cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sensing polymer/DNA polyplex dissociation using quantum dot fluorophores

We characterized the dissociation of polymer/DNA polyplexes designed for gene delivery using water-soluble quantum dots (QDs). A pH-responsive pentablock copolymer was designed to form stable complexes with plasmid DNA via tertiary amine segments. Dissociation of the polyplex was induced using chloroquine where the efficiency of this process was sensed through changes in QD fluorescence. We found that increasing concentrations of pentablock copolymer and DNA led to quenching of QD fluorescence, while chloroquine alone had no measurable effect. The mechanism of quenching was elucidated by modeling the process as the combination of static and dynamic quenching from the pentablock copolymer and DNA, as well as self-quenching due the bridging of QDs. Tertiary amine homopolymers were also used to study the effect of chain length on quenching. Overall, these QDs were found to be highly effective at monitoring the dissociation of pentablock copolymer/DNA polyplexes in vitro and may have potential for studying the release of DNA within cells.
National Cholesterol Education Program risk assessment and potential for risk misclassification

Abstract Background. The National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel report from 2001 (ATP III) recommends clinicians calculate 10-year coronary risk using multivariable methods only for adults with 2 or more risk factors. We aimed to determine who would be falsely classified as low risk using this approach. Methods. We studied 4097 adults aged 20 to 79 years without diagnosed cardiovascular disease or diabetes from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 1999 to 2002. We determined the proportion with fewer than 2 risk factors who nonetheless had estimated 10-year risk of cardiac death or myocardial infarction ≥ 10% using multivariable methods. Results. Among persons with fewer than 2 risk factors, 5.3% (95% confidence interval 4.7 to 6.1%), had a 10-year risk ≥ 10% using the Framingham Risk Score and would be misclassified using the risk factor counting method (this corresponds to approximately 5,640,000 U.S. adults). Compared to individuals whose classification was unchanged, those misclassified as low risk were older (P Conclusions. Relying on the ATP III risk factor counting method rather than determining risk using multivariable methods in all patients resulted in misclassifiying as low risk over 5 million adults with at least moderately high risk of coronary heart disease, most of whom are middle-aged and older men.
The Good Russian Prisoner: Naturalizing Violence in the Caucasus Mountains

Almost daily, the Caucasus hits the front page. War in Chechnya, the struggles of breakaway republics, oil politics, security issues, and the election of autocrats are among the stories that bring the region to our attention. Much of recent scholarship has focused on these issues in which violence, as it so often does, speaks for itself. At best, one finds a language of challenge and riposte in which conflicts are read as retributive justice for past violence in a dialectical exchange of blows. Yet the more common practice after years of the Chechen war, in Russia and elsewhere, is to venture that the peoples of the Caucasus are by nature violent or corrupt. In this article, I argue for a close reading of the lived experience of violence in the Caucasus in the patterned artifacts of Russian popular culture that have been keystones of knowledge for Russians and Caucasians alike. Asking how diverse genres of Russian popular culture have come to constitute the Caucasus as a zone of violence to Russian audiences not only illuminates these particular logics of sovereign rule but invites a more nuanced view of violence and its consequences in this region. For almost two hundred years, Russian poets, short story writers, novelists, journalists, choreographers, opera librettists, and filmmakers have narrated a remarkably persistent story of kidnapping in the Caucasus. Taking the social, political, and economic dislocations of Russia's early 19th-century imperial campaign as its setting, this tale of two star-crossed lovers-the kidnapped young Russian man-in-chains and the Caucasian woman who sets him free-presents one of the dominant means by which successive generations of Russian publics have come to know and understand the fractious populations living along their mountainous southern border. This story builds on a recursive set of encounters in the serrated southern edges of what was once the colonial Russian empire, then the socialist Soviet Union, and what is now a more fragmented commonwealth of newly independent states. From the 19th-century poetics of Aleksandr Pushkin to the cinema screens of a post-perestroika Russia, the detailed renderings of this specific colonial encounter have changed surprisingly little. Yet for all the well-studied vectors
Effects of low-dose flosequinan on left ventricular systolic and diastolic chamber performance

