cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Patient Preferences and Linear Scoring Rules for Patient-Reported Outcomes

Background: Many patient-reported outcomes (PRO) instruments are scored by averaging or summing Likert category values over all items or domains of the elicitation instrument, yielding domain-specific scores or a total score for the entire instrument. Objective: To evaluate differences between conventional linear and preference-weighted scores for PRO instruments used in asthma, oncology, and obesity. Methods: We estimated preference-weighted scores for all the items and response categories in the Onset-of-Effect Questionnaire (OEQ), the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ)-C30, and the Impact of Weight on Quality of Life Questionnaire-Lite version (IWQOL-Lite) using choice-format conjoint analysis, known also as discrete-choice experiments. Results: Conventional linear scoring rules can overstate the relative importance to patients of improvements in some domains and understate the relative importance of improvements in other domains. Conclusions: Patient preference-weighted scores estimated by conjoint-analysis methods allow for non-linearities and account for the relative contribution of individual items and domains to patient well-being. Conventional linear scores and preference-weighted scores can result in different conclusions about the size of patient-reported treatment effects.
The regression analysis of collinear data

This paper presents a technique based on the inuitively-simple concepts of Sample Domain and Effective Prediction Domain, for dealing with linear regression situations involving collinearity of any degree of severity. The Effective Prediction Domain (EPD) clarifies the concept of collinearity. and leads to conclusions that are quantitative and practically useful. The method allows for the presence of expansion tenms amongthe regressors, and requies no changes when dealing with such situations.
Rheology of Lubricants in Real Bearing Contacts

Experimental traction-slip and lubricant film-thickness data have been determined for selected lubricants to provide information for use in conjunction with the design of lubricated machine elements. The traction-slip experiments were performed using a rolling-disk rheometer which closely simulates those conditions existent in real lubricated contacts; the film-thickness data were obtained using an X-ray technique. The range of experimental conditions included two rolling speeds (5000 and 10,000 rpm), several contact pressures [(690 – 2400 MN/m2 ) (100 to 350 ksi)], and three temperatures [(338, 366 and 423 K) (150, 200, and 300 F)]. The slip conditions imposed on the lubricants ranged as high as 6 m/s (1200 fpm) which is equivalent to a shear rate of approximately 0.5 × 108 sec−1 . Interpretative analyses have been developed to infer basic lubricant properties from the experimental data. These analyses include time delay parameters and “dynamic” pressure-viscosity parameters. The analytical treatment of the data provides: (1) a generalization of the experimental data to apply over a wider range of conditions than those actually covered, and (2) a basis for comparing lubricants and obtaining a more fundamental understanding of lubricant behavior.
The Role of Recruitment in Achieving Goals Related to Diversity

One of our diversity-related goals is to broaden the number of perspectives represented in academic library decision-making, administration, and library services. The research conducted in library and information science, as well as that conducted in numerous other disciplines, provides a basis for identifying those factors that have an impact on the decisions of individuals to choose a particular profession and/or professional specialty. This information should inform our recruitment strategies, as we identify approaches that will prove effective in increasing the number of minority academic librarians, and thus help to achieve our goals related to diversity.
Left Main Pseudoaneurysm After Postpartum Coronary Dissection

The patient is a 34-year-old woman, para 3, gravida 3, with dyslipidemia and former tobacco use, who 1-week postpartum experienced an acute myocardial infarction. Initial angiography revealed a left main (LM) artery dissection with probable subintimal hematoma extending into the proximal left anterior descending (LAD) and left circumflex (LCX) coronary arteries (Figure 1A). Left ventriculography revealed anterior and apical akinesis with an ejection fraction of 30%. Because definitive therapy with percutaneous revascularization carries the risk of dissection extension and occlusion and because there was minimal luminal encroachment and TIMI (thombolysis in myocardial infarction) flow grade 3, we elected for medical therapy, including aspirin, and further observation. Also controversially, we elected not to anticoagulate because of the theoretical potential to maintain false lumen patency. Figure 1. A , Initial angiography suggests left main coronary dissection (X). Narrowing of the proximal left ascending (Y) and proximal left circumflex (Z) coronary artery segments compared to the corresponding midsegments suggests intramural hematoma. B , Surveillance angiography 1 week later reveals clear extension of dissection into left circumflex artery and near obliteration of the mid-left ascending artery (arrow). Because of the high-risk nature of the problem and the unpredictable natural history, surveillance angiography 1 week after myocardial infarction was performed and revealed obvious progression of the LM dissection flap into the proximal LAD and LCX arteries, with significant luminal narrowing and TIMI 2 flow in the LAD artery (Figure 1 …
Capacity Building: A Phenomenological Study of the African Women Perceptions and Experiences in the Leadership Training Program

