cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Usefulness of Doppler sonography in the diagnosis of ovarian torsion.

Abstract Objective: To assess the predictive value of Doppler sonography in the diagnosis of ovarian torsion and to correlate Doppler results with surgical findings and various clinical characteristics. Design: Retrospective study of discharged inpatients. Setting: An academic community hospital. Patient(s): Twenty-one patients with surgically confirmed ovarian torsion over an 8-year period. Intervention(s): Data were collected on Doppler flow results, ultrasound and surgical findings, patient characteristics, and associated morbidity. Main Outcome Measure(s): Accuracy of Doppler diagnosis as to presence of ovarian torsion. Result(s): Twenty-one patients had surgically confirmed ovarian torsion. Doppler sonography was performed in 10 of the 21 patients. Doppler sonographic findings were normal in 60% (6 of 10), and abnormal (decreased or absent) in 40% suggestive of torsion. In cases involving ovulation induction, Doppler sonography findings were normal in 25% (1 of 4). Furthermore, the time to diagnosis of ovarian torsion (mean = 5.3 hours) and the time to hospital discharge (mean = 2 days) were both decreased when compared with instances when normal flow was detected by Doppler sonography (59 hours and 2.7 days, respectively). Conclusion(s): Abnormal flow detected by Doppler sonography is highly predictive of adnexal torsion and is therefore useful in the diagnosis of ovarian torsion. However, when normal flow is detected by Doppler sonography, it does not necessarily exclude an ovarian torsion; in fact, torsion is missed in 60% of cases, and time to diagnosis in these cases is delayed. In cases of ovulation induction, sensitivity is increased to 75%.
A Modified Linear Scan Register Allocation Algorithm

This paper proposes a global register allocation algorithm that makes decisions on register allocation based on the cost of spilling variables in linear scan allocation. The algorithm assumes registers are initially allocated based on linear scan algorithm. When there is a need to spill variables, either the allocated or the new variable is spilled based on the cost incurred in allocation. The cost is calculated as a function of number of definitions and uses of a variable for the rest of its live range. A mathematical model for determining the cost is proposed which decides register allocation. Given the live ranges of the variables the time complexity of the algorithm is derived. Simulations on an arbitrary program showed an improvement when compared to linear scan algorithm.
Examining the Instructional Contexts of Students with Learning Disabilities

This review of the literature examines how instructional contexts for elementary and secondary level students with learning disabilities have been studied in the past 10 years through a variety of methodological approaches and observation instruments. These studies employed some direct measure of classroom ecology, as well as some measure of the teacher or students' classroom behavior. Information included the time that students were engaged in different activities in different settings, interactions between teachers and students, and students' classroom behavior.
Detecting single atoms of calcium and iron in biological structures by electron energy-loss spectrum-imaging.

Summary As techniques for electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) reach a higher degree of optimization, experimental detection limits for analysing biological structures are approaching values predicted by the physics of the electron scattering. Theory indicates that it should be possible to detect a single atom of certain elements like calcium and iron contained in a macromolecular assembly using a finely focused probe in the scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM). To test this prediction, EELS elemental maps have been recorded with the spectrum-imaging technique in a VG Microscopes HB501 STEM coupled to a Gatan Enfina spectrometer, which is equipped with an efficient charge-coupled device (CCD) array detector. By recording spectrum-images of haemoglobin adsorbed onto a thin carbon film, it is shown that the four heme groups in a single molecule can be detected with a signal-to-noise ratio of ∼ 10 : 1. Other measurements demonstrate that calcium adsorbed onto a thin carbon film can be imaged at single atom sensitivity with a signal-to-noise ratio of ∼ 5 : 1. Despite radiation damage due to the necessarily high electron dose, it is anticipated that mapping single atoms of metals and other bound elements will find useful applications in characterizing large protein assemblies.
Healing of Non-Displaced Fractures Produced by Fatigue Loading of the Mouse Ulna

We developed a fatigue loading protocol in mice to produce a non-displaced ulnar fracture in vivo, and characterized the early healing response. Using adult (5 month) C57Bl/6 mice, we first determined that cyclic compression of the forelimb under load-control leads to increasing applied displacement and, eventually, complete fracture. We then subjected the right forelimbs of 80 mice to cyclic loading (2 Hz; peak force approximately 4N) and limited the displacement increase to 0.75 mm (60% of the average displacement increase at complete fracture). This fatigue protocol created a partial, non-displaced fracture through the medial cortex near the ulnar mid-shaft, and reduced ulnar strength and stiffness by >50%. Within 1 day, there was significant upregulation of genes related to hypoxia (Hif1a) and osteogenesis (Bmp2, Bsp) in loaded ulnae compared to non-loaded, contralateral controls. The gene expression response peaked in magnitude near day 7 (e.g., Osx upregulated 8-fold), and included upregulation of FGF-family genes (e.g., Fgfr3 up 6-fold). Histologically, a localized periosteal response was seen at the site of the fracture; by day 7 there was abundant periosteal woven bone surrounding a region of cartilage. From days 7 to 14, the woven bone became denser but did not increase in area. By day 14, the woven-bone response resulted in complete recovery of ulnar strength and stiffness, restoring mechanical properties to normal levels. In the future, the fatigue loading approach can be used create non-displaced bone fractures in transgenic and knockout mice to study the mechanisms by which the skeleton rapidly repairs damage.
Editors’ Introduction—Special Issue on Mergers and Acquisitions of Financial Institutions

