cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A novel methodology for modeling dwell fatigue crack growth in Ni-based superalloys

Abstract A novel, empirically-based damage tolerance life prediction methodology has been developed to model dwell fatigue crack growth (DFCG) behavior in Ni-based disk superalloys. The methodology is based on a new crack driving force parameter, termed Ksrf, which was developed specifically to account for dwell crack growth. The approach taken in the development of this parameter was to account for the apparent contradiction between the brittle nature of the oxide induced intergranular crack growth process and the extensive creep deformation occurring simultaneously in the crack tip region’s visco-plastic zone. It was hypothesized that the rate of the brittle intergranular crack growth is controlled by the magnitude of the crack tip tensile stress field which varies depending on the constitutive visco-plastic behavior of the various microstructures evaluated. The new parameter accounts for these differences by measuring and normalizing the remaining tensile stresses generated by simulations of the crack tip visco-plastic behavior through simple stress relaxation tests. The Ksrf parameter was able to account for up to an order of magnitude of differences in DFCG rates in the LSHR and RR1000 alloys when correlated using standard linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) K stress intensity parameter. The same Ksrf methodology was able to explain and account for the substantial effects that small overloads have on DFCG behavior.
A tale of autoimmunity: thymoma, thymectomy, and systemic lupus erythematosus

The thymus plays an integral role in immune system regulation, modulating the development, diversity, and selection of T lymphocytes, a critical feature for the prevention of T cell-mediated autoimmunity. Thymoma is a rare tumor of the thymus. Autoimmune diseases and paraneoplastic syndromes such as myasthenia gravis, pure red blood cell aplasia, and systemic lupus erythematosus, although relatively uncommon, have been described in association with thymomas. Rare cases of post-thymectomy autoimmune related diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus and pure red cell aplasia, have been reported in the literature. Here, we present the case of a 65-year-old male who developed systemic lupus erythematosus 2 years after thymectomy in the setting of thymoma-associated pure red cell aplasia.
Preoperative and Intraoperative Factors That Influence Length of Stay in Patients on an Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Protocol Following Bariatric Surgery

Background: Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols have gained consensus in laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) and laparoscopic vertical sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) operations. We...
Metabolic Reprogramming-A New Era How to Prevent and Treat Graft Versus Host Disease After Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Has Begun.

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is the solitary therapeutic therapy for many types of hematological cancers. The benefits of this procedure are challenged by graft vs. host disease (GVHD), causing significant morbidity and mortality. Recent advances in the metabolomics field have revolutionized our understanding of complex human diseases, clinical diagnostics and allow to trace the de novo biosynthesis of metabolites. There is growing evidence for metabolomics playing a role in different aspects of GVHD, and therefore metabolomic reprogramming presents a novel tool for this disease. Pre-transplant cytokine profiles and metabolic status of allogeneic transplant recipients is shown to be linked with a threat of acute GVHD. Immune reactions underlying the pathophysiology of GVHD involve higher proliferation and migration of immune cells to the target site, requiring shifts in energy supply and demand. Metabolic changes and reduced availability of oxygen result in tissue and cellular hypoxia which is extensive enough to trigger transcriptional and translational changes. T cells, major players in acute GVHD pathophysiology, show increased glucose uptake and glycolytic activity. Effector T (Teff) cells activated during nutrient limiting conditions in vitro or multiplying during GVHD in vivo, depend more on oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and fatty acid oxidation (FAO). Dyslipidemia, such as the increase of medium and long chain fatty and polyunsaturated acids in plasma of GVHD patients, has been observed. Sphingolipids associate with inflammatory conditions and cancer. Chronic GVHD (cGVHD) patients show reduced branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) and increased sulfur-containing metabolites post HSCT. Microbiota-derived metabolites such as aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) ligands, bile acids, plasmalogens and short chain fatty acids vary significantly and affect allogeneic immune responses during acute GVHD. Considering the multitude of possibilities, how altered metabolomics are involved in GVHD biology, multi-timepoints related and multivariable biomarker panels for prognosticating and understanding GVHD are needed. In this review, we will discuss the recent work addressing metabolomics reprogramming to control GVHD in detail.
Evaluation of Pulse Oxygen Saturation and Heart Rate While Training With Elevation Mask