The promotion of leadership skills among women leaders in developing nations is essential in order for change and progress to occur in these countries. In this phenomenological study, we examined the perceptions and experiences of nine women religious of Africa who were engaged in a three-year leadership development initiative in three developing nations: Kenya, Uganda, and Ghana. We described how, by subsequently practicing acquired leadership skills, these women brought about change in their educational, health care, social and pastoral ministries. Data were collected using in-depth interviews, observation of the changes in the participants’ ministries, and field notes. The findings indicated that leadership development training enhanced participants’ capacity for effective service delivery and allowed for the expansion of their ministries, thus improving life for their people. Participants engaged their communities constructively and positively transformed their projects
Population-based Study of the Contribution of Weather to Hip Fracture Seasonality

Previous studies have demonstrated seasonal increases in hip fracture incidence, but none have directly assessed the influence of inclement weather on this seasonality. In this study, the daily occurrence of hip fracture among women aged 45 years and older in Rochester, Minnesota, from 1952 through 1989 was ascertained using the resources of the Rochester Epidemiology Project and compared with the occurrence of inclement weather as recorded in hourly readings by the National Weather Service in Rochester for the same time period. Among the women aged 45-74 years, the risk of hip fracture was increased on days with snow (relative risk (RR) = 1.41, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.10-1.81) or freezing rain (RR = 1.82, 95% CI 1.27-2.62). In this group, the elevated risk of hip fracture in winter, compared with summer (RR = 1.44, 95% CI 1.0-2.09), was reduced after controlling for weather (RR = 1.16, 95% CI 0.81-1.65). Among women aged 75 years and older, ice and snow were not strongly related to fracture occurrence. The winter-related increase in risk (RR = 1.16, 95% CI 0.96-1.40) was essentially unchanged after controlling for weather and was similar to the weather-adjusted seasonality of hip fracture occurrence in younger women. These data suggest that there are factors other than weather that may be linked to the seasonal pattern in hip fracture occurrence and that operate at all ages.
Ecological pressures and milk metabolic hormones of ethnic Tibetans living at different altitudes.

AbstractBackground: Very little is known about how milk hormones, shown to influence growth during infancy, may contribute to patterns of altered growth in high altitude living infants.Aim: This study investigated the association between maternal BMI, the metabolic hormones adiponectin and leptin in human milk and infant weight for age z-scores (WAZ) in Tibetans.Subjects and methods: A sample of 116 mothers and infants (aged 0–36 months) were recruited from two locations: the Nubri Valley, Nepal (rural; altitude = 2400–3900 m) and Kathmandu, Nepal (urban, 1400 m). Milk samples, anthropometrics, biological data and environmental information were collected on mothers and infants. Milk was analysed for leptin and adiponectin.Results: Maternal BMI was significantly associated with milk leptin content, but not adiponectin in either group. In the rural high altitude sample, child WAZ declined with age, but no such decline was seen in the urban sample.Conclusions: Milk leptin and adiponectin were not associated ...
100 Years of Trauma: the Armenian Genocide and Intergenerational Cultural Trauma

ABSTRACTThe events of the Armenian Genocide of 1915, during which more than 1.5 million Armenians were massacred by the Ottoman Turkish Empire, has left a deep, painful scar on this small but prominent culture. Those who lived through the Armenian Genocide survived death marches, rapes, drownings, physical mutilation, and other such heinous crimes. As they have passed, it is being recognized that subsequent generations continue to fight for justice, manifesting their ancestral pain, sadness, and mourning for the loss of their family members. As sociocultural trauma has a multigenerational impact within families and communities and affects the feeling of membership and belonging within that community, understanding how previous traumas shape future generations of that group is important for clinicians. This article reviews the scarce research on intergenerational trauma in the Armenian community within the United States after the Armenian Genocide, using the constructivist self-development theory to provid...
Risk of Malignancy Among Patients With Sarcoidosis: A Population‐Based Cohort Study

Objective To investigate the risk of malignancy in patients with sarcoidosis in a population-based cohort. Methods A cohort of Olmsted County, Minnesota, residents diagnosed with sarcoidosis between January 1, 1976 and December 31, 2013 was identified based on individual medical record review. For each sarcoidosis subject, 2 sex- and age-matched comparator subjects without sarcoidosis were randomly selected. Cases and comparators were then cross-indexed with the Mayo Clinic Cancer Registry, which collected data on every type of malignancy except for nonmelanoma skin cancer, for malignancy ascertainment. Results A total of 345 incident cases of sarcoidosis and 690 comparators were identified. There was no difference in the prevalence of malignancy at the index date between the 2 groups (4.3% among cases and 4.3% among comparators; P = 1.0). During followup, 36 patients with sarcoidosis and 91 subjects without sarcoidosis developed malignancy, with a cumulative incidence at 10 years of 3.8% and 7.1%, respectively. The difference corresponded to a hazard ratio (HR) of 0.72 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.49–1.06). The cumulative incidences at 10 years for individual types of malignancy were also similar between the 2 groups, with nonsignificant HRs. However, subgroup analysis found that cases with extrathoracic involvement were at higher risk of incident hematologic malignancy compared with cases without extrathoracic involvement (HR 1.87 [95% CI 1.09–3.22]). Conclusion Risk of malignancy was similar among patients with sarcoidosis compared to nonsarcoidosis subjects. However, the risk of incident hematologic malignancy was significantly higher among patients with sarcoidosis with extrathoracic involvement compared to patients without extrathoracic disease.
The case for early surgical treatment of left-sided primary infective endocarditis: A collective review

