cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
How much is too much? Advising patients about safe levels of alcohol consumption

United States physicians are increasingly encouraged to advise patients about health-related behaviors, such as smoking, but there is minimal discussion in the US medical literature about the need to advise patients about safe levels of alcohol consumption. Several factors likely contribute to this lack of focus on safe drinking practices. These include the complex relationship between drinking and health, limitations in the available epidemiologic data, misinterpretation of the disease model of alcoholism, and physician attitudes. Nevertheless, epidemiologic evidence clearly relates increasing levels of alcohol consumption to increased morbidity and mortality, and research has shown that physician advice can reduce both alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problems. We propose that physicians thoroughly assess patients' alcohol consumption and advise patients who drink about safe levels of consumption. (Arch Intern Med. 1993;153:2734-2740)
Stockpiled tall fescue and livestock performance in an early stage midwest silvopasture system

Using stockpiled forage can substantially reduce livestock feed costs over the winter. However, little is known about utilizing stockpiled forage in an early-stage silvopasture system. This study was conducted to determine if silvopasture production practices utilizing stockpiled forage influence stocker steer performance. The treatments were: (1) stockpiled forage in a non-forested pasture (OPEN) and (2) stockpiled forage in a silvopasture (TREE). Grazing began early December and ended in late February in each of 2 years. Each treatment was replicated three times in a completely randomized design. Forage nutritive value, production, and steer average daily gain (ADG) for the OPEN and TREE treatments were not significantly different as long as the areas occupied by trees was excluded from analyses. When the area occupied by trees was included, the OPEN treatment produced more (P < 0.01) forage than the TREE treatment, with the OPEN producing 3510 kg ha−1 and the TREE producing 2812 kg ha−1. Average daily gain (P = 0.21) was 0.41 kg for the steers in the OPEN treatment and 0.37 kg for steers in the TREE treatment. Gain per ha was significantly different (P < 0.01); the OPEN treatment produced 193 kg of animal gain and the TREE treatment produced 125 kg of animal gain. Exclusion of the area under the tree row from the analysis changed the total gain per ha for the TREE treatment to 148 kg, but was still less (P = 0.01) than the OPEN treatment.
The use of hyperfunctions for radiation reaction calculations in classical field theories

Abstract It is shown that the use of hyperfunctions in classical field-theoretical calculations of radiation reaction terms leads to calculational simplifications. No analytic continuation is necessary. The calculation of electromagnetic radiation reaction terms is done as an example. The extension of hyperfunction techniques to general relativity and Yang-Mills fields is discussed.
Smoking as a weight-control strategy and its relationship to smoking status

This investigation assessed the use of cigarettes for weight control and the relative impact of weight-control smoking and dietary restraint on current smoking status and future intent to quit smoking in 221 smokers and ex-smokers. We found that weight-control smokers were more likely to gain weight in previous quit attempts, had less formal education, scored higher on dietary restraint, and reported higher weight among biologic parents. Females who gained weight in previous cessation attempts were also more likely to be weight-control smokers. Current smoking was predicted by decreasing age, weight-control issues, lower dietary restraint, less education, more cigarettes smoked per day, less obesity in parents, and more cessation attempts. Females with higher relative weights were more likely to be smokers than males with less relative weight. The results indicated that the number of fewer prior quit attempts, higher levels of weight-control smoking, and increasing age predicted plans not to quit smoking. These results have important implications for those subjects at risk for continued smoking.
Faulting apparently related to the 1994 Northridge, California, earthquake and possible co-seismic origin of surface cracks in Potrero Canyon, Los Angeles County, California

Apparent southward-dipping, reverse-fault zones are imaged to depths of about 1.5 km beneath Potrero Canyon, Los Angeles County, California. Based on their orientation and projection to the surface, we suggest that the imaged fault zones are extensions of the Oak Ridge fault. Geologic mapping by others and correlations with seismicity studies suggest that the Oak Ridge fault is the causative fault of the 17 January 1994 Northridge earthquake (Northridge fault). Our seismically imaged faults may be among several faults that collectively comprise the Northridge thrust fault system. Unusually strong shaking in Potrero Canyon during the Northridge earthquake may have resulted from focusing of seismic energy or co-seismic move- ment along existing, related shallow-depth faults. The strong shaking produced ground-surface cracks and sand blows distributed along the length of the canyon. Seismic reflection and refraction images show that shallow-depth faults may underlie some of the observed surface cracks. The relationship between observed surface cracks and imaged faults indicates that some of the surface cracks may have devel- oped from nontectonic alluvial movement, but others may be fault related. Imme- diately beneath the surface cracks, P-wave velocities are unusually low (<400 m/sec), and there are velocity anomalies consistent with a seismic reflection image of shallow faulting to depths of at least 100 m. On the basis of velocity data, we suggest that unconsolidated soils (<800 rrdsec) extend to depths of about 15 to 20 m beneath our datum (<25 m below ground surface). The underlying rocks range in velocity from about 1000 to 5000 m/sec in the upper 100 m. This study illustrates the utility of high-resolution seismic imaging in assessing local and regional seismic hazards.
Airborne endotoxin from indoor and outdoor environments: effect of sample dilution on the kinetic Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) assay.

