cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fundamentals of Nursing Practice and the Culturally Diverse ESL Nursing Students: The Students’ Perspectives for Teaching and Learning in Nursing

Abstract English as-a-Second Language (ESL) nursing students who enroll in the Fundamentals of Nursing Practice course have been known to experience multiple challenges in nursing programs around the country. The central challenge ESL students experience is acclimating to the American education system, a system which differs from the education system in their countries of origin. This results in a high attrition rate, particularly in the Fundamentals of Nursing Practice course which is the entry-level course. This study explored the experiences and challenges of a group of culturally diverse ESL nursing students in an Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) program in the Northeastern United States, who passed the course. The purpose of the study was to uncover what helped the participants succeed. The goal was to utilize the participants’ recommendations to improve the teaching and learning needs of ESL nursing students’, and to reduce high attrition rates. A descriptive phenomenological approach utilizing bracketing was used to explore the challenges the participants experienced. The common challenges encountered by the participants were: language barriers, a lack of faculty support and mentorship, difficulty with teaching and learning styles, and a lack of critical thinking and application skills. Also, difficulty with concepts and applications in clinical practice, and racism and discrimination in the learning environment were contributors to their learning challenges. Findings showed that the language barrier was particularly detrimental when it came to the participants’ reading, comprehension, and communication. Further findings encompassed the knowledge deficit about critical thinking, concepts, and application of concepts in clinical practice. Additional findings revealed that the participants struggled to balance school, work, and the challenges of being an immigrant, all of which effected their learning.
The Spanish Earth, June–August 1937

Before leaving Paris, Ernest had informed a NANA correspondent that he planned to return to Spain with his wife, a convenient cover story designed to hide his new relationship with Martha from Pauline. Ernest had cabled Pauline on 24 April to let her know that he would arrive in New York on 18 May. Pauline, who had spent a depressing period in Key West and Mexico without having her husband near her in bed, was so elated by the news that she threw a dinner party for nineteen guests, some of whom lingered until four o’clock in the morning. Pauline also had a surprise in store for the returning war correspondent: Toby Bruce was in the process of building a tall brick wall around their Whitehead Street property ostensibly in order to keep out prying tourists.
Decreased quadriceps force steadiness following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction is associated with altered running kinematics.

Abstract Background Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction is associated with quadriceps dysfunction and altered knee mechanics, but the relationship between these outcomes is not clear. Inclusion of metrics such as the stability of torque output could provide additional insights into the relationship between quadriceps dysfunction and knee mechanics. The purposes of this study were to: (1) measure the difference in quadriceps force steadiness between anterior cruciate ligament reconstructed and contralateral limbs; and (2) assess the relationship of quadriceps force steadiness and peak torque with knee flexion excursion during running. Methods Twenty-eight participants (14 female, age 20 (5) years) underwent quadriceps strength testing and gait analysis. Force steadiness was measured with the standard deviation and coefficient of variation of the participants' detrended torque. Knee flexion excursion was calculated during the stance phase of running trials. Differences between limbs for force steadiness and peak torque were assessed with paired sample t-tests, and a Pearson's product-moment correlation coefficient determined the relationship between pairs of variables. Findings Anterior cruciate ligament reconstructed limbs presented with a significant deficit in relative force steadiness compared to the contralateral limb (4.03 (1.04) % and 3.58 (1.41) % (P Interpretation These results suggest that considering both the magnitude and quality of force production can provide important insight into comprehensive quadriceps function.
9.4 A 4 th -Order Cascaded-Noise-Shaping SAR ADC with 88dB SNDR Over 100kHz Bandwidth

High-resolution, sub-MHz-bandwidth data converters are essential for audio and sensor applications and are conventionally implemented as sigma-delta (SD) converters. The dependence of SD ADCs on op-amps inherently results in difficulties for process scaling, power efficiency improvement, and area reduction. A promising alternative to SD ADCs is the emerging noise-shaping (NS) SAR ADC, which provides high resolution with high energy efficiency and compactness. For medium-high SNR applications, some NS-SAR ADCs already exhibit better performance than SD ADCs [1, 2]. However, NS-SARs for applications that require SNR >85 dB and hundreds of kHz of bandwidth are currently lacking. The SNR is limited because most recent NS-SAR ADCs are restricted to a low-order NTF. Additionally, noise from the loop filter limits performance. In this work, we propose a cascaded-noise-shaping (CaNS) SAR architecture that cascades two 2nd-order NS stages to provide a 4th-order NTF for high resolution, while consuming similar power and area to a 2nd-order NS-SAR. Our prototype achieves 88dB SNDR over a 100kHz bandwidth while consuming only 120µW and occupies 0.02mm2, resulting in a Schreier FoM of 177dB. The proposed architecture enables the NS-SAR to be used in low-power, area-critical audio applications in place of SD ADCs.
Investing in Mutual Funds with Regime Switching

