cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The function of the pelvic fins during courtship and spawning in the orange chromide, Etroplus maculatus

Behavioural data were collected from control and experimental pairs of orange chromides, from pairing to the time of spawning. Experimental females had their pelvic fins surgically removed at the time of pairing. The pelvic fins were found to be necessary for equidistant egg placement at the time of spawning. Recently developed cartographic techniques were modified for the data analysis to verify the results statistically and visually. The spawns of control females were of uniform density and egg placement was equidistant. The spawns of experimental females were of variable density and egg placement was not equidistant. Female pelvic fin flickering does not appear to be a socially significant courtship activity. The frequency of courtship behaviours and significant behavioural transitions were nearly identical for control and experimental pairs.
Leveraging the Potential of Strategic Systems

Abstract Strategic information systems have not realized their potential, largely because of misconceptions regarding their genesis and use. After exploring the myths surrounding strategic systems, this article presents a framework that delineates the four critical information inputs to the systems and helps ensure the necessary synergy among a firm's external characteristics, its capabilities, and its goals.
Cinna, Calvus, and the Ciris

Among other things, R. O. A. M. Lyne's recent edition and commentary of the Ciris (Cambridge, 1978) has established the general method of composition followed by this pseudo-neoteric poet: he demonstrably lifted wholesale and applied to his own poem words, phrases, lines, and even entire sequences from the works of the neoterics and the poets of the following generation. Accordingly, one of the poem's chief attributes is that it serves as a means for recovering the general content, and at times the actual wording, of earlier, more important poetry. This paper offers some additional areas in the Ciris where such influence may exist. I confine myself to Cinna and Calvus, whose poetry may justly be considered the missing two-thirds of the neoteric movement.
A Monte Carlo Program for Simulating Selection Decisions From Personnel Tests

Relative to test and criterion parameters and cutting scores, the correlation coefficient, sample size, and number of samples to be drawn (all inputs), this program calculates decision classification rates across samples and for combined samples. Several other related indices are also computed.
New implementations of the time-reversed precoders for UWB communication system

Ultra-wideband communications system with pre-coders based on time-reverse channel impulse response have been shown to yield improved bit error rate performance for a given signal to noise ratio. However, as the channel impulse response is usually quite long, the implementation of the full time-reversed precoders involves high implementation complexity. We propose two implementation methods that will reduce the implementation complexity. In the first method, representation of the impulse response by fewer number of bits such as 1, 2, 4 and 6 is considered. In the next method, the channel impulse response is modeled using autoregressive moving average model obtained using Prony method. Two implementations, namely time reversed Prony precoder model and data reversed Prony precoder model, are investigated. The performances of the communication system for various channel models CM1, CM2, CM3 and CM4, as presented in IEEE 802.15.3a, with different precoder models were obtained using simulation. It was observed that data reversal based implementation of Prony model precoder was able to produce the same level of Bit Error Rate (BER) performance with reduced implementation complexity compared to non-recursive implementation. The simulation results for the various cases of the partial precoders are presented.
Whither the Region? Periods and Periodicity in Planning History

The principal argument of this article is that for a century and more the region has been a significant scale for planning practice, for the provision of basic services, and more recently for citizen activism. Yet within planning history, attention to regions and regionalism has waxed and waned. When practitioners, historians, and social scientists have considered regions retrospectively, they have tended to view events and endeavors as episodic; they have assigned the region to particular moments or movements (a City Beautiful, the New Deal, a “new regionalism”), to discrete eras or decades (ecological regionalism, regional science), and to particular localities. Often those who study practice have seen regions when those they write about organized their efforts, framed their plans, implemented policies, and constituted these explicitly as regional in scale and scope. Because the attention of those who write planning history has been more periodic than comprehensive, scholars and practitioners who seek t...
DNA Immunization with Na+-K+ATPase (Sseat-6) Induces Protective Immunity to Larval Strongyloides stercoralis in Mice

Strongyloides stercoralis causes chronic asymptomatic infections which can be maintained in the human host for many decades. Identification and treatment of S. stercoralis-infected individuals is required because immunosuppression can lead to fatal hyperinfection. In this study, human immunoglobulin G (IgG) that had previously been shown to transfer protective immunity to mice was used to identify potential protective antigens. Three antigens or genes from S. stercoralis larvae were identified as tropomyosin (Sstmy-1), Na+-K+ ATPase (Sseat-6), and LEC-5 (Sslec-5). The genes were cloned into plasmids for DNA immunization, and mice were immunized intradermally with the three plasmids individually in combination with a plasmid containing murine granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor. Only Na+-K+ ATPase induced a significant reduction in larval survival after DNA immunization. Immunization with a combination of all three plasmids, including Na+-K+ ATPase, did not induce protective immunity. Serum from mice immunized with DNA encoding Na+-K+ ATPase was transferred to naive mice and resulted in partial protective immunity. Therefore, DNA immunization with Na+-K+ ATPase induces protective immunity in mice, and it is the first identified vaccine candidate against infection with larval S. stercoralis.
Learning with Target Prior

