration will offer social workers, educators, policymakers, researchers, and other stakeholders information to guide their prevention and intervention efforts with girls who display externalizing behavior, but also a better understanding of the factors that can help prevent juvenile justice involvement among girls.
EXPLORING THE RURAL DIGITAL LANDSCAPE: LIBRARIES, EQUITY, AND SCALE

As community anchors and public spaces, libraries are in unique positions to serve emerging 21st century information needs for the unconnected. Some libraries have extended their technology offerings beyond basic computers and Internet to include mobile hotspot lending, which allows patrons to "take home" the Internet from the library. The research in this project examines hotspot lending programs undertaken by the Maine State Library and the Kansas State Library across 24 different libraries in small and rural communities. In the United States, rural areas tend to have lower Internet adoption because many communities face considerable barriers to competitive and fast Internet service, exacerbated by the fact that rural communities tend to be older, of lower-income, and less digitally skilled. This research examines the role of library hotspot lending and how free and mobile-based Internet connects rural communities and serves their information needs. Through qualitative and quantitative assessments this research details the scope and efficacy of programs to reach publics, the impact that rural hotspots have in communities, and the larger information and communications ecosystem in these rural communities in Maine and Kansas.
Acoustic Imaging for Materials Characterization

Ultrasonic scanning and array imaging of the subsurface materials features is commonly used for nondestructive evaluation (NDE) and nondestructive materials characterization (NDC). Formation and interpretation of the ultrasonic scan images is often complex and hidden process involving signal processing and wave propagation issues. The signal propagation time and acoustical signal loss are utilized to develop acoustical image maps of a material. In modern composites and in multi-layer complex structures, the image presentation and data interpretation is dependent on proper acoustical signal analysis and processing. Frequency dependent attenuation and sound path distortion due to material in-homogeneity directly influence imaging process. Furthermore, different scanning transducer types render different acoustical information and imaging fidelity (1,2). This paper reviews historical development of acoustical imaging such as C-scan and evolution of conventional immersion and contact ultrasonic imaging methods.
Caminos alternativos a la teoría monetaria moderna

This article clarifies the meaning of modern monetary theory. While synthesizing four paths that lead to this theory and its conclusions - the paths of history, logic, theory and practice - it questions some of the objections that its critics have made.
Chronic kidney disease unawareness and determinants using 1999-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Data.

Background Although chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects 15% of the United States (US) population, Methods Data from the 1999-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were used (n = 38 474); response rate > 70%. CKD self-report and lab-confirmed CKD were used to assess CKD unawareness. Adjusted logistic regression models examined association between unawareness and patient characteristics. Results In individuals with lab-confirmed CKD (n = 7137, 14.3%), 91.5% answered 'no' to self-report question; in those without CKD, 1.1% answered 'yes' to self-report question. In those with lab-confirmed CKD, in the adjusted models, increased age [odds ratio (ORs), 1.03 (95%CI, 1.02-1.04)] and female sex [OR, 1.37 (95%CI, 1.08-1.72)] were statistically significantly associated with greater odds of being unaware of CKD. Conclusion These findings demonstrated high unawareness of disease status as there was a discrepancy between respondents' self-reported CKD diagnosis and lab-confirmed CKD. Older individuals and women may be more unaware of their CKD; these groups should be queried about reasons for increased unawareness.
Abstract 16239: Skeletal Muscle Mass Recovery Early After Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation in Patients With Advanced Systolic Heart Failure

Introduction: Patients with advanced systolic heart failure (HF) are at risk of unintentional weight loss and muscle wasting. It has been observed that left ventricular assist device (LVAD) recipie...
Repercussions of Mortgage Foreclosure: Loss of Place Attachment, Adult Roles, and Trust

Clients coping with mortgage foreclosure suffer from multiple losses, including the loss of placement attachment, neighborhood, and trust in organizations. These losses can result in depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and complicated grief. Counselors can enhance treatment by integrating organizational role and attachment theory.
Bundle branch block: Demonstration of the incomplete nature of some “complete” bundle branch and fascicular blocks by the extrastimulus technique