This special issue of the Journal of Financial Services Research features presentations from a conference on “Mergers and Acquisitions of Financial Institutions.” The conference was held on November 30 and December 1, 2007 at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s Seidman Center in Arlington, Virginia. Funding, facilities, and other resources for the conference were made available by the four co-sponsoring organizations: the FDIC, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, the JFSR, and the University of Kansas School of Business. One of the most salient features of the U.S. and European economies during the past two decades has been the changing structure of financial intermediaries. Banks and other financial firms have exploited the opportunities made available by industry deregulation and technological innovation by engaging in thousands of mergers and acquisitions, and these combinations have dramatically increased the size, scope, and reach of these institutions. The articles in this special issue analyze the financial performance of these combinations, as well as their impact on market prices and market structure. M&A activity tends to wax and wane over time, and we may currently stand at the cusp of a new wave of financial institution mergers. As financial markets recover from the recent economic crisis, M&As are likely to play an important role in the rationalization, restructuring and re-regulation of the financial services industry. We hope that the research published here will help inform both business and government policymakers as this new industry restructuring plays out.
Actionable Business Architecture

Interviews held with over a thousand CEOs in 2010 and CIOs in 2011 show that organizations are expecting change and are being challenged with complexity. As CEOs and CIOs have started strategically aligning their thinking around change, future challenges, growth and complexity, organizations must now focus on driving new and better business value from the enterprise's portfolio of technology to remain successful. Technology designs and architectures need to realistically identify and represent the business's capabilities and their relationships to operations and technology. This paper presents a new concept called Actionable Business Architecture. Actionable Business Architecture builds beyond the state-of-the-art in the field of Business Architecture by providing a new perspective on the subject of managing the confluence of three key business models of strategy, operations and technology. It consumes the science and practice of strategy management, business process and case management, service orientation and industry enterprise models as the means to make the business architecture simplified and focused to support transformation.
APRIL and BAFF connect autoimmunity and cancer.

Recent studies of two newcomers to the TNF cytokine family have revealed an unsuspected link between autoimmunity and cancer. In this issue, Rennert et. al. ([1][1]) define the specific receptors for the orphan ligand known as APRIL (a proliferation-inducing ligand), which was previously recognized
High-temperature plasmas in a tokamak fusion test reactor

Neutral-beam heating of plasmas in the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor at low preinjection densities (n/sub e/(0)approx. =10/sup 19/ m/sup -3/) were characterized by T/sub e/(0) = 6.5 keV, T/sub i/(0) = 20 keV, n/sub e/(0) = 7 x 10/sup 19/ m/sup -3/, tau/sub E/ = 170 msec, ..beta../sub t//sub h//sub e//sub t//sub a/ = 2, and a d(d,n)/sup 3/He neutron emission rate of 10/sup 16/ sec/sup -1/. The ion temperature and the deuterium-fusion neutron yields were significantly higher than for previous tokamak experiments. The low initial densities were achieved by operation of the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor with low plasma currents (less than or equal to1 MA) and by extensive limiter conditioning.
The modern role of radiation therapy in treating advanced-stage retinoblastoma: long-term outcomes and racial differences.

Purpose/Objective(s) To evaluate the effects of various patient characteristics and radiation therapy treatment variables on outcomes in advanced-stage retinoblastoma. Methods and Materials This was a retrospective review of 41 eyes of 30 patients treated with external beam radiation therapy between June 1, 1992, and March 31, 2012, with a median follow-up time of 133 months (11 years). Outcome measures included overall survival, progression-free survival, local control, eye preservation rate, and toxicity. Results Over 90% of the eyes were stage V. Definitive external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) was delivered in 43.9% of eyes, adjuvant EBRT in 22% of eyes, and second-line/salvage EBRT in 34.1% of eyes. A relative lens sparing (RLS) technique was used in 68.3% of eyes and modified lens sparing (MLS) in 24.4% of eyes. Three eyes were treated with other techniques. Doses ≥45 Gy were used in 68.3% of eyes. Chemotherapy was a component of treatment in 53.7% of eyes. The 10-year overall survival was 87.7%, progression-free survival was 80.5%, and local control was 87.8%. White patients had significantly better overall survival than did African-American patients in univariate analysis (hazard ratio 0.09; 95% confidence interval 0.01-0.84; P =.035). Toxicity was seen in 68.3% of eyes, including 24.3% with isolated acute dermatitis. Conclusions External beam radiation therapy continues to be an effective treatment modality for advanced retinoblastoma, achieving excellent long-term local control and survival with low rates of treatment-related toxicity and secondary malignancy.
The Rate of Wing Molt of Hens