In the conventional approaches for supervised parametric learning, relations between data and target variables are provided through training sets consisting of pairs of corresponded data and target variables. In this work, we describe a new learning scheme for parametric learning, in which the target variables y can be modeled with a prior model p(y) and the relations between data and target variables are estimated with p(y) and a set of uncorresponded data X in training. We term this method as learning with target priors (LTP). Specifically, LTP learning seeks parameter θ that maximizes the log likelihood of fθ (X) on a uncorresponded training set with regards to p(y). Compared to the conventional (semi)supervised learning approach, LTP can make efficient use of prior knowledge of the target variables in the form of probabilistic distributions, and thus removes/reduces the reliance on training data in learning. Compared to the Bayesian approach, the learned parametric regressor in LTP can be more efficiently implemented and deployed in tasks where running efficiency is critical. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach on parametric regression tasks for BCI signal decoding and pose estimation from video.
SPATIAL SYNCHRONY IN FOREST INSECT OUTBREAKS: ROLES OF REGIONAL STOCHASTICITY AND DISPERSAL

Spatial synchrony, that is, correlated population fluctuation over wide geo- graphical areas, has been detected in diverse taxa and over various geographical scales. The most commonly suggested mechanisms to explain spatial synchrony include dispersal and regional stochasticity (i.e., ''the Moran effect''). We analyzed landscape-scale historical outbreak data for six forest insect species: spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana), western spruce budworm (C. occidentalis), larch bud moth (Zeiraphera diniana), forest tent caterpillar (Malacosoma disstria), mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae ), and gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar). We used a recently developed statistical method (the nonparametric covariance function) for quantifying the magnitude and spatial range of synchrony in both outbreak and corresponding weather data. The varying dispersal capa- bilities of the species enabled us to speculate on the relative importance of dispersal vs. the Moran effect as potential mechanisms behind the observed patterns. Our results indicated that spatial synchrony was not directly associated with dispersal capabilities at the spatial scales considered. In contrast, the spatial correlation in weather variables was high enough to account for the levels of synchrony observed in the outbreak data. Therefore, the Moran effect appeared to be the more dominant process affecting the spatial dynamics of these species at the landscape scale. In general, however, the synchrony in outbreaks declined more steeply with geographical distance than the correlation in the weather variables, breaking with the predictions of Moran's theorem. A more detailed analysis of gypsy moth outbreak data showed that local dynamics varied considerably in a spatially dependent manner. The existence of such variation violates one of the assumptions of the Moran's theorem, namely, that the dynamic properties of disjunct populations are identical. We used a simple theoretical model to demonstrate that such geographical variation in local popu- lation dynamics may indeed force synchrony to decline more rapidly with distance than the correlation in the environment.
Studying the prevalence and predictors of psychiatric disorders among adolescent disaster survivors

COMMENTARY ON: Adams ZW, Sumner JA, Danielson CK, et al. Prevalence and predictors of PTSD and depression among adolescent victims of the Spring 2011 tornado outbreak. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2014;55:1047–55.[OpenUrl][1][CrossRef][2][PubMed][3] The epidemiology of disaster mental health has been well documented in adult populations. In comparison, relatively little is known about psychiatric disorders following exposure to disasters among youth. Even less is known specifically about psychopathology among youth exposed to tornadoes. Very few disaster mental health studies of youth have utilised structured diagnostic interviews, and samples of youth have not often been systematically selected or representative of general populations. This study aimed to estimate prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depressive episode (MDE) in youths residing in tornado-affected areas and to identify risk factors for these disorders. Systematic address-based recruitment yielded a sample of 2000 youths from residences within 2–5 miles of tornadoes that occurred in … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DJ%2BChild%2BPsychol%2BPsychiatry%26rft.volume%253D55%26rft.spage%253D1047%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1111%252Fjcpp.12220%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F24580551%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=10.1111/jcpp.12220&link_type=DOI [3]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=24580551&link_type=MED&atom=%2Febmental%2F18%2F2%2F54.atom
Immunization and the Prevention of Childhood Diseases

Nursing has an important role in improving the incidence of childhood immunization. An understanding of the immunologic deficiencies of children, especially those younger than 5 years, demonstrates the need for this population-wide protection. Knowledge of the various products, their efficacy, schedule, side effects, and contraindications will assist the neonatal and pediatric nurse in coordinating immunizations and teaching parents about this important health priority for their children. Research is focusing on the development of combination vaccines and products for infectious diseases that currently have difficult or nonexistent treatment.
Observing Majorana bound States in p -Wave Superconductors Using Noise Measurements in Tunneling Experiments

