cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
COMPETITIVENESS AND PRODUCTIVITY IN THE FEDERAL AND PUBLIC SECTOR - THE ROLE OF ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION

The purpose of this paper is to delineate policy recommendations for federal sector management, labor, and neutrals in the area of alternative dispute resolution and conflict resolution mechanisms in the maturing arena of federal sector labor‐management relations. The great desideratum in the arena of labor relations in the federal sector of the economy is harmony based on the resolving of conflicting interests of employees and their government employers.
A critical assessment of collaborative adaptive management in practice

Summary 1. Collaborative adaptive management (CAM) is regularly touted as the best way to handle natural resource management in the face of uncertainty, change and conflict. Successful applications of CAM have, however, been elusive in practice. 2. This article examines the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program (AMP) in the United States, and other CAM efforts, to illustrate why and how procedural shortcomings may lead to natural resource management failures and reflect on how they may be overcome. 3. Synthesis and applications. To increase the chance of success, CAM efforts should set clear overarching goals and concrete and measurable objectives, employ tools and incentives to facilitate participation and foster collaboration, implement well-defined joint fact-finding protocols to promote shared learning and manage scientific uncertainty, and commit to monitoring and adapting their management regimes over time. Even in complex and contentious resource management contexts, future CAM efforts that integrate these design elements are likely to lead to more effective natural resource management.
Skin Bleaching and Global White Supremacy: By Way of Introduction

The cosmetic use of chemical agents to lighten the complexion of one’s skin, also referred to as skin whitening, skin lightening, and/or skin bleaching, is currently a widespread global phenomenon. While the history of skin bleaching can be traced to the Elizabethan age of powder and paint, in its current manifestations, skin bleaching is practiced disproportionately within communities “of color” and exceedingly among people of African descent. While it is true that skin bleaching represents a multifaceted phenomenon, with a complexity of historical, cultural, sociopolitical, and psychological forces motivating the practice, the large majority of scholars who examine skin bleaching at the very least acknowledge the institutions of colonialism and enslavement historically, and global White supremacy contemporarily, as dominant and culpable instigators of the penchant for skin bleaching. As an introduction to this Special Issue of the Journal of Pan African Studies focusing on skin bleaching and global White supremacy, the purpose of this paper is to critically examine the symbolic significance of whiteness, particularly for and among African people, by outlining the history of global White supremacy, both politically and ideologically, discussing its subsequent promulgation, and further investigating its relationship to the historical and contemporary skin bleaching phenomenon.
Foliar maintenance respiration of subalpine and boreal trees and shrubs in relation to nitrogen content

A nitrogen-based model of maintenance respiration (R m ) would link R m with nitrogen-based photosynthesis models and enable simpler estimation of dark respiration flux from forest canopies. To test whether an N-based model of R m would apply generally to foliage of boreal and subalpine woody plants, I measured R m (CO 2 efflux at night from fully expanded foliage) for foliage of seven species of trees and shrubs in the northern boreal forest (near Thompson, Manitoba, Canada) and seven species in the subalpine montane forest (near Fraser, Colorado, USA). At 10 °C, average R m for boreal foliage ranged from 0.94 to 6-8 μmol kg -1 s -1 (0.18-0.58 μmol m -2 s -1 ) and for subalpine foliage it ranged from 0.99 to 7.6 μmol kg -1 s -1 0.28-0.64 μmol m -2 s -1 ). CO 2 efflux at 10 °C for the samples was only weakly correlated with sample weight r = 0-11) and leaf area (r = 0.58). However, CO 2 efflux per unit foliage weight was highly correlated with foliage N concentration [r=0.83, CO 2 flux at 10°C (mol kg -1 s -1 ) = 2.62 x foliage N (mol kg -1 )], and slopes were statistically similar for the boreal and subalpine sites (P = 0.28). CO 2 efflux per unit of foliar N was 1.8 times that reported for a variety of crop and wildland species growing in warmer climates.
Performance of multicarrier CDMA in frequency-selective fading via statistical physics

This correspondence extends previous work on direct-sequence code-division multiple access (DS-CDMA) to give a single-user characterization of multicarrier (MC) CDMA systems. Results on the error performance and information rate of a family of multiuser detectors for MC-CDMA are obtained using the replica method, which was originally developed in statistical physics. The central result is the "decoupling principle", namely, an MC-CDMA channel with frequency-selective fading followed by a generic multiuser detection front end can be decoupled into a bank of single-user fading channels in the large-system limit. Thus, conditioned on one's fading coefficients, each user essentially experiences an equivalent single-user Gaussian channel with a degradation in the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in lieu of multiaccess interference. A set of joint equations is identified, which determines the degradation for each user, known as the multiuser efficiency. The spectral efficiencies under both optimal joint decoding and separate single-user decoding following multiuser detection are obtained analytically. The result applies to arbitrary input distribution and SNRs, and to optimal multiuser detection as well as various suboptimal schemes
Descriptive Quantitative Analysis of Rearfoot Alignment Radiographic Parameters

