cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mathematical aspects of 2D PET using dual curvilinear detectors

In this work we investigate the problem of inverting data acquired from finite-length curvilinear detectors in the 2D case. In our previous modeling of the forward problem we dealt with explicit formulas for the elements of system and Gram matrices involved in 2D and 3D algebraic reconstruction from planograms. In this paper we continue our efforts to model curvilinear panel detectors, from the discrete algebraic approach with huge Gram matrices arising in practical 3D PET situations to more compact and fast representation in terms of integral operators. Integral equations for a single pair of curvilinear detectors taking into account the finite length of the detectors are derived. As first application of our theoretical results, fast filtered backprojection-like algorithm based on the Hilbert transform is proposed. Test numerical experiments are presented.
The two-dimensional turbulent wall-jet

With the aid of a hot-wire anemometer, the mean velocity distribution of the incompressible, turbulent, plane wall-jet has been examined in some detail. As previously reported, this fully developed boundary layer belongs to the class of self-preserving flows. Over the entire range of experimental conditions, a single velocity scale , the Boussinesq exchange coefficient e, and the shear stress at the wall have been evaluated. The Reynolds number based on the maximum velocity and the thickness of the boundary layer varied from 22,000 to 106,000.
Crystallization of MgO-Al2O3-SiO2-ZrO2 glasses

The crystallization of MgO-Al2O3-SiO2-ZrO2 glasses at 1000°C was studied. Isothermal heat treatments of a cordierite-based glass (2MgO.2Al2O3.5SiO2= Mg2Al4Si5O18) with 7 wt% ZrO2 produced surface crystallization of α-cordierite and tetragonal ZrO2 (t-ZrO2). These phases advanced into the glass by cocrystallization of t-ZrO2 rods in an α-cordierite matrix with a well-defined orientation relation. The t-ZrO2 rods were unstable with respect to diffusional breakup (a Rayleigh instability) and decomposed into rows of aligned ellipsoidal and spheroidal particles. The t-ZrO2 was very resistant to transformation to monoclinic symmetry. With a similar glass containing 15 wt% ZrO2, surface crystallization of α-cordierite and t-ZrO2 was accompanied by internal crystallization of t-ZrO2 dendrites. Transformation of the dendrites to mono-clinic symmetry was observed under some conditions.
Design and provisioning of WDM networks with multicast traffic grooming

In this paper we consider the optimal design and provisioning of WDM networks for the grooming of multicast subwavelength traffic. We develop a unified framework for the optimal provisioning of different practical scenarios of multicast traffic grooming. We also introduce heuristic solutions. Optimal solutions are designed by exploiting the specifies of the problems to formulate Mixed Integer Linear Programs (MILPs). Specifically, we solve the generic multicast problem in which, given a set of multicast sessions and all destination nodes of a multicast session requiring the same amount of traffic, all demands need to be accommodated. The objective is to minimize the network cost by minimizing the number of higher layer electronic equipment and, simultaneously, minimizing the total number of wavelengths used. We also solve two interesting and practical variants of the traditional multicast problem, namely, multicasting with partial destination set reachability and multicasting with traffic thinning. For both variants, we also provide optimal as well as heuristic solutions. Also, the paper presents a number of examples based on the exact and heuristic approaches
Application of an Empiric Bayesian Data Mining Algorithm to Reports of Pancreatitis Associated with Atypical Antipsychotics

Study Objective. To compare the results from one frequently cited data mining algorithm with those from a study which was published in a peer-reviewed journal, that examined the association of pancreatitis with selected atypical antipsychotics observed by traditional rule-based methods of signal detection. Design. Retrospective pharmacovigilance study. Intervention. The widely studied data mining algorithm known as the Multi-item Gamma Poisson Shrinker (MGPS) was applied to adverse-event reports from the United States Food and Drug Administration's Adverse Event Reporting System database through the first quarter of 2003 for clozapine, olanzapine, and risperidone to determine if a significant signal of pancreatitis would have been generated by this method in advance of their review or the addition of these events to the respective product labels. Measurements and Main Results. Data mining was performed by using nine preferred terms relevant to drug-induced pancreatitis from the Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities (MedDRA). Results from a previous study on the antipsychotics were reviewed and analyzed. Physicians' Desk References (PDRs) starting from 1994 were manually reviewed to determine the first year that pancreatitis was listed as an adverse event in the product label for each antipsychotic. This information was used as a surrogate marker of the timing of initial signal detection by traditional criteria. Pancreatitis was listed as an adverse event in a PDR for all three atypical antipsychotics. Despite the presence of up to 88 reports/drug-event combination in the Food and Drug Administration's Adverse Event Reporting System database, the MGPS failed to generate a signal of disproportional reporting of pancreatitis associated with the three antipsychotics despite the signaling of these drug-event combinations by traditional rule-based methods, as reflected in product labeling and/or the literature. These discordant findings illustrate key principles in the application of data mining algorithms to drug safety surveillance. Conclusion. The optimal place of data mining algorithms in the pharmacovigilance tool kit remains to be determined, requires consideration of numerous factors that may affect their performance, and is highly situation dependent.
Small Molecule Disruption of Gβγ Signaling Inhibits the Progression of Heart Failure