Sixteen cases of infective endocarditis requiring valve replacement with a prosthesis are described. The indication for surgery was intractable congestive heart failure in all. Fourteen patients underwent aortic valve replacement, with five hospital deaths secondary to cardiac decompensation and one late death related to recurrent periprosthetic insufficiency. Two patients who required mitral valve replacement did well, with no early or late deaths. A collected review of 293 cases of left-sided primary infective endocarditis reported in the English literature confirms the feasibility, advisability, and life-saving potential of urgent surgical intervention in patients with persistent or progressive congestive heart failure, irrespective of the activity of the infective process or the duration of antibiotic therapy. All infected tissue should be resected, and Teflon bolsters should be used to minimize the incidence of periprosthetic leaks. The incidence of prosthetic infection is minimal, contrasted with the fatal potential of procrastination to achieve microbial cure.
SU-F-T-153: Experimental Validation and Calculation Benchmark for a Commercial Monte Carlo Pencil Beam Scanning Proton Therapy Treatment Planning System in Water

Purpose: Eclipse proton Monte Carlo AcurosPT 13.7 was commissioned and experimentally validated for an IBA dedicated PBS nozzle in water. Topas 1.3 was used to isolate the cause of differences in output and penumbra between simulation and experiment. Methods: The spot profiles were measured in air at five locations using Lynx. PTW-34070 Bragg peak chamber (Freiburg, Germany) was used to collect the relative integral Bragg peak for 15 proton energies from 100 MeV to 225 MeV. The phase space parameters (σx, σθ, ρxθ) number of protons per MU, energy spread and calculated mean energy provided by AcurosPT were identically implemented into Topas. The absolute dose, profiles and field size factors measured using ionization chamber arrays were compared with both AcurosPT and Topas. Results: The beam spot size, σx, and the angular spread, σθ, in air were both energy-dependent: in particular, the spot size in air at isocentre ranged from 2.8 to 5.3 mm, and the angular spread ranged from 2.7 mrad to 6 mrad. The number of protons per MU increased from ∼9E7 at 100 MeV to ∼1.5E8 at 225 MeV. Both AcurosPT and TOPAS agree with experiment within 2 mm penumbra difference or 3% dose difference for scenarios including central axis depth dose and profiles at two depths in multi-spot square fields, from 40 to 200 mm, for all the investigated single-energy and multi-energy beams, indicating clinically acceptable source model and radiation transport algorithm in water. Conclusion: By comparing measured data and TOPAS simulation using the same source model, the AcurosPT 13.7 was validated in water within 2 mm penumbra difference or 3% dose difference. Benchmarks versus an independent Monte Carlo code are recommended to study the agreement in output, filed size factors and penumbra differences. This project is partially supported by the Varian grant under the master agreement between University of Pennsylvania and Varian
Representations of Menopause and Their Health Care Implications: A Qualitative Study

Introduction Menopause is primarily represented as a medical condition with its associated body changes described as symptoms in need of treatment. The purpose of this study was to determine whether women’s representations of and responses to menopause reflected this medical perspective. It is based on a secondary analysis of data from an earlier study in which the menopause experience of 17 middle-aged women was examined. Methods The original study used a qualitative methodology in which data were collected by means of semistructured interviews and then analyzed for primary categories of meaning. Interview transcripts were reanalyzed for the current study. Results Findings of that analysis indicate that, although the women were relatively uninformed about menopause, they identified themselves as menopausal on the basis of both positively and negatively defined physical and psychological changes that they associated with it. These changes were also associated with aging in general. Furthermore, although the women responded to menopause as a time-limited physiological event that sometimes required medical attention, they perceived it primarily as a marker or symbol of more general life-stage developmental issues and responded with both lifestyle changes and a search for new meaning. Discussion These findings indicate that the women’s perception of and response to menopause reflected both medical and nonmedical representations. Health care implications include the importance of health care providers supporting menopausal women in their search for both information and meaning, and of researchers investigating both medical and nonmedical approaches to reducing the negative health-related effects of decreased estrogen levels in menopausal women.
Evidence for a dynamic nanodust cloud enveloping the Moon