Abstract Although the radiographic parameters of the transverse talocalcaneal angle (tTCA), calcaneocuboid angle (CCA), talar head uncovering (THU), calcaneal inclination angle (CIA), talar declination angle (TDA), lateral talar–first metatarsal angle (lTFA), and lateral talocalcaneal angle (lTCA) form the basis of the preoperative evaluation and procedure selection for pes planovalgus deformity, the so-called normal values of these measurements are not well-established. The objectives of the present study were to retrospectively evaluate the descriptive statistics of these radiographic parameters (tTCA, CCA, THU, CIA, TDA, lTFA, and lTCA) in a large population, and, second, to determine an objective basis for defining "normal" versus "abnormal" measurements. As a secondary outcome, the relationship of these variables to the body mass index was assessed. Anteroposterior and lateral foot radiographs from 250 consecutive patients without a history of previous foot and ankle surgery and/or trauma were evaluated. The results revealed a mean measurement of 24.12°, 13.20°, 74.32%, 16.41°, 26.64°, 8.37°, and 43.41° for the tTCA, CCA, THU, CIA, TDA, lTFA, and lTCA, respectively. These were generally in line with the reported historical normal values. Descriptive statistical analysis demonstrated that the tTCA, THU, and TDA met the standards to be considered normally distributed but that the CCA, CIA, lTFA, and lTCA demonstrated data characteristics of both parametric and nonparametric distributions. Furthermore, only the CIA ( R = −0.2428) and lTCA ( R = −0.2449) demonstrated substantial correlation with the body mass index. No differentiations in deformity progression were observed when the radiographic parameters were plotted against each other to lead to a quantitative basis for defining "normal" versus "abnormal" measurements.
A criterion to assess the impact of confined volumes on surfactant transport to liquid–fluid interfaces

When dissolved surfactant adsorbs at an interface, the bulk concentration decreases. If the initial concentration is low or the interfacial area large, the concentration decrease can be significant, and the solution depleted. Although depletion is not a new phenomenon, properly accounting for it requires a global mass conservation constraint in addition to a mass transport model. The emergence of new applications involving adsorption in finite volumes and with large surface areas, including micro- and nanoscale droplet formation, has introduced new scenarios in which depletion can be significant but complex to analyze. The purpose of this paper is to develop simple criteria to allow practitioners in these applications to rapidly and easily assess the potential impact of depletion. We use a global mass balance to show that two dimensionless parameters fully describe the role of depletion in both equilibrium surface properties and timescales to reach equilibrium. The dimensionless parameters represent the potential mass lost to the interface, denoted ζ, and the surface activity of the surfactant, denoted f. Characteristic transport timescales are shown to be a function of the finite geometry. A scaling analysis is developed for the case of surfactant dissolved inside a spherical drop, and compared with that of a finite spherical shell. The analyses developed here lead to simple criteria that are useful even when the surfactant properties are not well characterized or a full transport analysis is difficult. The criteria can be generalized to adsorption at solid surfaces.
Positive bias temperature instability effects of Hf-based nMOSFETs with various nitrogen and silicon profiles

Positive bias temperature instability (PBTI) effects of HfO/sub 2/-based nMOSFETs with various nitrogen profiles in HfO/sub 2/ were investigated. The nitrogen profile was modulated by an inserting Si layer (/spl sim/6/spl Aring/) into hafnium oxynitride gate dielectrics. The Si layer is used to trap nitrogen and to suppress nitrogen out-diffusion during subsequent anneals. Compared to control HfO/sub x/N/sub y/ without Si insertion, the Si-inserted HfO/sub x/N/sub y/ samples exhibited reduced PBTI degradation, especially if the Si layer was placed further from the Si interface. The improvement can be attributed to the reduction of oxide bulk trapped as well as reduced interface trapped charge generation resulting from compensation effect of inserted Si layer.
Biomimetic Recognitive Polymer Networks for Ocular Delivery of Anti-Histamines