Airborne endotoxins in occupational environments are a potential respiratory hazard to individuals. In this study, airborne endotoxins were collected using open-face and button aerosol samplers from inside animal housing units and downwind from agricultural production sites and a wastewater treatment plant. Filter extracts were then diluted to examine the effect of interfering substances on the kinetic Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) assay. In most cases, the overall endotoxin concentration was shown to decrease with increasing dilution up to 1000-fold, suggesting the presence of enhancing substances in the filter extracts. This dilution-dependent effect was most prominent in the open-face endotoxin samples, while button samples displayed little effect. Using a joinpoint regression model, it was determined that a dilution factor of 50 to 100 was generally sufficient to eliminate the presence of enhancing substances. After screening the data for dilution dependent effects, the airborne endotoxin concentrati...
A Virtual Environment for Teaching Social Skills: AViSSS

For typical adolescents, developing appropriate social skills can be difficult. For those with Asperger's syndrome (AS), this task is much more difficult and can be a determining factor in school success. Recent studies indicate that students with AS, who are often visual learners, can learn social skills through computer-based tasks. To help individuals with AS deal with social challenges, researchers have developed the Animated Visual Supports for Social Skills (AViSSS) 3D virtual environment. In AViSSS, a rendering engine aids the rendering of animations, characters, objects, and environments. As students interact in the virtual environment, AViSSS presents them with various situations and possible responses. Each response delivers a different simulated result, along with an explanation of the choice.
Developing a quantitative method to evaluate peach (Prunus persica) flesh mealiness

A quantitative method to measure peach flesh mealiness based on free juice was developed. Free juice was measured by subjecting fruit tissue to a pressing force of 667 N for 1 min before centrifugation. After this extraction, the juice was collected and centrifuged at 6000g for 10 min. The supernatant was weighed and used to represent the free juice from the total initial tissue. The percentage of free juice was more sensitive and it had a higher correlation to mealiness measured visually and by a trained panel than the extractable juice method. Our work also demonstrated that trained judges were able to perceive mealiness earlier than visual mealiness symptoms were expressed. This free juice measurement provides an objective and accurate method to evaluate mealiness potential of stone fruit breeding lines and fruit biochemical and/or physiological changes during postharvest storage. © 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Homologous Expression of the Caldicellulosiruptor bescii CelA Reveals that the Extracellular Protein Is Glycosylated

Members of the bacterial genus Caldicellulosiruptor are the most thermophilic cellulolytic microbes described with ability to digest lignocellulosic biomass without conventional pretreatment. The cellulolytic ability of different species varies dramatically and correlates with the presence of the multimodular cellulase CelA, which contains both a glycoside hydrolase family 9 endoglucanase and a glycoside hydrolase family 48 exoglucanase known to be synergistic in their activity, connected by three cellulose-binding domains via linker peptides. This architecture exploits the cellulose surface ablation driven by its general cellulase processivity as well as excavates cavities into the surface of the substrate, revealing a novel paradigm for cellulase activity. We recently reported that a deletion of celA in C. bescii had a significant effect on its ability to utilize complex biomass. To analyze the structure and function of CelA and its role in biomass deconstruction, we constructed a new expression vector for C. bescii and were able, for the first time, to express significant quantities of full-length protein in vivo in the native host. The protein, which contains a Histidine tag, was active and excreted from the cell. Expression of CelA protein with and without its signal sequence allowed comparison of protein retained intracellularly to protein transported extracellularly. Analysis of protein in culture supernatants revealed that the extracellular CelA protein is glycosylated whereas the intracellular CelA is not, suggesting that either protein transport is required for this post-translational modification or that glycosylation is required for protein export. The mechanism and role of protein glycosylation in bacteria is poorly understood and the ability to express CelA in vivo in C. bescii will allow the study of the mechanism of protein glycosylation in this thermophile. It will also allow the study of glycosylation of CelA itself and its role in the structure and function of this important enzyme in biomass deconstruction.
Competitive heterogeneous enzyme immunoassay for theophylline by flow-injection analysis with electrochemical detection of p-aminophenol

