cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Different mechanisms of Ca2+ regulation that influence synaptic transmission: Comparison between crayfish and Drosophila neuromuscular junctions

A brief historical background on synaptic transmission in relation to Ca(2+) dynamics and short-term facilitation is described. This study focuses on the mechanisms responsible for the regulation of intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) in high output terminals of larval Drosophila compared to a low-output terminal of the crayfish neuromuscular junction (NMJ). Three processes; plasmalemmal Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger [NCX], Ca(2+)-ATPase (PMCA), and sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic Ca(2+)-ATPase (SERCA) are important in regulating the [Ca(2+)](i) are examined. When the NCX is compromised by reduced [Na(+)](o), no consistent effect occurred; but a NCX blocker KB-R7943 decreased the excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP) amplitudes. Compromising the PMCA with pH 8.8 resulted in an increase in EPSP amplitude but treatment with a PMCA specific inhibitor carboxyeosin produced opposite results. Thapsigargin exposure to block the SERCA generally decreases EPSP amplitude. Compromising the activity of the above Ca(2+) regulating proteins had no substantial effects on short-term depression. The Kum(170TS) strain (with dysfunctional SERCA), showed a decrease in EPSP amplitudes including the first EPSP within the train. Synaptic transmission is altered by reducing the function of the above three [Ca(2+)](i) regulators; but they are not consistent among different species as expected. Results in crayfish NMJ were more consistent with expected results as compared to the Drosophila NMJ. It is predicated that different mechanisms are used for regulating the [Ca(2+)](i) in high and low output synaptic terminals.
Image-based rendering of surfaces from volume data

We present an image-based rendering technique to accelerate rendering of surfaces from volume data. We cache the fully volume rendered image (called keyview) and use it to generate novel views without ray-casting every pixel. This is achieved by first constructing an underlying surface model of the volume and then texture mapping the keyview onto the geometry.When the novel view moves slightly away from the keyview, most of the original visible regions in the keyview are still visible in the novel view. Therefore, we only need to cast rays for pixels in the newly visible regions, which usually occupy only a small portion of the whole image, resulting in a substantial speedup. We have applied our technique to a virtual colonoscopy system and have obtained an interactive navigation speed through a 5123 size patient colon. Our experiments demonstrate an average of an order of magnitude speedup over that of traditional volume rendering, compromising very little on image quality.
Nonlinear adaptive detection/estimation for single and multiple radar processing

A nonlinear adaptive detector/estimator is introduced for single and multiple radar data processing. The problem of target detection from returns of monostatic radar(s) is formulated as a nonlinear joint detection/estimation problem on the unknown parameters in the signal return. The problems of detecting the target and estimating its parameters are considered jointly. A bank of spatially and temporally localized nonlinear filters is used to estimate the a posteriori likelihood of the existence of the target in a given space-time resolution cell. Within a given cell, the localized filters are used to produce refined spatial estimates of the target parameters. A decision logic is used to decide on the existence of a target within any given resolution cell based on the a posteriori estimates obtained from the likelihood functions. Simulation results show excellent detection capabilities and excellent resolution in target parameter estimation for both single and multiple sensor data. >
A morphological filter to distinguish a fault from capacitor switching

Modern numerical relays have substantially reduced false operation of overcurrent relays used for capacitor protection. However, faster and more reliable operation can be useful. This paper proposes a morphological filter for fast and clear distinction between fault currents and switching currents that can benefit all types of overcurrent relays used for protection of capacitor banks. The filter performance is tested using waveforms generated from PSCAD/EMTDC® simulation of a standardized test-system.
Burrower Bugs (Heteroptera: Cydnidae) in Peanut: Seasonal Species Abundance, Tillage Effects, Grade Reduction Effects, Insecticide Efficacy, and Management

Pitfall traps placed in South Carolina peanut, Arachis hypogaea (L.), fields collected three species of burrower bugs (Cydnidae): Cyrtomenus ciliatus (Palisot de Beauvois), Sehirus cinctus cinctus (Palisot de Beauvois), and Pangaeus bilineatus (Say). Cyrtomenus ciliatus was rarely collected. Sehirus cinctus produced a nymphal cohort in peanut during May and June, probably because of abundant henbit seeds, Lamium amplexicaule L., in strip-till production systems. No S. cinctus were present during peanut pod formation. Pangaeus bilineatus was the most abundant species collected and the only species associated with peanut kernel feeding injury. Overwintering P. bilineatus adults were present in a conservation tillage peanut field before planting and two to three subsequent generations were observed. Few nymphs were collected until the R6 (full seed) growth stage. Tillage and choice of cover crop affected P. bilineatus populations. Peanuts strip-tilled into corn or wheat residue had greater P. bilineatus populations and kernel-feeding than conventional tillage or strip-tillage into rye residue. Fall tillage before planting a wheat cover crop also reduced burrower bug feeding on peanut. At-pegging (early July) granular chlorpyrifos treatments were most consistent in suppressing kernel feeding. Kernels fed on by P. bilineatus were on average 10% lighter than unfed on kernels. Pangaeus bilineatus feeding reduced peanut grade by reducing individual kernel weight, and increasing the percentage damaged kernels. Each 10% increase in kernels fed on by P. bilineatus was associated with a 1.7% decrease in total sound mature kernels, and kernel feeding levels above 30% increase the risk of damaged kernel grade penalties.
In-Class Collaborative Learning: Practical Suggestions from the Teaching Trenches.