Enhanced drug partitioning in hydrogels can be achieved by configurational biomimetic imprinting (CBIP) techniques which involve the formation of pre-polymerization complexes between template molecules and functional monomers with specific chemical structures designed to interact with the template via non-covalent chemistry. This new class of recognitive intelligent materials is designed by incorporating motifs with structural and molecular homology to biological receptors and has a strong potential to impact the administration of a number of ocular therapies. This work addresses the unmet need for the controlled release of histamine antagonists such as ketotifen fumarate on the surface of the eye to treat allergic conjunctivitis. Mast cell and eosinophil degranulation occurs due to the IL-4 driven TH2 cell response to allergens and the subsequent IgE secretion. This prompts the release of inflammatory mediators such as histamine, which binds to the H1-receptors. Pharmacological downregulation is possible by the local delivery of H1-antihistamines, resulting in decreased vascular permeability, bronchodilation, and exudation of effector cells. Treatment options for seasonal and perennial allergic conjunctivitis primarily consist of oral antihistamines (which provide only partial and delayed relief with potential systemic side effects) and topical treatments. Since ocular bioavailability of topical drugs is very poor (typically less than 7% is absorbed by the eye), a high dosage is needed which prohibits contact lens use. Controlling and tailoring the release of anti-histamines via novel recognitive contact lenses with significantly enhanced partitioning can solve these problems with increased bioavailability, less irritation to ocular tissue, and reduced ocular and systemic side effects. Controlled release by conventional soft contact lenses typically does not work due to a lack of sufficient drug loading. Inspired by Nature, we have successfully synthesized and characterized recognitive networks for H1 antihistamines by choosing monomers on the basis of the non-covalent interactions found in histamine docking sites. This leads to significantly enhanced drug loading and tailorable controlled release of a therapeutically viable dosage of drug.
Differential Regulation of Dopamine D1A Receptor Responsiveness by Various G Protein-coupled Receptor Kinases

The role of G protein-coupled receptor kinases (GRKs) in the regulation of dopamine D1A receptor responsiveness is poorly understood. To explore the potential role played by the GRKs in the regulation of the rat dopamine D1A receptor, we performed whole cell phosphorylation experiments and cAMP assays in 293 cells cotransfected with the receptor alone or with various GRKs (GRK2, GRK3, and GRK5). The agonist-dependent phosphorylation of the rat D1A receptor was substantially increased in cells overexpressing GRK2, GRK3, or GRK5. Moreover, we report that cAMP formation upon receptor activation was differentially regulated in cells overexpressing either GRK2, GRK3, and GRK5 under conditions that elicited similar levels of GRK-mediated receptor phosphorylation. Cells expressing the rat D1A receptor with GRK2 and GRK3 displayed a rightward shift of the dopamine dose-response curve with little effect on the maximal activation when compared with cells expressing the receptor alone. In contrast, cells expressing GRK5 displayed a rightward shift in the EC50 value with an additional 40% reduction in the maximal activation when compared with cells expressing the receptor alone. Thus, we show that the dopamine D1A receptor can serve as a substrate for various GRKs and that GRK-phosphorylated D1A receptors display a differential reduction of functional coupling to adenylyl cyclase. These results suggest that the cellular complement of G protein-coupled receptor kinases may determine the properties and extent of agonist-mediated responsiveness and desensitization.
Examining effects of anticipated stigma, centrality, salience, internalization, and outness on psychological distress for people with concealable stigmatized identities.

Understanding how stigmatized identities contribute to increased rates of depression and anxiety is critical to stigma reduction and mental health treatment. There has been little research testing multiple aspects of stigmatized identities simultaneously. In the current study, we collected data from a diverse, urban, adult community sample of people with a concealed stigmatized identity (CSI). We targeted 5 specific CSIs – mental illness, substance abuse, experience of domestic violence, experience of sexual assault, and experience of childhood abuse – that have been shown to put people at risk for increased psychological distress. We collected measures of the anticipation of being devalued by others if the identity became known (anticipated stigma), the level of defining oneself by the stigmatized identity (centrality), the frequency of thinking about the identity (salience), the extent of agreement with negative stereotypes about the identity (internalized stigma), and extent to which other people currently know about the identity (outness). Results showed that greater anticipated stigma, greater identity salience, and lower levels of outness each uniquely and significantly predicted variance in increased psychological distress (a composite of depression and anxiety). In examining communalities and differences across the five identities, we found that mean levels of the stigma variables differed across the identities, with people with substance abuse and mental illness reporting greater anticipated and internalized stigma. However, the prediction pattern of the variables for psychological distress was similar across the substance abuse, mental illness, domestic violence, and childhood abuse identities (but not sexual assault). Understanding which components of stigmatized identities predict distress can lead to more effective treatment for people experiencing psychological distress.
THE COURTSHIP AND SINGLEHOOD OF ELIZABETH ISHAM, 1630–1634*

Scholars have long known of the proposed marriage in 1630 of John Dryden, grandson of Sir Erasmus Dryden, and Elizabeth Isham, eldest child of Sir John Isham. All knowledge of this proposed marriage came from correspondence revealing that, having reached a financial impasse, the two families aborted the proposed match. At first glance, such a case seems rather unremarkable, since similar stories abound of other contemporary families and in more detail. The Dryden–Isham match, however, takes on increased importance with the recent discovery of Elizabeth Isham's 60,000-word spiritual autobiography. Unlike the correspondence that mainly deals with the economic aspects of the match, Elizabeth's autobiography provides a more personal and emotional account, revealing the importance that familial love and honour played in the arrangement. In addition, the autobiography shows that the failed match caused Elizabeth to have a religious aversion to marriage, leading her to choose singlehood for the remainder of her life. Her experience forces scholars to recognize the significance that familial love, honour, and personal piety could have on marriage formation in the seventeenth century, and it illustrates the lasting impact that a failed match could have on a woman in early modern England.
HCV NS3 quasispecies in liver and plasma and dynamics of telaprevir-resistant variants in breakthrough patients assessed by UDPS: A case study