Abstract The sequence of the dropping of the primary flight feathers is used by poultrymen to determine how long a hen has been in molt. The degree of accuracy with which the state of molt can be determined has been dependent on the limited published data and the personal experience of the man handling the birds. Since it was necessary to record, in the preceding paper, the progress of the molt from week to week, individual charts representing the progress of the molt are available for forty-one Single Comb White Leghorn hens. Believing that a series of charts representing the average progress of the molt of forty-one hens would form a basis for accurately estimating the length of time a hen has been in molt, such a series has been prepared and is presented in this paper. In the preceding paper the effect of the addition of a small amount of . . .
Experimental study and computer simulation of fracture toughness of sheet metal after laser forming

Fracture toughness is one of the most important mechanical properties for sheet metal in many applications. However not enough attention has been paid to the effects of laser forming conditions on fracture toughness of sheet metal. This paper presents an integrated fracture toughness model to study fracture toughness of sheet metal after laser forming. Microstructure, distribution of residual stresses and geometry of sheet metal specimen are considered in the model. Results of residual stress from microstructure-integrated finite element modelling of laser forming are incorporated in the model. Low carbon steel is used in this paper to validate the model. The results from the fracture toughness study are found to be consistent with microstructure analysis .
Making Meaning of Experience Navigating the Transformation From Graduate Student to Tenure-Track Professor

This article is about three adult authors who are making meaning of their experiences as early career, tenure-track professors. All former secondary English language arts instructors who are responsible for preparing future secondary English teachers, the authors use Mezirow’s transformative learning theory lens to examine their trajectories from doctoral students to early career professors, focusing on how they navigate the alignment—or lack thereof—between their expectations and their realities, with attention to disorientation and guilt, culminating in critical examination. They have learned to create new spaces for themselves and to redefine their roles according to new knowledge, highlighting the importance of developing a mentoring framework that can help make others’ progress through these phases less difficult. The authors offer suggestions for how to use transformative learning theory to create conditions in which they and their mentees can experience a professional lifetime of satisfaction.
A MODEL OF RESIDENTIAL LOCATION IN A TWO-DIMENSION, MULTI-CENTER CITY

This paper examines the hid rent function for housing in a multi-center city. By applying the familiar Alonso and Stull's bid rent maximization approach, we rigorously derive the bid rent function and show that the standard negatively sloped bid rent curve cannot he applied in a multi-center city. We also show that the slope of the hid rent curve crucially depends upon the household's trip frequency to different centers. Furthermore, we consider the bid rent function in the household's optimum location decision.
Toughening of Mullite/Cordierite Laminated Composites by Transformation Weakening of β‐Cristobalite Interphases

An interesting concept for achieving graceful failure in oxide composites is discussed. It is based on crack deflection in a weak interphase between a matrix and reinforcement (e.g. fiber), around a fibrous core in a fibrous monolith, or in an interphase in a laminated composite. The interphase can be phase transformation weakened by a crystallographic unit cell, volume contraction, and/or shape change. Mullite/cordierite laminates with a β→α-cristobalite, transformation-weakened interphase were investigated for interphase debonding behavior. The laminates were fabricated by stacking alternate, tape-cast, green sheets of chemically doped β-cristobalite, which was synthesized by an organic steric entrapment method, and a mullite/cordierite matrix mixture. The laminate showed fracture behavior depending on a critical particle size effect. The grain size of polycrystalline β-cristobalite was controlled by annealing time at 1300°C. A hot-pressed laminated composite, annealed for 10 h at 1300°C, had an average grain size of ∼4 μm and a 3-point flexure strength of 131 MPa. Its work of fracture was 2.4 kJ/m2 but non-catastrophic fracture behavior was demonstrated. The indentation response indicated crack deflection along the cristobalite debonding interphase. With increasing annealing time, the strength decreased due to the formation of internal macrocracks in the cristobalite layer, which occurred spontaneously during thermally induced transformation.
Disruption of inducible 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase ameliorates diet-induced adiposity but exacerbates systemic insulin resistance and adipose tissue inflammatory response.