In this article, we supplement Meyers's (1997) article on the use of collaborative learning groups. We provide additional practical suggestions on starting in-class groups, maintaining their effectiveness, and anticipating common problems. With careful attention to their development, in-class collaborative groups can be a rewarding addition to lectures.
Testability of a swarm robot using a system of systems approach and discrete event simulation

A system of systems (SoS) simulation framework using discrete event system specification (DEVS) and data encoded with Extensible Markup Language (XML) tags is presented to support agent-in-the-loop (AIL) simulations for large, complex, and distributed systems. AIL simulations provide a necessary step in maintaining model continuity methods to achieve a greater degree of accuracy in systems analysis. A system of systems approach enables the simulation and analysis of these independent and cooperative systems by concentrating on the data transferred among systems instead of determining global state spaces. A mobile robot is deployed as a real agent working cooperatively with virtual agents to form a robotic swarm in an example threat detection scenario. The swarm robot's performance is tracked and the emergent swarm behavior is also evaluated.
Comparison of flow injection analysis electrospray mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry and electrospray high-field asymmetric waveform ion mobility mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry for the determination of underivatized amino acids

Twenty proteinogenic amino acids (AAs) were determined without derivatization using flow injection analysis followed by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS and ESI-MS/MS) and electrospray ionization high-field asymmetric waveform ion mobility mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-FAIMS-MS and ESI-FAIMS-MS/MS), in positive and negative ionization modes. Three separate sets of ESI-FAIMS conditions were used for the separation and detection of the 20 AAs. Typically ESI-FAIMS-MS showed somewhat improved sensitivity and significantly better signal-to-noise ratios than ESI-MS mainly due to the elimination of background noise. However, the difference between ESI-FAIMS-MS and ESI-MS/MS was significantly less. ESI-FAIMS was able to partially or completely resolve all the isobaric amino acid overlaps such as leucine, isoleucine and hydroxyproline or lysine and glutamine. Detection limits for the amino acids in ESI-FAIMS-MS mode ranged from 2 ng/mL for proline to 200 ng/mL for aspartic acid. Overall, ESI-FAIMS-MS is the preferred method for the quantitative analysis of AAs in a hydrolyzed yeast matrix.
Lessons to be learned from evidence-based medicine: practice and promise of evidence-based medicine and evidence-based education

The author briefly describes 10 lessons derived from the practice thus far of evidence-based medicine (EBM) from which evidence-based education/best evidence medical education (EBE/BEME) may potent...
RIP140 in thyroid hormone-repression and chromatin remodeling of Crabp1 gene during adipocyte differentiation

Cellular retinoic acid binding protein 1 (Crabp1) gene is biphasically (proliferation versus differentiation) regulated by thyroid hormone (T3) in 3T3-L1 cells. This study examines T3-repression of Crabp1 gene during adipocyte differentiation. T3 repression of Crabp1 requires receptor interacting protein 140 (RIP140). During differentiation, the juxtaposed chromatin configuration of Crabp1 promoter with its upstream region is maintained, but the 6-nucleosomes spanning thyroid hormone response element to transcription initiation site slide bi-directionally, with the third nucleosome remaining at the same position throughout differentiation. On the basal promoter, RIP140 replaces coactivators GRIP1 and PCAF and forms a repressive complex with CtBP1, HDAC3 and G9a. Initially active chromatin marks on this promoter, histone modifications H3-Ac and H3K4-me3, are weakened whereas repressive chromatin marks, H3K9-me3 and H3K27-me3 modification and recruitment of G9a, HP1alpha, HP1gamma and H1, are intensified. This is the first study to examine chromatin remodeling, during the phase of hormone repression, of a bi-directionally regulated hormone target gene, and provides evidence for a functional role of RIP140 in chromatin remodeling to repress hormone target gene expression.
Interannual variability in phytoplankton pigment distribution during the spring transition along the west coast of North America

A 5-year time series of coastal zone color scanner imagery (1980-1983, 1986) is used to examine changes in the large-scale pattern of chlorophyll pigment concentration coincident with the spring transition in winds and currents along the west coast of North America. The data show strong interannual variability in the timing and spatial patterns of pigment concentration at the time of the transition event. Interannual variability in the response of pigment concentration to the spring transition appears to be a function of spatial and temporal variability in vertical nutrient flux induced by wind mixing and/or the upwelling initiated at the time of the transition. Interannual differences in the mixing regime are illustrated with a one-dimensional mixing model.
Blinded by Anger or Feeling the Love : How Emotions Influence Advice Taking