The zero-energy bound states at the edges or vortex cores of chiral p-wave superconductors should behave like Majorana fermions. We introduce a model Hamiltonian that describes the tunneling process when electrons are injected into such states. Using a nonequilibrium Green function formalism, we find exact analytic expressions for the tunneling current and noise and identify experimental signatures of the Majorana nature of the bound states to be found in the shot noise. We discuss the results in the context of different candidate materials that support triplet superconductivity. Experimental verification of the Majorana character of midgap states would have important implications for the prospects of topological quantum computation.
Ultrasound Transducer Selection in Clinical Imaging Practice

Many types of medical ultrasound transducers are used in clinical practice. They operate at different center frequencies, have different physical dimensions, footprints, and shapes, and provide different image formats. However, little information is available about which transducers are most appropriate for a given application, and the purpose of this article is to address this deficiency. Specifically, the relationship between the transducer, imaging format, and clinical applications is discussed, and systematic selection criteria that allow matching of transducers to specific clinical needs are presented. These criteria include access to and coverage of the region of interest, maximum scan depth, and coverage of essential diagnostic modes required to optimize a patient's diagnosis. Three comprehensive figures organize and summarize the imaging planes, scanning modes, and types of diagnostic transducers to facilitate their selection in clinical diagnosis.
Colonial narratives/cultural dialogues : "discoveries" of India in the language of colonialism

Colonial Narratives/Cultural Dialogues demonstrates the continuing validity of the colonial paradigm as it maps the geographical, political, and imaginative space of 'India/Indies' from the seventeenth century to the present. Breaking new ground in postcolonial studies, Jyotsna Singh highlights the interconnections among early modern colonial encounters, later manifestations in the Raj and their lingering influence in the postcolonial Indian nationalist state. Singh challenges the assumption of eye-witness accounts and unmeditated experiences implcit in colonial representational practices, and often left unchallenged in the postcolonial era. Essential introductory reading for students and academics, Colonial Narratives/Cultural Dialogues re-evaluates the following texts: * seventeenth century travel narratives about India * eighteenth century 'nabob' texts * letters of the Orientalist, Sir William Jones * reviews of Shakespearean productions in Calcutta and postcolonial Indo-Anglian novels
A Simple and Accurate Methodology to Optimize Parameter-Dependent Finite-Difference Time-Domain Schemes

A two-stage simple and accurate methodology is presented for the dispersion error minimization of parameter-dependent finite-difference time-domain schemes over a useful bandwidth. The methodology is rigorously developed for both 2-D and 3-D schemes. First, the anisotropy error is treated by expanding the spatial part of the numerical dispersion relation in a cosine-Fourier series, and eliminating the contribution of the angle-dependent terms. The dispersion error is then corrected by employing a modified single-frequency accurate temporal finite-difference operator. This modification can be translated into the parameters of the updating equations, which greatly simplifies its programming. The theoretically derived results are further supported by numerical experiments.
A new integrated energy-saving scheme in green Fiber-Wireless (FiWi) access network

Energy savings in Internet have been regarded as a significant technical issue for academic and industrial community. Particularly, access network accounts for more than 70% of the total energy consumption of Internet. As a promising access technique, Fiber-Wireless (FiWi) network not only enables the cost-effective broadband access, but also provides more opportunities for energy savings. Previous works mostly focused on the energy savings in the optical back-end of FiWi. Generally, they extended the Optical Network Unit (ONU) sleep mechanisms initially designed for Passive Optical Network (PON) to FiWi by combining with the wireless rerouting. However, most of these works left the energy savings in the wireless front-end untouched. In fact, when one or more ONUs in the network is/are sleeping, many wireless components remain idle or underutilized which cause a lot of energy waste. Motivated by this, we propose a new integrated Wireless-Optical Energy Savings (WOES) scheme for the comprehensive energy savings in FiWi. The WOES scheme consists of two interactive modules, Energy-Efficient ONU Management (EEOM) and Energy-Aware Topology Configuration (EATC). EEOM aims at the energy savings in the optical back-end by putting the low-load ONUs into sleep state. A pair of thresholds is introduced into EEOM to maintain the states of ONUs. As soon as ONUs states change, EATC will reconfigure the wireless topology by putting the idle Radio Interfaces (RIs) into standby state, thus minimizing the energy consumption of the wireless front-end. Simulation results show that the WOES scheme can reduce the energy consumption significantly with just a little performance degradation in network throughput and end-to-end delay.
Characteristics of the Sample Adequacy Control (SAC) in the Cepheid Xpert® CT/NG Assay in Female Urine Specimens