Background: Some athletes train at higher altitudes to allow their bodies to produce more red blood cells and increase their exercise performance and endurance. Elevation mask is an adjustable facial device that simulates different altitudes. Athletes may use this device anywhere and be able to train at the desired altitudes. Since high altitudes lower the partial pressure of oxygen, elevation masks may produce undesirable physiologic effects such as oxygen desaturation and arrhythmias. The purpose of this study was to evaluate changes in pulse oxygen saturation (SpO2) and heart rate (HR) when using the elevation mask. Methods: Institutional IRB approval was obtained. Eight healthy volunteers (4 F and 4 M) above 18 years old participated in this study. The treadmill speed was set at walking speed (3. 2) with no incline. The SpO2 and HR were recorded every 3 min following each altitude change. The first session was done without the mask while on treadmill (baseline) and the second session was done on treadmill with the Elevation mask set at baseline, 3, 000 feet, 6, 000 feet, and 9, 000 feet above sea level. The One-Way ANOVA was used to analyze the data. Results: A majority (21 of 24) of SpO2 measurements at high altitudes were lower than the baseline value (Figure). The lowest high altitude SpO2 was 92%. Most HR measurements (20 of 24) at high altitudes were higher than the baseline value. The highest HR at high altitude was 138/min and no arrhythmias were observed. ANOVA analysis of the SpO2 yielded an F of 2.2559 with a p of 0.1038. For the heart rate, the F was 2.2294 with a p of 0.1068. Based on these results, there were no significant differences between the measurements recorded at baseline and all 3 high altitude settings. Conclusions: Elevation mask with an altitude setting of up to 9,000 ft is a safe device for training purposes because SpO2 remain above 92% on the test subjects and no arrhythmias were observed. Limiting the highest altitude at 9,000 ft on the Elevation mask and having a small sample size of 8 subjects were two main limitations of this study.
Are We Prescribing Enough HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis in Missouri?: A Cross-Sectional Study at University of Missouri Health Care

Despite the proven efficacy and safety of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), it remains underutilized. PrEP use among Missouri providers has increased as the rate of new HIV infections grows statewide, but remains lower than the Midwest and United States (U.S.) averages. Because the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identify Missouri as at-risk for an HIV outbreak, we seek to characterize HIV testing practices and PrEP knowledge and use among Missouri healthcare providers.
Application driven assessment of probe designs for Raman spectroscopy

In vivo Raman spectroscopy has been utilized for the non-invasive, non-destructive assessment of tissue pathophysiology for a variety of applications largely through the use of fiber optic probes to interface with samples of interest. Fiber optic probes can be designed to optimize the collection of Raman-scattered photons from application-dependent depths, and this critical consideration should be addressed when planning a study. Herein we investigate four distinct probe geometries for sensitivity to superficial and deep signals through a Monte Carlo model that incorporates Raman scattering and fluorescence. Experimental validation using biological tissues was performed to accurately recapitulate in vivo scenarios. Testing in biological tissues agreed with modeled results and revealed that microlens designs had slightly enhanced performance at shallow depths (< 1 mm), whereas all of the beampath-modified designs yielded more signal from deep within tissue. Simulation based on fluence maps generated using ray-tracing in the absence of optical scattering had drastically different results as a function of depth for each probe compared to the biological simulation. The contrast in simulation results between the non-scattering and biological tissue phantoms underscores the importance of considering the optical properties of a given application when designing a fiber optic probe. The model presented here can be easily extended for optimization of entirely novel probe designs prior to fabrication, reducing time and cost while improving data quality.
Social Media and Romantic Relationship: Excessive Social Media Use Leads to Relationship Conflicts, Negative Outcomes, and Addiction via Mediated Pathways:

Social media provides a useful platform for people to share information, develop networks, and connect with each other online. While social media allows one to foster relationships with ease, it ma...
Interactive nonlinear multiobjective optimal design of water distribution systems using Pareto navigator technique

Abstract Sustainable water distribution systems comprise complex combinations of critical components that are simultaneously optimized. The trade-offs and interactions that exist among these components, however, will introduce difficult challenges to optimization algorithms. In this paper, a multiobjective optimization formulation is proposed to scrupulously manage the demand, leakage, and age of water, as well as energy consumption of water distribution systems. Pareto navigator approach, a learning-oriented algorithm, is used to attain the final Pareto optimal solution for water network. The optimal power consumption, leakage, demand, and water age are used as inputs to the upper level energy resource allocation to optimize the energy demand and operational cost of integrated water–energy system. Numerical results show 76.6%, 95.4%, 13.14%, and 27.4% reduction in leakage, water age, water usage, and energy consumption of water network over 24 h, respectively, while the daily cost of electricity generation reduces by 3.7%. The energy system is designed based on isolated energy units, also known as microgrids, with minimum dependency on the fossil-fuel-based power plants. As such, the proposed multiobjective bi-level optimization model will also improve the carbon footprint of water distribution systems and their impact on climate change.
Prebiotic peptide-formation in the solid state. III. Condensation reactions of glycine in solid state mixtures containing inorganic polyphosphates.