This paper develops a Bayesian framework for choosing an optimal portfolio of mutual funds in the presence of regime switching in stock market returns. Specifically, I adopt a Bayesian methodology that allows for regime uncertainty to be incorporated in the investment decision of the investor who wishes to select a portfolio of mutual funds with the highest ex ante Sharpe ratio. I find that for a range of prior beliefs regarding the pricing error of the CAPM and the 4-factor Carhart model, and fund manager skill, recognizing regime switching in market returns exerts a powerful influence on the fund choices of the investor. In order to gauge the economic significance of regime switching for the fund selection decision I calculate the certainty equivalent loss experienced by the investor if she were to ignore the regime switches in market returns. I find that the economic costs of ignoring regime switching are substantial. For example, an investor with complete prior confidence in the Capital Asset Pricing Model but who rules out the possibility of managerial skill, would experience a utility loss of 90% or 267 basis points per month in certainty equivalent terms, when failing to account for the regimes. Alternatively, consider an investor whose prior beliefs attach a 5% probability to the event that asset returns will deviate from the CAPM's predictions by  4% per year. The cost of ignoring regime switches for such an investor ranges between 81 and 100 basis points per month depending on her prior beliefs in managerial skill.
Effectiveness of a Mouth Care Program Provided by Nursing Home Staff vs Standard Care on Reducing Pneumonia Incidence: A Cluster Randomized Trial.

Importance Pneumonia affects more than 250 000 nursing home (NH) residents annually. A strategy to reduce pneumonia is to provide daily mouth care, especially to residents with dementia. Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of Mouth Care Without a Battle, a program that increases staff knowledge and attitudes regarding oral hygiene, changes mouth care, and improves oral hygiene, in reducing the incidence of pneumonia among NH residents. Design, Setting, and Participants This pragmatic cluster randomized trial observing 2152 NH residents for up to 2 years was conducted from September 2014 to May 2017. Data collectors were masked to study group. The study included 14 NHs from regions of North Carolina that evidenced proportionately high rehospitalization rates for pneumonia and long-term care residents. Nursing homes were pair matched and randomly assigned to intervention or control groups. Intervention Mouth Care Without a Battle is a standardized program that teaches that mouth care is health care, provides instruction on individualized techniques and products for mouth care, and trains caregivers to provide care to residents who are resistant and in special situations. The control condition was standard mouth care. Main Outcomes and Measures Pneumonia incidence (primary) and hospitalization and mortality (secondary), obtained from medical records. Results Overall, the study enrolled 2152 residents (mean [SD] age, 79.4 [12.4] years; 1281 [66.2%] women; 1180 [62.2%] white residents). Participants included 1219 residents (56.6%) in 7 intervention NHs and 933 residents (43.4%) in 7 control NHs. During the 2-year study period, the incidence rate of pneumonia per 1000 resident-days was 0.67 and 0.72 in the intervention and control NHs, respectively. Neither the primary (unadjusted) nor secondary (covariate-adjusted) analyses found a significant reduction in pneumonia due to Mouth Care Without a Battle during 2 years (unadjusted incidence rate ratio, 0.90; upper bound of 1-sided 95% CI, 1.24;P = .27; adjusted incidence rate ratio, 0.92; upper bound of 1-sided 95% CI, 1.27;P = .30). In the second year, the rate of pneumonia was nonsignificantly higher in intervention NHs. Adjusted post hoc analyses limited to the first year found a significant reduction in pneumonia incidence in intervention NHs (IRR, 0.69; upper bound of 1-sided 95% CI, 0.94;P = .03). Conclusions and Relevance This matched-pairs cluster randomized trial of a mouth care program compared with standard care was not effective in reducing pneumonia incidence at 2 years, although reduction was found during the first year. The lack of significant results in the second year may be associated with sustainability. Improving mouth care in US NHs may require the presence and support of dedicated oral care aides. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:NCT03817450
Do Interactions With School Resource Officers Predict Students’ Likelihood of Being Disciplined and Feelings of Safety? Mixed-Methods Evidence From Two School Districts:

School resource officers (SROs) are common in schools, yet consequences of their presence are poorly understood. This study leveraged mixed-methods data from student surveys and group interviews ac...
A Supplemental Zero-Energy Downlink Air-Interface Enabling 40-Year Battery Life in IoT Devices

A zero-energy downlink air-interface (ZE-DL) that does not draw power from the device's battery is introduced. Information packets sent on the ZE-DL are preceded by a power-optimized preamble (POP) where the energy harvested from the POP is used by an ultra-low power receiver (ULP-RX) to decode the information packets. An approach for estimating the POP duration as a function of free-space path loss, the energy harvester efficiency and the ULP-RX power consumption is outlined. An IoT device architecture is proposed where the ZE-DL functions as a supplement to the 3GPP Uu air-interface. On-demand features are introduced into the 3GPP system using a broad class of wake-up signal (WUS) transmissions on the ZE-DL. An analytical framework for estimating the network resource overhead associated with POP transmissions is developed. An energy model for the IoT device is developed and a pathway to 20, 40-year battery life for Uu uplink (UL) transaction cycles of 1, 5 days is demonstrated where the POP transmission related network overhead is limited to less than 6%.
Infusing Diversity into an Entry Level Psychology Course