Across 2 experiments, the authors demonstrate that emotional states influence how receptive people are to advice. The focus of these experiments is on incidental emotions, emotions triggered by a prior experience that is irrelevant to the current situation. The authors demonstrate that people who feel incidental gratitude are more trusting and more receptive to advice than are people in a neutral emotional state, and people in a neutral state are more trusting and more receptive to advice than are people who feel incidental anger. In these experiments, greater receptivity to advice increased judgment accuracy. People who felt incidental gratitude were more accurate than were people in a neutral state, and people in a neutral state were more accurate than were people who felt incidental anger. The results offer insight into how people use advice, and the authors identify conditions under which leaders, policy makers, and advisors may be particularly influential.
Classification Methods for Speaker Recognition

Automatic speaker recognition systems have a foundation built on ideas and techniques from the areas of speech science for speaker characterization, pattern recognition and engineering. In this chapter we provide an overview of the features, models, and classifiers derived from these areas that are the basis for modern automatic speaker recognition systems. We describe the components of state-of-the-art automatic speaker recognition systems, discuss application considerations and provide a brief survey of accuracy for different tasks.
Breast Infections With Atypical Mycobacteria Following Reduction Mammaplasty

Reduction mammaplasty is one of the most common plastic surgery procedures performed in the US, with the goal of correcting symptomatic macromastia. More than 70,000 cases were performed in 2009, with few complications and low infection rates. The authors present two cases of breast infections with Mycobacterium fortuitum and one with Mycobacterium chelonei following bilateral reduction mammaplasty. Infection with these organisms is exceptionally rare following breast surgery in the absence of a prosthetic implant. All of the patients had a delayed presentation following complete wound healing and were refractory to first-line antibiotic therapy. All three required long-term antibiotics in consultation with an infectious disease specialist. The patients all required surgical drainage, and two patients also required formal operative debridement. All three patients eventually went on to complete wound healing.
Mitigating 1,3-dichloropropene, chloropicrin, and methyl iodide emissions from fumigated soil with reactive film.

Implicated as a stratospheric ozone-depleting compound, methyl bromide (MeBr) is being phased out despite being considered to be the most effective soil fumigant. Its alternatives, i.e., 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D, which includes cis and trans isomers), chloropicrin (CP), and methyl iodide (MeI), have been widely used. High emissions of MeI from fumigated soil likely put farm workers and other bystanders at risk of adverse health effects. In this study, two types of constructed reactive film were tested for their ability to mitigate emissions of 1,3-D, CP, and MeI using laboratory permeability cells. Before activation, these films act as a physical barrier to trap fumigants leaving soil. After activation of the reactive layer containing ammonium thiosulfate solution, the films also act as a sink for the fumigants. Over 97% of trans-1,3-D and 99% of the cis-1,3-D, CP and MeI were depleted when they passed into the reactive film. Half-lives (t1/2 )o fcis-, trans-1,3-D, CP and MeI under activated reactive film were 1.2, 1.4, 1.6, and 2.0 h respectively at 40 °C.
Proactive and Reactive Product Line Strategies: Asymmetries Between Market Leaders and Followers

To what extent do firms engage in product line actions simultaneously with actions in other marketing variables? What are the determinants of product line actions? To what extent are product line actions proactive? To what degree are they reactive? How can a firms product line action elasticity (percent change in product line length with respect to percent change in competitors past and anticipated actions) be decomposed into reaction and anticipation elasticities? Are product line actions and elasticities symmetric across market leaders and followers? To address these questions, we develop a conceptual framework comprising determinants of product line and other marketing actions in a single framework. We formulate hypotheses about the asymmetries between market leaders and followers regarding product line actions based on extended expectancy-valence and competitive demand elasticity theories. We develop a simultaneous equation model of demand and supply with product line and other marketing actions, which can be used to identify reaction and anticipation elasticities through the rational expectations approach. We estimate the model using data from the computer printer market comprising the market leader, Hewlett Packard (HP), and followers: Epson, Canon, and Lexmark. The results show that the market leader practices a product-proliferation strategy and rarely fights on price. In contrast, market followers adopt a price-fighting strategy. A firm is more likely to engage in product line actions when its competitors changed their product lines in the past, when the firm is large, and when its price is high. Product line reaction and anticipation elasticities are asymmetric between themselves and across the firms. For the market leader (followers), product line reaction elasticity is higher (lower) than product line anticipation elasticity. These differences are related to product line demand elasticities, which are higher for the market leader than they are for the followers.
Is agency skin-deep? Surface attributes influence infants' sensitivity to goal-directed action