The reactions of glycine with inorganic polyphosphates in the solid state have been studied. The formation of peptides up to the decamer occurs at moderate temperatures(r.t.-100 degrees C) in the presence of imidazole and magnesium chloride. If adenosine 5' -monophosphate is added to the reaction mixture, 2'(3') -o-glycyl adenosine 5'-monophosphate is also obtained. These reactions could have occurred on the primitive earth.
Income, Scheduling Flexibility, and Diversity Policies: An Experimental Investigation of Recruiting Older Workers

A number of surveys have tapped the interests of older employees as a way to understand the factors that encourage extended employment (Bass, 1995; Sterns, 1998). The current research has two purposes. The first is an applied goal; to determine the organizational factors that are most attractive to older workers seeking employment. The second purpose is to investigate the predictive strength of these variables through a controlled experimental design rather than using survey methodology. We chose to examine the importance of pay, work flexibility, and diversity policies as determinants of interest in the return to work among white collar employees. While pay and flexibility have emerged in past research as factors that influence the interest of older employees, the impact of diversity policies has not been well-researched, so this represents an extension of past research. Two levels of each of these three variables were used in the current study, creating a 2 (pay level) X 2 (flexibility) X 2 (diversity policy) experimental design. Results of the current study suggest that overall interest in the return to work among white-collar retirees is quite modest (M = 2.45, SD = 1.23), and that flexibility emerged as an important factor in determining return to work. An interaction emerged between diversity policy and pay; the presence of a diversity policy was important only under favorable pay conditions. A post-hoc analysis of those with moderate-to-high interest in returning to work revealed that the presence of a diversity policy emerged as a significant factor in the attraction of this group to the organization; pay and flexibility were non-
Modeling emergence in neuroprotective regulatory networks

The use of predictive modeling in the analysis of gene expression data can greatly accelerate the pace of scientific discovery in biomedical research by enabling in silico experimentation to test disease triggers and potential drug therapies. Techniques such as agent-based modeling and multi-agent simulations are of particular interest as they support the discovery of emergent pathways, as opposed to other dynamic modeling approaches such as dynamic Bayesian nets and system dynamics. Thus far, emergence-modeling techniques have been primarily applied at the multi-cellular level, or have focused on signaling and metabolic networks. We present an approach where emergence modeling is extended to regulatory networks and demonstrate its application to the discovery of neuroprotective pathways. An initial evaluation of the approach indicates that emergence modeling provides novel insights for the analysis of regulatory networks which can advance the discovery of acute treatments for stroke and other diseases.
Optical Interferometry and the Detection of Evidence of Life

An examination of the possibility of detecting planetary systems of other stars indicates that a suitably designed optical interferometer, following principles that have been developed in radio astronomy, can detect major planets of solar-type stars easily at a distance of ten parsecs from the sun. Out to at least six parsecs distance, images of earth-like planets of the dozen or so solar-type stars should be detectable. Spectroscopic study, with the same interferometric systems, offers a good chance of detecting life on such planets if the atmospheric signature is as pronounced as it is in the terrestrial case.
The association between a medical history of depression and gestational diabetes in a large multi-ethnic cohort in the United States.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), a common pregnancy complication, affects approximately 7–14% of pregnancies in high-risk populations,1 and as high as 18% according to recent recommendations from the International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups.2 Over the past several years, the prevalence of GDM has been increasing.3,4 A pregnancy complicated by GDM is at risk for further complications, such as preeclampsia, and GDM is related to elevated future risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases1 after pregnancy. Outside of pregnancy, clinical depression has been associated with an increased risk for type 2 diabetes,5,6 with evidence for a bidirectional relationship.7 While few studies have evaluated the association between diabetes and the onset of perinatal depression,8,9 and there is some evidence that treating GDM reduces the risk for postpartum depression,10 it is unknown whether a history of depression is associated with an increased risk of GDM during pregnancy. Both behavioural and biological theories exist to support the potential association between depression and GDM. Depression and depressive symptoms are associated with obesity and behaviours related to the development of type 2 diabetes and GDM, such as excessive caloric intake, physical inactivity and smoking.11 There are also hypotheses that describe an underlying biological association between depression and diabetes. Depression can cause activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, leading to enhanced and sustained cortisol secretion. Cortisol opposes the action of insulin, and can lead to visceral adiposity, insulin resistance and other risk precursors of diabetes.11 Since depression is common among women of reproductive age,12 it could represent an important and prevalent risk factor for targeted GDM prevention. We have, therefore, evaluated the association between a medical history of depression and GDM in the Consortium on Safe Labor (CSL), a large, multi-ethnic cohort representative of the US population.
Trauma Services for Women in Substance Abuse Treatment, by D. Hein, L. C. Litt, L. R. Cohen, G. M. Miele, and A. Campbell

Trauma Services for Women in Substance Abuse Treatment suggests that, while substance abuse is pervasive and highly comorbid with trauma exposure in women, trauma-related services are rarely found ...
Manufacturing Challenges for Aluminum Sheet in the Automotive Industry