The Moon has a tenuous exosphere and dust-sized particles have been detected. Analysis of spectral observations by the LADEE spacecraft suggests that the Moon also has a spatially and temporally variable exosphere of nanodust particles. The exospheres that surround airless bodies such as the Moon are tenuous, atmosphere-like layers whose constituent particles rarely collide with one another. Some particles contained within such exospheres are the product of direct interactions between airless bodies and the space environment, and offer insights into space weathering processes. NASA’s Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) mission studied the Moon’s exospheric constituents in situ and detected a permanent dust exosphere1 of particles with radii as small as 300 nm. Here we present evidence from LADEE spectral data for an additional fluctuating nanodust exosphere at the Moon containing a population of particles sufficiently dense to be detectable via scattered sunlight. We compare two anti-Sun spectral observations: one near the peak of the Quadrantid meteoroid stream, the other during a period of comparatively weak stream activity. The former shows a negative spectral slope consistent with backscattering of sunlight by nanodust grains with radii less than 20 to 30 nm; the latter has a flatter spectral slope. We hypothesize that a spatially and temporally variable nanodust exosphere may exist at the Moon, and that it is modulated by changes in meteoroid impact rates, such as during encounters with meteoroid streams. The findings suggest that similar nanodust exospheres—and the particle ejection and transport processes that form them—may occur at other airless bodies.
“Parents need a village”: Caseworkers' perceptions of the challenges faced by single parents of system-involved youth

Abstract Drawing upon the lived experience of juvenile justice caseworkers, this phenomenological study aimed to describe the challenges faced by single parents with children in the custody of the juvenile justice system, and how parenting practices are affected. Ten caseworkers were interviewed, from which the following essence emerged: “Parents need a village.” Five themes supported and contextualized this essence by detailing how challenges not only fall along each level of the Ecological Model, but also interact with one another, leaving parents with a profound sense of powerlessness and detachment from their children, themselves, and their futures. This study underscores that stakeholders combating youth violence must take an ecological approach in their efforts to support parents. Interventions should target neighborhood and individual needs, such as employment, housing, crime, service accessibility, and mental health problems, while simultaneously addressing issues of classism and racism that trap parents in cycles of poverty and violence.
Hyper-temporal remote sensing for digital soil mapping: Characterizing soil-vegetation response to climatic variability

Abstract Indices derived from remotely-sensed imagery are commonly used to predict soil properties with digital soil mapping (DSM) techniques. The use of images from single dates or a small number of dates is most common for DSM; however, selection of the appropriate images is complicated by temporal variability in land surface spectral properties. We argue that hyper-temporal remote sensing (RS) (i.e., hundreds of images) can provide novel insights into soil spatial variability by quantifying the temporal response of land surface spectral properties. This temporal response provides a spectral ‘fingerprint’ of the soil-vegetation relationship which is directly related to a range of soil properties. To evaluate the hyper-temporal RS approach, this study first reviewed and synthesized, within the context of temporal variability, previous research that has used RS imagery for DSM. Results from this analysis support the notion that temporal variability in RS spectra, as driven by soil and climate feedbacks, is an important predictor of soil variability. To explicitly evaluate this idea and to demonstrate the utility of the hyper-temporal approach, we present a case study in a semiarid landscape of southeastern Arizona, USA. In this case study surface soil texture and coarse fragment classes were predicted using a 28 year time series of Landsat TM derived normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and modeled using support vector machine (SVM) classification, and results evaluated relative to more traditional RS approaches (e.g., mono-, bi-, and multi-temporal). Results from the case study show that SVM classification using hyper-temporal RS imagery was more effective in modeling both soil texture and coarse fragment classes relative to mono-, bi-, or multi-temporal RS, with classification accuracies of 67% and 62%, respectively. Short-term transitions between wet and dry periods (i.e.,
Coping with Complex Polysemy: A Comparison of Dative/Benefactive Constructions in Mandarin and Thai

In Mandarin and Thai, many prepositions have etymologically and semantically related homonyms that are members of other lexical classes. In Mandarin these homonyms can be verbs, and in Thai they may be verbs or substantives. In both languaes there exists a benefactive/goal preposition ( gei in Mandarin, hai in Thai) which is homonymous with a common verb that has extensive dative and causative usage. In this article I compare the syntactic and semantic characteristics of dative/benefactive constructions in the two languages, and conclude with the hypothesis that certain striking similarities that will be seen reflect a trend to avoid the possible confusion that could result from these closely parallel cases of complex polysemy.
The Bullwhip Effect Under Different Supply Chain Structures

This research attempts to determine the relative contribution of each of the causes of the bullwhip effect and to identify which causes of the bullwhip effect have relatively significant impacts on the variability of orders under different supply chain structures. When there are three or more levels of echelons in a supply chain, demand forecast updating is the most significant factor for the bullwhip effect. When there are two levels of echelons in a supply chain, however, price variation is the most significant one. This implies that, when there are three or more levels of echelons in a supply chain, supply chain managers need to share actual demand information and coordinate production and distribution activities with their partners. When there are only two levels of echelons, agility or market responsiveness would be a key to mitigate the bullwhip effect
Abstract P72: Medicolegal Characteristics of Cardiac Catheterization Litigation