Abstract Flosequinan (manoplax) is a new vasodilating agent for the treatment of congestive heart failure. Although it may have several mechanisms of action, whether it has effects on left ventricular inotropic or luisotropic events in hemodynamically relevant low doses when added to standard therapy for congestive heart failure is unknown. Ten patients with dilated congestive cardiomyopathy who were receiving standard therapy for heart failure were studied. A bipolar right atrial pacing catheter was used to maintain a constant heart rate. A 7F thermodilution catheter was used to measure right heart pressures and obtain cardiac outputs. An 8F micromanometer catheter was used to measure left ventricular and ascending aortic pressures. Gated equilibrium radionuclide angiography was performed both before and during a steady-state infusion of flosequinan. The average flosequinan infusion rate was 2.03 ± 0.85 mg/min, and the total administered dose averaged 84 ± 35 mg. The hemodynamic data documented substantial systemic vasodilation manifest by a reduction in right atrial pressure ( p = 0.01), mean pulmonary artery pressure ( p p p p = 0.01) and left ventricular ejection fraction ( p = 0.02) and reductions in mean aortic pressure ( p = 0.02), systemic vascular resistance ( p = 0.01), and left ventricular volumes ( p max ), E max corrected for the change in left ventricular volume, or preload recruitable stroke work (M sw ). In contrast, there was an improvement in isovolumic relaxation manifest by an increase in maximum rate of fall of left ventricular pressure standardized for left ventricular end-systolic pressure [(−)dP/dt min /P es ]; p = 0.02), an acceleration in the rate of isovolumic relaxation ( p = 0.01), and an improvement in left ventricular chamber stiffness ( p = 0.02). These data indicate that when flosequinan, a new therapeutic agent for the treatment of congestive heart failure, is administered in hemodynamically relevant low doses to patients with dilated congestive cardiomyopathy who were receiving standard therapy for heart failure, left ventricular pump function and diastolic function is further improved. There was, however, no significant effect on left ventricular contractility. This study emphasizes that new therapeutic agents like flosequinan, when administered in lower doses to avoid the potential deleterious effects of enhanced inotropy, may be useful additions to standard therapy in patients with congestive heart failure.
O-ethylidene-D-allopyranoses: 1,2-O-,1,2:4,6-, and 2,3:4,6-di-O-ethylidene derivatives☆

Abstract Solutions of 1,2-O-acetoxonium chlorides derived from O-acetylated D -allopyranose derivatives were treated with sodium borohydride to give three pairs of previously unknown 1,2-O-ethylidene-α- D -allopyranose diastereoisomers: 3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-1,2-O-ethylidene-α- D -allopyranoses; 4,6-di-O-acetyl-3-O-benzyl-1,2-O-ethylidene-α- D -allopyranoses; and 3-O-benzyl-1,2:4,6-di-O-ethylidene-α- D -allopyranoses. Examples of a second class of novel O-ethylidene- D -allopyranoses, the diastereoisomeric methyl 2,3:4,6-di-O-ethylidene-α- D -allopyranosides, were prepared by treating methyl 4,6-O-benzylidene-α- D -alloside with acetaldehyde-sulfuric acid. Assignments of dioxolane ring configurations and pyranose conformations were made by n.m.r. analyses.
Diagonal-Flow, Gap-Pickup Generator Rotor Heat Transfer Model

A computational model of the temperature distribution in a hydrogen-cooled, diagonal-flow, gap-pickup generator rotor has been developed. The model will aid in the analysis of the uprate capabilities of turbo-generators during steam turbine upgrades. Under certain operating conditions, knowledge of hot-spot temperatures and the temperature profile in the rotor windings is indispensable in determining the proper rating levels and loading limits. Following a general description of gap-pickup generator rotors and the advantages associated with their use, a description of the methods used in analyzing the hydrogen flow and heat transfer characteristics are presented. The development of the computer model is described with an overview of the design options available. Finally, a sample calculation is presented with an interpretation of the significance of the results.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Phylogenetic Analysis of Surface Areas of Mammals

Traditionally, aquatic and terrestrial mammals have been believed to differ in the allometric relationship of surface area and body mass. Such differences commonly are assumed to be of adaptive significance. However, no previous analyses have explicitly compared these groups or accounted for bias resulting from phylogenetic relationships. I used Monte Carlo simulations to evaluate the relationship of surface area to body mass of 56 aquatic and terrestrial species of mammals. These procedures specifically incorporate the phylogenetic structure of the data. There was no support for the assumption of differing mass-specific surface areas of marine mammals and terrestrial mammals.
The Phenomenology and Potential Religious Import of States of Consciousness Facilitated by Psilocybin

Accompanying the resumption of human research with the entheogen (psychedelic drug), psilocybin, the range of states of consciousness reported during its action, including both nonmystical and mystical forms of experience, is surveyed and defined. The science and art of facilitating mystical experiences is discussed on the basis of research experience. The potential religious import of these states of consciousness is noted in terms of recognizing the reality of the spiritual, in better understanding the biochemistry of revelation, and in exploring the potentially positive contributions that mystical consciousness may effect in psychological treatment.
Variability of the effective quantum yield for carbon assimilation in the Sargasso Sea