Abstract Background The impact of pre-existing variants in hepatitis C virus (HCV) quasispecies, carrying resistance-associated mutations (RAMs), on the outcome of treatment with direct acting antiviral agents (DAA) is debated and it is complicated by the lack of knowledge of quasispecies distribution between the viral reservoir (liver) and the circulating compartment. Objective To evaluate NS3 protease heterogeneity and presence of RAMs on baseline plasma and liver biopsy samples. Plasma dynamics were also analyzed during therapy and after its suspension. Study design Ultra-deep pyrosequencing (UDPS) was performed in two HCV genotype 1a patients who received telaprevir (TVR)-based therapy and developed treatment failure due to TVR-resistance. Results In both patients the baseline diversity of NS3 quasispecies in plasma was higher than in liver (183.6 × 10−4 vs 47.8 × 10−4 and 246.0 × 10−4 vs 55.0 × 10−4 nt substitution/site, respectively, p Conclusions UDPS allowed extensive evaluation of quasispecies compartmentalization and of their dynamics after withdrawal of TVR. Plasma and liver NS3 quasispecies, including low level RAMs, do not show significant difference.
Residents’ knowledge of quality improvement: the impact of using a group project curriculum

Background The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education requires residents to learn and demonstrate proficiency in practice improvement. Quality improvement (QI) projects are a way to improve patient care as well as facilitate education on this core competency. There are inherent barriers to completing these goals in the structure of residency training including rigorous resident schedules and a limited number of projects and resources. Objectives We developed a QI programme using an experiential class project and incorporated it into our Internal Medicine Resident Core Curriculum to improve the residents’ knowledge of QI methods. We assessed the residents’ experience, knowledge and interest in practice and QI subject matter with a survey preimplementation and postimplementation. Methods In 2009, 24 residents in the Internal Medicine resident programme completed a survey measuring their experience, knowledge and interest in QI initiatives. They then completed a QI 1-year programme, with monthly, 1-hour sessions combining didactics and a resident-designed project. At the conclusion of the year, the residents completed the same survey, and the results were compared and analysed. Results Postcurriculum questionnaires revealed residents were more knowledgeable about QI methods, showing improvement in knowledge about institutional-wide QI projects, better preparation for implementing a QI project, and more likely to participate in QI in the future. The project completed was one which improved patients’ knowledge of their anticipated date of discharge from the hospital. Conclusions A class quality project can teach QI to residents incorporating both didactic and practical methods to maximise the experience and minimise the barriers. We found that this method improved residents experience, knowledge and interest in quality initiatives.
Service oriented architecture (SOA) concepts and implementations

This tutorial explains how to implement a Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) for reliable systems using an Enterprise Service Bus (ESB) and the Ada Web Server (AWS). The first part of the tutorial describes terms of Service-Oriented Architectures (SOA) including service, service registry, service provider, service consumer, Service Oriented Architecture Protocol (SOAP), and Web Service Description Language (WSDL). This tutorial also presents principles of SOA including loose coupling, encapsulation, composability of web services, and statelessness of web services. The tutorial also covers the benefits of SOA and organizations that are supporting SOA infrastructure. The second part of the tutorial covers the Enterprise Service Bus (ESB) including definitions, capabilities, benefits and drawbacks. The tutorial discusses the difference between SOA and an ESB, as well as some of the commercially available ESB solutions on the market. The Mule ESB is explored in more detail and several examples are given. In the third part, the tutorial covers the Ada Web Server (AWS) built using the Ada programming language. The tutorial covers the capabilities of AWS and explains how to build and install AWS. The tutorial explains how to build an AWS server and include the server in an Ada application. The tutorial demonstrates how to build a call back function in AWS and build a response to a SOAP message. Finally, the tutorial explains how to connect an AWS server to an ESB endpoint. AWS is a key component to building a SOA for a reliable system. This capability allows the developer to expose services in a high-integrity system using the Ada and SPARK programming languages.
Design Strategy for Reducing Manufacturing and Assembly Complexity of Air-Breathing Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFC)