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Cardiac catheterizations have become an integral part of medical care; however, there have been few assessments of the pattern of medicolegal cases that involve cardiac catheterizations. This study reviews the patterns of liability and medical outcomes in cases involving cardiac catheterization litigation. METHODS: Legal case opinions were obtained from LexisNexis Academic; case characteristics, litigation outcomes, and medical outcomes were identified. Additionally, data was collected from the Physician Insurers Association of America (PIAA), which is an Association that maintains a data registry of medical professional liability claims. RESULTS: Between 1985 and 2009, the PIAA registry documented 1361 closed coronary angiography claims. The medical specialty of Cardiovascular Disease was involved in 699 of these cases with other specialties such as internal medicine, CT surgery, general surgery being involved in the remaining cases. Of these claims, 36% (492 of 1361) were voluntarily dismissed, 25% (337 of 1361) were settled before litigation, 16% (215 of 1361) were not prosecuted, and 11% (154 of 1361) were involuntarily dismissed. The most common alleged error was for improper performance (482 of 1361) followed by no medical misadventure (316 of 1361). Of the 116 cases reviewed through LexisNexis, only 30% (35 of 116) were judged in the patients’ favor. Litigation against physicians occured in 90.5% (105 of 116) of cases with judgments in favor of the patients in 29.5% (31 of 105) of cases. Death as outcome was present in 42 cases. In these claims, the physicians were more likely to be sued (95%–40 of 42) and the judgment was more likely to be in the patients’ favor (40.5%–17 of 42). CONCLUSION: In litigation related to cardiac catheterizations, the majority of cases are due to medical malpractice and physicians are sued in a high percentage of those cases. It is important that cardiologists recognize these patterns of litigation as this may impact and improve the processes of care. However, physicians in other fields should be aware of these findings as specialties outside of cardiology were involved in almost half of all litigation cases.
Design of a pre-scheduled data bus for advanced encryption standard encrypted system-on-chips

This paper proposes a high efficiency data bus (DBUS) for Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encrypted system-on-chips (SoCs). Using DBUS, the data sequence can be pre-selected for AES encryption/decryption, so that the state buffering and rescheduling overhead can be reduced. FPGA results show that the DBUS based design lowers the dynamic energy to 66.93%, and achieves up to 1.30 times higher valid throughput compared with the Advanced eXensible Interface (AXI) based implementation.
Calculating the balance between atmospheric CO2 drawdown and organic carbon oxidation in subglacial hydrochemical systems

In order to constrain CO2 fluxes from biogeochemical processes in subglacial environments, we model the evolution of pH and alkalinity over a range of subglacial weathering conditions. We show that subglacial waters reach or exceed atmospheric pCO2 levels when atmospheric gases are able to partially access the subglacial environment. Subsequently, closed system oxidation of sulfides is capable of producing pCO2 levels well in excess of atmosphere levels without any input from the decay of organic matter. We compared this model to published pH and alkalinity measurements from 21 glaciers and ice sheets. Most subglacial waters are near atmospheric pCO2 values. The assumption of an initial period of open system weathering requires substantial organic carbon oxidation in only 4 of the 21 analyzed ice bodies. If the subglacial environment is assumed to be closed from any input of atmospheric gas, large organic carbon inputs are required in nearly all cases. These closed system assumptions imply that order of 10 g m−2 y−1 of organic carbon are removed from a typical subglacial environment—a rate too high to represent soil carbon built up over previous interglacial periods and far in excess of fluxes of surface deposited organic carbon. Partial open system input of atmospheric gases is therefore likely in most subglacial environments. The decay of organic carbon is still important to subglacial inorganic chemistry where substantial reserves of ancient organic carbon are found in bedrock. In glaciers and ice sheets on silicate bedrock, substantial long-term drawdown of atmospheric CO2 occurs.
Physical Therapy Management of Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain and Hip Abductor Weakness.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Hip abductor dysfunction is common in individuals with chronic low back pain (CLBP). Previous research investigating abductor strengthening in the heterogeneous CLBP population is sparse and has failed to target those patients most likely to benefit. The aim of the current case series was to describe the physical therapy management and outcomes of 3 patients with CLBP matching a previously identified subgroup characterized by substantial hip abductor weakness. CASE DESCRIPTION Three nonconsecutive patients with CLBP-a 77-year-old man, a 78-year-old woman, and an 85-year-old woman-were treated in an outpatient physical therapy clinic. All 3 patients matched a previously identified CLBP subgroup characterized by substantial hip abductor weakness. INTERVENTION Patients were treated using a targeted exercise approach consisting mostly of hip abductor strengthening for 11 to 17 visits over 8 to 10 weeks. Patients received additional treatments including heel lift and pain neuroscience education when indicated. OUTCOMES By discharge, all patients had made clinically important improvements in pain (3- to 7-point reduction on the Numeric Pain Rating Scale), function (10- to 16-point change on the Modified Oswestry Disability Index), and perceived improvement (6-7 on Global Rating of Change Scale). Lumbar range of motion was painless, and hip abductor strength was improved from 2+/5 to 3+/5 in all 3 patients. These gains were maintained at 3-month follow-up. DISCUSSION The current case series describes the use of a targeted exercise approach consisting mostly of hip abductor strengthening in a group of patients with CLBP and hip abductor weakness. The results indicated that this approach may be effective in reducing pain and improving function, particularly for older patients.
Media exposure during infancy and early childhood: the effects of content and context on learning and development