A competitive enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay based on the flow-injection amperometric detection of p-aminophenol has been investigated with use of the materials and general procedure of a commercial kit for the determination of theophylline in human serum. The antibody is immobilized on glass beads, and the enzyme label is alkaline phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.1). The high currents generated during the electrochemical detection allowed a rapid (35 min) and simple determination of theophylline throughout its therapeutic range (10-20 mg/L) and also in the subtherapeutic range (detection limit of about 80 micrograms/L).
Contested Interpretations of Economic Inequality Following Hurricane Katrina

Americans are deeply divided over the meaning of the poverty and racial exclusion revealed in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Media accounts of the hurricane riveted, angered, and depressed many Americans, but did not lead to a national consensus in favor of new policies to fight poverty and economic inequality. This article considers theories and research evidence that may help to explain this failure. Self-serving and group-serving biases lead many economically advantaged Americans to assign responsibility for poverty to individual actors, ignoring systemic factors. Motivated reasoning to justify existing economic and political systems and to maintain belief in a just world leads many, of all socioeconomic statuses, to explain economic inequalities as the result of purely individual factors. Media coverage of the hurricane may inadvertently have deflected attention from systemic causes of poverty by focusing attention on individual actors in the wake of the storm.
Facial Movements Are Not Goosebumps: A Response to Chapman and Anderson

Aside from adducing little data that bear on our original concerns (pervasive “audience effects” in the encoding of identifiable “disgust expressions”/lack of morally induced disgust versus moral disgust differentiation), Chapman and Anderson (2011) fail to muster a convincing body of evidence for the founding premise of their empirical endeavor—disgust is a bona fide “basic emotion” whose theoretically predicted FM pattern is a goosebump-like, metaphor-resistant readout capable of being effectively analyzed within the “expression programs” canon, leading us to reaffirm that our favored alternative, the “moral disgust as a metaphor” interpretation, is as consistent with all the pertinent data (including theirs), if not more so.
A high bandwidth low inertia motor for haptic rendering based on clutched eddy current effects

The capacity of a conventional haptic device to render a mechanical impedance that approximates free space requires actuators with exceptionally low rotor inertia. Reducing rotor inertia in a DC motor design invariably means reducing the peak torque output, which in turn compromises the device's ability to render stiff, massive objects. To meet the large dynamic range requirement in haptic device applications without compromise, we present the design of an actuator that produces high torque on a low inertia rotor through the use of the eddy current braking effect. Eddy currents couple the rotor to a spinning, motorized stator through the action of a torque proportional to relative speed. In our design, permanent magnets are fixed to a two-part stator such that magnetic fields with alternating polarity transect a thin, aluminum disk-shaped rotor. By shifting the relative angular position of the two opposing stator parts under motor control, the magnetic fields traversing the rotor can be modulated between near zero and full intensity. Thus the torque output is effectively clutched under computer control. In this paper we analyze the limits to the speed of response of this design and present characterization results obtained using a prototype device.
Comparison of emergency department and hospital admissions data for air pollution time-series studies

Background: Emergency department (ED) visit and hospital admissions (HA) data have been an indispensible resource for assessing acute morbidity impacts of air pollution. ED visits and HAs are types of health care visits with similarities, but also potentially important differences. Little previous information is available regarding the impact of health care visit type on observed acute air pollution-health associations from studies conducted for the same location, time period, outcome definitions and model specifications. Methods: As part of a broader study of air pollution and health in St. Louis, individual-level ED and HA data were obtained for a 6.5 year period for acute care hospitals in the eight Missouri counties of the St. Louis metropolitan area. Patient demographic characteristics and diagnostic code distributions were compared for four visit types including ED visits, HAs, HAs that came through the ED, and non-elective HAs. Time-series analyses of the relationship between daily ambient ozone and PM2.5 and selected cardiorespiratory outcomes were conducted for each visit type. Results: Our results indicate that, compared with ED patients, HA patients tended to be older, had evidence of greater severity for some outcomes, and had a different mix of specific outcomes. Consideration of ‘HA through ED’ appeared to more effectively select acute visits than consideration of ‘non-elective HA’. While outcomes with the strongest observed temporal associations with air pollutants tended to show strong associations for all visit types, we found some differences in observed associations for ED visits and HAs. For example, risk ratios for the respiratory disease-ozone association were 1.020 for ED visits and 1.004 for ‘HA through ED’; risk ratios for the asthma/wheeze-ozone association were 1.069 for ED visits and 1.106 for ‘HA through ED’. Several factors (e.g. age) were identified that may be responsible, in part, for the differences in observed associations. Conclusions: Demographic and diagnostic differences between visit types may lead to preference for one visit type over another for some questions and populations. The strengths of observed associations with air pollutants sometimes varied between different health care visit types, but the relative strengths of association generally were specific to the pollutant-outcome combination.
Effect of limiting the downlink power in CDMA systems with or without forward power control