Abstract Conventional flat plate Proton Exchange Membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) designs have been under investigation for the last five decades with the majority of the research being conducted in fluid dynamics of the reactants, membrane chemistry, thermal characteristics, stacking, and electrical properties. By rigidly adhering to design characteristics and material choices (graphite flow plates and metal end plates), conventional fuel cell designs have become bulky, fastener intense designs that have a high degree of manufacturing and assembly complexity. The department of energy has recognized the need for economical and efficient manufacturing practices to further the market penetration and end user adoption of fuel cells. Therefore this paper analyzes air-breathing PEMFC's from the perspective of reducing manufacturing complexity, assembly complexity, and costs. Areas of complexity like the flow plates, end plates, sealing methods have been reassessed and this paper proposes alternatives to component functions, and the commonly employed materials along with an alternate assembly strategy. Prototypes built using the new design strategy achieved about 90% reduction in weight and number of components while enjoying an 80% reduction in costs. The new prototypes also possess a superior form factor, along with a 10-fold increase in power density as compared to conventional designs.
Phase Behavior and Dimensional Scaling of Symmetric Block Copolymer-Homopolymer Ternary Blends in Thin Films

The phase behavior and dimensional scaling of symmetric ternary blends composed of poly(styrene-block-methyl methacrylate) block copolymers and the corresponding polystyrene and poly(methyl methacrylate) homopolymers in thin films were investigated as a function of χN (the product of the Flory−Huggins interaction parameter and the overall degree of polymerization of the block copolymer), α (the ratio of the degree of polymerization of the homopolymers to that of the block copolymer), and ϕH (the volume fraction of homopolymers in the blends). The phase transitions were characterized by three methods: disappearance of high-order peaks in the fast Fourier transform (FFT) spectra from scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images, application of the amphiphilicity factor determined from the FFTs, and, in the case of thicker films, the appearance of either microphase- or macrophase-separated domains in SEM images. Above the order−disorder transition (ODT) in the χN−ϕH phase diagram, the symmetric ternary blends t...
Some Real-Gas Flow Parameters for Air

increasing f. However, the two equations differ in magnitude for r ^ 1. It should be mentioned that although the solution indicated by Eq. (8) is admittedly one of convenience, the solution indicated b}^ Eq. (11) is not necessarily more valid. The latter solution is largely dependent on the derivative of an assumed polynomial for the relationship between total enthalpy and velocity in the boundary layer. The use of this mathematical step does not always guarantee close agreement between the approximate solution and the actual case. Actually, experimental data are needed to determine if either Eq. (8) or (11) is valid. A sample calculation for a hemisphere has been made for typical re-entry conditions, and the results are shown in Figs. 1 and 2.
Statistical issues for research on social drinkers.

The crucial problem in alcohol research is the large amount of inherently uncontrolled variation in the dependent variables. Because randomization with respect to key independent variables is frequently impractical or impossible, quasi-experimental and survey methods are being used to control residual variation statistically. For various reasons, however, the methods have often not been properly applied in alcohol research, endangering the replicability of true findings and prolonging the life of false claims.
Conceptual programming

We introduce conceptual programming as a process model based on our programming experiences. Conceptual programming means having programmers work directly with their conceptual models, using their own terms or languages rather than those dictated by the computer. To be useful and effective, conceptual programming must be supported by a powerful programming environment. We have developed such an environment, GARDEN, and are beginning to get feedback on its use.
Evidence for a Central Mechanism of Obesity in the Zucker Rat: Role of Neuropeptide Y and Leptin

Thirty-five years ago, Lois and Theodore Zucker reported the discovery of a genetic mutation in the rat that resulted in juvenile-onset obesity, increased food intake, decreased energy expenditure, and insulin resistance. The mutation was called fatty (fa). The fatty gene is passed on to successive generations by an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance. In the intervening years, much work has been done to characterize the many abnormalities of this animal model of obesity. Nearly 10 years ago, we reviewed the evidence for a central nervous system mechanism in the etiology of obesity in the fatty Zucker rat. Since that time, the discovery of novel peptides and genes has revolutionized the study of the etiology of genetically linked obesities. In this review, we update the evidence for a central nervous system mechanism of obesity in Zucker rats by focusing on the possible role of neuropeptide Y (NPY) and leptin in the etiology of obesity. We also discuss the role of glucocorticoids and insulin in the regulation of NPY.
Liquid Culture of Two Members of the Higher Fruiting Myxobacteria

Two species of the myxobacterial genus Archangium have been grown in pure culture in liquid medium for extended periods of time. The medium consisted of casein hydrolysate, glucose, galactose, and ...
The Visual Analysis of Research Focus and its Evolution of College Student Affairs

The research employs CiteSpaceⅡ as a visual analysis tool,based on 137 articles whose title includes "student affairs" in CNKI database during 1996-2011,obtain the research hotspots of Chinese universities student affairs by coword analysis method.Then analyzes the evolution of these hotspots within the time segment which be divided into three time slices.All Corresponding analysis have given their mapping knowledge domains.This work may provide helpful reference to the research Chinese universities student affairs.Keywords:student affairs;research hotspots;mapping knowledge domain;CitespaceⅡ
RSD-1235. Cardiome

RSD-1235 is a novel, mixed ion channel antagonist in development by Cardiome Pharma for the potential treatment of heart arrhythmia. By September 2002, phase II trials had been completed and phase III studies were due to commence in 2003.
Resolution V Fractional Factorial Designs