Adiposity is commonly associated with adipose tissue dysfunction and many overnutrition-related metabolic diseases including type 2 diabetes. Much attention has been paid to reducing adiposity as a way to improve adipose tissue function and systemic insulin sensitivity. PFKFB3/iPFK2 is a master regulator of adipocyte nutrient metabolism. Using PFKFB3+/− mice, the present study investigated the role of PFKFB3/iPFK2 in regulating diet-induced adiposity and systemic insulin resistance. On a high-fat diet (HFD), PFKFB3+/− mice gained much less body weight than did wild-type littermates. This was attributed to a smaller increase in adiposity in PFKFB3+/− mice than in wild-type controls. However, HFD-induced systemic insulin resistance was more severe in PFKFB3+/− mice than in wild-type littermates. Compared with wild-type littermates, PFKFB3+/− mice exhibited increased severity of HFD-induced adipose tissue dysfunction, as evidenced by increased adipose tissue lipolysis, inappropriate adipokine expression, and decreased insulin signaling, as well as increased levels of proinflammatory cytokines in both isolated adipose tissue macrophages and adipocytes. In an in vitro system, knockdown of PFKFB3/iPFK2 in 3T3-L1 adipocytes caused a decrease in the rate of glucose incorporation into lipid but an increase in the production of reactive oxygen species. Furthermore, knockdown of PFKFB3/iPFK2 in 3T3-L1 adipocytes inappropriately altered the expression of adipokines, decreased insulin signaling, increased the phosphorylation states of JNK and NFκB p65, and enhanced the production of proinflammatory cytokines. Together, these data suggest that PFKFB3/iPFK2, although contributing to adiposity, protects against diet-induced insulin resistance and adipose tissue inflammatory response.
Activity-Based Costing And The Theory Of Constraints: Using Time Horizons To Resolve Two Alternative Concepts Of Product Cost

Activity-based costing and the Theory of Constraints have generated a substantial literature that reflects the importance of these topics with practitioners. These two methods appear to represent conflicting viewpoints of product cost. Rather than trying to resolve the question of whos right, each method is examined with respect to its implicit assumptions about time horizons. The Theory of Constraints emerges as a short-run decision tool while Activity-Based Costing has its primary application in strategic planning and control. The problems associated with these methods if time horizons change are examined and suggestions for an integrated approach incorporating elements of both methods are presented.
A calorimetric biosensing system for clinical diagnostic applications

In this paper we report a calorimetrie sensing system for the detection of clinically relevant biomolecules. The calorimetrie biosensor consists of a thin (∼20 μm) micromachined Y-cut quartz crystal resonator (QCR) placed in close proximity to a fluidic chamber packed with an immobilized enzyme in alginate beads. This configuration enables a detection mechanism physically separated from the solution of interest and is thereby free from fouling. The performance of this biosensor is demonstrated by detection of urea, creatinine and hydrogen peroxide in phosphate buffer via a flow injection analysis (FIA) technique. This work demonstrates a sensing modality in which the sensor itself is not fouled or contaminated by the solution of interest. Such a system enables reuse and reliability for long term sampling measurements. Further, the immobilized enzyme is easily discarded and replaced with a new reaction column. We envision a biosensing system which can perform rapid measurements to detect biomarkers such as glucose, creatinine, urea and lactate in urine and blood continuously over extended periods of time.
Stochastic optimization and sparse statistical recovery: Optimal algorithms for high dimensions

We develop and analyze stochastic optimization algorithms for problems in which the expected loss is strongly convex, and the optimum is (approximately) sparse. Previous approaches are able to exploit only one of these two structures, yielding a O(d/T) convergence rate for strongly convex objectives in d dimensions and O(√s(log d)/T) convergence rate when the optimum is s-sparse. Our algorithm is based on successively solving a series of l1-regularized optimization problems using Nesterov's dual averaging algorithm. We establish that the error of our solution after T iterations is at most O(s(log d)/T), with natural extensions to approximate sparsity. Our results apply to locally Lipschitz losses including the logistic, exponential, hinge and least-squares losses. By recourse to statistical minimax results, we show that our convergence rates are optimal up to constants. The effectiveness of our approach is also confirmed in numerical simulations where we compare to several baselines on a least-squares regression problem.
Modeling the gain of inner-shell X-ray laser transitions in neon, argon, and copper driven by X-ray free electron laser radiation using photo-ionization and photo-excitation processes

Using an X-ray free electron laser (XFEL) at 960 eV to photo-ionize the 1s electron in neutral neon followed by lasing on the 2p-1s transition in singly-ionized neon, an inner-shell X-ray laser was demonstrated at 849 eV in singly-ionized neon gas several years ago. It took decades to demonstrate this scheme, because it required a very strong X-ray source that could photo-ionize the 1s (K shell) electron in neon on a timescale comparable to the intrinsic Auger lifetime in neon of 2 fs. In this paper, we model the neon inner shell X-ray laser under similar conditions to those used in the XFEL experiments at the SLAC Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS), and show how we can improve the efficiency of the neon laser and reduce the drive requirements by tuning the XFEL to the 1s-3p transition in neutral neon in order to create gain on the 2p-1s line in neutral neon. We also show how the XFEL could be used to photo-ionize L-shell electrons to drive gain on n = 3–2 transitions in singly-ionized Ar and Cu plasmas. These bright, coherent, and monochromatic X-ray lasers may prove very useful for doing high-resolution spectroscopy and for studying non-linear process in the X-ray regime.
Prognostic value of three pro-nuclei (3PN) incidence in elective single blastocyst-stage embryo transfer.