Rationale:Excess signaling through cardiac Gβγ subunits is an important component of heart failure (HF) pathophysiology. They recruit elevated levels of cytosolic G protein–coupled receptor kinase (GRK)2 to agonist-stimulated β-adrenergic receptors (β-ARs) in HF, leading to chronic β-AR desensitization and downregulation; these events are all hallmarks of HF. Previous data suggested that inhibiting Gβγ signaling and its interaction with GRK2 could be of therapeutic value in HF. Objective:We sought to investigate small molecule Gβγ inhibition in HF. Methods and Results:We recently described novel small molecule Gβγ inhibitors that selectively block Gβγ-binding interactions, including M119 and its highly related analog, gallein. These compounds blocked interaction of Gβγ and GRK2 in vitro and in HL60 cells. Here, we show they reduced β-AR–mediated membrane recruitment of GRK2 in isolated adult mouse cardiomyocytes. Furthermore, M119 enhanced both adenylyl cyclase activity and cardiomyocyte contractility in ...
Self-Forming Acts and the Grounds of Responsibility

Robert Kane has for many years claimed that in our underivatively free actions, what he calls “self-forming acts”(SFAs), we actually try to do both of the two acts we are contemplating doing and then we ultimately end up doing only one of them. This idea of dual willings/efforts was put forward in an attempt to solve luck problems, but Randolph Clarke and Alfred Mele argue that for this to work agents must, then, freely engage in the dual efforts leading up to their SFAs. In response, Kane has said they do so freely by meeting compatibilist criteria of freedom. In Free Will and Luck (2006), Mele argues that this move is deeply problematic. In this essay, I defend Kane's position. In doing so, I clarify important differences between the SFAs of adults and those of young children, making more clear the connections between SFAs, character, and responsibility.
OSU-HDAC42, a Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor, Blocks Prostate Tumor Progression in the Transgenic Adenocarcinoma of the Mouse Prostate Model

Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors suppress tumor cell growth via a broad spectrum of mechanisms, which should prove advantageous in the context of cancer prevention. Here, we examined the effect of dietary administration of OSU-HDAC42, a novel HDAC inhibitor, on prostate tumor progression in the transgenic adenocarcinoma of the mouse prostate (TRAMP) model. Based on a series of pilot studies, an AIN-76A diet was formulated containing 208 ppm OSU-HDAC42, which was estimated to deliver ∼25 mg/kg of drug per day to each mouse and found to cause a suppression of PC-3 xenograft tumor growth equivalent to that achieved by gavage administration of a similar dose. At 6 weeks of age, TRAMP mice received this drug-containing or control diet for 4 or 18 weeks and were evaluated for prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) and carcinoma development, respectively. OSU-HDAC42 not only decreased the severity of PIN and completely prevented its progression to poorly differentiated carcinoma (74% incidence in controls versus none in drug-treated mice), but also shifted tumorigenesis to a more differentiated phenotype, suppressing absolute and relative urogenital tract weights by 86% and 85%, respectively, at 24 weeks of age. This tumor suppression was associated with the modulation of intraprostatic biomarkers, including those indicative of HDAC inhibition, increased apoptosis and differentiation, and decreased proliferation. With the exception of completely reversible hematologic alterations and testicular degeneration, no significant changes in body weight or other indicators of general health were observed in drug-treated mice. These results suggest that OSU-HDAC42 has value in prostate cancer prevention. [Cancer Res 2008;68(10):3999–4009]
Towards Next Generation LRFD Extreme Event Design Limit States

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) Specification for bridges has its strength design limit state formulated and fully calibrated using the reliability-based approach. The extreme event design limit states, however, are constructed by combining the non-extreme load effects with the independently established extreme hazard load effects through professional judgment. Its margin of safety and adequacy could not be assessed quantitatively. A research project sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has been carried out to explore principles and approaches for establishing multiple-hazard (MH)-LRFD based on the established rationale and reliability-based methodology of the AASHTO LRFD. An analytical framework has been established to consider the non-extreme and extreme loads on a common reliability-based platform. This paper will describe the formulation of specific extreme event design limit state (e.g. the limit state for non-extreme load with the earthquake load effects) by using the all-hazard, reliability-based approach. Future challenges towards the development of a comprehensive MH-LRFD will be described.
Fight or Flight: Parental Decisions about Predators at Nests of Northern Bobwhites (Colinus virginianus)