In many applications, one would like to estimate all main effects and twofactor interactions. This chapter presents designs for estimating such models, including regular resolution V 2 k−f fractional factorial designs, strength-4 orthogonal arrays, and nonorthogonal designs.
Synthesis, Structural, Electrical and Magnetic Characterization of Mn 0.5 Mg 0.5−x Ni x Fe 2 O 4 Spinel Nanoferrites

Nanoferrites of composition Mn0.50Mg0.5−x Ni x Fe2O4 with 0.00≤x≤0.50 were prepared by the chemical coprecipitation method. The prepared nanoferrites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopy (IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy(AFM), dc electric resistivity and magnetic properties using vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) to study the structural, morphological, electrical, and magnetic changes taking place with varying Ni and Mg concentration in the composition of the prepared nanoferrites. The XRD results indicated the formation of single spinel ferrite with crystalline size in the range of 16–24 nm. The lattice parameter (a) decreased with the decrease of the Mg concentration. IR reveals the presence of both high and low frequency bands due to tetrahedral and octahedral sites, respectively. Further information about the morphology of the nanoferrites was obtained from AFM and SEM measurements. Electrical properties indicate that synthesized samples have high resistivity. The magnetic hysteresis curves clearly indicate the soft nature of the prepared nanoferrites. Various magnetic parameters such as saturation magnetization (M s ), and remanence (M r ) are obtained from the hysteresis loops and observed to be dependent on the composition.
The Grand Crusade

Austrian economist Friedrich Hayek opened his 1936 essay “The Mythology of Capital,” referring to “Professor Knight’s crusade against the concept of the period of investment” (Hayek 1936, p. 199). What Knight was crusading about has been named in different ways, in terms of length of the production process, roundaboutness, period of waiting, period of investment, period of maturing, and others. It may be overstating the case to say this was a crusade, though it fits with the theological terminology so often applied to Knight, but it was certainly true that in the 1930s one of Knight’s core interests was capital theory and his writings on capital and interest theory were to span two decades. Like so much of his thinking, during this period Knight never offered a systematic theory; rather he developed his views through a series of journal articles, essays and book reviews, starting in 1916, with the bulk published from 1931 onwards. It was, as Emmett so neatly states, “a string of conversations with other theorists” (Emmett 2009, p. 78). As a result, trying to explain his theory is a process of picking one’s way through a series of essays and opponents’ responses to present a unified view, rather than explaining a coherent theory presented by Knight himself. This picking one’s way means encountering repetition and restatement of ideas in different ways, a fraught exercise that can easily give rise to debate with the other attempts to piece together his theory. If this is a problem for his critics, it certainly wasn’t for Knight, who was fully aware of the criticism, as he noted in a letter to Hayek:
External loading during daily living improves high intensity tasks under load

Abstract Tactical athletes (TA) perform high intensity tasks while carrying considerable external loads. This study examined the effects of wearing an external load during daily living (ELDL) on high intensity TA tasks. Nine trained men (21 ± 2 years; 180 ± 1 cm; 91.1 ± 4.4 kg) completed 3 weeks of ELDL which consisted of wearing a weighted vest equal to ∼11%, 13%, and 16% body mass 4 days/week; 8 h/day during weeks 1, 2, and 3 of ELDL phase. Weight vests were not worn during training. A 3 week control phase (CON) commenced after ELDL. Four TA performance tasks were practiced during two familiarization sessions before experimental trials. The tasks included a 5 flight, 53 step stair climb, 44 m zig-zag sprint with 2 points of change in direction and kneeling on one knee, 2 × 25 m casualty drag (84 kg), and 8 × 25 yard shuttle run. All tasks were completed while wearing a 12 kg vest. Percentage change in performance from pre-to post-intervention were compared between ELDL and CON using dependent t-tests, and Cohen's D effect size was calculated for absolute change in performance for each task. All tasks displayed trends of robust improvement from baseline to post ELDL, followed by modest drops in performance during CON (p-value range = 0.03 to
Determinants of International Standards in sub-Saharan Africa: The role of institutional pressure from different stakeholders

Abstract International environmental and quality standards in Africa are seen as being driven by pressure from international markets and importers. This study presents a conceptual framework where other stakeholders and plant resources are included in the argument for standards. We argue that among other stakeholders, international banks as creditors are important determinants. International banks, most of which are committed to sustainable practices, facilitate the diffusion of standards; they also perform sustainability-related risk-analysis urging customers to demonstrate corporate social responsibility. Our results also suggest that foreign ownership, plant size and business communications through company website are important for the adoption of standards in Africa.
eHealth patient-provider communication in the United States: interest, inequalities, and predictors.