Objectives: To investigate whether 3PN incidence could lead to a worse pregnancy outcome of elective single blastocyst stage embryo transfer (eSBET). Methods: This study included 706 eSBET cycles from January 2013 to March 2015. The patients were divided into two groups as follows: group 1 included 286 patients with no 3PN zygotes and group 2 included 420 patients with 3PN zygotes. Main outcome measure: female age, endometrial thickness, infertility duration, type of infertility, main etiology of infertility, clinical pregnancy and abortion rate. Results: We observed that there was no significant difference in female age, endometrial thickness, infertility duration and abortion rate between two groups. It’s worth noting that the clinical pregnancy rate in 3PN > 0% group was significantly lower than 3PN = 0 group (P = 0.021). Conclusions: 3PN incidence might make anegative effect on pregnancy outcomes in elective single blastocyst stage embryo transfer.
Application of Anytime Control to an Inherently Unstable Physical System

This paper extends the use of closed-loop anytime control to systems that are inherently unstable in the open-loop. Previous work has shown that anytime control is very effective in compensating for occasional missed deadlines in the computer processor. When misses occur, the control law is truncated or partially executed. However, the previous work assumed that the open-loop system was stable. In this paper, the anytime strategy is applied to an inverted pendulum system. An LQR controller with estimated state feedback is designed and decomposed into two stages. Both stages are implemented most of the time, but in a small percentage of time, only the first stage is applied, with the resulting closed-loop system being unstable for short periods of time. The statistical performance of the closed-loop system is studied using Monte-Carlo simulations. It is seen that, on average, the closed-loop performance is very close to that of the full-order controller as long as the miss rate is relatively small. However, the variance of the response shows much higher dependence on the miss rate, suggesting that the response becomes more unpredictable. At a critical value of miss rate, the closed-loop system is unstable. The critical miss rate found through simulation is seen to correlate well with the results of a deterministic stability analysis. The statistics on the settling time are also studied, and shown to grow longer as the miss rate increases. The transient behavior of the system is studied for a range of initial conditions.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Hatching of Sod Webworm Eggs in Relation to Low and High Temperatures

Eggs of 12 species of sod webworm were exposed for various periods to temperatures of 0, 10, and 45°C. Hatchability was compared with control eggs kept at 25°C. Short exposures to any temperature did not significantly affect percent hatch. Prolonged exposure resulted in a significant decrease in hatchability for several species at 0° and for all species at 45°C. There was a significant difference in hatchability between the 3 generations of Crambus teterrellus (Zincken) and of Pediasia trisecta (Walker) at extreme temperatures. Populations of Agriphila rutricolella (Zeller), collected at 2 elevations, differed significantly in hatching percentage and developmental rate.
On the formation of the pattern of crystal idioblasts - in Canavalia ensiformis DC : IV. The fine structure of the crystal cells.

Light and electron-microscope observations were made of the crystal idioblasts in the leaves of Canavalia. The crystal-containing cells occur as pairs in which the crystals, nuclei, and the majority of the chloroplasts are symmetrically arranged with regard to the common wall. The chloroplasts are found in the cytoplasm along this wall.The crystals originate in a vacuole. The space in which the young crystal develops is delimited by a membrane. One to several additional membranes surround the crystal inside the vacuole. Numerous vesicles are distributed between these vacuolar membranes. Dense groups of tubules or fibrils are oriented toward a portion of the crystal surface, suggesting that the material forming the crystal might be transported to the surface by these structures.The cytoplasm of the young idioblasts contains many mitochondria and dictyosomes with associated vesicles. Concentrations of what is assumed to be protein are present in the cytoplasm. These protein accumulations are not seen in neighboring cells, suggesting that protein synthesis is especially high in the idioblasts.In older crystal cells, layers of wall material are deposited on the wall between the two crystals of the pair and towards the cell wall adjacent to the mesophyll. Not only does the original wall become thickened but a new wall develops at the border of the crystal vacuole. Eventually this wall material becomes continuous and the crystal becomes, on two sides, directly connected with the wall.
Oviposition preference hierarchy of Brachys tessellatus (Coleoptera: Buprestidae)