Life Span Development is a required course for majors in psychology and a general education elective for students at large at our university. This article follows the journey of a redesign project that focused on infusing diversity into both small and large lecture classes, with emphases on both course content and pedagogy.
A Statistical Approach to Batched Prevalence Testing for Coronavirus

As cases of novel coronavirus mount, the ability to conduct expeditious prevalence testing becomes paramount. A statistical approach to batched prevalence testing offers a more rapid and efficient means of monitoring at-risk populations.
Banks’ risk culture and management control systems: A systematic literature review

Over ten years of a debate about the best ways to make banks safer have led to the conclusion that improving their risk culture is one venue to achieve this goal. Consequently, different disciplines discuss topics related to risk culture from varying methodological angles. This effort of many scholars provides a rich basis of theoretical and empirical evidence to guide business practice and improve regulation. However, the application of many approaches and methods can result in fragmentation and loss of a comprehensive perspective. This paper strives to counteract this fragmentation by providing a comprehensive perspective focusing particularly on the embeddedness of risk culture into banks’ management control systems. In order to achieve this goal, we apply a systematic literature review and interpret the identified findings through the theoretical lens of management control research. This review identifies 103 articles, which can be structured along three categories: Assessment of risk culture, relation between risk culture and management controls (with the subcategories embeddedness of risk culture in overall management control packages, risk culture and cultural controls, risk culture and action controls, risk culture and results controls, as well as risk culture and personnel controls) and development of banks’ risk culture over time. Along these categories the identified findings are interpreted and synthesized to a comprehensive model and consequences for theory, business practice and regulation are derived.
Dispositional mindfulness predicting psychological adjustment among college students: the role of rumination and gender.

This study examined rumination as a mediator of the relationship between dispositional mindfulness (DM) and depression, loneliness, and anxiety, while considering gender as a moderator of these med...
Management of customer portfolio

There is a very actual question for many firms and their managers becoming more and more important: “Which kind of customers have we got?” It means such activities as the solving of problems connected with e.g. the customer effectiveness, his credit score, or the customer portfolio. It is a business philosophy to manage the firm not as a sum of products and services, but as a customer portfolio, and successful managers are nowadays adopting this philosophy.
Noble Metal Nanomaterials: Synthetic Routes, Fundamental Properties, and Promising Applications

Abstract A review on recent advances of research on a number of nanomaterials, including gold, silver, platinum, and palladium nanoparticles, is presented. Detailed synthetic routes for preparing nanoparticles with different sizes, shapes, and functionalities are outlined. Optical properties of nanoparticles are discussed. The mechanism of photothermal effects of nanomaterials is illustrated. Finally, several promising applications of selected nanomaterials are highlighted, including chemical and biosensing, optical imaging, photothermal therapy, drug delivery, laser deposition, catalysis, and antimicrobials.
Complex Diffusion on Scalar and Vector Valued Image Graphs

Complex diffusion was introduced in the image processing literature as a means to achieve simultaneous denoising and enhancement of scalar valued images. In this paper, we present a novel geometric framework to achieve complex diffusion for color images represented by image graphs. In this framework, we develop a novel variational formulation that involves a modified harmonic map functional and is quite distinct from the Polyakov action described by Sochen et al. Our formulation provides a novel framework for simultaneous feature preserving denoising and enhancement. We also develop a quaternionic diffusion that can be applied to color image data represented by a quaternion in the image graph framework. In this framework, the real and imaginary parts can be interpreted as low and high-pass filtered data respectively. Finally, we suggest novel ways to use the imaginary part of complex diffusion toward image reconstruction. We present results of comparison between the complex diffusion, quaternionic diffusion and the well known Beltrami flow in the image graph framework.
Oral proteolytic enzyme therapy (chymoral) in episiotomy patients.

E D E M A A N D P A I N in the PoStepiSiOtOmy patient are seldom of serious import, but alleviation of these symptoms often adds greatly to the patient’s comfort and improves the outlook to succeeding pregnancies. The degree of discomfort experienced by patients during the first few postepisiotomy days may be in part due to anatomic placement of the incision or it may be due in part to tissue trauma. Oral proteolytic enzymes are purported to be of value in decreasing both pain and edema in postepisiotomy patients. Bare and Fine1 conducted a double-blind study in which an oral proteolytic enzyme was given approximately 14 hours before amniotomy in patients scheduled for induction of labor. Observations made during the first 3 postpartum days revealed that pain at the episiotomy site, pain on walking, and perineal edema were all decreased by the medication. These conclusions were also reached by Bumgardner and Zatuchn? who began their medication immediately post partum. This study is submitted as a preliminary report of the potential efficacy of an oral proteolytic enzyme administered at the earliest practical time in labor.
Design Considerations for Incorporating Flexible Workflow and Multi-Agent Interactions in Agent Societies