Objective: Health-related Internet use and eHealth technologies, including online patient-provider communication (PPC), are continually being integrated into health care environments. This study aimed to describe sociodemographic and health- and Internet-related correlates that influence adult patients’ interest in and electronic exchange of medical information with health care providers in the United States. Methods: Nationally representative cross-sectional data from the 2014 Health Information National Trends Survey ( N = 3677) were analyzed. Descriptive statistics and multivariable regression analyses were performed to examine associations between patient-level characteristics and online PPC behavior and interests. Results: Most respondents were Internet users (82.8%), and 61.5% of information seekers designated the Internet as their first source for health information. Younger respondents (<50 years), Hispanics, those from higher-income households, and those perceiving access to personal health information as important were more likely to be interested in online PPC. Despite varying levels of patient interest, 68.5% had no online PPC in the last year. However, Internet users (odds ratio, OR = 2.87, 95% CI, 1.35-6.08), college graduates (OR = 2.92, 95% CI, 1.42-5.99), and those with frequent provider visits (OR = 1.94, 95% CI, 1.02-3.71) had a higher likelihood of online PPC via email or fax, while Hispanics and those from higher-income households were 2–3 times more likely to communicate via text messaging or phone/mobile apps. Conclusion: Patients’ interest in and display of online PPC-related behaviors vary by age, race/ethnicity, education, income, Internet access/behaviors, and information type. These findings can inform efforts aimed at improving the use and adoption of eHealth technologies, which may contribute to a reduction in communication inequalities and health care disparities.
Effectiveness of Exercise on Functional Mobility in Adults with Cerebral Palsy: A Systematic Review

Purpose: We identified evidence evaluating the effect of exercise on functional mobility in adults (aged 18 y or older) with cerebral palsy (CP). Method: An exhaustive search was conducted using the electronic databases PubMed, MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, SPORTDiscus, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews from the earliest available evidence (1975) to the present (January 2016) for studies whose participants were ambulatory adults with CP receiving conservative treatment to address functional mobility limitations. Two independent reviewers agreed on the eligibility, inclusion, and level of evidence of each study. The Maastricht-Amsterdam List (MAL) was used to assess evidence quality. Results: Five of the six studies included were randomized controlled trials, and one was a pre–post case series. Interventions included whole-body vibration, treadmill training without body-weight support, rhythmic auditory stimulation, dynamic balance and gait activities, progressive resistance training, and interactiv...
Nonuniform sparse array design for active sensing

Active sensing using multiple transmitting elements and independent waveforms has recently attracted much attention. Using M transmitting and N receiving elements, one can virtually simulate a physical array of MN elements by the sum co-array. Nonuniform sparse arrays can further be used in active sensing to produce the difference co-array of the given sum co-array with dramatically increased degree of freedom. However, current literature lacks an efficient design method for active sensing with nonuniform sparse arrays. In this paper, we address this problem and propose several systematic construction methods based on some classical results in number theory. By using these methods, we are able to construct active sensing sparse arrays, in which the difference co-array of the sum-co-array has aperture in the order of O(M2N2). Furthermore, it has no holes within this aperture. Several performance bounds on the maximum aperture of the sparse array are then provided. These can be used in the future to compare the performance of other suboptimal nonuniform sparse array geometries.1
Policy developments affecting NCI-supported biorepositories: Survey of current practices in quality evaluation and cost accounting.

B199 Molecular epidemiology relies heavily upon the use of biospecimens. In April 2006, the National Cancer Institute released First Generation Guidelines for NCI-Supported Biorepositories. This document provided technical, operational, ethical, legal, and policy guidance to all recipients of NCI grants and contracts. These Guidelines were created to assess and assure the quality of each NCI Supported Biorepository. As the next step in this process, the NCI has begun a comprehensive analysis of current practices in biorepository evaluation and cost accounting. We have gathered input from epidemiologists and clinicians whose studies rely on the availability of high quality biospecimens. Preliminary analysis of several biorepositories has identified approximately twenty elements by which biorepositories are commonly evaluated and costs are assigned. We find that evaluation practices appear to be rather consistent among large and actively used biorepositories. Additionally, cost models appear to track with whether the biorepository was set up to serve one study or to function as a community resource. It seems likely that future evaluation guidelines will impose little additional administrative burden to study PIs and will simultaneously ensure that the quality of the biospecimens is determined and the price is set accordingly. Most importantly, this evaluation process will increase the value and utility of NCI-Supported Biorepositories used in molecular epidemiologic and prevention research.
The safety of resection for primary central nervous system lymphoma: a single institution retrospective analysis