Abstract The effective quantum yield for carbon assimilation, φ c (mol C Einstein −1 ), quantifies the efficiency by which phytoplankton use absorbed light energy to photochemically fix and store carbon. A five-year time series from the Sargasso Sea shows a high degree of variability in estimated values of φ c . A significant seasonal cycle is found as φ c values are reduced in summer. However, this seasonal cycle explains only a small fraction of the total variance in φ c , and very few environmental parameters correlate with φ c . Significant correlation is observed between φ c and the flux of photosynthetically active radiation, Q PAR , and between φ c and the rate at which phytoplankton absorb quanta, AQ PAR . Near-surface φ c values also are correlated with concentrations of the photoprotectant pigment zeaxanthin, where φ c values are depressed when zeaxanthin concentrations are elevated. Four previously published φ c models are assessed using these data. The predictive skill for each of these φ c models indicates that they behave as good data interpolators, but poor predictors of φ c variability. The prognostic capability of these models does not improve when seasonal mean parameters are applied. The present results demonstrate the difficulties in modeling primary production, as we have yet to develop a predictive understanding of the important photophysiological, ecological and methodological processes regulating primary production.
Studies on the Suppression of Fungus Growth by Thiourea. III. The Effects of Protein Fractions, Amino Acids, and Thiol Compounds

effect appeared to be associated in some way with colloids, since it was either absent or greatly diminished in biological fluids which did not contain proteins and lipids. Thus, in the presence of spinal fluid, urine, or of an ultrafiltrate of serum, thiourea partially or completely suppressed the growth of fungi.1-2 In the experiments reported in this paper attempts have been made to define the effects of added protein fractions, amino acids, and of thiol compounds, as well as certain other substances, on the suppression of the growth of fungi by thiourea.
Liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry characterization of metabolites guided by the METLIN database

Untargeted metabolomics provides a comprehensive platform for identifying metabolites whose levels are altered between two or more populations. By using liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-Q-TOF-MS), hundreds to thousands of peaks with a unique m/z ratio and retention time are routinely detected from most biological samples in an untargeted profiling experiment. Each peak, termed a metabolomic feature, can be characterized on the basis of its accurate mass, retention time and tandem mass spectral fragmentation pattern. Here a seven-step protocol is suggested for such a characterization by using the METLIN metabolite database. The protocol starts from untargeted metabolomic LC-Q-TOF-MS data that have been analyzed with the bioinformatics program XCMS, and it describes a strategy for selecting interesting features as well as performing subsequent targeted tandem MS. The seven steps described will require 2-4 h to complete per feature, depending on the compound.
Recurrent laryngeal nerve injury following uncomplicated carotid angioplasty and stenting.

Purpose To describe a unique instance of cranial nerve injury related to uncomplicated carotid artery stenting (CAS). Case report A 74-year-old woman with a history of expressive aphasia and right upper/lower extremity weakness underwent staged CAS procedures under local anesthesia and conscious sedation. After routine predilation with a 4-mm balloon, a tapered 7 x 10 x 30-mm Acculink stent was placed and dilated with a 5-mm balloon. At 1 month after the second procedure, the carotid stents were patent bilaterally, but the patient reported voice fatigue and hoarseness along with dysphagia to liquids that started 2 days after her second procedure. Brain scans ruled out stroke. Direct laryngoscopy showed left vocal cord paralysis and a mobile right vocal cord; computed tomography revealed adduction of the left vocal cord consistent with a left recurrent laryngeal nerve injury. Radiography did not show any evidence of stent fracture. Electromyography was suggestive of right recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis and only mild abnormalities on the left. A repeat laryngoscopy performed 4 months after the initial evaluation revealed persistent left vocal fold paralysis and no abnormalities on the right. The patient was referred for voice therapy; at 18 months, the stents were patent, and her vocal symptoms had significantly improved. Conclusion While minimally invasive endovascular techniques evolve for management of vascular disease, the anatomical structures at risk during open procedures may be injured with endovascular approaches as well.
Young infants’ eye movements over “natural” scenes and “experimental” scenes

Eye movements of 30 4-month-olds were tracked as infants viewed animals and vehicles in “natural” scenes and, for comparison, in homogeneous “experimental” scenes. Infants showed equivalent looking time preferences for natural and experimental scenes overall, but fixated natural scenes and objects in natural scenes more than experimental scenes and objects in experimental scenes and shifted fixations between objects and contexts more in natural than in experimental scenes. The findings show how infants treat objects and contexts in natural scenes and suggest that they treat more commonly used experimental scenes differently.
Identification of residues contributing to A2 domain-dependent structural stability in factor VIII and factor VIIIa

Factor VIII circulates as a heterodimer composed of heavy (A1A2B domains) and light (A3C1C2 domains) chains, whereas the contiguous A1A2 domains are separate subunits in the active cofactor, factor VIIIa. Whereas the A1 subunit maintains a stable interaction with the A3C1C2 subunit, the A2 subunit is weakly associated in factor VIIIa and its dissociation accounts for the labile activity of the cofactor. In examining the ceruloplasmin-based factor VIII A domain model, potential hydrogen bonding based upon spatial separations of 2-fold increases in either or both decay rates compared with wild type; whereas, 7 mutants showed >2-fold increased rates in factor VIIIa decay compared with factor VIII decay. These results suggested that multiple residues at the A1-A2 and A2-A3 domain interfaces contribute to stabilizing the protein. Furthermore, these data discriminate residues that stabilize interactions in the procofactor from those in the cofactor, where hydrogen bonding in the latter appears to contribute more significantly to stability. This observation is consistent with an altered conformation involving new inter-subunit interactions involving A2 domain following procofactor activation.
Charcot in contemporary literature.