Background: The Xpert® CT/NG (Cepheid Sunnyvale, CA) is a rapid, fully automated real-time polymerase chain reaction test that simultaneously detects Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG). It has high sensitivity and specificity, but also includes a Specimen Adequacy Control (SAC). SAC controls for false negative results by confirming adequate patient sample and appropriate testing conditions. SAC is quantified by its cycle threshold (C t ), the number of cycles required to detect the presence of a single copy human gene. A lower SAC indicates an earlier C t and more human cellular material detected. Our objectives were to describe the frequency and distribution of SAC C t values and observe any correlations with detected infections. Methods: Urine samples from 1382 HIV-1-infected pregnant women, collected at the time of labor/delivery underwent Xpert® CT/NG testing. Mean SAC Ct values and standard deviation (SD) were calculated. Student's t-test was used to compare mean SAC Ct values to a reference of urine samples negative for CT and NG. Results: The urine CT positivity was 17.9% (248/1382) and NG, 4.6% (63/1382). The mean SAC C t value in urine from women without CT or NG was 28.09 (SD: 4.12) and higher than the mean SAC C t value for CT positive specimens (27.29, SD: 3.84(P=.0054)), NG positive specimens (26.23, SD: 3.09(P<.0001)), and specimens positive for both CT and NG (26.41, SD: 3.01(P=.0027)). Conclusion: Lower SAC C t values were significantly associated with chlamydial and gonococcal infections. Further studies should be conducted to determine the utility of SAC C t values for identifying the presence of increased human cellular material and infection.
Comparison of periodontal disease status of adults in two untreated indigenous populations of Guatemala, Central America.

Objective: To compare the periodontal disease levels of two distinct indigenous populations of Guatemala, Central America, to determine whether differences exist. Material and methods: Cross-sectional studies were performed in adults from the communities of San Juan La Laguna, SJLL (n = 125) and Tzununa (n = 54). In both cases, full-mouth pocket probing depths (PPDs) and clinical attachment levels (CALs) were measured by a single examiner, and the same examiner was employed in both studies. Recession at each site was derived from PPD and CAL measures. Results: Tooth number did not differ significantly between SJLL and Tzununa (28.0 and 27.2, respectively). With respect to periodontal disease status, the percentage of sites with PPD ≥ 5, 6 and 7 mm did not differ significantly, although mean PPD was significantly greater in the Tzununa sample (P = 0.01). Mean CAL and percentage of sites with CAL ≥ 4, 5, 6 and 7 mm was significantly greater in SJLL than in Tzununa (P < 0.005) and the difference increased with age. Mean recession was also significantly greater in SJLL than Tzununa (P < 0.005), as was the percentage of sites with recession ≥ 3 mm (P = 0.02), 4 mm (P = 0.002) and 5 mm (P = 0.008). Conclusion: The disease levels differed between these two indigenous Guatemalan communities. Whether this has a primarily environmental or genetic basis remains to be elucidated.
Decisive identification and the Concept of a Person

In 'Freedom of the Will and the Concept of a Person' (The Journal of Philosophy, January 14, 1971) Harry G. Frankfurt defines a person as a being who not only has desires for certain actions, and has desires that he have certain desires, but also a being who is able to have a desire that a particular desire be the one that moves him to action. (p. 10) A desire for an action is called a first order desire and a desire to have a particular first order desire is a desire of the second order. A second order volition is the desire that a certain first order desire be the one which moves the person to action. There is theoretically no limit to the number of levels of higher order desires and volitions which can be formed. A wanton is an animal or human being who is not a person because although he may have second order desires, that is, desires that a certain first order desire be among the ones he has, he has no second order volitions and therefore is indifferent to which one of his desires actually moves him to action. The second order volition, according to Frankfurt, is central to the concept of a person. Through the formation of a second order volition a person identifies' himself with a particular desire for an action (pp. 13, 16). Without this decisive identification, it would be necessary to form an infinite succession of higher order volitions, and this would cause the person either to become a passive bystander to his acts through indecision, or to never be able to act at all, since he could never be sure that he would not want to reject his decision because of a conflicting volition on a higher level (p. 16). Decisive identification avoids this, Frankfurt says, because
Beet leafhopper (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) settling behavior, survival, and reproduction on selected host plants.