Abstract. Patterns of nest defense against predators by ground-nesting bird species in the wild are poorly understood, largely because of a historical inability to directly monitor nests. Most nest-defense studies have observed responses elicited from artificial predators or human observers presented to nesting birds, and few have attempted to present these events in the context of predator—prey relationships found in the wild. We hypothesized that predator threat level (e.g., the threat posed to the clutch or to the clutch and the attending adult), parental characteristics, clutch investment, and future reproductive opportunities would influence avian nest-defense decisions. During 1999–2006, we examined predation events (n = 242) from 790 video-monitored Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) nests. We evaluated parental, predator, daily, and seasonal correlates that potentially contributed to patterns of nest defense by Northern Bobwhites using a model selection approach. The top model showed that nes...
Value of Rapid Diagnosis of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection on Management of Small Infants

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common cause of infection in infancy and early childhood. A presumptive diagnosis of RSV infection can frequently be made on clinical grounds. Confirmation can be made by viral culture, which may take 3 to 7 days. Immunofluorescent assay (IFA) is a specific and sensitive test that can provide laboratory confirmation of RSV infection the same day. Rapid diagnosis of RSV infection may have implications regarding prevention of nosocomial spread of RSV, early initiation of anti-viral therapy, use of antibiotics, and duration of hospital stay. Data are presented regarding the use of RSV-IFA and its effect on patient management.
Intramitochondrial positions of cytochrome haem groups determined by dipolar interactions with paramagnetic cations.

Abstract E.p.r.(electron-paramagnetic-resonance) spectra of the ferricytochromes were studied in normal and 'nickel-plated' pigeon heart mitochondria and pigeon heart submitochondrial particles. NiCL2 added to either mitochondria or particles was bound completely to the membranes, but none was transported across the vesicles. Hence, any perturbations of the haem e.p.r. spectra by Ni(II) should occur only for those cytochromes in close proximity to the exterior surface. Whenever Ni(II) can approach to within 1 nm of cytochrome haem. the consequent acceleration of the haem e.p.r. relaxation kinetics should elicit dipolar line broadening. Relaxation acceleration should also increase the incident power level required to saturate the haem e.p.r. signal. In pigeon heart mitochondria, at least three e.p.r. resonances, attributable in part to cytochromes c1, bK and br, are observed at gz=3.3 resonance. In these submitochondrial particles, the peak at gz=3.5 is missing, and the resonance at gz=3.6 resolves into two components, neither of which is sensitive to added Ni(ii). Addition of free haemin (ferric, a paramagnetic anion) to intact mitochondria elicits the same e.p.r. signal changes as does a preparation of submitochondrial particles. Saturation curves for cytochrome oxidase obtained for e.p.r. spectra of the high-spin form (g = 6) and the low-spin form (gz=3.1) also reveal no effect of Ni(II) on the haem e.p.r. relaxation in either mitochondria or inverted submitochondrial particles. Further, Ni(II) fails to alter the spectra or saturation properties of cytochrome c in either mitochondria or submitochondrial particles therefrom. Only with a 50-fold molar excess of Ni(II) can one accelerate the e.p.r. relaxation of cytochrome c in aqueous solution, although other more subtle types of magnetic interactions may occur between the cytochrome and either Ni(II) or ferricyanide. Addition of haemin to mitochondria likewise failed to alter the e.p.r. characteristics of either cytochrome c or cytochrome oxidase. The present observations strongly suggest that cytochromes bK, br and c1 reside on the exterior surface of the inner mitochondrial membrane. On the other hand, we find no positive evidence for the location of cytochrome c or cytochrome oxidase haem groups within 1 nm of either membrane surface. Because of possible shielding effects from the protein moieties, however, we cannot unequivocally assign the location of the haem groups to the membrane interior. The present results are not inconsistent with the observations of other investigators who used different techniques. However, it is clear that any model of energy coupling in mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation must account for the positioning of all the b-c cytochrome haem groups on the outside.
Self-presentation as a function of perceived closeness and trust with romantic partners, friends, and acquaintances

ABSTRACTSelf-presentation represents behaviors used in establishing an identity with others; such behaviors may differ across various interpersonal relationships. The current article presents two studies examining differences in self-presentation to acquaintances, friends, and romantic partners among college students in relationships. Study 1 was an experiment, and Study 2 utilized a within-subject design. Results showed that individuals engaged in more self-presentation in more established types of relationships. Additionally, both closeness and trust served as moderators, such that those lower in closeness/trust reported more self-presentation in more established types of relationships than in less established types of relationships. At higher levels of closeness/trust, the results were somewhat inconsistent, with Study 1 finding no differences between relationship types and Study 2 finding more self-presentation to romantic partners than to friends and acquaintances. These results are among the first t...
Direct Observation of Localized Radial Oxygen Migration in Functioning Tantalum Oxide Memristors

Oxygen migration in tantalum oxide, a promising next-generation storage material, is studied using in operando X-ray absorption spectromicroscopy. This approach allows a physical description of the evolution of conduction channel and eventual device failure. The observed ring-like patterns of oxygen concentration are modeled using thermophoretic forces and Fick diffusion, establishing the critical role of temperature-driven oxygen migration.
The Mechanics and Stability of Gold Nanoparticle-Oligo-Ligand-DNA Systems