Three studies investigated the role of surface attributes in infants’ identification of agents, using a habituation paradigm designed to tap infants’ interpretation of grasping as goal directed (Woodward, 1998). When they viewed a bare human hand grasping objects, 7- and 12-month-old infants focused on the relation between the hand and its goal. When the surface properties of the hand were obscured by a glove, however, neither 7- nor 12-month-old infants represented its actions as goal directed (Study 1). Next, infants were shown that the gloved hands were part of a person either prior to (Study 2) or during (Study 3) the habituation procedure. Infants who actively monitored the gloved person in Study 2 and older infants in Study 3 interpreted the gloved reaches as goal directed. Thus, varying the extent to which an entity is identifiable as a person impacts infants’ interpretation of the entity as an agent. The distinction between animate agents and inanimate objects is fundamental to both everyday and abstract acts of human cognition. Observing a child chasing a soccer ball, we are not surprised when the child swerves to avoid a tree, but we would be if the ball behaved like the child. We identify the child as an animate agent, and therefore interpret her behavior as expressing her underlying goals or intentions. We understand that this interpretation is not appropriately extended to inanimate objects such as balls. Our ability to quickly categorize entities as agents or inanimate objects is supported by rich perceptual regularities. Animate agents differ from inanimate objects in their typical shapes, rigidity, surface properties, sounds, and patterns of motion. These perceptual attributes correlate with the behavioral and psychological attributes that are central to folk conceptions of agents
Distributed Compressive Spectrum Sensing in Cooperative Multihop Cognitive Networks

In wideband cognitive radio (CR) networks, spectrum sensing is an essential task for enabling dynamic spectrum sharing, but entails several major technical challenges: very high sampling rates required for wideband processing, limited power and computing resources per CR, frequency-selective wireless fading, and interference due to signal leakage from other coexisting CRs. In this paper, a cooperative approach to wideband spectrum sensing is developed to overcome these challenges. To effectively reduce the data acquisition costs, a compressive sampling mechanism is utilized which exploits the signal sparsity induced by network spectrum under-utilization. To collect spatial diversity against wireless fading, multiple CRs collaborate during the sensing task by enforcing consensus among local spectral estimates; accordingly, a decentralized consensus optimization algorithm is derived to attain high sensing performance at a reasonable computational cost and power overhead. To identify spurious spectral estimates due to interfering CRs, the orthogonality between the spectrum of primary users and that of CRs is imposed as constraints for consensus optimization during distributed collaborative sensing. These decentralized techniques are developed for both cases of with and without channel knowledge. Simulations testify the effectiveness of the proposed cooperative sensing approach in multi-hop CR networks.
International Franchise Acquisitions And Stakeholder Interests: Mail Boxes Etc. Case

This paper applies stakeholder theory to an international franchise after its acquisition altered the balance of the franchise’s multiple stakeholder groups and presents the case of Mail Boxes Etc. (MBE) after the franchise was acquired by United Parcel Service (UPS) to illustrate the effects on various stakeholder groups.
Contemporary approaches to basal cell carcinoma diagnosis and treatment.

University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA *Author for correspondence: Tel.: +1 631 863 5150; Fax: +1 212 308 0739; marghooa@mskcc.org
Predicting thermal and energy performance of mixed-mode ventilation using an integrated simulation approach

Mixed-mode ventilation can effectively reduce energy consumption in buildings, as well as improve thermal comfort and productivity of occupants. This study predicts thermal and energy performance of mixed-mode ventilation by integrating computational fluid dynamics (CFD) with energy simulation. In the simulation of change-over mixed-mode ventilation, it is critical to determine whether outdoor conditions are suitable for natural ventilation at each time step. This study uses CFD simulations to search for the outdoor temperature thresholds when natural ventilation alone is adequate for thermal comfort. The temperature thresholds for wind-driven natural ventilation are identified by a heat balance model, in which air change rate (ACH) is explicitly computed by CFD considering the influence of the surrounding buildings. In buoyancy-driven natural ventilation, the outdoor temperature thresholds are obtained directly from CFD-based parametric analysis. The integrated approach takes advantage of both the CFD algorithm and energy simulation while maintaining low levels of complexity, enabling building designers to utilize this method for early-stage decisionmaking. This paper first describes the workflow of the proposed integrated approach, followed by two case studies, which are presented using a three-floor office building in an urban context. The results are compared with those using an energy simulation program with built-in multizone modules for natural ventilation. Additionally, adaptive thermal comfort models are applied in these case studies, which shows the possibility of further reducing the electricity used for cooling.
Mental Retardation and Psychiatric Disorders

Systematic attempts to teach and habilitate mentally retarded children and adolescents began in the early nineteenth century, when Jean-Marc-Gaspard Itard (1775–1838), a French physician, attempted to educate Victor, the “wild” 11-year-old boy who was discovered by hunters in the forest of Aveyron. Using techniques similar in theory to current behavior modification methods, Itard aided Victor in developing adequate self-care, social skills, and receptive language ability over a 5-year period. Although Itard considered his approach a failure because Victor did not develop speech, his methods suggested that mentally retarded individuals could acquire and refine a variety of adaptive behaviors through systematic training. Edouard Seguin (1812–1880), who as a medical student had worked with Itard, continued developing his mentor’s techniques, and by the mid-nineteenth century, had established educational programs for mentally retarded individuals throughout Europe (cf. Tylenda, Hooper, & Barrett, 1987).
Education and fertility in Iran.