Right after the book Media Exposure during Infancy and Early Childhood arrived in my mailbox this summer, my cousin visited us over a weekend. After reading the book’s title, he said, “I’m sure the...
First-principles calculations and thermodynamic modeling of the Yb-Ni binary system

Abstract A complete thermodynamic description of the Yb-Ni binary system is developed by means of the CALculation of PHAse Diagram (CALPHAD) method in combination with first-principles calculations based on density functional theory (DFT) and available experimental data in the literature. Finite temperature thermodynamic properties of the Yb-Ni intermetallic compounds are predicted using the quasi-harmonic approach, where first-principles phonon calculations are performed to calculate the lattice vibrational entropy. The associate solution model is used to describe the complex thermodynamic behavior of the liquid phase. The calculated phase diagram agrees well the experimental phase equilibrium data in the literature. By the coupling of CALPHAD modeling with first-principles calculations, the present work provides a more thermodynamically accurate model of the Yb-Ni system when compared to previous models.
Countrywide demonstration of adult protection derived from infant immunisation

Humans, especially young children, are considered the only reservoir of Streptococcus pneumoniae . Pneumococcal nasopharyngeal colonisation is very common and usually asymptomatic, but it also represents the primordial step in the development of pneumococcal diseases.1 Nasopharyngeal colonisation is very prevalent among young children but appears to be much less common among adults. Yet, adults, especially older adults, are disproportionally affected by pneumococcal diseases. Close interaction with young children is a recognised source of exposure to pneumococcus among adults, and previous studies have documented the associations with colonisation and also disease among exposed adults.2–4 The chain of transmission of pneumococcal colonisation and its connection with disease has been drastically transformed with the introduction of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccines. Unlike non-conjugated polysaccharide vaccines, pneumococcal conjugate vaccines elicit a strong immune response in vaccinated young children and provide protection against colonisation with serotypes included in the vaccine. This leads not only to protection of vaccinated children, but by targeting the main reservoir of transmission, vaccination also prevents transmission of pneumococcus to others in contact with vaccinated children. Indeed, widespread vaccination of infants with conjugate vaccines has led first to reductions and ultimately to virtual elimination of the circulation of serotypes included in the vaccines.5–8 Routine vaccination of infants with pneumococcal conjugate vaccines has led to profound changes in the ecology of S. pneumoniae and the distribution of related infections. As the circulation of vaccine serotypes was reduced due to the powerful biological pressure of the vaccine, disease caused by those retreating vaccine serotypes has declined in both vaccinated and unvaccinated …
Ethical Issues in Return to Play: Surgical Implications for Return to Play

Injuries requiring operative intervention add a layer of complexity to the return to play equation—certainly the surgery itself is a significant hurdle, but it also lays the framework for a deliberate recovery process and eventual reintegration back to sport. At all levels, and particularly for elite and professional athletes, this should be a multidisciplinary process tailored to the needs, situation, and progress of each individual. But with operative injuries specifically, the surgeon takes a central role at directing the process while placing the athlete’s best interest at the forefront. This chapter provides our approach to return to play and reviews the salient issues that must be addressed.
Imaging Molecular Envelopes of Evolved Stars

Resolved images of molecular emission lines from the envelopes of cool evolved stars reveal much about the physical processes by which such stars lose mass, about the chemical processes which occur in the outflowing gas, and about the evolution of the star to the planetary nebula stage. This paper reviews observational work on molecular line imaging at mm-wavelengths of carbon stars, Miras, proto-planetary nebulae, and planetary nebulae. The impact of these observations on our understanding of the late stages of stellar evolution as it affects the circumstellar environment is emphasized.
Evaluative Conditioning: The "How" Question.

Abstract Evaluative conditioning (EC) refers to attitude formation or change toward an object due to that object's mere co-occurrence with another valenced object or objects. This chapter focuses on the “How” question, that is, the question of what cognitive processes intervene between mere co-occurrence and attitude formation or change. Though EC has typically been thought of as occurring through a single, albeit contentious, mechanism, we begin by pointing out that both the heterogeneity of EC methodologies and the abundance of inconsistent results suggest that multiple processes with different characteristics can produce EC. We describe how the earliest posited process of EC, Pavlovian conditioning or signal learning, is a valid mechanism of EC that appears to have operated in some experiments but is unlikely to have operated in others and also cannot account for various EC findings. We describe other mechanisms of EC, when they can be expected to occur, and what characteristics they have. We particularly focus our attention on a process model of EC we have recently introduced, the implicit misattribution model. Finally, we describe the implications of a multiprocess view of EC, which we argue can help resolve theoretical controversies and further the application of EC as a practical intervention for influencing attitudes in various domains.
Management Practices to Overcome the Incidence of Grass Tetany