Systems in which DNA is adsorbed onto gold nanoparticles have the potential for applications in gene regulation therapies, drug delivery, sensing, and DNA scaffolding. However, the mechanical stability of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and interfacial behavior between the gold nanoparticles and thiol ligands are not well understood or quantified. The stability of DNA-AuNP) systems is, therefore, examined using a large-scale specialized finite-element approach with a dislocation-density based crystalline plasticity framework to model the AuNPs and an elastic description to model thiol ligands, DNA, and the ionic solution. For compressive loading conditions, the system exhibited morphological instabilities in the nanoparticles, as well as high stress and dislocation-density gradients at the thiol-nanoparticle attachment sites, which can affect system stability and attachment strength.
X-Ray Scattering Studies of Thin Films and Multilayers

X-ray scattering experiments provide important information about the atomic scale structure and the microstructure of thin films and multilayers. The high intensity, brightness, and broad energy spectrum of synchrotron radiation greatly extend capabilities of scattering experiments, particularly for scattering from ultrathin films and for anomalous dispersion scattering from alloys. Examples of scattering studies of both crystalline and amorphous materials are given in this overview.
Hydroprocessing of carinata oil for hydrocarbon biofuel over Mo-Zn/Al2O3

Abstract Hydroprocessing of carinata oil over an Al2O3 supported Mo-Zn catalyst in a batch reactor at 350 °C with an initial H2 pressure of 300 psi was carried out to produce hydrocarbon biofuel. A series of Mo-Zn/Al2O3 catalysts with different Zn/Mo molar ratios (0, 1, 2, 3, ∞) were prepared and characterized using XRD, FT-IR, BET and TEM. The effects on the physicochemical properties and yield of products from using no catalyst and Al2O3 based catalysts were discussed. The introduction of Mo and/or Zn did not change the crystalline structure of Al2O3. The combining of Mo and Zn on Al2O3 improved catalytic performance and was helpful to improve some of the physicochemical properties of hydrocarbon biofuel including hydrocarbon content, moisture content, density, total acid number and higher heating value (HHV). The catalyst which exhibited the best catalytic performance had a Zn/Mo molar ratio of 2:1. At the 2:1 ratio of Zn/Mo, the hydrocarbon biofuel produced displayed the highest hydrocarbon content (81.05%) and the lowest moisture content, and the highest sum content of CO and CO2 in the gas produced. The introduction of Mo and Zn on Al2O3 was helpful for the hydroprocessing of carinata oil for hydrocarbon biofuel production.
High pressure presses ahead

Ho-kwang Mao discusses the history of high-pressure research in China, and recent developments to ensure further success.
Annual precipitation regulates spatial and temporal drivers of lake water clarity.

Understanding how and why lakes vary and respond to different drivers through time and space is needed to understand, predict, and manage freshwater quality in an era of rapidly changing land use and climate. Water clarity regulates many characteristics of aquatic ecosystems and is responsive to watershed features, making it a sentinel of environmental change. However, whether precipitation alters the relative importance of features that influence lake water clarity or the spatial scales at which they operate is unknown. We used a data set of thousands of northern temperate lakes and asked (1) How does water clarity differ between a very wet vs. dry year? (2) Does the relative importance of different watershed features, or the spatial extent at which they are measured, vary between wet and dry years? (3) What lake and watershed characteristics regulate long-term water clarity trends? Among lakes, water clarity was reduced and less variable in the wet year than in the dry year; furthermore, water clarity was reduced much more in high-clarity lakes during the wet year than in low-clarity lakes. Climate, land use/land cover, and lake morphometry explained most variance in clarity among lakes in both years, but the spatial scales at which some features were important differed between the dry and wet years. Watershed percent agriculture was most important in the dry year, whereas riparian zone percent agriculture (around each lake and upstream features) was most important in the wet year. Between 1991 and 2012, water clarity declined in 23% of lakes and increased in only 6% of lakes. Conductance influenced the direction of temporal trend (clarity declined in lakes with low conductance), whereas the proportion of watershed wetlands, catchment-to-lake-area ratio, and lake maximum depth interacted with antecedent precipitation. Many predictors of water clarity, such as lake depth and landscape position, are features that cannot be readily managed. Given trends of increasing precipitation, eliminating riparian zone agriculture or keeping it <10% of area may be an effective option to maintain or improve water clarity.
Diagnostic yield of bronchoalveolar lavage in immunocompromised children with malignant and non-malignant disorders.