In this paper, we present our conception of a Flexible Agent Society (FAS), an extension of the Contractual Agent Society (CAS) idea. Essentially, a FAS is a distributed information system modeling an agent society, providing agents with the ability to collaborate in order to meet certain common goals. In a FAS, unlike the CAS, the agents themselves have control over the workflow processes and multi-agent conversations that they need to execute in order to meet their common goals.
ITC 1996 Lecture Series on Unpowered Opens Testing

This is the second year of an ITC experiment, the ITC Lecture Series on Unpowered Opens Testing (UOT). Open solder joints on printed circuit boards have become a frustrating problem in today’s era of advanced component packaging. This forum brings condensed technical and product information to board test engineers (and their managers) that will be immediately useful in their daily endeavors.
Abstract 399: Oxidized Phospholipids Regulate Inflammatory Gene Transcription via Bromodomain Containing 4 (BRD4) In Vascular Endothelial Cells

Objective: Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease initiated by monocyte infiltration into the vessel wall. Oxidized phospholipids (Ox-PL) that accumulate in the subendothelial space during hyperlipidemia elicit changes in inflammatory gene transcription and endothelial cell function. Bromodomain-containing 4 (BRD4) reads histone acetyl epigenetic modification and regulates inflammatory gene transcription controlled by the modification in the endothelial cells. In this study, we tested whether oxidized phospholipids regulates inflammatory gene transcription via histone acetyl epigenetic modification and its reader BRD4 in vascular endothelial cells. Methods and Results: A representative Ox-PL, Ox-PAPC (oxidized 1-palmitoyl-2-arachidonoyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphatidylcholine), regulates over 1,500 transcripts in human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs) including inflammatory IL-8 and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP1). Gene silencing of histone acetyl transferases (HATs) p300 and CBP also inhibited transcription of inflammatory genes in endothelial cells, suggesting that the histone acetyl epigenetic modification are involved in inflammatory gene transcription by Ox-PAPC. Small molecule inhibitors of BRD4 or BRD4 gene silencing potently and selectively repressed inflammatory gene transcription by Ox-PAPC. Microarray analysis revealed that the inhibitor downregulated hundreds of genes involved in inflammation and apoptosis. The administration of the BRD4 inhibitor JQ1(+) in LDLR null mouse showed a significant inhibition of the inflammatory responses induced by hyperlipidemia in the vascular system. Conclusion: Histone acetyl epigenetic modification and the reader BRD4 mediates inflammatory gene transcription by oxidized phospholipids in the endothelial cells. Targeting of BRD4 may be an efficient approach to prevent hyperlipidemia-induced inflammation and atherosclerosis.
THE ACUTE ABDOMEN IN THE CRITICALLY ILL PATIENT

Some of the greatest advances in modern medicine have been in the arena of critical care. The progress in assisted ventilation, inotropic support, and extracorporeal hemodynamic support has been remarkable over the last 30 years. Advances in cardiopulmonary bypass techniques has been such that coronary artery bypass grafting is now one of the most common operations performed in the United States. The benefit of these advances is irrefutable. These advances have also allowed for the development of a group of patients to live in a very tenuous state for much longer periods of time than ever before. While many of these patients go on to do well, some develop further complications. The group of patients who are critically ill and develop acute abdominal complications will be the subject of this discussion. The critically ill patient with an acute abdomen presents a difficult dilemma. Many of the nonabdominal conditions that cause a person to become critically ill also provide the mechanism for the development of acute abdominal processes. Similarly, acute abdominal processes also provide the mechanism for the perpetuation of the critically ill state. We will discuss primarily the acute abdominal complications associated with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), assisted ventilation, shock, prior abdominal operations, and other catastrophic illness.
The bitter truth: sensitivity to saccharin's bitterness predicts overactivity in highly arousable female dieters.

Objective: The interaction between taste sensitivity and emotionality in rats provides a provocative view of hyperactivity. Rats that have been bred selectively for their reactivity to saccharin exhibit characteristic emotionality. When placed on restrictive diets, these rats exhibit excessive activity levels, relative to rats that are not sensitive to saccharin. Because humans who are highly arousable (i.e., reactive to environmental stimuli) also exhibit an increase in sensitivity to saccharin's bitterness, the current study evaluated whether women who are highly arousable, currently dieting, and sensitive to saccharin's bitterness engage in excessive exercise. Method: Participants completed a questionnaire packet, which assessed emotionality, eating patterns, and exercise patterns. On another occasion, they completed a body contour drawings handout, and their weight and height were measured. They also rated saccharin's bitterness and sweetness following a stressful event. Results and Discussion: As hypothesized, sensitivity to saccharin's bitterness predicted overactivity in highly arousable female dieters, which reveals the multidimensionality of activity anorexia.
The relationship of arthritis self-efficacy to functional performance in older men and women with osteoarthritis of the knee