For insects whose offspring complete development at the site of oviposition, as with most leafminers, maternal oviposition preference is very important in determining offspring success. If these insects use several host plants, the evolution of oviposition preference hierarchies is expected, with the patterns of preference for any given host corresponding to larval performance on that host. We examined the oviposition preference hierarchy of Brachys tessellatus (F.), a Buprestid leafmining beetle, on 5 Quercus species that the beetle has been observed to use as host plants. Two laboratory experiments were performed, involving a combination of no-choice and 2-choice behavioral trials. Patterns of preference in the wild was also assessed using a survey of egg densities on hosts in the field. The 2 laboratory behavioral trials revealed identical preference hierarchies, with preference for Quercus marylandica > Q. laevis > Q. incana > Q. nigra > Q. margaretta . These results contrasted with the observations in the wild where egg densities reflected the pattern Q. laevis > Q. marylandica > Q. incana > Q. nigra > Q. margaretta . This variation for the 2 most preferred hosts suggests that the laboratory results may not reflect environmental effects such as host abundance and sun versus shade effects that may influence the patterns of oviposition site preference observed in the wild.
Relationship of obesity and physical fitness to cardiopulmonary and metabolic function in healthy older men.

The relationship of obesity and physical fitness (VO2max) to cardiopulmonary and metabolic function was examined in 132 healthy obese, nonsmoking men age 45-79. Obese men with higher VO2max had lower % body fat and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) than obese men with low VO2max. The obese subjects with high WHR (upper body fat distribution) had higher systolic blood pressure, hyperinsulinemia and impaired glucose tolerance, lower high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and higher triglyceride (TG). VO2max (ml/kg FFM.min) was lower in the older men (r = -0.54, p less than .001), and 32% of the variation was accounted for by age and the one-second forced expiratory volume. Although pulmonary function was normal, 50% of the variability was predicted by age, height, and VO2max or WHR. Glucose tolerance and insulin correlated better with VO2max and indices of body composition than with age, while plasma TG and HDL-C correlated with body composition, not VO2max or age. Thus, while age affects the cardiopulmonary and metabolic function of obese older men, physical inactivity, obesity, and an abdominal body fat distribution (increased WHR) contributed significantly to their reductions in physiological function.
Diagnosis and management of fractures in the multiply injured patient.

Careful and frequent examination of the patient is critical to the success of treating the multiply injured patient. Various specialists treating the patient must communicate effectively regarding priorities and proposed therapies.
Ultrasound-Guided Hip Procedures

This article describes the techniques for performing ultrasound-guided procedures in the hip region, including intra-articular hip injection, iliopsoas bursa injection, greater trochanter bursa injection, ischial bursa injection, and piriformis muscle injection. The common indications, pitfalls, accuracy, and efficacy of these procedures are also addressed.
Is adaptation or transformation needed? Active nanomaterials and risk analysis

Nanotechnology has been a key area of funding and policy for the United States and globally for the past two decades. Since nanotechnology research and development became a focus and nanoproducts began to permeate the market, scholars and scientists have been concerned about how to assess the risks that they may pose to human health and the environment. The newest generation of nanomaterials includes biomolecules that can respond to and influence their environments, and there is a need to explore whether and how existing risk-analysis frameworks are challenged by such novelty. To fill this niche, we used a modified approach of upstream oversight assessment (UOA), a subset of anticipatory governance. We first selected case studies of “active nanomaterials,” that are early in research and development and designed for use in multiple sectors, and then considered them under several, key risk-analysis frameworks. We found two ways in which the cases challenge the frameworks. The first category relates to how to assess risk under a narrow framing of the term (direct health and environmental harm), and the second involves the definition of what constitutes a “risk” worthy of assessment and consideration in decision making. In light of these challenges, we propose some changes for risk analysis in the face of active nanostructures in order to improve risk governance.
Breakdown in a “backward” state: Bihar

Bihar is India's poorest state and one of its most violent. Political killings have become so common in Bihar over the past decade that, according to India Today , they no longer make news. India's leading newspaper, the Times of India , estimated that between 1980 and 1986 there had been more politically motivated murders in Bihar than in Punjab. Some of that violence has been directed at influencing electoral outcomes. Such violence occurs in bursts and is concentrated in the urban areas. An ongoing, more widespread form of violence is seen in the villages. The primary victims are members of the poor scheduled castes and tribes who may have dared to challenge the age-old patterns of domination. The killers often are members of the landowning castes or their hired thugs, or the police, or some combination of these groups. As the killings have continued, private caste armies have proliferated. The rise of “warlordism” has generated new types of violence that do not follow the established patterns. Examples of the “forward” castes killing the “backward” or middle castes, of the backward castes killing the forward castes, and of politicized scheduled castes and tribals occasionally killing members of both the forward and the backward castes can all be found. In addition, ordinary criminals, the dacoits , have entered the fray, further confusing the picture of who is killing whom and why.
Neorealism and Films