Abstract The incomplete nature of some electrocardiographic “complete” bundle branch and fasclcular blocks is demonstrated using the atrial extrastimulus technique. Patient 1, with a QRS pattern of “complete” left bundle branch block, manifested a QRS pattern of right bundle branch block at a shorter coupling interval, indicating that the left bundle could conduct. Patient 2, with a QRS pattern of right bundle branch block and “complete” left anterior hemiblock, manifested a pattern of left posterior hemiblock at a shorter coupling interval, indicating that the left anterior fascicle could conduct. Patient 3, with a normal QRS complex, showed left bundle branch block at shorter coupling intervals and then a pattern of right bundle branch block as the coupling interval was further decreased, indicating that functional left bundle branch block was incomplete. This demonstration of partial bundle branch block depends on a discordance of conduction time and refractory period, the bundle or fascicle with depressed conduction (incomplete block) having a shorter refractory period than the more normally conducting bundle or fascicle. This discordance may be related to the development of trifascicular block in patients with bifascicular block and a normal H-V interval. It is a predisposing factor in the complex patterns of aberrant conduction seen during supraventricular tachyarrhythmias with varying cycle lengths.
I-cell disease (mucolipidosis II): a lysosomopathy.

Although children with I-cell disease resemble children with the Hurler syndrome, the course of I-cell disease is shorter, the roentgenological changes are more profound, and the biochemical lesion is different. Observations in two children who died of I-cell disease are added to the 16 cases that have been reported.
Orientation illusions and heart-rate changes during short-radius centrifugation

Intermittent short-radius centrifugation is a promising countermeasure against the adverse effects of prolonged weightlessness. To assess the feasibility of this countermeasure, we need to understand the disturbing sensory effects that accompany some movements carried out during rotation. We tested 20 subjects who executed yaw and pitch head movements while rotating at constant angular velocity. They were supine with their main body axis perpendicular to earth gravity. The head was placed at the centrifuge's axis of rotation. Head movements produced a transient elevation of heart-rate. All observers reported head-contingent sensations of body tilt although their bodies remained supine. Mostly, the subjective sensations conform to a model based on semicircular canal responses to angular acceleration. However, some surprising deviations from the model were found. Also, large inter-individual differences in direction, magnitude, and quality of the illusory body tilt were observed. The results have implications for subject screening and prediction of subjective tolerance for centrifugation.
Syracuse research corporation's chemical information databases: extraction and compilation of data related to environmental fate and exposure.

Abstract Some types of data useful in the study and assessment of a chemical's environmental fate and toxicity are physical and chemical properties, degradation tests, monitoring data, field studies, toxicology and carcinogenesis studies, and regulatory information. Syracuse Research Corporation produces and maintains several databases relating to this field, including the Environmental Fate Database (EFDB), PHYSPROP (physical properties database), TSCATS (test submissions under the Toxic Substances and Control Act), SOLVDB (solvents database), SMILECAS (Simplified Molecular Input Line Entry System notations database), Chemical Pointers (pointers to databases and regulatory lists), and Global Warming Potentials. This article describes the structure, content, characteristics and development of the databases.
Genotype Sequence Segmentation: Handling Constraints and Noise

Recombination plays an important role in shaping the genetic variations present in current-day populations. We consider populations evolved from a small number of founders, where each individual's genomic sequence is composed of segments from the founders. We study the problem of segmenting the genotype sequences into the minimum number of segments attributable to the founder sequences. The minimum segmentation can be used for inferring the relationship among sequences to identify the genetic basis of traits, which is important for disease association studies. We propose two dynamic programming algorithms which can solve the minimum segmentation problem in polynomial time. Our algorithms incorporate biological constraints to greatly reduce the computation, and guarantee that only minimum segmentation solutions with comparable numbers of segments on both haplotypes of the genotype sequence are computed. Our algorithms can also work on noisy data including genotyping errors, point mutations, gene conversions, and missing values.
Superconductivity in PrBa2Cu3O7: Implications