To minimize the incidence of grass tetany, winter pastures should be established on soils containing Mg-rich minerals, drainage should be improved on five-textured soils, legumes should be included in the sward and soil pH should be at least 5.5. Liming acid soils with dolomitic lime increases forage Mg by supplying Mg and by raising soil pH. Calcitic lime applications also can increase Mg availability to plants on soils with adequate Mg. Low rates of application of soluble Mg salts (less than 100 kg/ha of Mg) effectively increase Mg uptake from noncalcareous soils with low cation exchange capacity. Potassium levels in soils and plants should be kept in the lower range of recommended values. Nitrogen application should be regulated to provide the desired level of forage production. Nitrogen fertilizers, especially the nitrate form, stimulate plant Mg uptake if Mg is available in the soil. The most practical and cost-efficient method of supplementing dietary Mg intake is to provide free-choice Mg. Supplements must be palatable and placed in locations frequently used by cow herds. Including a high-energy feed in the supplement may at times increase its preventive effectiveness by increasing Mg absorption and reducing lipolysis. Regardless of the supplement formulation, Mg intake should be monitored on a regular basis, and formulation or management changes should be initiated if Mg consumption is below required levels. In severe grass tetany outbreaks, foliar application of Mg or administration of Mg via the drinking water may be warranted.
A General Approach to Biocompatible Branched Fluorous Tags for Increased Solubility in Perfluorocarbon Solvents

A modular, cost-effective route to a library of branched fluorous tags with two short, biocompatible, fluorinated chains (C6F13) is reported. These branched fluorous tags provide high fluorous content without the use of long-chain linear perfluorocarbons, which have rising health concerns due to their bioaccumulation. By attaching these tags to a porphyrin, it is demonstrated that high solubility can be achieved in fluorous solvents that are readily cleared from mammals. This work enhances the biocompatibility of perfluorocarbon nanoemulsions for photodynamic therapy.
Associations of the Oral Microbiota with Obesity and Menarche in Inner City Girls.

Objective: Alterations of the oral microbiome have been associated with obesity, possibly based on inflammatory processes mediated by bacteria. Specific bacterial strains have been associated with obesity and periodontal disease. Little is known about the oral microbiome in children. Understanding the relationship between oral health and childhood growth could help identify preventable factors contributing to obesity and related conditions, including onset of menarche which is associated with obesity. Methods: In this pilot study, we investigated the saliva microbiome among 25 girls 7-15 years old (mean 11.1) and their mothers in an inner city dental clinic in New York City. The main outcome measures were body size, presence or absence of menarche and dental practices. We examined associations of microbiome richness, diversity, and relative abundance with pubertal and demographic factors and oral health. Results: Girls had good dental health and a typical rich oral microbiome, based on the Shannon Index of all species detected. Older girls flossed more often and younger girls had more frequent dental check–ups. Microbiome richness among girls was similar to their mothers’, but diversity was greater among mothers than girls. Richness was reduced among mothers with gum bleeding, flossing and increased teeth brushing. Overweight girls had greater diversity and less richness than normal weight girls. Certain bacterial species differed in abundance with respect to whether girls had reached menarche (Flavobacteria, Actinobacteria), overweight (Megasphaera, Lactorbacillales, Lactobacillus) and gingivitis in the girls (Scardovia, Bifidobacteriales, Gemellaceae). Conclusions: Differences found in specific bacteria in the oral microbiome were related to body size and menarche. With increasing interest on studying microbiome variability related to the multifactorial etiology of obesity in children, saliva is capable of providing clinically informative markers of this and related conditions.
American chestnut soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics: Implications for ecosystem response following restoration

Abstract American chestnut (Castenea dentata), once dominant throughout the eastern deciduous forest of North America, was extirpated from its native range by chestnut blight fungus. Through development of blight-resistant trees, the reintroduction of chestnut is likely, though little is known about the biogeochemistry of forests influenced by chestnut. We performed a one-year laboratory incubation experiment with soil and litter from 10-year-old monoculture plantings of pure American chestnut, black cherry, and northern red oak, in addition to a field-based 13C isotopic analysis of soil C. Parameters included litter decomposition, C respiration, N leaching, soil oxidizable C, extracellular enzyme activity related to nutrient acquisition, and litter chemistry. Results indicate that chestnut litter decayed more rapidly than that of oak or cherry (19.0%, 10.8%, 14.1% mass loss in chestnut, oak, and cherry litter, respectively). Chestnut had lower N leaching rates than soils beneath oak or cherry (7.8, 11.5, and 12.0 mg N kg−1 in chestnut, cherry, and oak soils, respectively), greater dissolved organic C (DOC) in leachate than soils influenced by oak (32.2 and 26.4 mg kg−1 in chestnut and oak soil, respectively). No differences in soil respiration or total soil C by species were detected. We conclude that surface soils influenced by chestnut have large inputs of C through rapid litter decomposition and low inorganic N availability, indicating potential for accumulation of C in surface soil over the long-term.
Steroid-sparing agents for the treatment of inflammation in complicated neurocysticercosis

Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is a major cause of neurologic disease and epilepsy worldwide. Clinical manifestations of NCC are primarily due to the inflammatory response against degenerating cysts of the Taenia solium tapeworm, which occurs when cysts lose their ability to evade host immune responses. Patients with subarachnoid or severe parenchymal NCC may also develop chronic inflammation requiring long-term immunosuppression.2
DIFFUSE CORONARY ARTERY VASOSPASM: A STEMI MASQUERADE IN A PATIENT WITH SUBARACHNOID HEMORRHAGE

Coronary artery vasospasm (CAV) is a reversible, transient form of vasoconstriction with clinical manifestations ranging from stable angina to an acute coronary syndrome. A 44-year-old woman presented with severe headaches and tonic-clonic seizure. She was found to have diffuse SAH requiring
Physical Activity Coparticipation Among Parent-Young-Child Dyads.