Charcot and his medical observations remain an enduring topic of scientific study in neurology, but he is also the topic of modern literary works. This essay examines the depiction of Jean-Martin Charcot (1825–1893) as a character in late-twentieth-century literature as an index of the contemporary nonmedical literary public's interest in neurology and Charcot. It focuses on three contemporary works that involve Charcot as a central figure with comparison between primary source documents and the rendered context, character development, and plot lines of these literary works. The two French novels [Slumbers of Indiscretion and Dr. Charcot of the Salpetriere] and one American play [Augustine (Big Hysteria)] approach Charcot and neurology with differing levels of historical accuracy. All create a figure of authority, each with a different coloration of the balance between power and its abuse. Two focus almost exclusively on his work with hysteria and inaccurately amplify Charcot's concern with symbolic sexua...
Reinvestigation of Ariadnaesporites varius Hall and Peake, 1968 emend. Hall, 1975

Abstract Ariadnaesporites varius Hall and Peake 1968 emend. Hall 1975 possesses all of the characteristics of the morphogenus, but its megaspores are differentiated from other species of Ariadnaesporites in possessing longer hair-like appendages that almost completely obscure their body and in possessing small ornamented bodies or “floats” enmeshed in those filamentous appendages. Here we reinvestigate the morphology and ultrastructure of A. varius megaspores and microspores, based on specimens collected by Hall from the Windrow Fm. (Cretaceous) of Minnesota, using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. New observations include: a two-layered structure of the megaspore exine, a granular structure of the perine of the floats, a microspore exine without a porous layer, a two-layered structure of microspore perine, and the differentiation of perine on proximal and distal poles of the microspores. Overall, A. varius displays a combination of traits consistent with previous inferences about its status as a transitional form in the lineage leading to Salviniaceae and to Azolla in particular. In recognition of the unique combination of characters that A. varius possesses, the species is transferred to the new morphogenus Hallisporites .
Impact of vaccination with Cervarix™ on subsequent HPV-16/18 infection and cervical disease in women 15–25 years of age

Cervical cancer of both squamous and adenocarcinoma types is considered virtually 100% attributable to human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. HPV-16 and -18 are the predominant types worldwide accounting for over 70% of all cervical cancer. Persistent oncogenic HPV infection has been confirmed as one key determinant in the development of cervical precancer (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia [CIN] 2+) and cervical cancer. The impact of prophylactic HPV vaccination on the reduction of virological and cytohistological outcomes related to HPV-16 and -18 has been evaluated in clinical trials with the HPV-16/18 AS04-adjuvanted cervical cancer vaccine (Cervarix™) through a Phase IIb study with a long-term follow-up of efficacy up to 5.5 years, and a large Phase III trial in women 15–25 years of age. These individual studies include populations with different underlying risk factors, each of which shows high efficacy against both HPV-16/18 persistent infections and CIN2+. When the two studies are combined and the respective populations are evaluated, vaccine efficacy against HPV-16 and -18-related CIN2+ remains at 100%. As this vaccine is used over time in universal prophylactic HPV-16/18 vaccination of girls and women, reductions in cervical cancers at both the individual and public health levels will be appreciated.
Ab initio investigation of the decomposition of trifluoromethanol into carbonyl fluoride and hydrogen fluoride

Abstract Ab initio calculations have been used to examine the energetics for the decomposition pathway CF 3 OH→CF 2 O+HF. The heat of reaction is predicted to be 7.8 ± 2 kcal mol −1 and the zero-point adjusted potential energy barrier is 45.1 ± 2 kcal mol −1 at the QCISD (T)/6-311G (2df, 2p)//MP2/6-311 G (2d, 2p) level of theory. The atmospheric implications of this result are discussed.
Groundwater recharge process in an arid environment

A workshop on this topic was held at the University of Arizona in the Department of Hydrology and Water Resources, February 23–27, 1987. The workshop was cosponsored by the University of Arizona and the U.S.-Israel Binational Science Foundation, with the support of a number of engineering consulting firms located in Arizona. A broad range of issues was discussed during the workshop. The first day of the meeting was devoted to a discussion of concepts and mechanisms of water transport from the land surface to the water table. The topics discussed ranged from infiltration of run off into ephemeral stream channels to gas movement and vapor transport in the unsaturatedzone.
A stochastic Lagrangian approach for simulating the effect of turbulent mixing on algae growth rate in a photobioreactor