SummaryBackground The diagnostic yield of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) in the Immunocompromised pediatric population has ranged from 28% to 68%. We hypothesized that the diagnostic yield of BALs would be higher in more recent years due to new diagnostic assays. Methods A retrospective case series was performed among immunocompromised children ≤18 years old who underwent BALs from 2001 to 2012, to assess the yield of microbiologic diagnostic studies and to determine the impact of BAL findings on antimicrobial management. Results In all, 123 subjects underwent 174 BALs (mean age 9.9 years). Underlying diagnoses included both malignant (n = 79) and non-malignant (n = 44) disorders, and 75 (61.0%) subjects were hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients. Fifty-four (31.0%) of 174 BAL were positive for ≥1 potential pathogen (n = 58 microorganisms). The diagnostic yield of BALs performed from 2001 to 2006 versus2007–2012 was similar (40.5% vs. 26.6%, respectively, P = 0.07). Most subjects (86.2%) were on ≥1 antimicrobial at the time of BAL. Most (65.8%) negative BALs were associated with narrowing antimicrobial therapy, while most (74.1%) positive BALs were associated with continuing or changing to targeted antimicrobial therapy. Conclusions In this study population, the diagnostic yield of BAL was similar to that previously described and unchanged in more recent years. Both negative and positive BALs were associated with changes in antimicrobial management. Summary A 10-year retrospective review of bronchoalveolar lavage in 123 immunocompromised children determined that the rate of isolation of potential pathogens was 31% in this population. The majority of BAL was associated with a change in antimicrobial therapy. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2017;52:820–826. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Cognitive Control in Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Relation of Inhibition Impairments to Worry and Anxiety Severity

Cognitive models of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) propose that cognitive control, broadly construed, and inhibition specifically, play a role in the maintenance of GAD symptoms. However, few studies have explicitly investigated inhibition, and in particular “cold” (non-emotional) inhibition, and its relation to worry and anxiety severity in GAD. Adults with GAD (n = 35) and healthy controls (n = 21) completed computerized Stroop and Go/NoGo tasks, two widely-used tests of inhibition. GAD status predicted significantly worse (slower and less accurate) performance on the Stroop but not the Go/NoGo task. Clinician-rated anxiety severity predicted slower and less accurate Stroop performance over and above the effect of GAD diagnosis but did not predict Go/NoGo performance. Trait worry did not incrementally predict performance on either task. These findings provide qualified support for theoretical models of inhibition impairments in GAD and suggest that inhibition could be a promising target for novel neurocognitive interventions.
Climate warming alters fuels across elevational gradients in Great Basin bristlecone pine-dominated sky island forests

Abstract Little is known about fuel characteristics and dynamics in GBBP communities, and current monitoring programs inadequately quantify the surface and canopy fuels of this system. Using the Forest Inventory Analysis (FIA) plot variables of tree species, height, diameter at breast height (DBH), canopy base height (CBH), coarse (CWD) and fine (FWD) woody debris counts, and canopy fuels measurements, this paper examines the effects of climate-induced changes to fuel loading, fire hazard and risk on predicted changes in fire behavior and severity. Field transects were installed using FIA protocols along environmental gradients. Plots were located every 22 chains or ∼440 m along random transects on Mt. Washington in the Great Basin National Park (GBNP) and in the nearby Mt. Moriah Wilderness, NV. Additional plots were installed at Notch Peak (UT), Cave Mountain (NV), and Wheeler Peak (GBNP, NV). Linear regression showed that all classes of FWD decreased with elevation, and only 1000-h fuels remained constant across elevational transects. This, combined with lower CBH and foliar moisture and increasing temperatures due to climate change, increases fire potential at the Great Basin bristlecone pine treeline, threatening the oldest individuals of this iconic species. New information about discontinuous fuels will aid in management of high elevation alpine treeline forests.
Framework and Modular Infrastructure for Automation of Architectural Adaptation and Performance Optimization for HPC Systems

High performance systems have complex, diverse and rapidly evolving architectures. The span of applications, workloads, and resource use patterns is rapidly diversifying. Adapting applications for efficient execution on this spectrum of execution environments is effort intensive. There are many performance optimization tools which implement some or several aspects of the full performance optimization task but almost none are comprehensive across architectures, environments, applications, and workloads. This paper presents, illustrates, and applies a modular infrastructure which enables composition of multiple open-source tools and analyses into a set of workflows implementing comprehensive end-to-end optimization of a diverse spectrum of HPC applications on multiple architectures and for multiple resource types and parallel environments. It gives results from an implementation on the Stampede HPC system at the Texas Advanced Computing Center where a user can submit an application for optimization using only a single command line and get back an at least, partially optimized program without manual program modification for two different chips. Currently, only a subset of the possible optimizations is completely automated but this subset is rapidly growing. Case studies of applications of the workflow are presented. The implementations currently available for download as the PerfExpert tool version 4.0 supports both Sandy Bridge and Intel Phi chips.
Biobehavioral Factors That Shape Nutrition in Low-Income Populations: A Narrative Review.