Aluminum sheet is used in the automotive industry for body applications such as hoods, liftgates, and doors, as a way to achieve mass reduction and improve fuel economy. Aluminum sheet usage has been steadily increasing to assist in meeting new fuel economy regulations and consumer demand for improved fuel economy resulting from high fuel costs. With the accelerated need to decrease mass to support aggressive fuel economy improvements, it is expected that the volume of new applications will not only push the manufacturing restrictions, but also exceed the current capacity of automotive-grade aluminum sheet. This paper will outline the major challenges in manufacturing aluminum sheet metal components and describe new alloys and new technologies that are being explored to overcome these challenges. Suggestions for future research and development projects will be made to accelerate additional applications.
Retroviral-mediated insertional mutagenesis in zebrafish.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses retroviral-mediated insertional mutagenesis in zebrafish. Large-scale chemical mutagenesis screens have resulted in the isolation of thousands of mutations in hundreds of genes that affect zebrafish embryonic development. Insertional mutagenesis is an alternative to chemical mutagenesis in which exogenous DNA is used as the mutagen. Several methods can be employed to insert DNA into the zebrafish genome, including DNA microinjection, or microinjection of DNA aided by retroviral integrases or a transposable element's transposase. The great advantage of using insertional mutagenesis over chemical mutagenesis is that the mutagenic insertion provides a molecular tag that can be used to identify the disrupted gene. However, because the mutagenesis screen described in the chapter uses multiple insertions to increase the rate of recovery of mutations, the first step after identifying a mutation is to determine which (if any) insertion appears to be responsible for the mutation. This remarkable transgenesis rate has made it possible to conduct an insertional mutagenesis screen, which has allowed isolation of hundreds of insertional mutants and rapid cloning of the mutated genes. The strategies to produce, select, and breed the fish for such an insertional mutagenesis screen is outlined in this chapter.
Do Fluctuations in Wine Stocks Affect Wine Prices

Globalization and the expansion of world wine trade have caused a wine boom that together with agricultural subsidies have made fluctuations in wine inventories a more critical issue. In the case of domestic and international wine markets, little is known about intertemporal inventory adjustments and how they relate to prices. We investigate possible dynamic relations between these variables in a time series context, so as to better understand how wine producers and traders can face growing price and financial volatility. Countries for whom meaningful data series could be constructed include: Argentina, Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United States. The study begins by examining the empirical evidence on inventories in these markets and their relation to prices. Stationarity tests are first performed to assess likely trends in the wine inventory and price variables. Cointegration analysis follows to analyze the stationary relationships between these variables. To explain the dynamics of this relationship, vector autoregressions have been estimated and impulse functions are computed to measure possible delays between variable reactions.
Efficiency of Lysine or Threonine Retention in Growing Rats Fed Diets Limiting in either Lysine or Threonine

Over a 21-d experiment, the efficiency of lysine and threonine retention was determined in 80 male Sprague-Dawley rats (65.9 +/- 0.3 g, means +/- SE) fed purified diets containing an amino acid mix limiting in either lysine or threonine. With additional increments of the first limiting amino acid, lysine concentration in total body protein (g/16 g N) increased (P < 0.01) in rats fed lysine-limiting diets but, when fed threonine-limiting diets, lysine concentration in body protein first increased and then decreased (P < 0.01). As increments of the first limiting amino acid were added, the threonine concentration in total body protein increased then decreased when both lysine- (P < 0.01) and threonine- (P < 0.06) limiting diets were fed. Lysine and threonine retention were calculated based on comparative slaughter. Sixteen rats were killed on d 0 to estimate the grams of amino acid in the body. Retention responses were analyzed using a logistic equation in which lysine or threonine intake was used to predict retention. The maximum marginal efficiency (dr/dI, retention/intake) was observed at <40% of maximum retention. For lysine retention, it was 81% when lysine was limiting and 70% when threonine was limiting. For threonine retention, it was 58% when threonine was limiting and 49% when lysine was limiting. The maximum cumulative efficiency (retention adjusted for maintenance relative to cumulative intake) for lysine retention was 62% when lysine was limiting or 58% when threonine was limiting. For threonine retention, it was 51% when threonine was limiting and 35% when lysine was limiting. Thus, amino acid concentration in body protein is not constant, and amino acids are used with higher efficiency when first limiting.
THE EMERGENCE OF PRAISE AS CONDITIONED REINFORCEMENT AS A FUNCTION OF OBSERVATION IN PRESCHOOL AND SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN

Resumen en: We tested the effects of an observational intervention on the conditioning of praise as a reinforcer with 2-school age and 2-preschool age children for w...
Burning Plasma Confinement Projections and Renormalization of the GLF23 Drift-Wave Transport Model