This paper investigates the effects of limiting the downlink transmit power in cellular CDMA communications systems. The composite signal transmitted in downlink is the sum of all the signals intended for different users. The amplitude of the composite baseband signal depends on the data bits, the spreading waveforms of the users, and the forward power control algorithm, and it determines the transmit power. Two of the important constraints when designing the RF circuits are the average transmit power and the peak transmit power. These two parameters are often specified in terms of the peak-to-average power ratio. One way to reduce the peak-to-average power ratio is to clip the composite baseband signal before modulating it. The analysis in this paper investigates how the signal-to-noise ratio at the remote receiver changes as a result of this clipping. The results show that the peak-to-average power ratio can be made significantly smaller without notable signal-to-noise ratio degradation.
Influence of Dietary Protein during the Pre-Breeder Period on Subsequent Reproductive Performance of Large White Turkeys 3. The Effects of Semen Volume and Frequency of Insemination on Fertility and Hatchability

Abstract Large White turkey breeders of a commercial variety were used to determine the effects of pre-breeder dietary protein, frequency of insemination, and semen volume on subsequent reproductive performance. Treatments included female dietary protein levels of 10, 12, 14, and 17% fed from 12 to 32 weeks of age and 10, 12, and 14% protein from 20 to 32 weeks of age; male dietary protein levels of 12 and 17% fed from 12 to 56 weeks of age; and artificial insemination (AI) treatments of a) .025 ml of semen at weekly intervals, b) .025 ml of semen at biweekly intervals, and c) .05 ml of semen at biweekly intervals in a factorial arrangement of treatments. Male dietary treatment had no significant effect on fertility or hatchability of fertile eggs. Female pre-breeder protein levels also had no significant effect on fertility but resulted in lower hatchability of fertile eggs during the latter part of the production period when females were fed either the 10 or 12% protein pre-breeder diets. Weekly inseminations with .025 ml of semen resulted in the highest average level of fertility during the production year (90%), followed by biweekly insemination with .05 ml (87%) and .025 ml (85%) of semen, respectively. Hatchability of fertile eggs was significantly higher for hens receiving .05 ml of semen biweekly than for the other two AI treatments during the latter half of the production year only. However, weekly inseminations caused a significant decline (6.7 eggs/hen) in egg production when compared to hens inseminated at biweekly intervals. The average number of fertile eggs was greatest for females inseminated with .05 ml semen biweekly (54.3) compared to those inseminated with .025 ml of semen biweekly (53.0) or .025 ml of semen weekly (50.2).
The cycle of violence and disconnection among rural middle school students: teacher disconnection as a consequence of violence

A hypothesized relationship between early violent behavior and subsequent connectedness in middle school was examined. Using self-report survey data and a hybrid structural model, the impact of violent behavior on connectedness to teachers and to school among 136 predominantly Caucasian, rural middle school students was examined. After accounting for parenting practices, which explained most of the variance in violence and connectedness, the data revealed a direct effect of violent behavior on connectedness. The data suggest that middle school students who have engaged in violent behavior are likely to experience disconnection from their teachers, and that this disconnection may provide a target for educators' efforts to prevent violence in schools.
Public health and economic impact of dampness and mold.

The public health risk and economic impact of dampness and mold exposures was assessed using current asthma as a health endpoint. Individual risk of current asthma from exposure to dampness and mold in homes from Fisk et al. (2007), and asthma risks calculated from additional studies that reported the prevalence of dampness and mold in homes were used to estimate the proportion of U.S. current asthma cases that are attributable to dampness and mold exposure at 21% (95% confidence internal 12-29%). An examination of the literature covering dampness and mold in schools, offices, and institutional buildings, which is summarized in the appendix, suggests that risks from exposure in these buildings are similar to risks from exposures in homes. Of the 21.8 million people reported to have asthma in the U.S., approximately 4.6 (2.7-6.3) million cases are estimated to be attributable to dampness and mold exposure in the home. Estimates of the national cost of asthma from two prior studies were updated to 2004 and used to estimate the economic impact of dampness and mold exposures. By applying the attributable fraction to the updated national annual cost of asthma, the national annual cost of asthma that is attributable to dampness and mold exposure in the home is estimated to be $3.5 billion ($2.1-4.8 billion). Analysis indicates that exposure to dampness and mold in buildings poses significant public health and economic risks in the U.S. These findings are compatible with public policies and programs that help control moisture and mold in buildings.
Nanoscale chemiresistor arrays with patterned nanoparticle interface layers for micro gas chromatography