Abstract The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between arthritis self-efficacy (ie, the confidence a person has in the ability to perform a specific task) and selfreported functional performance among older men and women with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. The findings suggest that the relationship between arthritis self-efficacy and functional performance varies with gender. An older woman's confidence in her ability to perform tasks affects her perceived functional performance. However, this perception may not be true for older men with OA of the knee. (Geriatr Nurs 2002;23:167-70)
Development of Model for Shear-Wave Velocity of Municipal Solid Waste

AbstractThe shear-wave velocity and associated small-strain shear modulus of municipal solid waste (MSW) are important engineering parameters in evaluating the seismic response of MSW landfills as well as in characterizing the waste material and its response to static loads. Semiempirical and empirical models for the shear-wave velocity are presented. The semiempirical model is a more comprehensive model that aims to separately capture the effect of waste density and confining stress on the shear-wave velocity of MSW. It is based on similar models for soils, and its mathematical expression is formulated using data generated from large-scale laboratory studies on reconstituted MSW. The empirical model has a simpler mathematical expression that is a function of depth only. The parameters of both models are derived by calibrating them against a total of 49 in situ shear-wave velocity profiles at 19 MSW landfills, i.e., 13 profiles from four landfills in Michigan generated as part of this study and 36 additio...
The quantum cohomology of flag varieties and the periodicity of the Schubert structure constants

We give conditions on a curve class that guarantee the vanishing of the structure constants of the small quantum cohomology of partial flag varieties F(k1, ..., kr ; n) for that class. We show that many of the structure constants of the quantum cohomology of flag varieties can be computed from the image of the evaluation morphism. In fact, we show that a certain class of these structure constants are equal to the ordinary intersection of Schubert cycles in a related flag variety. We obtain a positive, geometric rule for computing these invariants (see Coskun in A Littlewood–Richardson rule for partial flag varieties, preprint). Our study also reveals a remarkable periodicity property of the ordinary Schubert structure constants of partial flag varieties.
Consideration of critical heat flux margin prediction by subcooled or low quality critical heat flux correlations

The accurate prediction of the critical heat flux (CHF) margin which is a key design parameter in a variety of cooling and heating systems is of high importance. These margins are, for the low quality region, typically expressed in terms of critical heat flux ratios using the direct substitution method. Using a simple example of a heated tube, it is shown that CHF correlations of a certain type often used to predict CHF margins, expressed in this manner, may yield different results, strongly dependent on the correlation in use. It is argued that the application of the heat balance method to such correlations, which leads to expressing the CHF margins in terms of the critical power ratio, may be more appropriate.
Utility of the FLP-FRT recombination system for genetic manipulation of rice

To develop an FLP-FRT recombination system- (derived from 2 μ plasmid of Saccharomyces cerevisiae) based marker gene removal application for rice, we introduced the gene for FLP recombinase, under the control of the maize ubiquitin-1 promoter, into the rice genome. FLP activity was monitored in callus and regenerated plants by an assay based on the deletion of the FRT-flanked DNA fragment, leading to the activation of the β-glucuronidase gene. FLP activity was detected both in the callus and leaves of some of the transgenic lines. Based on our comparison of the recombination efficiency of the FLP-FRT system expressed in the transgenic lines with that of the widely used Cre-lox system (derived from bacteriophage P1), we suggest that the FLP-FRT system is a useful tool for the genetic manipulation of rice.
The incidence and prognosis of osteosarcoma skip metastases

The poor prognosis for patients with osteosarcoma skip metastases has been established in the literature; however, most of the data in the literature concerning osteosarcoma skip metastases were collected before routine use of magnetic resonance imaging and before the use of modern multiagent chemotherapy regimens. This retrospective multiinstitutional study was done to evaluate the efficacy of magnetic resonance imaging to detect skip metastases and to evaluate the prognosis for these patients when treated with modern multiagent chemotherapy protocols. In a group of 155 patients who were younger than 26 years when diagnosed and treated for high-grade osteosarcoma of the long bones, 10 (6.5%) patients with skip metastases were identified. Eight of the 10 lesions were detected on pretreatment magnetic resonance imaging scans and two were detected only from the surgical pathology specimens. Five patients had concomitant pulmonary metastases at presentation and five patients had no other known site of diseases. All 10 patients died, with an average survival of 32.5 months (range 11-71 months). The five patients with only skip metastases at presentation survived an average of 27.2 months (range 15-44 months). Despite advances in the treatment of patients with osteosarcomas, those with skip metastases continue to have a poor prognosis, and they should be counseled regarding the limitations of current therapies.
Solid State Coextrusion: A New Technique for Ultradrawing Thermoplastics Illustrated with High Density Polyethylene.