Fusion power predictions are presented using the GLF23 drift-wave transport model for several next-step tokamak designs including ITER, FIRE, and IGNITOR. The GLF23 model has been renormalized using recent gyrokinetic simulations and a database of nearly 50 H-mode discharges from three different tokamaks. The renormalization reduces the ion temperature gradient/trapped electron mode (ITG/TEM)-driven transport by a factor of 3.7 while electron temperature gradient (ETG) mode transport is increased by a factor of 4.8 with respect to the original model. Using the renormed model, the fusion power performance is uniformly assessed, and the pedestal requirements are summarized for each device. The renormed model is still quite stiff and yields somewhat more optimistic predictions for next-step burning plasma experiments. The consequences of stiff transport in the plasma core are discussed. A fusion fit formula is derived whereby the GLF23 results follow a universal stiff model curve for the normalized fusion power versus pedestal temperature.
Beam dispersion measurements with wire scanners in the SLC final focus systems

A method is described to make a direct measurement of the horizontal and vertical momentum dispersion of the electron and positron beams as they pass through the chromatic correction sections (CCS) of the SLC final focus systems. The method is advantageous since it cleanly separates betatron components of the beam size from dispersive components, can be measured during standard colliding beams machine conditions in a minute or two, and directly measures the energy-position correlation within the beam. >
Genetic and molecular analysis of spe-27, a gene required for spermiogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans hermaphrodites.

Hermaphrodites with mutations in the spe-27 gene are self-sterile, laying only unfertilized eggs; mutant males are fertile. Hermaphrodites make spermatids that fail to activate to crawling spermatozoa so passing oocytes sweep them out of the spermatheca. These spermatids do activate and produce self-progeny if young mutant hermaphrodites are mated by fertile (or sterile) males. Spermatids isolated from either mutant males or hermaphrodites initiate activation in vitro when treated with proteases, but then arrest with spiky membrane projections that resemble those of a normal intermediate in pseudoped formation. These phenotypes are identical to spe-8 and spe-12 mutants. They can be explained if males and hermaphrodites have distinct pathways for spermatid activation, and these three genes are necessary only for the hermaphrodite pathway. Consistent with this model, when spe-27 mutant male spermatids without seminal fluid are artificially inseminated into hermaphrodites, they fail to activate. The spe-27 gene has been isolated, sequenced and its regulatory regions identified. The sequence predicts a 131 amino acid polypeptide that has no striking structural motifs and no resemblance to known proteins. Two of the mutations in spe-27 alter mRNA splicing; a third mutation is a temperature-sensitive missense mutation.
Mechanical relaxation behavior of collagen, polyglycine I, and nylon 6 in the range from 77° to 420°K

Abstract The dynamic mechanical relaxation behavior of human diaphragm tendon collagen was investigated in the region from 77° to 420°K using an inverted, free oscillating, torsion pendulum. Three relaxation processes, termed α, β, and γ peaks, which strongly depend on the water content and age of the specimens, were observed. Increasing amounts of absorbed water intensify the relaxation strength of all three loss maxima; whereas the α peak shifts to lower temperatures, the β peak remains constant, and the γ peak shifts to higher temperatures. The height of the α, β, and γ relaxations also diminish considerably with increasing age of the tendon donor. Internal friction spectra of collagen are compared as a function of water and crystallinity with the mechanical relaxation properties of polyglycine I and nylon 6. In general, certain similarities were detected for these results, thereby suggesting that the α, β, and γ internal friction maxima of all three materials may originate from similar types of molecu...
Asthma, allergy, and responses to methyl donor supplements and nutrients

After a brief period of stabilization, recent data have shown that the prevalence of asthma and allergic diseases continues to increase. Atopic diseases are major public health problems resulting in significant disability and resource use globally. Although environmental factors influence the development of atopic disease, dietary changes might partially explain the high burden of atopic disease. Potential mechanisms through which diet is suspected to effect asthma and allergy susceptibility are through epigenetic changes, including DNA methylation. Dietary methyl donors are important in the one-carbon metabolic pathway that is essential for DNA methylation. Findings from both observational studies and interventional trials of dietary methyl donor supplementation on the development and treatment of asthma and allergy have produced mixed results. Although issues related to the differences in study design partially explain the heterogeneous results, 2 other issues have been largely overlooked in these studies. First, these nutrients affect one of many pathways and occur in many of the same foods. Second, it is now becoming clear that the human intestinal microbiome is involved in the metabolism and production of the B vitamins and other methyl donor nutrients. Future studies will need to account for both the interrelationships between these nutrients and the effects of the microbiome.
A Competition Model of Exogenous Orienting in 3.5-Month-Old Infants