It is well known that mixing caused by fluid turbulence can cause significantly increased growth rate of algae in photobioreactor flows under certain conditions. In general, flows in which the light penetrates into only a small fraction of the reactor flow field have the largest growth rate enhancement in the presence of fluid mixing. The current paper seeks to develop a computationally efficient prediction method for algae growth rate in practical photobioreactors using a combination of commercially available RANS turbulence models and a stochastic Lagrangian model for the turbulence fluctuations. The stochastic Lagrangian algae growth rate model is first validated by comparison with simulations of algae growth rate obtained by direct numerical simulation of homogeneous turbulence. We then demonstrate the stochastic Lagrangian model approach for prediction of algae growth rate in turbulent pipe flow, which is representative of the primary photoreaction component in many tubular algae production facilities. The results illustrate how algae growth rate increases as the pipe flow Reynolds number is increased.
Calorie menu labeling on quick-service restaurant menus: an updated systematic review of the literature

Nutrition labels are one strategy being used to combat the increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity in the United States. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 mandates that calorie labels be added to menu boards of chain restaurants with 20 or more locations. This systematic review includes seven studies published since the last review on the topic in 2008. Authors searched for peer-reviewed studies using PUBMED and Google Scholar. Included studies used an experimental or quasi-experimental design comparing a calorie-labeled menu with a no-calorie menu and were conducted in laboratories, college cafeterias, and fast food restaurants. Two of the included studies were judged to be of good quality, and five of were judged to be of fair quality. Observational studies conducted in cities after implementation of calorie labeling were imprecise in their measure of the isolated effects of calorie labels. Experimental studies conducted in laboratory settings were difficult to generalize to real world behavior. Only two of the seven studies reported a statistically significant reduction in calories purchased among consumers using calorie-labeled menus. The current evidence suggests that calorie labeling does not have the intended effect of decreasing calorie purchasing or consumption.
Traffic grooming in WDM networks: past and future

Traffic grooming refers to techniques used to combine low-speed traffic streams onto high-speed wavelengths in order to minimize the networkwide cost in terms of line terminating equipment and/or electronic switching. Such techniques become increasingly important for emerging network technologies, including SONET/WDM rings and MPLS/MP/spl lambda/S backbones, for which traffic grooming is essential. In this article we formally define the traffic grooming problem, and we provide a general formulation that captures the features of a wide range of problem variants. We then present a comprehensive comparative survey of the literature that unveils the significant amount of research on this subject (the traffic grooming past). We also offer a broad set of ambitious research directions (the traffic grooming future) that are motivated by the exciting new challenges arising with the advent of MP/spl lambda/S technology.
Pursuit of pleasure, engagement, and meaning: Relationships to subjective and objective measures of well-being

Pleasure, engagement, and meaning are all unique predictors of individuals’ well-being. We explored the relationship between the pursuit of each of these pathways and well-being. Participants (N ¼ 13,565) visited a website and completed a measure about their orientation toward pleasure, engagement, and meaning as a pathway to happiness as well as measures of subjective and objective well-being (OWB). All three pathways correlated with higher levels of subjective well-being (SWB). Pursuing engagement and meaning, however, were more strongly related to SWB than pursuing pleasure. Objective indicators of well-being, including measures of occupational and educational attainment, displayed a similar pattern, with engagement and meaning positively related, whereas pleasure was negatively related. Although these results are merely correlational, it suggests that engaging and meaningful activities may have stronger influences on well-being than pursuing pleasure.
LIM Protein Ajuba Participates in the Repression of the ATR-Mediated DNA Damage Response.

LIM proteins constitute a superfamily characterized by the presence of a LIM domain, known to be involved in protein-protein interactions. Our previous work has implicated members of the Zyxin family of LIM proteins, namely TRIP6 and LPP, in the repression of the DNA damage response at telomeres. Here, we describe a role for Ajuba, a closely related LIM molecule, in repressing the ATR-mediated DNA damage response. We found that depletion of Ajuba led to apparent delays in the cell cycle, accompanied with increased Rb phosphorylation, Chk1 phosphorylation, induction of p53 and cell death. Ajuba could be found in a complex with RPA, and its depletion led to RPA phosphorylation, known to be an early event in ATR activation. We propose that Ajuba protects against unscheduled ATR signaling by preventing inappropriate RPA phosphorylation.
Just for Fun: A Creative Dramatics Learning Center

(1978). Just for Fun: A Creative Dramatics Learning Center. Childhood Education: Vol. 54, No. 4, pp. 169-175.
Combating the Small Sample Class Imbalance Problem Using Feature Selection

The class imbalance problem is encountered in real-world applications of machine learning and results in a classifier's suboptimal performance. Researchers have rigorously studied the resampling, algorithms, and feature selection approaches to this problem. No systematic studies have been conducted to understand how well these methods combat the class imbalance problem and which of these methods best manage the different challenges posed by imbalanced data sets. In particular, feature selection has rarely been studied outside of text classification problems. Additionally, no studies have looked at the additional problem of learning from small samples. This paper presents a first systematic comparison of the three types of methods developed for imbalanced data classification problems and of seven feature selection metrics evaluated on small sample data sets from different applications. We evaluated the performance of these metrics using area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUC) and area under the precision-recall curve (PRC). We compared each metric on the average performance across all problems and on the likelihood of a metric yielding the best performance on a specific problem. We examined the performance of these metrics inside each problem domain. Finally, we evaluated the efficacy of these metrics to see which perform best across algorithms. Our results showed that signal-to-noise correlation coefficient (S2N) and Feature Assessment by Sliding Thresholds (FAST) are great candidates for feature selection in most applications, especially when selecting very small numbers of features.
A Participatory Approach to Develop the Power Mobility Screening Tool and the Power Mobility Clinical Driving Assessment Tool