Ultraoriented films of high density polyethylene (HDPE) have been prepared in continuous lengths by a new method, solid state coextrusion, through conical dies of extrusion draw ratios up to 36. Preformed HDPE billets ∽7 cm long and ∽1 cm in diameter of duPont Alathon 7050R, Mw = 59,000, Mn = 19,900, were split longitudinally into halves and then one or more wafers of the same polymer were inserted between the two sheath halves. Thereafter, the whole assembly was extruded through a conical die of 20° included entrance angle in the absence of lubricant and at temperatures substantially below the melting range yielding continuous and transparent films. The physical and mechanical properties of the HDPE films so produced were evaluated and compared with the properties of the same polymer extruded through a slit die. The high melt transition, tensile modulus and transparency confirm the effectiveness of the new method in continuously attaining ultradrawn films.
Ion mobility spectrometry in space exploration

Abstract Ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) has proven to be an effective tool for chemical detection and identification. Ion mobility spectrometers can be manufactured in small, rugged and portable designs and have been used in several mission critical circumstances from security screening and military preparedness. Perhaps most visible are the IMS analyzers that have been deployed in airports around the world to detect traces of explosives on passenger carry-on luggage. Intrinsic properties of ion mobility spectrometers make these analyzers suitable for both manned and robotic space exploration. In this review, we will discuss the utility, previous use and future use of ion mobility spectrometers in space environments.
A p53-Dependent Mouse Spindle Checkpoint

Cell cycle checkpoints enhance genetic fidelity by causing arrest at specific stages of the cell cycle when previous events have not been completed. The tumor suppressor p53 has been implicated in a G1 checkpoint. To investigate whether p53 also participates in a mitotic checkpoint, cultured fibroblasts from p53-deficient mouse embryos were exposed to spindle inhibitors. The fibroblasts underwent multiple rounds of DNA synthesis without completing chromosome segregation, thus forming tetraploid and octaploid cells. Deficiency of p53 was also associated with the development of tetraploidy in vivo. These results suggest that murine p53 is a component of a spindle checkpoint that ensures the maintenance of diploidy.
Controlling flutter for nonlinear panels in subsonic flows via structural velocity feedback

Mechanical control of flutter for a thin panel immersed in an inviscid flow is considered. The model arises in aeroelasticity and comprises the interaction between a clamped von Karman plate a surrounding potential flow of gas. Recent results show that the plate dynamics of the model converge to a global compact attracting set of finite dimension [6]. This result was obtained in the absence of mechanical damping of any type. Here, we incorporate a sufficiently large velocity feedback control applied to the structure to show that the full flow-plate system exhibits strong convergence to a stationary state (when flows are subsonic and a “good” energy identity is available). Our method is based on first showing the desired convergence properties when the plate dynamics exhibit additional regularity. We then show a dichotomy for the plate dynamics: they are either asymptotically regular or the plate velocities decay uniformly exponentially. In the case when no additional plate regularity is available, we utilize an approximation by smooth initial data; this requires propagation of initial regularity on the infinite time horizon. The final result complements results previous obtained (for this model and similar models), as we show that there is a strong convergence for the entire dynamics and that the limiting behavior of the flow-plate system is, in fact, stationary. Physically, this implies that flutter (a non-static end behavior) can be eliminated by a velocity feedback control in subsonic flows.
No unit root conditions for bivariate series when a component univariate series has a unit root

Abstract The root-locus method is used to derive conditions under which a bivariate series does not possess a unit root when a component univariate series does have a unit root. The bivariate series composed of the U.S. real GNP and civilian unemployment rate (1948.I–1973.IV) does not have a unit root.
Absolute cross-section measurements for electron-impact ionization of Na-like ions—Mg+, Al2+, and Si3+

Measured cross sections for single ionization of ${\mathrm{Mg}}^{+}$, ${\mathrm{Al}}^{2+}$, and ${\mathrm{Si}}^{3+}$ by electron impact are reported. Crossed beams of electrons and ions have been employed to study the absolute cross sections as a function of collision energy in detail. Near threshold the cross sections for ${\mathrm{Mg}}^{+}$ and ${\mathrm{Al}}^{2+}$ are roughly 70% of the predicted direct-ionization cross sections, while ${\mathrm{Si}}^{3+}$ is in reasonable agreement with the predictions. Contributions to the total cross section by indirect processes, principally inner-shell-excitation autoionization, are specifically identified in each case and compared with theoretical results. These comparisons demonstrate specific failures of the predictions which rely on addition of excitation cross sections to the direct-ionization cross section.
Prognostic values of electrodiagnostic studies in traumatic radial neuropathy

It is important to have strong predictors of outcome in traumatic neuropathies so that appropriate management can be instituted early. Our objective in this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of electrodiagnostic studies in traumatic radial neuropathy. In this retrospective study, 33 of 67 subjects with traumatic radial neuropathy met the inclusion criteria. Good outcome was defined as grade 3 or higher strength on the Medical Research Council scale in wrist extensors. Compound muscle action potential (CMAP) responses from extensor indicis proprius (EIP) predicted prognosis: 92% of subjects with a recordable CMAP had a good outcome; and 65% of those with an absent response had a good outcome. Recruitment in brachioradialis was also predictive: 92% of those with full, central, or reduced recruitment had a good outcome; 67% of those with discrete recruitment had a good outcome; and only 33% of those with absent recruitment had a good outcome. Studies performed more than 3 months after injury produced more prognostic certainty than those performed earlier. We conclude that electrodiagnostic studies produce useful prognostic information in traumatic radial neuropathy. It is noteworthy, however, that 65% of subjects with an absent radial CMAP (suggesting complete or nearly complete axon loss) still have a good outcome.
Cancer diagnosis and outcomes in Michigan EDs vs other settings.