Four experiments are reported on exogenous (stimulus-driven) orienting in 3.5-month-old infants. A small moving bar embedded in a field of static bars was used to draw the infant's attention to one side of the display or the other. The bars could be either red or green. In all four of these experiments sensitivity to this small moving bar was affected significantly by how unevenly the red and green bars were distributed across the visual field. Sensitivity to the moving bar was lower when most of the red bars were in the field contralateral to this probe suggesting competition between the motion stimulus and contralaterally placed red but not green bars on a small, but significant proportion of trials. This basic effect replicated in four separate experiments and depended coarsely on how unevenly the red and the green bars were distributed across the field. A competition model of exogenous orienting with a winner-take-all rule captured the most important features of the data. The distribution of color within the visual field can bias attention significantly at 3.5 months making it either more or less likely that an infant will detect a moving stimulus.
Are there racial differences in the experience of harmful or traumatic events within psychiatric settings

The current study examined racial differences in the reported frequency and distress associated with potentially harmful or traumatic experiences occurring within psychiatric settings. One hundred and forty-two (109 African-American; 32 Caucasian) randomly selected adult consumers recruited from a community psychosocial day program completed a battery of self-report measures to assess experiences in the psychiatric setting, lifetime trauma exposure, PTSD severity, and were the subject of a chart review. A subset of participants (20%) also completed a qualitative interview exploring their perceptions of events occurring in psychiatric settings. Few racial differences were noted in the reported frequency or distress associated with particular events in the psychiatric setting. However, we found differential patterns of association between adverse psychiatric events and lifetime trauma history, and racial differences in diagnosis and medications prescribed by the mental health center. These racial differences merit further attention to better understand their meaning and to improve mental health services provided to both African-Americans and Caucasian public-sector psychiatric patients.
Effectiveness factors and instability in solid-gas reactions

Abstract Solid-gas reactions involving heats of reaction based on an ‘unreacted-core-shrinking model’ are examined using the effectiveness factors. Three types of instabilities; the geometrical instability, the thermal instability due to metastable temperature, and the instability resulting from abrupt shifting of the rate controlling regions are discussed. The effects of gas temperature, heat transfer, heat of reaction, activation energy, gas film diffusion and gas diffusion through product layer on the effectiveness factors are shown.
Higher Cost, Lower Validity and Higher Utility: Comparing the Utilities of Two Tests that Differ in Validity, Costs and Selectivity

Traditional approaches to comparing the utility of two tests have not systematically considered the effects of different levels of selectivity that are feasible and appropriate in various selection situations. For example, employers who hope to avoid adverse impact often find they can be more selective with some tests than with others. We conducted two studies to compare the utilities of two tests that differ in costs, validity, and feasible levels of selectivity which can be employed. First, an analytical solution was conducted starting with a standard formula for utility. This analysis showed that for both fixed and variable hiring costs, a higher-cost, lower-validity procedure can have higher utility than a lower-cost, higher-validity procedure when the selection ratios permissible using the two procedures are sufficiently (yet realistically) different. Second, using a computer simulation method, several combinations of the critical variables were varied systematically to detect the limits of this effect in a finite set of specific selection situations. The results showed that the existence of more severe levels of adverse impact greatly reduced the utility of a written test with relatively high validity and low cost in comparison with an assessment center with lower validity and higher cost. Both studies showed that the consideration of selectivity can yield surprising conclusions about the comparative utility of two tests. Even if one test has lower validity and higher cost than a second test, the first may yield higher utility if it allows the organization to exercise stricter levels of selectivity.
Foreign countries: The development of ethnoarchaeology in sub-Saharan Africa

Ethnoarchaeological research in sub-Saharan Africa began as a distinct study in the late 1960s and early 1970s and developed rather differently in different areas of the continent. This variability is related to a number of research circumstances in these regions: the presence of an important francophone archaeological tradition in West Africa, palaeoanthropological studies that have taken place in East and southern Africa over the last 60 years, and a concentration upon the study of forager groups in different parts of the continent. Ethnoarchaeology in West Africa, in East and Central Africa, and in southern Africa are examined in turn, with particular attention paid to the influence of research lineages in each region and to changes in methodologies and theoretical perspectives through time.
Do sperm contribute to the buffering capacity of steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) semen

The motility of salmonid sperm is pH-sensitive and the buffering capacity of the seminal plasma is low. The objective of the present study was to determine the extent to which sperm contribute to the buffering capacity of whole steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) semen. To determine the buffering capacity, semen and seminal plasma samples were titrated with HCl and pH measurements taken at 1-2 min. The buffering capacity of semen was not different from that of seminal plasma over the pH range 7.5 to 8.5 and was approximately 15% to 20% less over the range 6.0 to 7.0. Comparable results were obtained for the semen and seminal plasma of the chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). To assess whether the intracellular environment could influence the buffering capacity, the effects of cell disruption with n-butanol and Triton X-100 (TX-100) were determined. Over the pH range 7.5 to 8.5, the presence of n-butanol or TX-100 resulted in a doubling of the buffering capacity of the semen; TX-100, but not n-butanol, increased semen buffering capacity over the pH range 6.0 to 7.0. To determine whether the sperm's intracellular compartment might contribute to the buffering capacity over a longer duration, semen and seminal plasma samples were acidified with HCl and the pH measured over several hours. These data suggest that intact sperm contribute no more than about 25% to the buffering capacity of whole semen. The buffering capacity of steelhead semen and seminal plasma were comparably and modestly temperature sensitive. The results suggest that the sperm may contribute to the buffering capacity of the semen over a physiological pH range, however, if so, the effect is relatively small.
Political risk analysis in relation to foreign direct investment: A view from the hospitality industry