Chemiresistor (CR) arrays with nanoscale electrode features and crosslinked thiolate-monolayer-protected gold nanoparticle (MPN) sensing layers were fabricated and characterized. These arrays, intended for ultimate use as detectors in a micro-scale gas chromatograph, employ interdigital electrodes (10 µm finger length with 100 nm width and spacing) patterned by electron-beam lithography. Films of different MPNs were sequentially deposited on the electrodes and crosslinked by electron-beam exposure. Responses to vapors were compared with those from a reference array with uncrosslinked films. Differences in sensitivities and response patterns between crosslinked and uncrosslinked arrays with the same MPN films are rationalized in terms of structural changes in the MPN ligands and related changes in vapor sorption by the films.
Making Sense of Blips

ultrasensitive viral load assays. This goal is readily achievable in patients who are adherent to potent regimens, as indicated by the high rates of success observed in clinical trials and observational cohort studies. Nevertheless, patients sometimes have detectable viral loads even under the best of circumstances. In fact, the situation is common enough to require new terminology, resulting in the introduction of the delightful term "blip" into our medical vocabulary. A blip is generally defined as a single, low-level but detectable plasma viral load measurement (e.g., 501000 copies/mL) that is immediately preceded and followed by a viral load below the limit of detection. The causes and clinical implications of blips have been debated, and the data are far from consistent. Potential explanations for blips can be divided into 2 broad categories on the basis of whether they are viewed as episodes of true viremia due to viral replication or as artifactual measurements. Support for the latter viewpoint includes evidence that blips may represent random biologic or laboratory variation around a mean viral load that is be-
Cellular traffic and Ethernet

This paper describes the relationship between what is well known to the users or system architects (node generated traffic) and parameters important to the LAN designers (offered traffic). The offered traffic (traffic a LAN deals with) may be substantially larger than the original traffic owing to multiple retransmissions. As an example, the typical cellular traffic environment is taken to look at the selection process in choosing the adequate type of Ethernet.
The Effectiveness of Teaching Reduced Forms of Listening Comprehension

This classroom research investigates the effectiveness of teaching reduced forms (e.g., "gonna" for "going to") for improving listen ing comprehension among EFL students in the People's Republic of...
Challenges in forecasting the long-term impacts of multiple stressors on a mid-Atlantic region, USA

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, has selected a multistate region in the mid-Atlantic as a pilot location for its regional vulnerability assessment initiative. The study included an initial problem-formulation (hazard-identification) phase conducted in consultation with local stakeholders. Nine ecological hazard (stressor) categories were selected for study based on scientific criteria and resource limitations. Initial products included one or more stressor data sets (profiles) for each hazard category, which represented an initial attempt at creating a continuous baseline database necessary for subsequent ecosystem exposure assessment. Stressor profiles were developed from the interpolation of monitoring network point data, modeling forecasts, and the processing of continuous data sets. Disparate data resolutions and temporal inconsistences among profiles will require that uncertainties for each profile be documented during multiple stressor analysis. Such uncertainties in data quality must be effectively portrayed to illustrate how they can limit profile utility during quantitative exposure analysis. Current research efforts have focused on the identification of ecosystem receptor endpoints of critical importance to maintaining ecosystem function in the mid-Atlantic. This research includes the establishment of stressor-receptor exposure period, magnitude, and duration of biological importance in an initial survey-level analysis to support the selection of stressors and receptors for exposure assessment analysis. Subsequent to this selection process, receptor data sets will be assembled at appropriate spatial and temporal resolutions commensurate with the exposure pathway processes of interest. Exposure profiles will be developed based on the cooccurrence of both stressor and receptor in both space and time required to represent a biologically significant exposure.
Assessing the probability of the presence of low pathogenicity avian influenza virus in exported chicken meat

Avian influenza (AI) is a disease of concern for the poultry industry. In its highly pathogenic form, AI viruses (AIVs) can cause a high morbidity and case fatality rate as well as severe economic consequences. Low pathogenic AIVs (LPAIVs), in contrast, only cause localized infections in the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts of affected birds. Although there is apparently sufficient scientific evidence documenting the absence of LPAIV in poultry meat, several countries still place restrictions for international trade of poultry meat on LPAIV-infected countries. These restrictions are extremely trade disruptive and entail significant losses to the poultry industry. This article presents a quantitative approach to assess the probability of LPAIV presence in chicken meat and provides a model that can be tailored to reflect the epidemiology of LPAIV and surveillance systems in different countries. Results show that the probability of introducing LPAIV through chicken meat imports is insignificant.
Computers, Tablets, and Smart Phones: The Truth About Web-based Surveys