Although evidence exists for an association between income level and diet quality, a causal relationship has not been established. A number of studies found that the price of nutritious food and the time cost to prepare foods are economically driven reasons for this relationship. However, in addition to economic constraints, low-income individuals and families face a number of additional challenges linked with food choice, eating behaviors, and diet-related chronic conditions that contribute to diet quality and health. Low-income individuals have a higher burden of employment-, food-, and housing-related insecurity that threaten the livelihood of their household. Poverty and exposure to these insecurities are hypothesized to activate biobehavioral and psychological mechanisms—endocrine, immune, and neurologic systems—that influence food choice and consumption. Examples of biobehavioral and psychological factors that influence diet are stress, poor sleep, and diminished cognitive capacity. High levels of stress, poor sleep, and cognitive overload compound the challenges of economic constraints, creating a mentality of scarcity that leads to poor diet quality.
Long-term opioid use after inpatient surgery - A retrospective cohort study

Abstract Background Knowledge of incidence and risk factors for long-term opioid prescribing is critical for surgical patients. In this retrospective cohort study, we linked information available at the time of surgery with prescription data to ascertain characteristics associated with prolonged opioid therapy. Methods Patients (n = 6003) with claims in the Colorado All Payer Claims Database (APCD) were matched with 20,501 encounters in a clinical database. Rates of prescription filling were defined by at least one monthly opioid claim relative to the date of surgery. Associations of variables with claims during months 2–6 post-operatively (“long-term prescription filling”) were evaluated, and significant variables were jointly modeled using binomial regression. Results Rates of patients filling opioid prescriptions preoperatively [month (M) relative to date of surgery] were 22%(−3 M), 24%(–2 M), and 27%(−1 M); after surgery, opioid fill rates were 62%(1 M), 28%(2 M), 24%(3), 24%(4 M), 23%(5 M), and 22%(6 M). The majority, 71–76%, of patients filling prescriptions in months 2–6 after surgery had also filled before surgery. In the binomial regression model, long-term opioid use was associated with prior opioid use (p Conclusions Patients who had filled opioid prescriptions preoperatively comprised the majority of the group who filled long-term prescriptions. Surgical procedures were associated with discontinuation of previous opioid prescribing in some patients. For others, surgery marked the initiation of prolonged opioid therapy. Surgical encounters should include interventions aimed to reduce long-term opioid use.
Mismatched Lovers: Exploring the Compatibility Between LGBTQ+ Identity Theories and Gender and Sexual Plurality in Sri Lanka

Sexual and gender identity development theories in psychology and sociology exert considerable influence over discourse on gender and sexuality, shaping key domains such as counseling, education, and social work, as well as public policy and advocacy. While a robust body of literature has developed in critique of such theories and models, they continue to be applied in the Global South without much thought for their relevance to various non-Western cultural contexts. The current study explores the fit of these identity development theories to the experiences of 15 non-heterosexual and transgender individuals in Sri Lanka, gathered through a qualitative study of the question in 2016. These participants articulated gender and sexual self-conceptions that were incongruent with major identity development theories in significant ways. A broad majority failed to endorse central or salient sexual identities, while demonstrating a fluidity in object choice, sex roles, and sex acts, thus rupturing the theoretical notion of stable and coherent identities. Transgender participants did not demonstrate identity synthesis or pride and complicated theoretical understandings of sexual intimacy. These findings highlight the necessity of considering individual differences and cultural contexts when studying gender and sexuality and the dangers of universalizing theories across cultural differences.
Overcoming Deceptive Clarity by Encouraging Metacognition in the Web-Based Inquiry Science Environment

In our research we view metacognition and cognition as interacting processes that together promote coherent understanding. We propose that the use of the knowledge integration pattern to design instructional scaffolding encourages the interplay between these two processes. In this chapter, we present and discuss findings that indicate that instructional activities designed using the knowledge integration pattern promote student learning from dynamic visualizations by helping to overcome deceptive clarity.
A STATISTICAL DISCUSSION OF Pn RESIDUALS FROM EXPLOSIONS

Explosions at large distances from the Berkeley seismic array of the University of California have been studied in an attempt to obtain an estimate of a P travel time “adjustment” function for each station in the array relative to a standard P table. The probability distribution of residuals is discussed and some error estimates for station adjustments given. A method is suggested for relocating groups of events occurring in small regions. This problem was suggested by the existence of groups of explosions in small regions which gave rise to widely varying sets of residuals. The probable presence of azimuthally varying source, as well as station, terms makes it advisable to obtain times from world-wide stations for each source area in order to attempt to separate the two terms. In fact, the presence of these terms makes it questionable whether a meaningful adjustment function for a single station can be obtained at all.
Recent investigations on Marajoara Culture, Marajó Island, Brazil

Cet article rend compte des recentes recherches realisees sur divers sites de culture marajoara sur Marajo Island (Bresil). L'etude de tertres funeraires decouverts sur ces sites et du mobilier a permis de mieux comprendre ces peuples dans leur organisation politique et dans leurs rapports avec les autres populations.
Post Surgical Gastric Dysmotility Syndromes