Experiments were conducted to determine the settling behavior, survival, and reproduction of the beet leafhopper, Circulifer tenellus (Baker), when maintained on selected host plants. This leafhopper was recently identified in the Columbia Basin of Washington and Oregon as the probable vector of the beet leafhopper-transmitted virescence agent phytoplasma, causal agent of several vegetable crop diseases, including potato purple top. Plants selected for study were sugar beet, Beta vulgaris L.; radish, Raphanus sativus L.; dry bean, Phaseolus vulgaris L.; potato, Solanum tuberosum L.; carrot, Daucus carota L.; and tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. Leafhopper adults were confined on caged plants, and settling behavior was observed during a 72-h period and survival was monitored for 40 d. Also, oviposition and nymphal production were investigated by maintaining leafhoppers for ≈90 d on each of the selected plants. Sixty to 100% of leafhoppers settled on all studied plants during the first 5 h, but settling on bean and tomato declined sharply thereafter. Leafhopper mortality was very high on bean and tomato, with 95 and 65% of the leafhoppers, respectively, dying in about a week. In contrast, 77, 90, and 95% of leafhoppers maintained on potato, sugar beet, and radish, respectively, survived until the end of the 40-d experimental period. Beet leafhopper oviposition and nymphal production and development only occurred on sugar beet, radish, and potato; reproduction was lower on potato.
Framing hostage negotiations: analysing the discourse of the US government and the Islamic State

Since August 2014, there has been a marked increase in the violence perpetrated by the Islamic State against Western hostages. Videos released by the Islamic State depicting the brutal executions of hostages have been circulated widely on social media. This has prompted a dialogue about governments’ policies regarding negotiation with terrorist organisations to secure the release of their citizens held overseas. The United States and Britain, two non-negotiating countries, have faced significant criticism for this policy, which has led to the beheadings of several American and British citizens. This article analyses the discourse of two spokesmen – White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest, and British hostage John Cantlie – in framing the issue of hostage negotiations on behalf of their organisations. A grounded theory approach informed by framing analysis is utilised in order to identify dominant discourses employed in White House press briefings and John Cantlie’s videos and articles. This article concl...
MicroRNA regulation of myogenic satellite cell proliferation and differentiation

Myogenic satellite cells are stem cells responsible for muscle growth and regeneration. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play significant roles in regulating numerous cellular processes. Two genes essential to satellite cell function are syndecan-4 and glypican-1. To determine if miRNAs influence myogenic satellite cell function, one miRNA predicted to bind syndecan-4 (miR-128) and two predicted to bind glypican-1 (miR-24 and miR-16) were inhibited in vitro by transfection of inhibitors targeting each miRNA. Inhibition of these miRNAs differentially affected the expression of syndecan-4, glypican-1, and myogenic regulatory factors myoD and myogenin. Inhibition of miR-16 reduced proliferation of satellite cells at 72 h. Inhibition of miR-128 and miR-24 did not affect proliferation. Inhibition of miRNAs reduced differentiation of satellite cells into myotubes at 48 and 72 h except for miR-16, which only affected differentiation at 72 h. Inhibition of all three miRNAs decreased myotube width at 24 h of differentiation and increased myotube width at 48 h of differentiation. Inhibiting these miRNAs also increased the number of nuclei per myotube at 72 h of differentiation. These data demonstrate individual miRNAs regulate genes essential for myogenic satellite cell proliferation and differentiation.
The Primacy Contest: Why Culture Matters

Discussions of whether American primacy will continue focus unduly on specific power differences between the United States and its Asian rivals. Appraisals should also consider institutional capacities. Western regimes have large advantages rooted in cultural differences. Individualism generates stronger economies and governments than the more collective worldviews of the non-West. America will continue to lead mainly because of its far greater willingness to take responsibility for world problems.
Suppression by Zinc of AMPA Receptor-Mediated Synaptic Transmission in the Retina

Zinc is strikingly co-localized with glutamate-containing vesicles in the synaptic terminals of retinal photoreceptors, and it is thought to be co-released with glutamate onto postsynaptic neurons ...
How One Thing Led to Another.

I started research in high school, experimenting on immunological tolerance to transplantation antigens. This led to studies of the thymus as the site of maturation of T cells, which led to the discovery, isolation, and clinical transplantation of purified hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). The induction of immune tolerance with HSCs has led to isolation of other tissue-specific stem cells for regenerative medicine. Our studies of circulating competing germline stem cells in colonial protochordates led us to document competing HSCs. In human acute myelogenous leukemia we showed that all preleukemic mutations occur in HSCs, and determined their order; the final mutations occur in a multipotent progenitor derived from the preleukemic HSC clone. With these, we discovered that CD47 is an upregulated gene in all human cancers and is a “don't eat me” signal; blocking it with antibodies leads to cancer cell phagocytosis. CD47 is the first known gene common to all cancers and is a target for cancer immunotherapy.
Hypothermia in the PACU