The exponential increase of smart phone, tablet, and laptop use places the topic of web-based surveys at the center of survey methodology discussions. As individuals now have a variety of options for taking online surveys, researchers must understand who completes their surveys through which device as it may impact completion rates and data quality. The analysis of two national online surveys (n=487 and n=1,046) revealed that individuals utilizing smart phones to complete the studies were significantly younger than those accessing surveys through computers, while only one study indicated a significant gender difference with females using smart phones more than males. Additionally, data showed that the respondent’s level of education did not significantly differ by device used to take the surveys. The exponential increase of smart phone, tablet, and laptop use places the topic of web-based surveys at the center of survey methodologydiscussions. As individuals now have a variety of options for takingonline surveys, researchers must understand who completes their surveysthrough which device as it may impact completion rates and data quality.The analysis of two national online surveys (n=487 and n=1,046) revealedthat individuals utilizing smart phones to complete the studies weresignificantly younger than those accessing surveys through computers,while only one study indicated a significant gender difference with femalesusing smart phones more than males. Additionally, data showed that therespondent’s level of education did not significantly differ by device usedto take the surveys.
Why Corporate Bonds May Disappoint: Disappointment Aversion and the Credit Spread Puzzle

I propose a novel consumption-based asset pricing model with disappointment averse investors to address the credit spread puzzle. In the post-war sample, periods of high default rates and low recovery rates coincide with periods of much worse than expected macroeconomic conditions (disappointment events). The disappointment model can generate realistic credit spreads because investors penalize defaults more heavily during these disappointment periods than during normal times. Further, disappointment aversion is able to match key moments for credit spreads, the equity premium, and the risk-free rate using risk and disappointment aversion parameters that are consistent with experimental evidence at the micro-level. By applying disappointment theory to corporate bond pricing, I am also able to disentangle disappointment aversion from traditional risk aversion, while showing that the two cannot be separated if the stock market is the only test asset.
Sex steroid binding proteins in non-mammalian vertebrates.

High affinity cytosolic and nuclear steroid binding macromolecules have been identified in steroid target tissues of representative amphibians, reptiles and birds. In addition to these traditional “receptors” evidence exists which indicates the presence of other steroid binding proteins, varying in affinity and specificity, in the cytosol of steroid targets (liver, oviduct) of these same species. The possible relationships between cytosolic binding proteins of differing affinity and specificity and their relevance to hormone action in non-mammalian species is discussed.
Property Rights and Development Exclusion: Case of the Scheduled Tribes in Manipur

To what extent does the disconnect between the property rights system in the tribal regions and the modern financial system impact on the development outcomes of the tribals?
Organizational Income Inequality and Precarious Employee Relations: The Role of Social Distance

At the societal level of analysis, researchers often have examined the potential dysfunctional consequences of income inequality. Wilkinson and Pickett (2005), for example, identified 155 papers reporting findings on the association between income distribution and population health and observed that a large majority of those studies suggest that health is worse in those cities where income differences are larger. A key setting in which societal income inequality is produced are organizations (e.g., Baron, 1984; Davis & Cobb, 2013). In this paper, we examine the size of the income gap between top managers and rank-and-file workers and the experienced job security of those workers. We focus, in this initial effort, on experienced job insecurity or what Kalleberg (2009) labels, “precarious employment relations” because while such employment is viewed by managers as a source of flexibility, it is seen by workers as uncertain, unpredictable, and risky, and thus, an undesirable aspect of a job (Kalleberg, 2011), one that is on the rise in the United States (e.g., Cappelli, 1999; Farber, 2008; Fullerton & Wallace, 2005; Hecker, 2006; Jacoby, 2001). Over the last several decades, income inequality in organizations, or what top managers make relative to average employees, has increased dramatically. Here, we suggest that an increase in organizational income inequality results in top executives perceiving increased social distance between themselves and ordinary employees in the organization. Social distance is a reflection of the ways in which individuals see each other as different from one another (Eveland, Nathanson, Detenber, & McLeod, 1999; Fiedler, 1953). Research suggests that the greater the social distance, the less positive individuals feel about the out-group, the less likely they are to think of them as individuals, the more likely they are to engage in uncooperative or even predatory behavior (Brescia, 2011). Moreover, construal level theory suggests that social distance predisposes people to construe information abstractly (Magee & Smith, 2013) and focus on the central aspects of situations such as profit maximization, disregarding secondary aspects such as moral concerns related to business decisions. Thus, we argue that increased social distance as a consequence of income inequality may cause executives to think of their relationship to ordinary employees in primarily short run economic terms and treat their employees in ways that maximize their short-term value to the firm by resorting to work practices such as summary dismissal and layoffs. In sum, we propose that as income inequality in an organization increases, its top managers are more likely to formulate policies that adversely affect employee relations. We present evidence from two archival studies as well as a lab experiment that support our conjecture.
Writing violence in Seventeenth-Century Yucatan: Fray Bernardo de Lizana's Devocionario de nuestra Señora de Izamal y Conquista espiritual de Yucatán (1633)