Abstract Objective This study determined the proportion of incident colorectal and lung cancers with a diagnosis associated with an emergency department (ED) visit. The characteristics of these patients and the correlation between diagnosis near an ED visit and stage at diagnosis were also examined. Methods A population-based sample of all Michigan cancer cases diagnosed in all EDs and other health care settings was used to extract a sample of patients >65 years old, diagnosed with colorectal and lung cancers between January 1, 1996, and June 30, 2000 (n = 20 311). Logistic regressions were used for the statistical analysis. Results Patients with a colorectal cancer diagnosis associated with an ED visit were more likely insured by Medicaid before diagnosis (odds ratio [OR], 1.37; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.17-1.60), had an inpatient admission before diagnosis (OR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.06-1.56), had 3 or more comorbidities (OR, 4.11; 95% CI, 3.53-4.79), were more likely to be female (OR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.07-1.31), and were more likely to be aged 85 years and older (OR, 1.89; 95% CI, 1.57-2.27). Patients who had at least one primary care physician (PCP) visit before diagnosis were less likely to have a diagnosis associated with an ED visit (OR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.61-0.76). Patients diagnosed with lung cancer in association with an ED visit were also more likely to have an inpatient admission before diagnosis (OR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.02-1.43), a higher comorbidity burden (OR, 12.44; 95% CI, 10.18-15.20), be female (OR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.02-1.25), African-American (OR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.21-1.66), and older (80 years and older) (ages 80-84 years: OR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.13-1.57; age 85 years and older: OR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.25-1.85). Patients with an ED visit near a colorectal cancer (OR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.15-1.42) or lung cancer diagnosis (OR, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.44-1.88) were more likely to be diagnosed at a later stage compared with patients diagnosed in other settings. Conclusions An examination of patients' patterns of care leading to a cancer diagnosis in association with an ED visit lends insight to conditions precipitating a more immediate diagnosis and their associated outcomes.
Imidazole-buffered acidic catholytes for hybrid Li–air batteries with high practical energy density

Abstract Hybrid Li–air batteries with acidic catholyte offer high cell voltage and are stable with CO 2 in air. However, the practical capacity of the acidic catholyte is limited by the low concentration of acids utilized and the limited solubility of the discharge products. Only weak acids or diluted strong acids with limited practical capacity are generally used due to the poor stability of the solid electrolyte in low pH solution. We show here the pH of high-concentration, strong acids can be increased to near neutral values by forming a buffer with imidazole additive, which can be used in hybrid Li–air batteries. With the addition of 6.06 mol L − 1 of imidazole to 6 mol L − 1 HCl, the solution has a mild pH of ~ 5.0, facilitating the operation of hybrid Li–air batteries with high practical capacity and stability.
Cross-Cultural Reliability and Validity of the Revised Conflict Tactics Scales: A Study of University Student Dating Couples in 17 Nations

Although the original Conflict Tactics Scales (CTS) have been successfully used in many countries, no studies have been published on the cross-cultural reliability and validity of the revised instrument (CTS2). This study is intended to provide some of the needed psychometric information. It reports reliability and examples of validity evidence for the five CTS2 (physical assault, physical injury, psychological aggression, sexual coercion, and negotiation) to measure these aspects of the dating relationships of 7,179 students at 33 universities in 17 countries. The results show high alpha coefficients of internal consistency and low confounding with social desirability response set. Examples indicating the construct validity of the CTS2 Physical Assault and Injury Scales are also presented. Although the data refer to dating relationships of university students, the results are sufficiently promising to encourage use of the CTS2 in a variety of cultural settings.
Establishment of the AU-bek cell line and comparison with two other bovine cell lines

Establishment of a new bovine cell line, AU-BEK, is reported. The cell line developed in a culture initiated from bovine embryonic kidneys by spontaneous cultural alteration to epithelioid cells that are indefinitely propagable. Epithelioid cells gradually increased to become the predominant cell. Whereas normal bovine cells have a diploid number of 60 chromosomes, of which only the two sex chromosomes are biarmed, AU-BEK cells at the 80th passage had a modal chromosome number of 84 and an average of 30 biarmed chromosomes per cell. AU-BEK cells are now in their 220th passage. Of the AU-BEK, MDBK, and CKT-1 bovine cell lines, the CKT-1 cell line had a karyotype closest to that of normal bovine cells. Their modal chromosome number was 57, and only three biarmed chromosomes were usually present. The bovine character of AU-BEK and CKT-1 cells was established by cytotoxic and viral susceptibility tests.
Assessing the occlusion effect of large-dimension vehicles on traffic signs at multilane highways