After gastric surgery, there are three major problems; slow gastric emptying (atony), rapid gastric emptying (dumping), and bile reflux. In the normal stomach, gastric motor activity and emptying are regulated such that the stomach mixes food and propels this into the duodenum at an optimal rate for digestion and absorption. Disruption of this function by surgery may lead to a variety of disorders. Operations such as vagotomy, gastric resection or gastroenterostomy can cause dumping, small gastric remnant syndrome, postvagotomy diarrhea, chronic gastric atony, reflux gastritis and Roux stasis syndrome. Each of these problems will be discussed.
Abstract 16511: Coronary Artery Calcium and Risk of Death, Dementia and Disability in Older 80+ Year Old Individuals

We previously reported that extent of coronary artery calcium (CAC) measured in 1998-2000 was an independent predictor of total and coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality and brain magnetic resonance imaging abnormalities among individuals, mean age 80 at the time of their scans. The Cardiovascular Health Study-Cognition Study (CHS-CS) has followed 532 participants to incident dementia from 1998-1999 through 2012. We linked the CHS CAC study and the CHS-CS for 434 (82%) of the 532 participants in the CHS-CS to test the long term effects of CAC on total mortality, CHD death, dementia and disability. There were 97 (23%) blacks and 264 (61%) women. Blacks and women had lower CAC scores than whites and men. Levels of CAC were strongly related to both total and CHD mortality over 12 years of follow up. For women with 100 Agatston score and for men with 100 Agatston score (p 100. Women with lower CAC scores lived longer and prevalence of dementia during lifetime and dementia among those still alive was similar to those with high CAC scores: 44% of women with CAC scores 100 developed incident dementia, 62% (31 of 51) alive with CAC score 100. Few, 33 (12%) of 270 (mean current age of 89), survived free of dementia, disability and instrumental activities of daily living
Shredded sponge or paper as a cloacal plug to limit broiler carcass Campylobacter contamination during automated defeathering

SUMMARY Campylobacter is a human food-borne pathogen frequently associated with poultry and poultry products and can be found in high numbers within the gut contents of colonized broilers. The number of Campylobacter on broiler carcasses increases markedly during automated defeathering as rubber picker fingers press on the abdomen and can force gut contents out of the cloaca. One method to prevent this increase is to plug the cloaca and prevent escape of gut contents. For a plug to be effective, it must resist expulsion during picking. In the current work, we test shredded sponge or paper as a means to plug broiler carcass cloacae during automated feather removal. Broiler carcass cloacae were plugged before scalding and carcasses were sampled to determine the bacterial numbers present on breast skin after scalding (before feather picking) and again after feather picking. Neither 50 cc of shredded paper nor 25 cc of shredded sponge was effective as a cloacal plug. However, a plug made of 50 cc shredded sponge material was effective to occlude broiler carcass vents during automated defeathering. Significantly fewer Campylobacter cells were detected on the breast skin of post pick carcasses plugged with 50 mL of shredded sponge than on post pick unplugged control carcasses.
Pertechnetate (TcO4−) sequestration from groundwater by cost-effective organoclays and granular activated carbon under oxic environmental conditions

Abstract Technetium-99 (99Tc) is a major risk driver at nuclear power plants and several US Department of Energy (DOE) sites. Pertechnetate (TcO4−), the most common chemical form present in liquid nuclear waste and the environment, displays limited adsorption onto sediments, making it highly mobile and difficult to immobilize. In this work, inexpensive organoclays and granular activated carbon (GAC) were investigated for TcO4− sequestration from artificial groundwater (AGW). The Tc adsorption capacities were 15 mg/g for organoclays and 25 mg/g for GAC from pH 3–12 AGW under oxic conditions. Competitive NO3− at two orders of magnitude greater concentration than TcO4− reduced the Tc adsorption capacity by only 9–25%. In addition, the adsorbed Tc was effectively desorbed by KI, but not Na2SO4, and the regenerated sorbents retained their Tc removal capacity. X-ray absorption spectroscopy demonstrated that the Tc species bound to the organoclays and GAC was Tc(VII) (i.e., TcO4−), rather than Tc(IV). Thus, the inexpensive organoclays and GAC are highly effective at sequestering 99Tc in its naturally existing TcO4− without requiring costly reductive systems, which may provide a practical solution for removing 99TcO4− from environmental systems.
Design-build-launch: a hybrid project-based laboratory course for aerospace engineering education

Abstract A project-based course involving the design, analysis, manufacturing, testing, and launching of mid-power solid-propellant rockets over a ten-week period has been developed and taught as an approach to enhance the education and preparation of aerospace engineers at the university level. The course consists of a sequence of structured laboratory assignments that expose students to common software tools, aerospace materials, manufacturing techniques, and testing methods that directly inform and run parallel to the project. Teams of four to five students complete the project (and portions of the labs) collaboratively within an engineering competition framework. Individual students within each team are assigned specific engineering roles (e.g. design engineer, manufacturing engineer) to create an interdependence that reflects a typical integrated product team in industry and exposes students to realistic social dynamics. Student teams conduct design reviews as progressive milestones for assessment, in addition to laboratory assignments. At a per-student cost on the same order as a textbook, the project-based course combines theoretical content from several subjects with a high-order learning approach (create, evaluate, analyze) to advance the engineering skills of university students.
Brucella abortus RB51 strain sent in a proficiency testing panel to clinical and public health laboratories.