Postanesthetic hypothermia is a common, significant, and costly problem in the PACU. The scope of the problem ranges from an adverse outcome for the patient to undue financial burden to the institution providing the care. All of these problems can be minimized or prevented with active warming therapy. From the quality assurance perspective, patient temperatures in the PACU should be measured and documented at appropriate intervals. When hypothermia is detected, even in a mild state, it ought to be assertively treated, particularly in the elderly or patients compromised by systemic disease. When hypothermia is encountered in a moderate to severe form, however, it should be recognized as a grave threat to the patient. Hypothermia has been associated with the most serious postanesthetic complications, including MI, congestive heart failure, respiratory failure, recurarization (reparalyzation), renarcotization, stroke, and bleeding. Inability to control variables makes it exceedingly difficult to identify the contribution of hypothermia to these forms of anesthesia-related morbidity and mortality, but it is undoubtedly significant. For this reason, failure to treat postanesthetic hypothermia is beginning to be recognized as a potential cause of action for a malpractice suit in the presence of an adverse anesthetic outcome. This article evaluates and compares the existing warming therapies with respect to effectiveness, safety, and cost. Fluid warmers, warmed cotton blankets, and infra-red warming devices show no effectiveness in treating hypothermia in the PACU. Only active warming, as characterized by the Bair Hugger warming system, succeeds. With respect to budgetary concerns, Convective Warming Therapy is less expensive to use than warmed cotton blanket treatment. Perioperative temperature management is an emerging science in nursing and medicine. The problem is as ancient as surgery and anesthesia, but the implications are only beginning to be appreciated. Analysis of the problem of hypothermia in terms of clinical and financial outcome are proceeding, with new studies appearing in the literature monthly. More investigation is indicated in the area of patient temperature regulation, which is likely to identify additional situations when active warming therapy is indicated, as a mechanism to protect patients during emergence from anesthesia and to insure cost-effective use of PACU time.
Growth Hormone (GH)

The subject of this article is the structure, biology, and medical significance of growth hormone, a pituitary hormone important for growth and development, anabolism, and maintenance of normal body composition and metabolism.
Patterns of Change within Latent Variable Structural Equation Models

Abstract This chapter demonstrates how selected hypotheses about patterns of change can be investigated using concepts derived from linear structural equation modeling. In Section 5.1 we discuss the concept of structuring correlations by structural equation methods. In Section 5.2 we describe some longitudinal data and illustrate technical aspects of various structural models for these summary statistics. Here we describe the relations between the algebraic and graphic representation of linear models and the nonlinear expectations they imply. In Section 5.3 four different models of change are presented and fitted to these longitudinal data using structural equation model algorithms. These models include an autoregressive change model, a difference components change model, a growth curve change model, and a factor analysis change model. In Section 5.4 some of these ideas are considered together in a multivariate framework. These examples demonstrate the merger of contemporary issues in developmental psychology and structural equation analysis.
Measuring subfemtosecond pulses

The time resolution of streak cameras has been limited to approximately 1 picosecond for many years. Consequently, with the march of femtosecond laser technology to the 10 femtosecond range, nonlinear techniques —particularly autocorrelation—has become the primary way of measuring rapid events.
Tri-Variate Relationships among Vegetation, Soil, and Topography along Gradients of Fluvial Biogeomorphic Succession.

This research investigated how the strength of vegetation–soil–topography couplings varied along a gradient of biogeomorphic succession in two distinct fluvial systems: a forested river floodplain and a coastal salt marsh creek. The strength of couplings was quantified as tri-variance, which was calculated by correlating three singular axes, one each extracted using three-block partial least squares from vegetation, soil, and topography data blocks. Within each system, tri-variance was examined at low-, mid-, and high-elevation sites, which represented early-, intermediate-, and late-successional phases, respectively, and corresponded to differences in ongoing disturbance frequency and intensity. Both systems exhibited clearly increasing tri-variance from the early- to late-successional stages. The lowest-lying sites underwent frequent and intense hydrogeomorphic forcings that dynamically reworked soil substrates, restructured surface landforms, and controlled the colonization of plant species. Such conditions led vegetation, soil, and topography to show discrete, stochastic, and individualistic behaviors over space and time, resulting in a loose coupling among the three ecosystem components. In the highest-elevation sites, in contrast, disturbances that might disrupt the existing biotic–abiotic relationships were less common. Hence, ecological succession, soil-forming processes, and landform evolution occurred in tight conjunction with one another over a prolonged period, thereby strengthening couplings among them; namely, the three behaved in unity over space and time. We propose that the recurrence interval of physical disturbance is important to—and potentially serves as an indicator of—the intensity and mechanisms of vegetation–soil–topography feedbacks in fluvial biogeomorphic systems.
Investigation on the nucleation and growth mechanisms of perovskite formation in the two-step solution process