Although long considered a minor work, Franciscan friar Bernardo de Lizana's Devocionario de nuestra Senora de Izamal y Conquista espiritual de Yucatan (1633) is key for understanding what the author himself termed the ‘spiritual conquest’ of colonial Yucatan. Deploying Jose Rabasa's concept of ‘writing violence,’ this essay shows how this text works to promote a culture of forceful spiritual conquest, reminiscent of the culture of spiritual conquest of the primitive Yucatecan church (1545–1562), in order to complete the conquest of the last independent Maya on the peninsula.
Background-Free Characterization of Traveling-Wave Optomechanical Devices with Ultrafast Time Domain Spectroscopy

We employ time-domain measurement of a guided-wave nano-optomechanical systems to reveal the transient phonon response which would otherwise be obscured by additional interwaveguide processes.
Response to Letter to the Editor, “Measurement of Workplace Violence Reporting”:

We are grateful for the thoughtful comments on our recent article, “Underreporting of Workplace Violence: Comparison of Self-Report and Actual Documentation of Hospital Incidents” (Arnetz, Hamblin, Ager, et al., 2015). The writer raises issues that are well worthy of discussion. However, on a number of points, there has been some misunderstanding that we hope this response will clarify.
Statins for non-dialysis chronic kidney disease.

When taken over a five-year period, statins significantly reduce all-cause mortality (number needed to treat [NNT] = 56), cardiovascular mortality (NNT = 86), and nonfatal cardiovascular events (NNT = 25).
Localized and lateralized cerebral glucose metabolism associated with eye movements during REM sleep and wakefulness: a positron emission tomography (PET) study.

In order to study the neural substrate for eye movements during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, we analyzed the positron emission tomography ( 18 Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography) scan data obtained from normal subjects. Eye movement data were available on nine subjects studied during nighttime REM sleep and six control subjects studied during waking as they periodically moved their eyes. The number of eye movements during REM sleep was positively correlated with glucose metabolic rate in the areas corresponding to (a) the saccadic eye movement system (frontal eye field and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, statistically significant only on the right side), (b) the midline attentional system (cingulate and medial frontal cortex, precuneus) and (c) the parietal visual spatial attentional system (bilateral superior parietal lobules, right inferior parietal lobule) ; and negatively correlated with relative metabolic rate in the left inferior parietal lobule. Positive correlations between waking eye movements and metabolic rate were observed in the same areas except inferior parietal lobule. Our results show that the same cortical areas are involved in eye movements in both REM sleep and wakefulness and suggest that REM sleep eye movements are saccadic scans of targets in the dream scene. Our data also suggest right hemispheric specialization in saccadic eye movement control and reciprocal inhibition in the contralateral homologous area during higher cortical functioning. .
Building quantum logic circuits using arrays of superconducting qubits

Quantum computing holds the promise of a novel form of information processing in which data resides in quantum states. By exploiting superpositions and entanglement among these states, quantum logic operations are expected to far surpass conventional digital logic in certain classes of problems. To realize this prospect, we employ superconducting circuits at millikelvin temperatures. The nonlinearity of a Josephson tunnel junction enables a two-level quantum system, or qubit, with excitation energy in the microwave regime. Key recent advances in such devices are the demonstration of robust and simple multi-qubit gates, the integration of superconducting qubits into arrays of four or more, and gate fidelities reaching 99%. [1,2,3]
Connecting Geology, History, and the Classics Through a Course in Geomythology

Geomythology is an interdisciplinary course in which students examine the possibility that some ancient myths may have originated as accounts of real geologic events. The course focuses on Mesopota...
Resuscitation of Injured Salmonella spp. and Coliforms from Foods.

Because damaged cells may account for a substantial proportion of the bacterial population in processed foods, the food microbiologist must choose the most appropriate methods for detecting damaged as well as noninjured cells. Any method intended to recover damaged organisms should include a resuscitative, or repair, process that will restore the injured cells to a sound physiological condition before subjecting them to the severity of selective enrichment media. It should also provide a reliable indication of the microbiological safety and quality of any particular food. This paper reviews various factors that affect the recovery of Salmonella spp., which include: (a) sample rehydration, (b) period of preenrichment, (c) incubation in both aerobic and anaerobic environments, (d) media composition and (e) the relative merits of preenrichment and direct selective enrichment. Because resuscitation of injured Salmonella cells does not occur during the selective enrichment step and beyond, the effect and interaction of these factors are considered primarily for the preenrichment step of the isolation procedure for Salmonella . This paper also reviews five methods recently developed for recovery of coliforms, which include: (a) hydrophobic grid membrane filtration, (b) radiometry, (c) electrical impedance, (d) fluorogenic assay and (e) the Petrifilm system. Each of these methods may incorporate a step for resuscitation of injured organisms.
Chlamydia trachomatis Transformation and Allelic Exchange Mutagenesis