This paper presents an investigation into the different factors that affect sign occlusion by large-dimension vehicles on multilane highway facilities. Parametric analyses were conducted to explore these effects using a simulation model that was developed specifically for this research. The variables investigated involved legibility distance, maximum divergence angle, average speed of passenger cars, relative speed of trucks with respect to passenger cars, lateral offset of traffic sign, number of words in message, traffic level, and percentage of large-dimension vehicles. In general, research results show that the occlusion of ground-mounted traffic signs by larger vehicles is remarkable for conditions that can be described as typical. Also, results suggest that the factors that have most important effect on sign occlusion involve legibility distance, average speed of passenger cars, relative speed of trucks with respect to passenger cars, and number of trucks on the lane of interest.
A computerized system for recording and analysis of self-observations of couples’ interaction

This paper describes a method for recording couples’ observations of their communications during an ongoing interaction sequence. The procedure allows the recording and decoding of immediate reactions, while maintaining an ecologically valid observation environment. Responses are encoded on a stereo cassette tape player and are decoded by a PDP-11/10 computer with two Schmitt triggers that count the peaks in the tones. The computer provides analysis of the response value and time. Applications for other research problems in the areas of social and applied clinical psychology are discussed.
A Re-Examination of Some Recent Criticisms of Transition Theory*

(1970). A Re-Examination of Some Recent Criticisms of Transition Theory. The Sociological Quarterly: Vol. 11, No. 4, pp. 500-510.
Molecular cloning of the cDNA coding sequence of IL-2 receptor-γ (γc) from human and murine forebrain: Expression in the hippocampus in situ and by brain cells in vitro

IL-2 has been implicated in various neurobiological processes of the mammalian CNS. To understand how IL-2 acts in the brain, our lab has sought to determine the molecular pharmacological characteristics of brain IL-2 receptors (IL-2R). The lymphocyte IL-2Rgamma, an essential subunit for IL-2 signaling, is also a common subunit (gammac) for multiple immune cytokine receptors (e.g., IL-4R, IL-7R, IL-9R, IL-15R). Having previously cloned the alpha and beta subunits of the IL-2R heterotrimer complex from normal murine forebrain, we examined the hypothesis that the brain IL-2Rgamma is derived from the same or a closely related gene coding sequence as that expressed by lymphocytes. In this study, we cloned and sequenced the full-length IL-2Rgamma coding region from saline-perfused mouse forebrain and from a human hippocampal library. The cDNA sequences of IL-2Rgamma from human and murine brain were 100% homologous to their lymphocyte sequences. Northern blot analysis showed that the mRNA transcripts in murine brain were the expected size, but the predominant transcript expressed in the brain was different than in the spleen. Compared to the spleen, very low levels of IL-2Rgamma were expressed in the forebrain. In the murine hippocampus, a region where a number of neurobiological actions of IL-2 have been reported, IL-2Rgamma mRNA was detected over the dentate gyrus and CA1-CA4 by in situ hybridization histochemistry. IL-2Rgamma was found to be constitutively expressed by murine HN33.dw hippocampal neuronal cells, murine NB41A3 neuroblastoma cells, astrocyte-enriched mixed glial cell cultures, and in SCID mouse forebrain. The human cortical neuronal cell lines, HCN-1A and HCN-2, did not express the IL-2Rgamma gene. These data suggest the possibility that, in addition to being essential in IL-2 signaling in brain, IL-2Rgamma could be a common subunit (gammac) for multiple cytokine receptors which may be operative in the mammalian CNS.
Apparatus for Luminance-Threshold Determination in Animals

A simple apparatus for determining luminance thresholds in animals is described. A General Electric electroluminescent lamp is used as the light source, since its luminance can be varied over many decades electrically while its spectral distribution remains invariant. The luminance of the lamp is varied over a 7-decade range in logarithmic increments by an add–subtract-type stepping switch. Programmed pulses to the stepper increase the luminance; animal responses provide pulses to reduce luminance. A method of calibrating the light source with an Aminco photomultiplier microphotometer is described.
Validation of elementary students' food-intake performance device

Abstract The objective of this study was to assess the criterion-related validity of a food-intake performance device by determining the extent of similarity between device scores and reported intake scores. Our sample consisted of 67 fourth- and sixth-grade students and their parents. We examined food intake data by food groups and meal patterns. Pearson product-moment correlations were calculated between children's device scores and parents' report scores. We also analyzed the data using analysis of variance (ANOVA). The correlation data indicated that parents and children rank order their responses in a similar manner; the ANOVA results suggested that, on the average, students demonstrated what they usually eat through the use of the device. The similarity between the meal patterns that emerged from respondents' device selections and the meal patterns found in other research provided evidence of validity. The device is quickly administered and scored and is more economical to use than other intake assessment methods. Teachers can use this performance device to measure group food intake, and can plan instructional strategies to influence children's eating behaviors.