The purpose of this paper is to explore the importance of the political risk factor that, according to the literature, seems to excerpt a powerful influence in determining foreign direct investment (FDI) decisions by multinational firms. The first part of this paper is based on a thorough review of the literature concerning political risk, its definition, and how it relates to FDI. This part also aims to explore the current trend of academic publications as they relate to political risk and FDI. The second part is more critical in nature and attempts to explain the discrepancies determined by past literature, particularly when depicting the relationship between political risk and FDI. In its third part, this paper shows the importance of global expansion in the hospitality industry and the techniques applied in that sector in order to minimize political risk. The concluding comments, in the last part, are offered together with some recommendations to multinational corporate management.
Rounding Probabilistic Expectations in Surveys.

Rounding is the familiar practice of reporting one value whenever a real number lies in an interval. Uncertainty about the extent of rounding is common when researchers analyze survey responses to numerical questions. The prevalent practice has been to take numerical responses at face value, even though many may in fact be rounded. This article studies the rounding of responses to survey questions that ask persons to state the percent chance that some future event will occur. We analyze data from the Health and Retirement Study and find strong evidence of rounding, with the extent of rounding differing across respondents. We propose use of a person’s response pattern across different questions to infer the person’s rounding practice, the result being interpretation of reported numerical values as interval data. We then bring to bear recent developments on statistical analysis of interval data to characterize the potential consequences of rounding for empirical research. Finally, we propose enrichment of s...
Improving the Global Information Grid's Performance through Satellite Communications Layer Enhancements

With the information age in full and rapid development, users are becoming accustomed to having immediate access to information. Users demand more capabilities from every kind of electronic device: more processing power, more features, and better connectivity. Users are also realizing the benefits of collaborating with others in their communities to help expand the body of knowledge. One user that understands the benefits of information sharing is the United States Department of Defense. The DoD's Network-Centric Enterprise Services initiative, along with the concept of pushing the "power to the edge," aims to enable end users with maximum situational awareness and the most comprehensive battlespace, all in a secure networking environment. Providing so much data and capabilities to the end user, however, will require an increase in communications capability and efficiency. To address increased capability needs, the DoD is continually developing and enhancing the global information grid (GIG) throughout its various "layers" of communication infrastructure. One such layer of infrastructure involves the use of cooperative low Earth orbiting satellites for efficient multicasting communications. In this article we review the network-centric concept and the GIG infrastructure. We then discuss the potential benefits to adding a low Earth orbit satellite communications infrastructure to the GIG model. Finally, we show how multicasting protocols can enhance the efficiency within the GIG and reduce some of the long-haul communications burdens
Regulation of hepatic gluconeogenesis by rapid compartmentation of mitochondrial adenine nucleotides in the newborn rabbit.

Abstract 1. 1. In newborn rabbit liver the mitochondrial adenine nucleotide pool (ATP+ADP+AMP) size increased from 6.4±0.4 to 14.5±0.7 nmol/mg mitochondrial protein within 2 hr after birth. 2. 2. Gluconeogenesis (from lactate) in isolated hepatocytes rose from 13.1 ± 1.9 at birth to 42.3 ± 2.4 nmol glucose/min/10 7 cells at 2 hr. 3. 3. Pyruvate carboxylation in isolated mitochondria increased in parallel from 42.8 ± 4.9 at birth to 108.6 ± 8.2 nmol H 14 CO 3 − /min/mg mitochondrial protein at 2 hr. 4. 4. The similar developmental time course for these three phenomena suggested that the rapid increase in gluconeogenesis might be a result of increased availability of adenine nucleotides to the ATP-requiring mitochondrial enzyme, pyruvate carboxylase. 5. 5. Manipulation of the mitochondrial adenine nucleotide pool size in vitro resulted in predictable changes in the rate of pyruvate carboxylation. 6. 6. We concluded that the postnatal increase in mitochondrial adenine nucleotide content stimulates pyruvate carboxylation, thereby causing a rapid increase in the rate of gluconeogenesis.
The variability of nuclear DNA and its implications for polyploidy in white ash (Fraxinus americana L.: Oleaceae)