PrBa2Cu3O7 (Pr123) is an intrinsic superconductor with Tc ≈ 90 K, as predicted and as recently confirmed by several groups who have synthesized superconducting material under conditions that minimize the number of PrBa defects. Based on evidence that the defect responsible for the failure of ordinary Pr123 to superconduct is PrBa, the cuprate-plane picture of high-temperature superconductivity must be revised.
Multiple β-Ketothiolases Mediate Poly(β-Hydroxyalkanoate) Copolymer Synthesis in Ralstonia eutropha

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are a class of carbon and energy storage polymers produced by numerous bacteria in response to environmental limitation. The type of polymer produced depends on the carbon sources available, the flexibility of the organism’s intermediary metabolism, and the substrate specificity of the PHA biosynthetic enzymes. Ralstonia eutropha produces both the homopolymer poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) and, when provided with the appropriate substrate, the copolymer poly(β-hydroxybutyrate-co-β-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV). A required step in production of the hydroxyvalerate moiety of PHBV is the condensation of acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) and propionyl-CoA to form β-ketovaleryl-CoA. This activity has generally been attributed to the β-ketothiolase encoded by R. eutropha phbA. However, we have determined that PhbA does not significantly contribute to catalyzing this condensation reaction. Here we report the cloning and genetic analysis of bktB, which encodes a β-ketothiolase from R. eutropha that is capable of forming β-ketovaleryl-CoA. Genetic analyses determined that BktB is the primary condensation enzyme leading to production of β-hydroxyvalerate derived from propionyl-CoA. We also report an additional β-ketothiolase, designated BktC, that probably serves as a secondary route toward β-hydroxyvalerate production.
Gradient elution moving boundary electrophoresis with channel current detection in relatively long capillaries

A variant of gradient elution moving boundary electrophoresis with channel current detection is described, which uses relatively long channels (1.5 cm) for separation and detection. The signal for each analyte is determined to have the shape of a parabola ending with a break in slope. The capabilities of the new method are demonstrated for separation and quantitation of ATP and ADP, a measurement relevant for high-throughput screening assays. The results indicate that the new method is capable of reproducibly measuring the ratio of ADP concentration to ATP plus ADP concentration with an analysis time of less than 2 min and with a 1 SD uncertainty of 0.018 (over a range of 0-1).
Characterization of x-ray framing cameras for use in inertial confinement fusion and radiation hydrodynamics experiments

We describe a gated microchannel plate (MCP) based Quantitative X-ray Imager (QXI) developed by Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and measure some of its performance characteristics. Such imagers use propagating electrical pulses along microstrips on the MCP to quickly gate on and off portions of the strip and hence provide fast framing capability (typically 100 ps frames with up to 1 ns time coverage). Three issues have been quantitatively studied using the QXI and another similar but older LANL gated x-ray framing camera, the GXI-T: QXI pulse shapes generated by its pulse-forming modules: GXI-T optical pulse widths as a function of incident UV energy on the microchannel plate: and the modulation transfer function (MTF) of the QXI intensifier.
Dynamics of a two dimensional diatomic molecular monolayer — A molecular dynamics study

Abstract The acoustic phonons in a diatomic molecular monolayer have been studied below and above the ferroelastic phase transition temperature by both constant pressure molecular dynamics (MD) and quasi-harmonic lattice dynamics. Time dependent correlation functions and dynamic structure factors obtained in the MD simulations are given. Phonon dispersion relations along different symmetry directions are presented. Softening of phonon frequencies near the phase transition is discussed.
Optimizing and Controlling the Radiation Hardness of a Si-Gate CMOS Process

A quick-turnaround technique is presented for optimizing the radiation hardness of parts produced by a Si-gate CMOS process. The technique involves (1) fabricating MOS capacitors on control wafers that can be "pulled" at different stages during the fabrication process, and (2) defining "hardness" in terms of the amount of radiation-induced charge. We demonstrate the use of this technique in monitoring radiation hardness before and after key process steps, as well as in determining the cumulative effects of many process steps on hardness. It is shown that the optimum temperature for gate oxidation in dry O2 is 1000°C for both Al- and Si-gate technologies. In addition, In-Source evaporated Al is a preferred process step over sputtered Al deposition for an Al-gate technology. By choosing process steps that optimize hardness, the hardness of parts fabricated using a Si-gate CMOS process can be increased by over an order of magnitude. Finally, we report a different electric field dependence for the buildup of interface states in Alversus Si-gate technologies.
Medical students' attitudes toward radiology: Comparison of matriculating and graduating students