This chapter provides an overview of features typically found in neorealist films, such as Roma citta aperta (Rome, Open City, 1945), Ladri di biciclette (Bicycle Thieves, 1948), and Ossessione (1942). Shared elements of these films are: their focus on the anguish generally felt by Italians after the war, the artists’ social commitment to generating cultural changes, a contrast between melodramatic scenes and scenes of notable crudeness, on-location shooting, prevalence of scenes depicting war-damaged urban centers, and the usage of nonprofessional actors.
Suprathreshold compound action potential amplitude as a measure of auditory function in cochlear implant users

Electrically evoked compound action potential (eCAP) amplitudes elicited at suprathreshold levels were assessed as a measure of the effectiveness of cochlear implant (CI) stimulation. Twenty-one individuals participated; one was excluded due to facial stimulation during eCAP testing. For each participant, eCAPs were elicited with stimulation from seven electrodes near the upper limit of the individual's electrical dynamic range. A reduced-channel CI program was created using those same seven electrodes, and participants performed a vowel discrimination task. Consistent with previous reports, eCAP amplitudes varied across tested electrodes; the profiles were unique to each individual. In 6 subjects (30%), eCAP amplitude variability was partially explained by the impedance of the recording electrode. The remaining amplitude variability within subjects, and the variability observed across subjects could not be explained by recording electrode impedance. This implies that other underlying factors, such as variations in neural status across the array, are responsible. Across-site mean eCAP amplitude was significantly correlated with vowel discrimination scores (r2 = 0.56). A single eCAP amplitude measured from the middle of the array was also significantly correlated with vowel discrimination, but the correlation was weaker (r2 = 0.37), though not statistically different from the across-site mean. Normalizing each eCAP amplitude by its associated recording electrode impedance did not improve the correlation with vowel discrimination (r2 = 0.52). Further work is needed to assess whether combining eCAP amplitude with other measures of the electrode-neural interface and/or with more central measures of auditory function provides a more complete picture of auditory function in CI recipients.
Metal Nanowires Synthesized by Solution-Phase Methods

One-dimensional (1D) nanostructures (such as wires, rods, belts and tubes) have been a subject of intensive research due to their unique applications in fabricating nanoscale electronic, photonic, electrochemical, electromechanical, and sensing devices [1–8]. Nanowires with uniform diameters also represent an ideal model system to investigate the dependence of transport and optical properties on size confinement or reduction [9]. In addition, there are many other areas where nanowires could be exploited to significantly enhance the functionality or performance of a material; typical examples include catalysis, formation of superstrong and tough composites, and fabrication of specialized scanning probes [10]. As a result, a tremendous amount of effort has recently been devoted to the synthesis, characterization, and utilization of nanowires with well-controlled dimensions and properties [11–13].
Origins of Singlet Fission in Solid Pentacene from an ab initio Green's Function Approach.

We develop a new first-principles approach to predict and understand rates of singlet fission with an ab initio Green's-function formalism based on many-body perturbation theory. Starting with singlet and triplet excitons computed from a $GW$ plus Bethe-Salpeter equation approach, we calculate the exciton-biexciton coupling to lowest order in the Coulomb interaction, assuming a final state consisting of two noninteracting spin-correlated triplets with finite center-of-mass momentum. For crystalline pentacene, symmetries dictate that the only purely Coulombic fission decay process from a bright singlet state requires a final state consisting of two inequivalent nearly degenerate triplets of nonzero, equal and opposite, center-of-mass momenta. For such a process, we predict a singlet lifetime of 30--70 fs, in very good agreement with experimental data, indicating that this process can dominate singlet fission in crystalline pentacene. Our approach is general and provides a framework for predicting and understanding multiexciton interactions in solids.
Quantitative Pneumatic Otoscopy Using a Light-Based Ranging Technique

Otitis media is the leading cause of hearing loss in children. It is commonly associated with fluid in the ear, which can result in up to 45 dB of hearing loss for extended periods of time during a child's most important developmental years. Accurate assessment of middle ear effusions is an important part of understanding otitis media. Current technologies used to diagnose otitis media with effusion are pneumatic otoscopy, tympanometry, and acoustic reflectometry. While all of these techniques can reasonably diagnose the presence of an effusion, they provide limited information about the infection present behind the tympanic membrane.We have developed a technique based on low-coherence interferometry-a non-invasive optical ranging technique capable of sensing depth-resolved microscopic scattering features through the eardrum-to quantify eardrum thickness and integrity, as well as detect any effusion, purulence, or biofilm behind the tympanic membrane. In this manuscript, the technique is coupled with a pneumatic otoscope to measure minute deflections of the tympanic membrane from insufflation pressure stimuli. This results in quantitative measurements of tympanic membrane mobility, which may be used to gain a better understanding of the impact of infection on the membrane dynamics. A small pilot study of 15 subjects demonstrates the ability of pneumatic low-coherence interferometry to quantitatively differentiate normal ears from ears with effusions present. Analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the technique, as well as focus areas of future research, is also discussed.
Testing of Anisotropic Clay Soils