Cytophotometric studies of both mature and embryonic tissues of white ash (Fraxinus americana L.) revealed considerable variability of nuclear DNA content in this dioecious polyploid species (2n= 46, 92, 138). Triploid and pentaploid embryos may be produced, and mature individuals of these odd ploidy levels, in turn, may occur in natural populations. Polyploidy may have originated in this species through the union of unreduced gametes.
Competing Causes of Death and Medical Comorbidities among Patients With Human Papillomavirus-Positive Versus -Negative Oropharyngeal Carcinoma and Its Impact on Compliance to Radiation Therapy

differences in outcomes in LA-HNSCC between C225 and CDDP were influenced by HPV Status. Materials/Methods: We reviewed the records of 147 consecutive patients with LA-HNSCC treated with definitive chemo-RT at one of our 3 institutions with known HPV status. Patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma, oral cavity carcinoma, or distant metastasis at time of presentation were excluded. Further, patients who received induction chemotherapy or additional concurrent systemic agents were excluded. At institution 1, HPV Status was determined by p16 or HPV ISH; at institute 2 by PCR or p16; and at institute 3 by p16 or non-keratinizing histology. Smoking status was divided between those with a 10 pack-yr history or greater vs those without. Actuarial curves were created with the Kaplan-Meier method and multivariate Analysis (MVA) was performed with a Cox-regression model. Results: Median follow-up in surviving patients was 43 months. Ninetytwo (63%) patients were treated with CDDP and 55 (37%) with C225. T-stage, N-stage, smoking, and alcohol consumption were well balanced between the two groups. There were more patients greater than 70 yrs of age in the C225 group (22% vs 6%, p < 0.001) and more HPVpatients (44% vs 25%, p Z 0.03). The 2-year cumulative incidence of locoregional failure (LRF) was significantly higher with C225 compared to CDDP (41.9% vs 12.6%, p < 0.001). Subgroup analysis of patients by HPV status revealed increased 2-yr LRF with C225 in HPV+ patients (33.6% vs 10.4%, p Z 0.02) and in HPVpatients (52.6% vs 20.3%, p Z 0.02). MVA of LRF adjusting for HPV, T Stage, and N Stage continued to show improved outcomes with CDDP (HR Z 0.26, p Z 0.002). The 2-year DFS was also significantly worse with C225 compared to CDDP (38.6% vs 82.6%, p < 0.001). Subgroup analysis by HPV again revealed worse 2-yr DFS with C225 in HPV+ (46.4% vs 84.8%, p < 0.001) and HPVpatients (29.2 vs 74.9%, p < 0.001). MVA of DFS adjusting for HPV, Age, T stage, N Stage, and smoking demonstrated improved DFS with CDDP (HR Z 0.31, p < 0.001). Results for OS were similar. Conclusions: Loco-regional control and DFS are significantly improved with concurrent cisplatin as compared to cetuximab in definitive RT for HNSCC. Both HPV+ and HPV patients benefit from CDDP-based concurrent therapy in LA-HNSCC. Author Disclosure: N. Riaz: None. A. Baschnagel: None. D. Adkins: E. Research Grant; Lilly. S. Rao: None. J. Huang: None. P. Chen: None. J. Ley: None. D. Krauss: None. W. Thorstad: None. N. Lee: None.
Dispersion in VLEACH and Similar Models

VLEACH is a simple one-dimensional vadose zone leaching model capable of simulating volatile chemical transport. There is no explicit dispersion coefficient in VLEACH. Solutions computed with it show dispersion due to diffusion in the gaseous phase and its interaction with the liquid phase and also due to the discretization of the problem domain. By turning off gaseous diffusion and comparing VLEACH results to the standard convection dispersion equation, this Computer Note illustrates that the effective dispersivity due to the discretization is equal to half of the model cell size.
Rebuttal to "Comments on 'a theory of the Hooge parameters of solid-state devices'"

The basic ideas of the quantum 1/f noise theory are presented here briefly only up to the point needed in order to answer the questions raised by Dr. Black [1], and to clarify whether or not they contain new contributions or if they are just caused by lack of familiarity with the theory. All claims of inconsistencies and flaws in the theoretical framework are rejected as unfounded.
CobWeb: a proactive analysis-driven approach to content distribution

CobWeb is an open-access content distribution network (CDN) that provides low latency lookups, resilience to flash crowds, and optimal utilization of network resources. Unlike traditional Web caches and CDNs, which rely on ad hoc heuristics for replica placement and cache management, CobWeb achieves superior performance through a unique analysis driven approach. CobWeb derives the optimal replica placement strategy by posing the fundamental performance-overhead tradeoff as a resource constraint problem. Analytically modeling the costs and performance benefits of replicas enables CobWeb to convert the systems problem to an optimization problem. The optimization problem can then be solved to provide, for instance, minimal lookup latency while achieving a targeted bandwidth cost, or to achieve a targeted lookup performance while minimizing bandwidth consumption. CobWeb is currently deployed on Planet-Lab and is available for open access through an intuitive easy-to-use interface.