Rationale and Objectives: To determine graduating medical students' perceptions of radiology and to document changes in their perceptions since they entered medical school. Materials and Methods: A survey questionnaire was distributed to 213 graduating students. Questions were similar to those answered by the same group of students as they entered medical school nearly 4 years earlier. Results: The survey was anonymously completed by 140 students. Seventy percent of students changed their choice of medical specialty since entering medical school. Factors with a major or important influence on specialty choice included intellectual excitement (96%), high patient contact (86%), opportunity for a good family life (72%), and regular hours (57%). Radiology was perceived to be a well-paid (89%), “high-tech” (86%) specialty with a healthy lifestyle (82%), regular hours (99%), and good family life (92%), but it was not perceived to offer high patient contact (1%) and was intellectually exciting to only 33% of students. This perception was unchanged from freshman year. Conclusions: This 4-year longitudinal study of a medical student class documents surprisingly little change in the perception of radiology throughout medical school. High patient contact and intellectual excitement, both factors of major or important influence on specialty choice, were thought to be lacking in radiology.
Protected (fluoroaryl)borates as effective counteranions for cationic metallocene polymerization catalysts

The functionalized (fluoroaryl)borate salts Ph{sub 3}C{sup +}B(C{sub 6}F{sub 4}TBS){sub 4}{sup -} and Ph{sub 3}C{sup +}B(C{sub 6}F{sub 4}TBS){sub 4}{sup -} and (TBS - {sup t}BuMe{sub 2}Si; TIPS = {sup i}Pr{sub 3}Si) are prepared in three steps from 1,4-HC{sub 6}F{sub 4}Br. Reaction with zirconocene dimethyls yields crystalline, thermally stable, soluble L{sub 2}ZrCH{sub 3}{sup +}B(C{sub 6}F{sub 4}SiR{sub 3}){sub 4}{sup -} and L{sub 2}{sup -}ZrH{sup +}(C{sub 6}F{sub 4}SiR{sub 3}){sub 4}{sup -} salts (L = {eta}{sup 5}-C{sub 5}H{sub 5}; {eta}{sup 5}-1,2-Me{sub 2}C{sub 5}H{sub 3}; L{sup +} = {eta}{sup 5}-Me{sub 5}C{sub 5}) which function as highly active ethylene polymerization catalysts. 16 refs., 1 tab.
Hygiene and health in developing countries: defining priorities through cost?-?benefit assessments

Presented here are the four preliminary conclusions in the assessment of health and hygiene in developing countries: (a) child mortality, and disease burden associated with hygiene, water and sanitation in the developing and the developed regions of the world, has declined substantially in the past two decades, but substantial inter-regional and cross-country differences persist; (b) while child mortality and disease burdens decline with higher income levels, a substantial number of countries have been performing far better in reducing child mortality and disease burdens than their income levels would indicate, suggesting that active policy and investment interventions can yield significant health improvements without necessarily jeopardising economic growth; (c) despite the evidence of the role of water and sanitation services in reducing mortality and morbidity, service coverage at the country level has not increased as much as one may have expected in the past decade, in part because of the substantial resource requirements; (d) the paper will provide some new perspectives and evidence on the cost-effectiveness of interventions to reduce the disease burden of poor water and sanitation services and inadequate hygiene practices, in particular with regard to economic evaluation and in reference to hygiene programmes.
Similarity, Network Convergence, and Availability of Emotional Support as Predictors of Strong-Tie/Weak-Tie Support Network Preference on Facebook