Studies providing evidence concerning literacys relationship to fertility in Iran are reviewed. Reliable demographic data are unavailable for Iran before the 1st census in 1956. The 1966 census revealed a reversal of the normally expected larger female population with a sex ratio of 107 men for every 100 women. The female population in Iran is accorded low status; only 29.6% of the population over the age of 10 was literate according to the 1966 census. A negative relationship between literacy or levels of education and fertility seems to have become a basic tenet of demographic theory. The hypothesis that as a womans education increases she has fewer children has been confirmed in numerous studies and in response to this information the Iranian government has sponsored several projects which incorporate family planning education into literacy projects. In view of the associations noted in other studies of the relationship between education and fertility it seems wise to examine the effects of education on fertility in Iran. None of the studies reviewed give conclusive evidence that literacy is unrelated to fertility in Iran. Several of the studies reveal built-in biases: the husbands in Siassis study were all military personnel; Gulick interviewed women who were already attending family planning clinics; Edlefsen and Liberman made some highly abstract and speculative predictions and Lieberman et al. were basically measuring incomes instead of education. All of the studies do however give some indication of an irregular effect of education on fertility in Iran and swggest the need for further study of this variable.
Horror comics in black and white: a history and catalog, 1964–2004, by Richard J. Arndt

Horror Comics in Black and White claims to be a ‘comprehensive history of the black and white horror comic magazines’, in which Richard J. Arndt compiles an extensive catalogue and issue-by-issue o...
A Wiki for Sharing Substructuring Methods, Measurements and Information

The experimental substructures focus group recently created an online wiki to provide a central repository for data, computer code, etc.… to facilitate collaboration between interested researchers. The goal of the wiki is to simplify collaboration and to help those involved in substructuring research to keep informed about work that has been or will be done at other institutions. The wiki currently has a wealth of information regarding the focus group’s test bed based on an Ampair wind turbine, including finite element models, test data for various components in several different configurations and other information. Contributors to the site include: Sandia National Laboratories, The University of Wisconsin-Madison, Chalmers University, the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, Delft University of Technology, University of L'Aquila and University of Stuttgart. This paper will provide an overview of the current information contained on the wiki and discuss how one can gain access to post additional measurements, publications and/or analysis results.
A Pretrigonometry Proof of the Reflection Property of the Ellipse

(1986). A Pretrigonometry Proof of the Reflection Property of the Ellipse. The College Mathematics Journal: Vol. 17, No. 5, pp. 418-418.
468 DIAPHRAGMATIC MOTION IN PECTUS EXCAVATUM PATIENTS: A COMPARISON WITH HEALTHY SUBJECTS USING A 32-CHANNEL MAGNETIC RESONANCE SYSTEM.

Pectus excavatum (PE), or funnel chest, is a congenital chest wall deformity in which the sternum is displaced posteriorly due to abnormal bone and cartilage overgrowth. The condition, with an incidence of 1 in 300 births, often worsens in late adolescence and early adulthood with diminished exercise capacity, chest discomfort, palpitations, easy fatigability, and dyspnea with mild exertion. The etiology of pectus excavatum is unknown; however, several mechanisms have been proposed, including underlying defects of the diaphragm. The aim of this study was to evaluate possible regional abnormalities in diaphragmatic motion in PE using real-time dynamic imaging with magnetic resonance. These data were collected as part of a 3-year study evaluating cardiopulmonary function before and after corrective surgery. Ten patients (pre-corrective surgery, mean age = 22.4) with pectus excavatum deformity and 10 control subjects (mean age = 26) were examined with a two-dimensional GRE sequence, at five frames/sec, using a 1.5-Tesla magnetic resonance system (Avanto, Siemens Medical Solutions, Erlangen, Germany). With the subjects in the supine position, one midcoronal (at the level of trachea bifurcation) slice was obtained during two to five deep respiratory cycles for an average of 50 to 100 measurements. Following data acquisition, image processing was performed on a commercially available image processing workstation (Leonardo, Siemens Medical Solutions) for the largest amplitude respiratory cycle. On sequential images, diaphragmatic displacements were measured for three equally spaced locations (lateral, dome, medial) on each hemidiaphragm to calculate superoinferior diaphragmatic displacement rates. With reference lines on a full expiratory image, the absolute diaphragmatic excursions were calculated as the difference between full inspiratory and full expiratory vertical positions. Pectus excavatum patients had statistically significant (p
Epidemic situation analysis of class A and B infectious disease in Qinnan District of Qinzhou City 2005-2012