The electric powered wheelchair (EPW) is an indispensable assistive device that increases participation among individuals with disabilities. However, due to lack of standardized assessment tools, developing evidence based training protocols for EPW users to improve driving skills has been a challenge. In this study, we adopt the principles of participatory research and employ qualitative methods to develop the Power Mobility Screening Tool (PMST) and Power Mobility Clinical Driving Assessment (PMCDA). Qualitative data from professional experts and expert EPW users who participated in a focus group and a discussion forum were used to establish content validity of the PMCDA and the PMST. These tools collectively could assess a user’s current level of bodily function and their current EPW driving capacity. Further multicenter studies are necessary to evaluate the psychometric properties of these tests and develop EPW driving training protocols based on these assessment tools.
An Improved Design for Examining the Importance of Context Dependence

Few investigators have sought to determine, rather than merely to assume, the importance of context dependence. It is contended that those who have empirically studied the issue have not addressed the most appropriate research ques- tion. The rationale of a research design for estimating the importance of context dependence is presented. Two pilot studies are provided to illustrate the method of investigating the importance of context dependence and of comparing aspects of utili- ty and validity of competing passage dependence indices. In recent years a body of literature has accumulated concerning passage dependence in reading comprehension and the more general case of context dependence (CD) in any kind of interpretive exercise type test. Writers have offered alternative methods of operationaliz ing CD (Hanna & Oaster, 1978-1979; Pyrczak, 1972; Tuinman, 1973-1974), investigated the practical importance of the topic (e.g., Hanna & Oaster, 1978; Preston, 1964), explored the amount of CD present in various standardized tests (e.g., Allington, Chodos, Domaracki, & Truex, 1977; Pyrczak, 1972; Tuinman, 1973-1974), and recommended uses of such data in test construction and evaluation (e.g., Allington, et al., 1977; Hanna & Oaster, 1978-1979; Marks & Noll, 1967; Tuinman, 1973-1974). Although questions regarding the importance of CD are amenable to empirical research, few investigators have sought to determine, rather than to assume, its im- portance. This article concerns the practical importance of CD. The purposes were to (1) propose a research design for estimating for a given population the extent to which items with high CD measure a construct that is independent from that measured by items with low CD, (2) show how this design can be used empirically to compare the utility of alternate CD indices, and (3) provide findings of two ex- plorative, demonstrative studies.
Efficient XML-to-SQL query translation: where to add the intelligence?

We consider the efficiency of queries generated by XML to SQL translation. We first show that published XML-to-SQL query translation algorithms are suboptimal in that they often translate simple path expressions into complex SQL queries even when much simpler equivalent SQL queries exist. There are two logical ways to deal with this problem. One could generate suboptimal SQL queries using a fairly naive translation algorithm, and then attempt to optimize the resulting SQL; or one could use a more intelligent translation algorithm with the hopes of generating efficient SQL directly. We show that optimizing the SQL after it is generated is problematic, becoming intractable even in simple scenarios; by contrast, designing a translation algorithm that exploits information readily available at translation time is a promising alternative. To support this claim, we present a translation algorithm that exploits translation time information to generate efficient SQL for path expression queries over tree schemas.
A Phenotypic Change But Not Proliferation Underlies Glial Responses in Alzheimer Disease

Classical immunohistochemical studies in the Alzheimer disease (AD) brain reveal prominent glial reactions, but whether this pathological feature is due primarily to cell proliferation or to a phenotypic change of existing resting cells remains controversial. We performed double-fluorescence immunohistochemical studies of astrocytes and microglia, followed by unbiased stereology-based quantitation in temporal cortex of 40 AD patients and 32 age-matched nondemented subjects. Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and major histocompatibility complex II (MHC2) were used as markers of astrocytic and microglial activation, respectively. Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 L1 and glutamine synthetase were used as constitutive astrocytic markers, and ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule 1 (IBA1) as a constitutive microglial marker. As expected, AD patients had higher numbers of GFAP+ astrocytes and MHC2+ microglia than the nondemented subjects. However, both groups had similar numbers of total astrocytes and microglia and, in the AD group, these total numbers remained essentially constant over the clinical course of the disease. The GFAP immunoreactivity of astrocytes, but not the MHC2 immunoreactivity of microglia, increased in parallel with the duration of the clinical illness in the AD group. Cortical atrophy contributed to the perception of increased glia density. We conclude that a phenotypic change of existing glial cells, rather than a marked proliferation of glial precursors, accounts for the majority of the glial responses observed in the AD brain.
Fault coupling and potential for earthquakes on the creeping section of the central San Andreas Fault