This study examined predictors of strong-tie/weak-tie support network preference within a social networking site (Facebook) in a survey of 274 undergraduate students. The study focused on perceived similarity, network convergence, and availability of emotional support as predictors of strong-tie/weak-tie online support network preference. In general, the findings indicated that increases in similarity, network convergence, and availability of emotional support predicted increases in strong-tie support preferences while decreases in these variables created increases in weak-tie support preferences. The theoretical implications of the findings for social support within strong-tie/weak-tie networks as well as study limitations are discussed.
Implementing computerized physician order entry: the importance of special people

Objective: To articulate important lessons learned during a study to identify success factors for implementing computerized physician order entry (CPOE) in inpatient and outpatient settings. Design: Qualitative study by a multidisciplinary team using data from observation, focus groups, and both formal and informal interviews. Data were analyzed using a grounded approach to develop a taxonomy of patterns and themes from the transcripts and field notes. Results: The theme we call Special People is explored here in detail. A taxonomy of types of Special People includes administrative leaders, clinical leaders (champions, opinion leaders, and curmudgeons), and bridgers or support staff who interface directly with users. Conclusion: The recognition and nurturing of Special People should be among the highest priorities of those implementing computerized physician order entry. Their education and training must be a goal of teaching programs in health administration and medical informatics.
Spectrum of dysautonomia in mitral valvular prolapse

Abstract purpose: Symptoms suggesting altered autonomic regulation of cardiovascular function have been noted in some patients with mitral valvular prolapse (MVP) but may also occur in patients with other disorders. We evaluated cardiovascular responses to autonomic stimuli in 118 patients with symptoms of dysautonomia, 78 of whom had MVP, and 40 of whom did not, to determine if unique patterns of these responses distinguished patients in one symptomatic subgroup from another. subjects and methods: The responses of patients to standing, quantitated Valsalva maneuver, facial immersion in ice water, and administration of isoproterenol, phenylephrine, and tyramine were compared with those in 12 asymptomatic patients with MVP and 23 normal volunteers. results: Constitutional, cardiovascular, and neuropsychiatric symptoms occurred with similar frequency in the two symptomatic patient groups. The most common pattern of abnormal responses in symptomatic patients with or without MVP was (1) an increased heart rate and elevated plasma norepinephrine levels while supine and then while standing quietly for five minutes, (2) an exaggerated increase in heart rate during phase II of Valsalva, (3) a diminished bradycardic response during phase IV of Valsalva, and (4) an exaggerated heart rate response to administration of isoproterenol. The increased heart rate during Valsalva, but not the exaggerated sensitivity to isoproterenol, was correlated with the magnitude of the chronotropic response to standing only in symptomatic patients with MVP. Exaggerated hypertensive overshoot during phase IV of Valsalva was observed in only a few symptomatic patients. No consistent pattern of these abnormalities, however, was noted in any of the patient subgroups. Hemodynamic responses to autonomic stimuli in asymptomatic MVP patients were generally indistinguishable from those observed in normal subjects. conclusion: These findings suggest that abnormal cardiovascular responses to autonomic stimuli may occur in any patient with symptoms of dysautonomia regardless of the presence or absence of MVP and that the pattern of these abnormal responses may be diverse. It is therefore important to characterize the pattern of altered autonomic regulation of cardiovascular function in each patient when considering mechanistic implications or making therapeutic decisions about these patients.
Estimation of three-phase relative permeabilities

Starting from the statistical structural model of Alemanet al. (1988), we have developed an alternative to Stone's (1970, 1973; Aziz and Settari, 1979) methods for estimating steady-state, three-phase relative permeabilities from two sets of steady-state, two-phase relative permeabilities. Our result reduces to Stone's (1970; Aziz and Settari, 1979) first method, when the steady-state, two-phase relative permeability of the intermediate-wetting phase with respect to either the wetting phase or the nonwetting phase is a linear function of the saturation of the intermediate-wetting phase. As the curvature of either of these relative permeability functions increases, the deviation of our result from Stone's (1970; Aziz and Settari, 1979) first method increases. Currently, there are no data available that are sufficiently complete to form the basis of a comparison between our result and either of the methods of Stone (1970, 1973; Aziz and Settari, 1979).