Objective To investigate the incidence of notifiable class A and B infectious diseases in Qinnan District of Qinzhou City 2005-2012.Methods Descriptive epidemiology method was used to analyze the report of notifiable diseases during 2005-2012.Results In total,17kinds of 17807cases of A and B class infectious diseases were reported,including 217cases of death.The average annual incidence was 243.84/100 000,mortality rate 0.73/100 000,total mortality 0.29/100 000.Diseases ranking the top five incidences were syphilis(182.21/100 000),viral hepatitis(137.25/ 100 000),tuberculosis(134.18/100 000),gonorrhea(29.11/100 000),diarrhea(13.49/100 000).The incidence had no season character.Patients were mainly young adults(59.09%),farmers(38.32%).Diseases were mainly blood and sexually transmitted infections(66.63%).Conclusions Incidences from 2005to 2011in general was on the rise,yet decreased significantly in 2012,in which fatality rate was also on the decline.Diseases ranking the top five incidences were viral hepatitis,tuberculosis,syphilis,gonorrhea,diarrhea.Infectious diseases have been gradually controlled,but still have their own characteristics on the basis of classification.
Analysis on 596 Cases Conducting HIV VCT in Nanchang City

[Objective]To understand the current situation of people who take part in HIV voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) in Nanchang CDC,and provide guidance for AIDS prevention and control in nest stage.[Methods]Demographic situation,reason of counseling,risk behaviors of 596 cases conducting HIV VCT were statistically analyzed.[Results]Of the 596 cases,95.6% accepted the HIV antibody test,23 were detected HIV positive,the infection rate was 4.04%;the ratio of male to female was 2.8:1;86.2% were young adults aged 18-45 years;53.7% had tertiary and higher-educated background;64.4% counseled for their high-risk sexual behavior.[Conclusion]The primary transmission route of AIDS is sexual transmission in Nanchang City,targeted AIDS knowledge and education among CSW,MSM,floating population with lower level of education and other key populations will be the preventive and control focus in future.
Analysis on the injury data from 21 sentry-hospitals in Anhui province from 2006 to 2008

Objective To study the reason,distribution and dynamic change of injury among the injured patients from hospitals,in order to develop related method and strategy to control the injury.Method The data about injury from twenty-one hospitals in seven monitoring areas from 2006 to 2008 was analyzed according to the statistic method indicated in the handbook "China Injury Surveillance Handbook ".Results The number of injured people increased with time,but the growth rate declined with time(17.1% to 6.5%).Most injury was slight.The slight injury rate was about 60% in urban districts and more than 70% in rural district.The rate of serious and sub-serious injury was higher in urban districts than that in rural districts(P=0.000).The main reasons for injury in adult people were road traffic accident,fall injury and blunt injury(over 70%).But in children,the main reason for injury was fall injury(over 40%),and the rate of fall injury increased with time.On the other hand,the rate of injury bitten by animal was higher in rural districts than that in urban districts.Conclusion Related method and strategy should be built to control the road accident,falling injury and injury bitten by animal among the children lived in urban and rural districts.
ispPAC30-Based Interface Circuit for Measuring of Temperature

ispPAC30-Based Interface Circuit for a high-resolution temperature measurement system is introduced.Through the example of solving the non-linear problem of thermistor,in-system-programmability programmable analog circuits offers several advantages over traditional implementations.
The Montefiore-Morrisania Comprehensive Child Care Project.

A “comprehensive” program of health care for poor children must do far more than meet the purely medical problems if it is to live up to its name. Poor health goes hand in hand with the deplorable living conditions in the slums of our nation's large cities. A broad range of coordinated services and a large helping of innovation can work wonders.
Self-efficacy for controlling upsetting thoughts and emotional eating in family caregivers

Objectives: Self-efficacy for controlling upsetting thoughts was examined as a predictor of emotional eating by family caregivers of physically and cognitively impaired older adults.Methods: Adult women (N = 158) providing healthcare assistance for an older family member completed an online survey about caregiving stressors, depressive symptoms, self-efficacy, and emotional eating. A stress process framework was used as a conceptual model to guide selection of variables predicting emotional eating scores.Results: A hierarchical multiple regression was conducted and the overall model was significant (R2 = .21, F(4,153) = 10.02, p < .01); self-efficacy for controlling upsetting thoughts was a significant predictor of caregivers’ emotional eating scores after accounting for IADL, role overload, and depression scores.Conclusion: These findings replicate previous research demonstrating the relationship between managing cognitions about caregiving and behavioral responses to stressors, and point to the importan...
WE-AB-204-01: Welcome