PURPOSE This study examined patterns of physical activity coparticipation among parent-child (2-5 y) dyads. METHOD The dyads (N = 47; 51% mother-child) each wore a Bluetooth-enabled accelerometer for 8 days to measure physical activity and physical activity coparticipation. The parents completed demographic and self-reported family physical activity questionnaires. RESULTS The parent-child dyads spent 145 (79) minutes per day in-proximity according to the Bluetooth-enabled accelerometers. The majority (90%) of parent-child in-proximity time was spent with the parent and child engaged in some combination of sedentary or light activities. Child light, moderate, and vigorous physical activity was not associated with parent light (P = .12) or moderate to vigorous physical activity (P = .45), but was positively associated with parent-child in-proximity active minutes (light, moderate, and vigorous) (P < .01). Children in the highest tertile of parent-child physical activity coparticipation engaged in more daily moderate to vigorous physical activity compared with children in the lowest tertile (72.7 vs 50.3 min). There was a positive, statistically significant association between self-reported and objective measures of physical activity coparticipation (r = .47, P = .001). CONCLUSION Children who engaged in the most physical activity with their parent had the highest moderate to vigorous physical activity. Future studies should continue to provide contextual information about how parents and children spend their time together to improve family-based physical activity interventions.
2MASS 1315-2649: A High Proper Motion L Dwarf with Strong H-alpha Emission

In Hall (2002) I reported that 2MASSI J1315309-264951 is an L dwarf with strong H-alpha emission. Two spectroscopic epochs appeared to show that the H-alpha was variable, decreasing from 121 Angstroms to 25 Angstroms EW, which I interpreted as a flare during the first observation. Gizis (2002) independently discovered this object, and his intermediate spectroscopic epoch shows H-alpha with 97 Angstroms EW. A new fourth epoch of spectroscopy again shows a very large H-alpha EW (124 Angstroms), confirming this object to be a persistent, strong H-alpha emitter. Whether the H-alpha is steady (like 2MASS 1237+6526) or from continuous strong flaring (like PC0025+0447) remains unclear. Imaging confirms that 2MASS 1315-2649 has a high proper motion (0.71"/year), corresponding to a transverse velocity of ~76 km/s at its distance of ~23 pc. Thus 2MASS 1315-2649 is consistent with being >~2 Gyr old and therefore relatively massive. If that is so, the correlation of H-alph activity with mass found by Gizis et al. (2000) would seem to support the continuous strong flaring scenario, though it does not rule out a brown dwarf binary accretion scenario.
Magnetic resonance angiography and perfusion mapping by arterial spin labeling using Fourier transform–based velocity-selective pulse trains: Examination on a commercial perfusion phantom

PURPOSE Benchmarking of flow and perfusion MR techniques on standardized phantoms can facilitate the use of advanced angiography and perfusion-mapping techniques across multiple sites, field strength, and vendors. Here, MRA and perfusion mapping by arterial spin labeling (ASL) using Fourier transform (FT)-based velocity-selective saturation and inversion pulse trains were evaluated on a commercial perfusion phantom. METHODS The FT velocity-selective saturation-based MRA and FT velocity-selective inversion-based ASL perfusion imaging were compared with time-of-flight and pseudo-continuous ASL at 3 T on the perfusion phantom at two controlled flow rates, 175 mL/min and 350 mL/min. Velocity-selective MRA (VSMRA) and velocity-selective ASL (VSASL) were each performed with three velocity-encoding directions: foot-head, left-right, and oblique 45°. The contrast-to-noise ratio for MRA scans and perfusion-weighted signal, as well as labeling efficiency for ASL methods, were quantified. RESULTS On this phantom with feeding tubes having only vertical and transverse flow directions, VSMRA and VSASL exhibited the dependence of velocity-encoding directions. The foot-head-encoded VSMRA and VSASL generated similar signal contrasts as time of flight and pseudo-continuous ASL for the two flow rates, respectively. The oblique 45°-encoded VSMRA yielded more uniform contrast-to-noise ratio across slices than foot-head and left-right-encoded VSMRA scans. The oblique 45°-encoded VSASL elevated labeling efficiency from 0.22-0.68 to 0.82-0.90 through more uniform labeling of the entire feeding tubes. CONCLUSION Both FT velocity-selective saturation-based VSMRA and FT velocity-selective inversion-based VSASL were characterized on a commercial perfusion phantom. Careful selection of velocity-encoding directions along the major vessels is recommended for their applications in various organs.