Organic-inorganic hybrid lead halide perovskites have moved to the forefront of photovoltaic research in recent years due to high device efficiency and low-cost preparation methods. Among various deposition methods, the two-step solution process is a widely used route to prepare uniform and conformal perovskite thin films. Here, we investigate the nucleation and growth mechanisms of methylammonium lead iodide perovskite (MAPbL·) formed by reacting pre-deposited PbI2 thin films with different concentrations of methylammonium iodide (MAI) solution. We propose that the formation of the perovskite material is determined by the MAI concentration, and that there are three dominant mechanisms. At MAI concentrations less than 10 mg/mL, Ostwald ripening dominates the perovskite formation. As the MAI concentration is increased from 10 to 20 mg/mL, a dense layer is formed at the top of the PbI2 film that hinders the diffusion of MAI and results in incomplete conversion. Further increase of MAI concentration above 20 mg/mL leads to the formation of low-dimensional perovskites which allow the MAI to diffuse throughout the PbI2 layer. The low-dimensional perovskites can be converted into the appropriate structure with a moderate heat treatment.
Refractory angina pectoris: Mechanism and therapeutic options

As the survival of patients with primary coronary events continues to increase, the number of patients presenting with coronary artery disease unsuitable to further revascularization techniques and symptoms refractory to medical therapy also continues to rise. The aims of this review were to define the population of patients with refractory angina pectoris and to present the therapeutic options currently available for this condition. Refractory angina pectoris is defined, and traditional medical therapies are discussed. Then, current therapeutic options for patients with refractory angina are extensively reviewed. A multitude of therapeutic options exist for patients with refractory angina pectoris. Small, uncontrolled studies have shown a potential benefit for additional antiplatelet and antithrombotic therapy. In randomized trials, neurostimulation has been shown to be effective in reducing angina symptoms. Enhanced external counterpulsation is a viable treatment option for select patients with refractory angina. In many randomized trials, laser revascularization has been shown to diminish angina symptoms, although no placebo-controlled studies exist to date. Gene therapy is a promising area of research in this field. Percutaneous in situ coronary venous arterialization is in its infancy, but may be able to treat many patients if proved successful. No data support the role of chelation therapy in this population. Heart transplantation remains a final option for these patients. Further research of the techniques mentioned in this review is warranted. The importance of randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trials cannot be overemphasized, as the placebo effect of these therapies is probably marked.
Effective seed harvesting strategies for the ex situ genetic diversity conservation of rare tropical tree populations

Tropical rain forests harbor a high diversity of tree species, a large portion of which are considered rare and threatened by anthropogenic factors such as land-use change. Addressing the global need for ex situ rescue populations of such species, we investigated whether certain methods of wild-source seed collection harvest greater amounts of genetic variation from the source population while minimizing the costs expended. We used an individual-based computer program (NEWGARDEN) to conduct simulation trials examining which aspects of seed procurement provided the most cost-effective methods for maximal rare allele capture for single isolated populations of rare tropical tree species. Aspects examined included the geometric pattern of harvesting, location of seed collections within the spatial distribution of the population (central vs. peripheral), geometric partitioning of sampling regions (contiguous vs. subdivided), gene dispersal distance, linear travelling costs, and ratio of seeds collected to plants sampled. Results demonstrated that ratio of seeds collected to plants sampled had the highest effect on genetic diversity harvested relative to sampling location or geometric pattern of collection, explaining 82 and 79% of the variance in alleles harvested, respectively. Collecting from subdivided peripheral sampling regions and populations having long distance gene dispersal led to increases of up to 39 and 51% in the amount of genetic variation conserved respectively. These results suggest that ex situ conservation efforts for rare tropical trees can benefit by collecting fewer seeds from each of a larger number of trees, sampling from peripheral subdivided regions of the population rather than in a contiguous centrally located one under the transect or nearest neighbor strategies, and adjusting harvesting based on the dispersal biology of the source population. This study underscores the need for more information regarding the dispersal characteristics of the target species and demonstrates the value of predictive modeling for planning seed collection projects.
Performance and Challenges of Service-Oriented Architecture for Wireless Sensor Networks

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) have become essential components for a variety of environmental, surveillance, military, traffic control, and healthcare applications. These applications face critical challenges such as communication, security, power consumption, data aggregation, heterogeneities of sensor hardware, and Quality of Service (QoS) issues. Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) is a software architecture that can be integrated with WSN applications to address those challenges. The SOA middleware bridges the gap between the high-level requirements of different applications and the hardware constraints of WSNs. This survey explores state-of-the-art approaches based on SOA and Service-Oriented Middleware (SOM) architecture that provide solutions for WSN challenges. The categories of this paper are based on approaches of SOA with and without middleware for WSNs. Additionally, features of SOA and middleware architectures for WSNs are compared to achieve more robust and efficient network performance. Design issues of SOA middleware for WSNs and its characteristics are also highlighted. The paper concludes with future research directions in SOM architecture to meet all requirements of emerging application of WSNs.
Transportation Barriers and Use of Dental Services among Medicaid-Insured Adults:

This study explores how travel distance and other transportation barriers are associated with dental utilization in a Medicaid expansion population. We analyzed data from the Iowa Dental Wellness Plan (DWP), which provides comprehensive dental benefits for low-income adults aged 19 to 64 y as part of Iowa's Medicaid expansion. Transportation and geographical characteristics were evaluated as enabling factors within the framework of Andersen's behavioral model of health services use. In March 2015, a random sample of DWP members ( n = 4,800) was surveyed; adjusted survey response rate was 30% ( n = 1,258).The questionnaire was based on the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) Dental Plan Survey and assessed need for dental care, use of dental services and transportation to visits, and self-perceived oral health status. Respondent and dentist addresses were geocoded and used to calculate distance to the nearest DWP general dentist. A logistic regression model predicting utilization of dental care was developed using variables representing each domain of the behavioral model. Most respondents (57%) reported a dental visit since enrolling. Overall, 11% of respondents reported unmet dental need due to transportation problems. Median distance to the nearest general dentist was 1.5 miles. In the adjusted model, travel distance was not significantly associated with the likelihood of dental utilization. However, other transportation-related issues were significantly associated with utilization, including concern about cost of transportation and driver/passenger status. As concern about transportation cost increased, likelihood of having a dental visit decreased. Targeted approaches to assisting low-income populations with transportation barriers should be considered in designing policies and interventions to improve access to dental care. Knowledge Transfer Statement: The results of this study can be used by policy makers and public health planners when designing programs and interventions to improve access to dental care. Consideration of transportation availability and costs could improve utilization of routine dental care, especially among low-income populations.
On human---machine relations

This paper presents an approach to human---machine interactions based on the concept of teamwork and the psychological theory of object relations. We envision the human and the machine in a close relationship that has many aspects of human-to-human relations. Not only does the machine have to relate to and accommodate human wants and needs, but also, to some extent, the human is called to reciprocate. We propose a framework consisting of eleven attributes that describe generic processes in teamwork: commitment, goal definition, common ground, belief, planning, transparency, sensitivity, caring, responsibility, trust, and reflection. Using an automotive climate control system as an example, we show how some of these attributes can be used to evaluate user interactions and point to new design opportunities. Based on results from a pilot study of driver interaction with the climate control system, we operationalized sensitivity and caring for other team members, encapsulated them in a computational architecture, and implemented a control interface. The evaluation of the control interface during a driving experiment suggests that it is markedly better than a regular interface and is almost as good as a human expert who interacts with the climate control system in response to the driver's needs and wants.
Compressive MIMO Beamforming of Data Collected in a Refractive Environment

The phenomenon of ducting is caused by abnormal atmospheric refractivity patterns, and is known to allow electromagnetic (EM) waves to propagate over the horizon with unusually low propagation loss. It is unknown what effect ducting has on multiple input multiple output (MIMO) channels, particularly its effect on multipath propagation in MIMO channels. A high accuracy angle-of-arrival (AoA) and angle-of-departure (AoD) estimation technique for MIMO communications, which we will refer to as compressive MIMO beamforming, was tested on simulated data, then applied to experimental data taken from an over the horizon (OTH) MIMO testbed located in a known ducting hotspot in southern California. The multipath channel was estimated from the receiver data recorded over a period of 18 days, and an analysis was performed on the recorded data. The goal is to observe the evolution of the MIMO multipath channel as atmospheric ducts form and dissipate to gain some understanding of the behavior of channels in a refractive environment. This work is motivated by the idea that some multipath characteristics of MIMO channels within atmospheric ducts could yield important information about the duct.
Low-rank matrix recovery of dynamic events

Low-rank matrix recovery problems arise in a variety of scientific and engineering applications. For instance, blind de-convolution in signal processing and communication, phase retrieval in computational imaging, and recommendation systems in machine learning. In this paper, we present an algorithm for reconstructing a time-varying low-rank matrix from sequential measurements. In particular, we present an algorithm for estimating video frames from dynamic measurements by exploiting inter-frame motion. We discuss two applications of our proposed model and algorithm: (1) Auto-calibration in dynamic MRI. (2) Phase retrieval of a video signal. We demonstrate the performance of our method on real and synthetic data.
Enzyme Sensors for Living Cells

Abstract Enzymes, especially proteases, play critical roles in almost every aspect of biological and pathological processes. The abnormal activation or inhibition of protease activity will result in serious human diseases such as peritonitis, atherosclerosis and cancer. There is a strong need to develop protease sensors capable of quantitatively measuring the protease activity in real time and monitoring protease activation and inhibition in various cellular compartments. In this chapter, we present a straightforward approach to monitoring protease activity in real time in live cells with protease sensors developed in our lab. These protease sensors have been developed based on a single enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) with a larger ratiometric change of fluorescence signal after cleavage by protease, such as trypsin and caspase-3. The activation of these proteases are captured by real-time fluorescence microscopy. This novel approached can be further applied to probe disease mechanisms corresponding to proteases activities and to screen protease inhibitors with therapeutic effects in cells.