Abstract In early 2017, a laboratory proficiency testing panel, designed to assess laboratory competency for culture and identification of bacterial organisms, was distributed to clinical and public health microbiology laboratories. The panel included a Brucella abortus RB51 isolate. Although B. abortus RB51 is an attenuated Brucella species strain, it still poses some risk to laboratory personnel, particularly if safety precautions and personal protective equipment are not adequately deployed. The PT event highlighted the challenges that clinical and public health microbiology laboratories face when handling samples that can contain highly transmissible organisms that can lead to laboratory-acquired infections. This review describes the B. abortus RB51 PT event, its associated exposures, and subsequent medical interventions. General considerations for handling Brucella species, including RB51, in the clinical microbiology laboratory are also discussed. Finally, we describe lessons learned from this event, including improving a “culture of safety” in the clinical laboratory.
Children can foster climate change concern among their parents

The collective action that is required to mitigate and adapt to climate change is extremely difficult to achieve, largely due to socio-ideological biases that perpetuate polarization over climate change1,2. Because climate change perceptions in children seem less susceptible to the influence of worldview or political context3, it may be possible for them to inspire adults towards higher levels of climate concern, and in turn, collective action4. Child-to-parent intergenerational learning—that is, the transfer of knowledge, attitudes or behaviours from children to parents5—may be a promising pathway to overcoming socio-ideological barriers to climate concern5. Here we present an experimental evaluation of an educational intervention designed to build climate change concern among parents indirectly through their middle school-aged children in North Carolina, USA. Parents of children in the treatment group expressed higher levels of climate change concern than parents in the control group. The effects were strongest among male parents and conservative parents, who, consistent with previous research1, displayed the lowest levels of climate concern before the intervention. Daughters appeared to be especially effective in influencing parents. Our results suggest that intergenerational learning may overcome barriers to building climate concern. Public concern about climate change is difficult to motivate. This study finds an increase in climate change concern among parents after their middle school-aged children participated in a climate change school curriculum.
Evaluating Early Intervention Programs: One Model's Process and Products:

The purpose of this article is to present one model's approach to program evaluation of early intervention programs. The model presented requires implementation by a trained program evaluator and u...
Perceptions of waived juvenile defendants across mental health diagnoses and demographic characteristics.

Abstract Justice involved youth who present with diagnosable mental health issues are commonly prosecuted in criminal courts. Limited research has examined how jurors perceive and respond to transferred juveniles with mental health issues. For the current study, 252 mock jurors were randomly assigned to read one of six profiles (i.e., White male, White female, Black male, Black female, Latino, and Latina) and report culpability, deserved punishment, behavior regulation, and dangerousness for juveniles diagnosed with conduct disorder, major depressive disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, schizophrenia, and described with antisocial traits/behaviors. A schizophrenia diagnosis was associated with less blame, punishment, and capacity for behavior regulation. A description of antisocial traits/behaviors was associated with more blame, punishment, capacity for behavior regulation, and dangerousness. White juveniles described with antisocial traits were considered more blameworthy and deserving of punishment than Latinos. Considering the temporary nature of adolescent antisocial personality characteristics, jurors should have greater awareness of the maturation process.
Radiologic anatomy of the round window relevant to cochlear implantation and inner ear drug delivery

Abstract Objective To determine anatomic relationships and variation of the round window membrane to bony surgical landmarks on computed tomography. Study design Retrospective imaging review. Methods 100 temporal bone images were evaluated. Direct measurements were obtained for membrane position. Vector distances and angulation from umbo and bony annulus were calculated from image viewer software coordinates. Results The angle of round window membrane at junction with cochlear basal turn was (42.1 ± 8.6)°. The membrane's position relative to plane of the facial nerve through facial recess was (14.7 ± 5.2)° posterior from a reference line drawn through facial recess to carotid canal. Regarding transtympanic drug delivery, the round window membrane was directed 4.1 mm superiorly from the inferior annulus and 5.4 mm anteriorly from the posterior annulus. The round window membrane on average was angled superiorly from the inferior annulus (77.1 ± 27.9)° and slightly anteriorly from the posterior annulus (19.1 ± 11.1°). The mean distance of round window membrane from umbo was 4 mm and posteriorly rotated 30° clockwise from a perpendicular drawn from umbo to inferior annulus towards posterior annulus. Together, these measurements approximate the round window membrane in the tympanic membrane's posteroinferior quadrant. Conclusions These radiologic measurements demonstrate normal variations seen in round window anatomy relative to facial recess approach and bony tympanic annulus, providing a baseline to assess round window insertion for cochlear implantation and outlines anatomic factors affecting transtympanic drug delivery.