Many efforts have been made to increase diversity in the science workforce. In order for us to be competitive in innovation and ingenuity we need to reach out to any source of intellectual talent. Having greater diversity can only increase the creativity in medical physics. In order for students to succeed academically they need role models and mentors with whom they can identify. Literature has shown that racial and ethnic diversity has both direct and indirect positive effects on the educational outcomes, career advancement and motivation of students. Diversity not only focuses on race, ethnicity and gender, but it can also include socioeconomic status, sexual orientation and more. Underrepresented populations have had low numbers over the years not only in medical physics but also in the sciences in general. With the rapidly changing face of our country we need to address how we attract and train the next generation of scientists to stay competitive. It is necessary to examine the role that diversity and inclusion play in the long term goals of institutions, workplaces and classrooms. To increase innovation we must engage people from all walks of life with different perspectives and life experiences to solve the problems that we will face. Diversity should be viewed as a strategy to achieve our goals instead of acts of good citizenship. Many of today's businesses and corporations have discovered that embracing diversity prepares future leaders in today's global market. This lecture will provide insight to how differences within our society can drive innovation. We will provide an overview of the role diversity and inclusion plays in the clinic, education and research to develop the future workforce in medical physics. Learning Objectives: 1.Understanding the role diversity and inclusion plays in medical physics. 2.The importance of developing education and research strategies for a global workforce. 3.How to develop a roadmap to diversity excellence within AAPM.
Differentiating Keratoconus and Corneal Warpage by Analyzing Focal Change Patterns in Corneal Topography, Pachymetry, and Epithelial Thickness Maps

Author(s): Tang, Maolong; Li, Yan; Chamberlain, Winston; Louie, Derek J; Schallhorn, Julie M; Huang, David | Abstract: PurposeTo differentiate between keratoconus and contact lens-related corneal warpage by combining focal change patterns in anterior corneal topography, pachymetry, and epithelial thickness maps.MethodsPachymetry and epithelial thickness maps of normal, keratoconus, and warpage, and forme fruste keratoconus (FFK) eyes were obtained from a Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT). Epithelial pattern standard deviation (PSD) was calculated and combined with two novel indices, the Warpage Index and the Anterior Ectasia Index, to differentiate between normal, keratoconus, and warpage eyes. The values of the three parameters were compared between groups.ResultsThe study included 22 normal, 31 keratoconic, 11 warpage, and 8 FFK eyes. The epithelial PSD was normal (l 0.041) for 100% normal eyes and abnormal (g 0.041) for 100% of keratoconic eyes, 81.8% of warpage eyes, and 87.5% of FFK eyes. The Anterior Ectasia Index of normal eyes (1.66 ± 0.74) was significantly lower than that for the keratoconus eyes (17.5 ± 7.17), the warpage eyes (2.98 ± 1.69), and the FFK eyes (6.95 ± 5.86). The Warpage Index was positive in all warpage eyes and negative for all keratoconic and FFK eyes except three wearing rigid gas-permeable contact lens.ConclusionsThe epithelial PSD can distinguish normal from keratoconus or warpage, but does not distinguish between these two conditions. The Anterior Ectasia Index is abnormal in keratoconus but not warpage. The Warpage Index is positive for warpage and negative for keratoconus, except in cases where keratoconus and warpage coexist. Together, the three parameters are strong tripartite discriminators of normal, keratoconus, and warpage.
Where Race Matters Most: Measuring the Strength of Association Between Race and Unemployment Across the 50 United States

The persistent relationship between race and unemployment among young men and women has been among the most vexing problems faced by Black communities in the Post-Civil Rights era. Researchers have tried to identify mechanisms through which racial status continues to bear on employment status by identifying individual attributes that render workers of different racial identities similarly likely to secure employment. When Black and White workers with similar human capital profiles have different odds of employment, we are left to speculate about what is behind those differences. In this paper, I demonstrate that racial differences in the odds of unemployment are greater in some states than in others and suggest that some part of the racial employment gap can be explained by state-level attributes. First, however, we must identify convincing measures of the strength of association between race and employment status across states. I offer four such measures and rank the states on each. We are left with some surprising answers to the question “where does race matter most?” and empirical foundations for a research agenda that sheds new light on racial employment gaps by treating labor markets rather than labor market participants as the units of observation.
A prospective study on the characteristics and subjects of pediatric palliative care case management provided by a hospital based palliative care team

Case management is a subject of interest within pediatric palliative care. Detailed descriptions of the content of this type of case management are lacking. We aim to describe the contents of care provided, utilization of different disciplines, and times of usage of a pediatric palliative care case management program compared for patients with malignant disease (MD) and non-malignant disease (NMD). A three-month prospective study, with questionnaires filled in by members of a pediatric palliative care team (PPCT) for each contact with parents. Four hundred fifty-five contacts took place with parents of 70 patients (27MD, 43NMD). Sixty-two percent of all contacts were with the specialized nurse. The child life specialists, psychologist and social worker were also regularly consulted, the chaplain was not consulted. Ninety-five percent of all contacts took place between 8 am and 6 pm during weekdays, a limited number between 6 pm and 9 pm. Twenty-five percent of all contacts were proactively initiated by the PPCT, 25 % were initiated by parents. In these care characteristics, no differences were seen for MD and NMD patients. Psychosocial topics were addressed most frequently. MD patients consulted the PPCT more often about school and NMD patients about socio-economic issues. All different disciplines of the PPCT were regularly consulted, except for the chaplain. With an easy accessible team with a highly pro-active approach, availability from 8 am to 9 pm seems sufficient to accommodate patient’s and parent’s needs. More anticipation seems required for socio-economic topics. This insight in pediatric palliative case management can provide guidance in the development of a new PPCT.
Low-Temperature Modification of ZnO Nanoparticles Film for Electron-Transport Layers in Perovskite Solar Cells.