Gene inactivation is essential for forward and reverse genetic approaches to establish protein function. Techniques such as insertion or chemical mutagenesis have been developed to mutagenize chlamydiae via targeted or random mutagenesis, respectively. Both of these approaches require transformation of chlamydiae to either introduce insertion elements or complement mutants. We have recently developed a targeted mutagenesis strategy, fluorescence-reported allelic exchange mutagenesis (FRAEM), to delete Chlamydia trachomatis L2 genes. This approach overcomes several barriers for genetically manipulating intracellular bacteria. Perhaps most significantly, FRAEM employs fluorescence reporting to indicate successful transformation and subsequent recombination events. Three protocols are provided that detail methods to construct gene-specific suicide vectors, transform C. trachomatis L2 to select for recombinants, and isolate clonal populations via limiting dilution. In aggregate, these protocols will allow investigators to engineer C. trachomatis L2 strains carrying complete deletions of desired gene(s). © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Maternal-infant interaction as an influence on infant adiposity.

Objectives The aim of this research is to identify whether specific aspects of the early life psychosocial environment such as quality of home and maternal-infant interaction are associated with increased infant adiposity, in a disadvantaged population in the United States. Methods Data on 121 mother-infant pairs from the Albany Pregnancy and Infancy Lead Study were analyzed using three multiple linear regression models with subscapular skinfold thickness (SST), triceps skinfold thickness (TST), and weight z-scores at 12 months of age as outcome variables. Maternal-infant interaction was indexed by the Nursing Child Assessment Teaching Scales (NCATS) and home environment quality was indexed by the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME). Results In models including infant birth weight, cigarette use in second trimester, infant caloric intake at 9–12 months, size at birth for gestational age, infant sex, and mother's prepregnancy BMI, specific subscales of NCATs predicted infant adiposity z-scores. Poorer mother's response to infant distress was associated with greater SST ( β = −0.20, P = .02), TST ( β = −0.19, P = .04), and weight ( β = −0.14, P = .05). Better maternal sensitivity to infant cues was associated with larger SST ( β = 0.25, P < .01), while mother's poorer social-emotional growth fostering predicted greater SST ( β = −0.23, P < .01) and weight ( β = −0.16, P = .03). Better scores on HOME Organization of the Environment were associated with greater SST ( β = 0.34, P = .02) and TST ( β = 0.33, P = .04). Conclusions Emotionally relevant aspects of the maternal-infant interaction predicted infant adiposity, though in different directions. This indicates that the psychosocial environment, through maternal behavior, may influence infant adiposity. However, the general home environment was not consistently related to infant adiposity.
Resource utilization for access to web-based services: Browser versus mobile application

The proliferation of mobile device platforms and operating systems has resulted in an increased challenge for developers and mobile users alike. While developers face fragmentation issues in their efforts, mobile users find an increasing number of online services to access in a variety of ways. The increased adoption of HTML5-based service access methods, however, allows to circumvent some of these problems by employing a browser-based service access, either in form of hybrid applications or by directly employing a mobile web browser installed on a user's device. We present and employ a framework that can be readily utilized to perform repeated evaluations of applications on mobile devices with the Android OS to provide statistically meaningful performance measurements. Specifically, we compare dedicated and browser-based access of online social network services with respect to their corresponding CPU and memory resource utilizations. We find a trade-off between increased CPU usage for browser-based service access and increased memory usage when accessing the services with their dedicated mobile applications. Depending on current system resource utilizations, it might hence be advantageous to choose one over the other.
Colorblindness as Identity: Key Determinants, Relations to Ideology, and Implications for Attitudes about Race and Policy:

Colorblindness is often conceptualized as a set of deeply held but unrecognized ideological tenets. However, we believe that colorblindness has also now become an explicit cultural discourse involv...
More Examples of Pseudo-Collars on High-Dimensional Manifolds

Abstract In a previous paper, we developed general techniques for constructing a variety of pseudo-collars, as defined by Guilbault and Tinsley, with roots in earlier work by Chapman and Siebenmann. As an application of our techniques, we exhibited an uncountable collection of pseudo-collars, all with the same boundary and similar fundamental group systems at infinity. Construction of that family was very specific; it relied on properties of Thompson's group V. In this paper, we provide a more general approach to constructing similar collections of examples. Instead of using Thompson's group V, we base our new examples on a broader and more common collection of groups, in particular, fundamental groups of certain hyperbolic manifolds.