The 150 km long central section of the San Andreas Fault (CSAF) in central California creeps at the surface and has not produced a large earthquake historically. However, sections of the San Andreas Fault to the north and south are known to have ruptured repeatedly in M~7–8 earthquakes. It is currently unclear whether the creeping CSAF could rupture in large earthquakes, either individually or along with earthquakes on the locked sections to the north and south. We invert Global Positioning System and interferometric synthetic aperture radar data with elastic block models to estimate the degree of locking on the CSAF and place bounds on the moment accumulation rate on the fault. We find that the inferred moment accumulation rate is highly dependent on the long-term fault slip rate, which is poorly constrained along the CSAF. The inferred moment accumulation rate, normalized by shear modulus, ranges from 3.28 × 104 to 5.85 × 107 m3/yr, which is equivalent to a Mw = 5.5–7.2 earthquake every 150 years for a long-term slip rate of 26 mm/yr and Mw = 7.3–7.65 for a long-term slip rate of 34 mm/yr. The comparisons of slip distributions with microseismicity and repeating earthquakes indicate a possible locked patch between 10 and 20 km depth on the CSAF that could potentially rupture with Mw = 6.5.
Reflectance Spectroscopy as a Monitor of the Thermal-Decomposition Products of Europium Trichloride Hexahydrate

ABSTRACT The thermal-decomposition products of EuCl3 · 6H2O can be monitored through the use of ultraviolet/visible reflectance spectroscopy. The use of reflectance spectroscopy proved complimentary to other spectroscopic methods, combining to give a more complete representation of the decomposition products. Using variations in spectral features of the reflectance spectra, the penta- and tetrahydrate decomposition products were identified, along with the tri- and di-monohydrate compounds that were identified by luminescence spectroscopy. The observed intermediates and their corresponding decomposition temperatures can be compared to those obtained by other methods. Structural and environmental inferences as indicated by the reflectance spectra are discussed.
Political groups, leader change, and the pattern of international cooperation

Nations are politically heterogeneous and which group is in political ascendency shapes the nature of interstate cooperation through two mechanisms. First, groups differ in the benefits they receiv...
The Evolution of Korean corporate HRD: launching, growing pains, and transforming

Enthusiasm and greater attention from the international HRD community to Korea has motivated us to conduct research on the evolution of Korean corporate HRD in order to explore where we are now and where we are heading. Research literature on the topic, however, was minimal. The purpose of this study was to examine the evolution of Korean corporate HRD through interviews with 18 HRD researchers and practitioners who have witnessed the field’s growth. In addition, we reviewed the literature and company archives of HRD activities. We identified three major historical milestones of Korean corporate HRD including: the launching period in the 1980s, the growing pains period in the 1990s, and the transforming period from the 2000s to the present. We addressed major trends and issues of Korean corporate HRD in an attempt to generate a future research agenda.
Political Humor on the Radio, Image Repair, and Gracie Allen's 1940 Presidential Campaign

During her fictional 1940 presidential campaign, popular radio star Gracie Allen was the target of criticism after her colleague told a joke referencing First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. Allen responded to the criticisms with a public letter. In this analysis, Benoit's image repair typology is used to study Allen's letter. A total of 5 implications are drawn, including issues of celebrity roles, the effectiveness of mortification during image repair efforts, and challenges and benefits of humor in an image repair situation, to better understand historical political radio humor—an under-explored focus of image repair scholarship.
A Comparison of Conservation Reserve Program Habitat Plantings with Respect to Arthropod Prey for Grassland Birds

Abstract The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) was designed to reduce soil erosion and curb agricultural overproduction by converting highly erodible agricultural land to various forms of perennial habitat. It has had an incidental benefit of providing habitat for wildlife and has been beneficial in reversing population declines of several grassland bird species. However, the mechanisms behind these reversals remain unknown. One such mechanism may be differences in food availability on CRP vs. non-CRP land or between different types of CRP. The influence of CRP habitat type on the abundance of arthropod prey used by grassland birds has not been previously explored. We compared the abundance and diversity of arthropods among four CRP habitat types in Texas [replicated plots of exotic lovegrass (Eragrostis curvula), Old World bluestem (Bothriochloa ischaemum), mixed native grasses with buffalograss (Buchloe dactyloides) and mixed native grasses without buffalograss] and native shortgrass prairie. Attention...
Risk Assessment: Results of an International Survey of Deposit Insurers

The success of the financial safety net that a country provides for its financial system is ultimately indistinguishable from the ability of government authorities to manage the risks to the safety net. To do their job well, risk managers need information on the risk exposures of the financial institutions that are covered by the safety net, and they also need procedures for limiting their own risk exposure. To learn more about how other countries address these and other important needs of a financial safety net, in January 2000 the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) surveyed 73 foreign deposit insurance organizations in 64 locations (some locations have more than one deposit insurer). All the organizations had specific deposit insurance schemes. The survey consisted of 65 multiple-choice and essay questions not only on risk assessment but also on failure-resolution methods, asset liquidation and the role of the receiver, and funds availability. As of June 2000, 37 insurers in 34 locations had responded.
Empirical Analysis of Race and the Process of Capital Punishment in North Carolina