An electron-transport layer (ETL) that selectively collects photogenerated electrons is an important constituent of halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Although TiO2 films are widely used as ETL of PSCs, the processing of TiO2 films with high electron mobility requires high-temperature annealing and TiO2 dissociates the perovskite layer through a photocatalytic reaction. Here, we report an effective surface-modification method of a room-temperature processed ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) layer as an alternative to the TiO2 ETL. A combination of simple UV exposure and nitric acid treatment effectively removes the hydroxyl group and passivates surface defects in ZnO NPs. The surface modification of ZnO NPs increases the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of PSCs to 14 % and decreases the aging of PSCs under light soaking. These results suggest that the surface-modified ZnO film can be a good ETL of PSCs and provide a path toward low-temperature processing of efficient and stable PSCs that are compatible with flexible electronics.
The Role of Robotics for Adrenal Surgery

Purpose: To review the role of minimally invasive surgery and specifically robotic surgery in management of benign and malignant adrenal disease.
A pre-operative clinical scoring system to distinguish perforation risk with pediatric appendicitis.

Abstract Importance Appendicitis is a common, potentially serious pediatric disease. An important factor in determining management strategy [whether/when to perform appendectomy, duration of antibiotic therapy/hospitalization, etc.] and predicting outcome is distinguishing whether perforation is present. Objective The objective was to determine efficacy of commonly assessed pre-operative variables in stratifying perforation risk in children with appendicitis. Design A retrospective analysis of consecutive cases was performed. Setting The setting was a large urban hospital pediatric emergency department. Participants Four hundred forty-eight consecutive cases of CT [computerized tomography]-confirmed pediatric appendicitis during a 6-year period in an urban pediatric ED [emergency department]: 162 with perforation and 286 non-perforated. Main outcome(s) and measure(s) To determine efficacy of clinical and laboratory variables with distinguishing perforation outcome in children with appendicitis. Results Regression analysis identified 3 independently significant variables associated with perforation outcome – and determined their ideal threshold values: duration of symptoms>1day; ED-measured fever [body temperature >38.0 °C]; CBC WBC absolute neutrophil count >13,000/mm 3 . The resulting multivariate ROC [receiver operating characteristic] curve after applying these threshold values gave an AUC [area under curve] of 89% for perforation outcome [p Conclusions A pre-operative scoring system comprised of 3 commonly assessed clinical/laboratory variables is useful in stratifying perforation risk in children with appendicitis. Physicians can utilize these factors to gauge pre-operative risk for perforation in children with appendicitis, which can potentially aid in planning subsequent management strategy. Level of evidence III.
The Natural Roots of Capitalism and Its Virtues and Values

When we think of theories that attempt to root capitalism in nature, the one that comes most readily to mind is Social Darwinism. In this theory, nature – driven by Darwinian natural selection (the struggle for existence and the survival of the fittest) – is interpreted to imply, when applied to human activities, that extreme competition will allow the most "fit" competitors to rise to the top and to survive in this "struggle for existence," and this process of dog-eat-dog competition leads to both material and social progress. Not only has this theory been shown to be seriously flawed, the putative social implications of Darwinian natural selection do not accord with the findings of contemporary neoDarwinists who maintain, for example, that the behavior of monkeys and apes reveals a blend of competition and cooperation and, generally, a close connection to human moral behavior. Adam Smith provides a more helpful view of the connection between nature and capitalism. He maintains that nature's wisdom, as seen in its harmony and balance, is displayed in economics and human nature. Competitive free enterprise, as a vehicle for exchange, functions within a cooperative context and exhibits virtues and values such as mutual help and benefit, trust, harmony, and friendship. I shall show that neoDarwinists agree with Smith's view that nature supports a connection between competition and cooperation, and they maintain that moral activity, rather than destructive dog-eat-dog competition, is necessary to achieve the goals of natural selection.
A Cross-Cultural Study of the Ethical Orientations of Senior-Level Business Students

This study is a cross cultural investigation into the ethical orientations of business students in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Data were collected using a variation of an instrument developed by Dubinsky and Levi (1985) which measures the ethical orientation of respondents in a presumed retail environment. The instrument was subjected to test of reliability and validity and found to be very robust. No significant differences were found in the ethical disposition of Canadian and U.S. business students. However, a significant difference was found between the Canadian and U.S. students and those of Mexico. Implications are drawn for ethics education/training and areas are identified for future research.
Exploring Involuntary Presidential Turnover in American Higher Education

University presidents face a variety of competing demands and pressures to successfully lead their institutions. We sought to better understand these issues by studying unsuccessful presidencies en...