Presented herein is an attempt to shed some light on what happens when an inclined specimen is tested in compression in a standard triaxial cell.
Oxytocin and Prader-Willi Syndrome

In the chapter, we explore the relationship between the peptide hormone, oxytocin (OT), and behavioral and metabolic disturbances observed in the genetic disorder Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS). Phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of PWS are described, as are the potential implications of an abnormal OT system with respect to neural development including the possible effects of OT dysfunction on interactions with other regulatory mediators, including neurotransmitters, neuromodulators, and hormones. The major behavioral characteristics are explored in the context of OT dysfunction, including hyperphagia, impulsivity, anxiety and emotion dysregulation, sensory processing and interoception, repetitive and restrictive behaviors, and dysfunctional social cognition. Behavioral overlaps with autistic spectrum disorders are discussed. The implications of OT dysfunction on the mechanisms of reward and satiety and their possible role in informing behavioral characteristics are also discussed. Treatment implications and future directions for investigation are considered.
Hydrogen embrittlement in an ultra-high-strength 4340 steel

Tension, notch-tension, bend, and sustained-load tests have been employed in the examination of the hydrogen-embrittlement of high-strength 4340 steel. Hydrogen was introduced into the specimens under conditions corresponding to cleaning and plating conditions. Hydrogen-embrittlement in the static tests was found to depend on the strain rates used, in agreement with previous work. However, the rate of recovery from hydrogen embrittlement was found to differ for the cathodically cleaned and plated specimens. Failure in the sustained-load tests was shown to result from the development of a surface crack which, through growth, reduced the load-bearing cross section, with a consequent increase in the nominal stress on the section to a value equal to the fracture stress.
Diabetes Self-Care Behaviors Among Marshallese Adults Living in the United States.

Marshallese experience high rates of type 2 diabetes. Proper management of diabetes requires multiple self-care behaviors, yet little is known about Marshallese’s diabetes-related self-care behaviors. Survey data from 111 Marshallese adults with diabetes were used to examine relationships between self-care behaviors and socio-demographic characteristics. The most common self-care behavior was attending annual doctor visits, while the least common was maintaining a normal weight. Age group, education level, and having a regular doctor were significantly associated with engaging in self-care behaviors. Having a regular doctor had the most effect on performing self-care behaviors (p = 0.006); although, only 38.7% reported having a regular doctor. To minimize diabetes-related complications, efforts to improve self-care behaviors among the Marshallese should be developed. Alternatives to traditional healthcare providers, such as community health workers, may be a viable strategy with this population given only one-third reported having a regular doctor.
Simulation results for the pacific DC intertie wide area damping controller

This paper presents simulation results of a control scheme for damping inter-area oscillations using high-voltage DC (HVDC) power modulation. The control system utilizes realtime synchrophasor feedback to construct a supplemental commanded power signal for the Pacific DC Intertie (PDCI) in the North American Western Interconnection (WI). A prototype of this controller has been implemented in hardware and, after multiple years of development, successfully tested in both open and closed-loop operation. This paper presents simulation results of the WI during multiple severe contingencies with the damping controller in both open and closed-loop. The primary results are that the controller adds significant damping to the controllable modes of the WI and that it does not adversely affect the system response in any of the simulated cases. Furthermore, the simulations show that a feedback signal composed of the frequency difference between points of measurement near the Washington-Oregon border and the California-Oregon border can be employed with similar results to a feedback signal constructed from measurements taken near the Washington-Oregon border and southern California. This is an important consideration because it allowed the control system to be designed without relying upon cross-system measurements, which would have introduced significant additional delay.
American Indian Elders: Unifiers of Indian Families:

American Indian elders play a central role in the day-to-day activities of Indian family life. Social service providers must be aware of Indian extended family structure so that programs for Indian...
Management of the Post-op Abdominal Catastrophe and Open Abdomen

Damage control surgery and the application of the open abdomen technique have continued to evolve since its conception, playing a crucial role in the treatment of the surgical patient in extremis. Abbreviated laparotomy is focused on rapid control of hemorrhage and contamination. Emphasis then shifts to the intensive care unit (ICU), where the patient’s physiologic derangements are reversed prior to returning to the operating room for definitive repair of injuries. This chapter will focus on the ICU management of the patient with an open abdomen, addressing approaches to resuscitation, fluid and electrolyte management, ventilation, and nutritional support. The challenges the intensivist faces when caring for the patient with an open abdomen will also be discussed.
Bullshit, Truth, and Reason

This article argues that bullshit is not an offense against truth but against reason. It maintains that bullshit occurs when speakers intentionally assert vague premises to make listeners accept their conclusions. This redefinition, I suggest, has consequences on the moral appraisal of bullshit.