The process of determining recipients of capital punishment in the United States involves sequential stages of decision making by the prosecutor and jury. In this Article, I argue in favor of modeling capital punishment as a process rather than simply as an outcome by decomposing the various stages of decision making. Using a Heckman procedure along with a rich criminal prosecution and sentencing dataset from North Carolina, I analyze the potential influence of race in the application of the death penalty. The results indicate that despite structural reforms designed to minimize its policy effects, race still plays a crucial role in determining capital punishment. This key result was obtained even after controlling for numerous legal factors sanctioned by the North Carolina General Assembly, institutional factors connected to the political process, and structural factors involving victims, defendants, and their backgrounds. More importantly, the analysis points to the jury stage as the place where racial discrimination in capital punishment is most acute.
The Oaxaca Decomposition Applied to a Continuous Group Variable (With an Extension to a Probit Model)

Almost universally, the Oaxaca (1973) decomposition is used to compare the outcomes between two discrete groups, e.g., black and white or male and female. In many applications, however, groups are not readily divided into discrete bins. The purpose of this paper is to extend the Oaxaca decomposition to examine differences amongst groups that are most naturally modeled as at a point in a continuum. This paper also extends the Oaxaca decomposition to a probit model.
Variations in psychological distress between gender and sexual minority groups

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this study was to compare rates of elevated levels of depression, anxiety, and stress among six different lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) subgroups (cisgender lesbians, cisgender gay males, cisgender bisexual females, cisgender bisexual males, transgender females, and transgender males). A total of 2,702 LGBT-identified individuals participated in the online study. While controlling for other demographic factors, rates of elevated levels of depression (p < 0.001), anxiety (p = 0.015), and stress (p < 0.001) all varied significantly between LGBT subgroups. Post-hoc examinations of pairwise differences revealed substantial and unexpected variations, highlighting the importance of separately examining LGBT subgroups when considering mental health outcomes.
Neutrino pion production off deuteron

Experimental investigations of neutrino properties, using neutrino beams generated at accelerators facilities, necessitate a detailed and precise knowledge of neutrinonucleus reaction mechanisms. In the energy region of nuclear quasi-elastic scattering, pion-production reactions constitute an important background process. A theoretical understanding of these processes is then required in order to correctly determine the produced neutrino energy spectrum. In the first stage of our research project, we study neutrino induced pion-production off deuterons. The choice of the deuteron minimizes the complications of the nuclear dynamics associated with larger nuclear systems. We evaluate the pion-production reaction near threshold using heavy baryon chiral perturbation theory.
Social Auditing: An Experimental Approach

The article discusses research on how well the Sanitation Department of Fayetteville has satisfied the objectives of the department's customers, creditors, community, government, management, employ...
Blurring the Line of Separation: Education, Civil Religion, and Teaching about Religion

Americans need to be reminded that the separation of church and state, the delineation of the political from the religious realm, is not the inevitable outcome of man's natural predisposi tions. Since separation seems to Americans to be not only the correct arrangement but also the obvious one, they tend to assume that it is simply the natural order of things. It strikes Americans as puzzling—indeed a problem needing explanation—that some societies have gotten matters so unaccountably turned round as to confuse politics and religion. The testimony of anthropology and history, however, points in the opposite direction. It is the American arrangement and the American assumptions that need explanation, for the natural tendency of primitive and archaic man was to think of religion as permeating every aspect of life, including the political. Work, play, communal activities, and decision making were all invested with a sacred character; every thing was enswathed in the numinous presence of the gods. Among historic peoples, the tendency to amalgamate the religious and the political has expressed itself repeatedly and in a multi tude of different forms from the sacred kingship of ancient Egypt, through Robespierre's Republic of Virtue, down to the present day theology of liberation.1
Caminella Peraphora, a New Genus and Species of Mite from Oregon (Acarina: Trachytidae)

The authors base a new trachytid subfamily Caminellinae on the new genus Caminella , type C . peraphora , and give a key to the families and subfamilies of the Trachytoidea. A sac-like structure found on female specimens is described and its possible role in reproduction discussed.
Oral verapamil and calcium and vitamin D metabolism in rats: effect of dietary calcium.

Prior studies showed that chronic oral verapamil administration increased plasma immunoreactive parathyroid hormone (irPTH) but decreased 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2D3] levels in rats fed a...
Does Sleep Change After an Occupation-Based Lifestyle Intervention? A Pilot Study

Date Presented 4/16/2015 Sleep problems threaten occupational engagement in older adults. This pilot study suggests that occupational therapy may enhance sleep by targeting engagement in occupation. This study provides a structure for future researchers analyzing the role of occupational therapy in older adult sleep behaviors.