Surgical resection is not the standard of care for primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL), as historical studies have demonstrated unfavorable complication rates and limited benefits. Some recent studies suggest that resection may provide a therapeutic benefit, yet the safety of these procedures has not been systematically investigated in the setting of modern neurosurgery. We examined the safety of surgical resection for PCNSL. We retrospectively analyzed all patients with PCNSL treated at Columbia University Medical Center between 2000 and 2015 to assess complications rates following biopsy or resection using the Glioma Outcomes Project system. We identified predictors of complications and selection for resection. Well-validated scales were used to quantify patients’ baseline clinical characteristics, including functional status, comorbid disease burden, and cardiac risk. The overall complication rate was 17.2% after resection, and 28.2% after biopsy. Cardiac risk (p = 0.047, OR 1.72 [1.01, 2.95]), and comorbid diagnoses (p = 0.004, OR 3.05 [1.42, 6.57]) predicted complications on multivariable regression. Patients who underwent resection had better KPS scores (median 70 v. 80, p = 0.0068, ∆ 10 [0.0, 10.00]), and were less likely to have multiple (46.5% v. 27.6%, p = 0.030, OR 1.42 [1.05, 1.92]) or deep lesions (70.4% v. 39.7%, p = 0.001, OR 1.83 [1.26, 2.65]). Age (p = 0.048, OR 0.75 per 10-year increase [0.56, 1.00]) and deep lesions (p = 0.003, OR 0.29 [0.13, 0.65]) influenced selection for resection on multivariable regression. Surgical resection of PCNSL is safe for select patients, with complication rates comparable to rates for other intracranial neoplasms. Whether there is a clinical benefit to resection cannot be concluded.
Evidence of Different Subspecies of Microparticles (MP) Derived from Red Blood Cells (RMP) and Comparison of Their Phenotypes and Procoagulant Activity.

Abstract BACKGROUND: The potential roles of cell derived microparticles (MP) such as those derived from platelets (PMP), endothelium (EMP), leukocytes (LMP), and red cells (RMP) have been receiving increasing attention in disorders of hemostasis/thrombosis and inflammation and they are emerging as valuable biomarkers. However among these MP, little is known about RMP. Our recent clinical studies indicate that RMP play a role in hemostasis and thrombosis in patients with thrombocytopenia and in thrombocytosis. However, the phenotypes and procoagulant activity of their subspecies remain unknown. We report evidence for heterogeneity of RMP following differential centrifugation. METHODS: RMP were prepared by exposure of washed RBC to the calcium ionophore, A23187, and the RBC were removed by low-speed centrifugation. The RMP were washed twice at 20,000xg for 15 min. Procoagulant activity of RMP was measured by the calibrated automated thrombogram (CAT) system (Hemker et al Pathophysiol Haemost Thromb. 2002; 32:249) using thrombin substrate Z-Gly-Gly-Arg-AMC on a fluorescence plate reader. The lag time and peak height (nM) of thrombin generation were recorded. Markers used for labeling RMP were PE-labeled anti-glycophorin (GlyP), FITC-anti-tissue factor (TF), FITC-annexin V (AnV), and/or FITC-lectin Ulex europeaus I (Ulex). RESULTS: In thrombin generation assay, RMP induced a long lag time (24±3 min) but high thrombin peak (330±37 nM). These data were consistent with the flow cytometric finding that RMP carried very little TF ( SUMMARY: The present study demonstrates that RMP are rich in anionic phospholipids and effective in generating thrombin in vitro. We have identified 2 distinct subpopulations of RMP by differential centrifugation: One larger RMP express binding of anti-GlyP, AnV and Ulex, and carry the majority of procoagulant activity. The smaller RMP expressing only Ulex binding exhibit much weaker procoagulant activity. The roles of these two species of RMP remain to be elucidated. We speculate that smaller RMP may represent the nanovesicles described by Allen et al [Biochem J 188:881, 1980] and that Ulex may be a novel and convenient means for the study of these small vesicles.
Comprehensive assessment of renal tumour complexity in a large percutaneous cryoablation cohort

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the association between renal tumour complexity and outcomes in a large cohort of patients undergoing percutaneous cryoablation (PCA). PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients with renal tumours treated with PCA were identified using our prospectively maintained ablation registry (2003-2015). Salvage procedures and inherited tumour syndromes were excluded. The associations between R.E.N.A.L. nephrometry score (NS) and risk of complications, renal function impairment, local failure and cancer-specific mortality (CSM) were evaluated using univariate and multivariable logistic, linear and Cox regression models. RESULTS The cohort included 618 tumours treated during 580 procedures in 565 patients. The median (interquartile range [IQR]) follow-up was 34 (14.66) months. Complications (any grade) during a procedure (n[total] = 87, 15%) were more frequent with higher NS (NS 4-6: 10%; NS 7-9: 14%; NS 10-12: 36%; P < 0.001). Higher NS was independently associated with risk of complications (odds ratio [OR; per 1 point] = 1.3; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.2-1.5; P < 0.001). Of all the NS components, tumour size was the most strongly associated with complication risk (OR 3.4; 95% CI 2.2-5.2; P < 0.001). The median (IQR) decline in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) from baseline was 9% (0, 22) at last follow-up. Each additional point in NS was associated with a 1.3% (95% CI 0.4-2.1; P = 0.005) greater GFR decline from baseline. NS was not significantly associated with local failure (n [total] = 14, 2%; NS 4-6: 2%; NS 7-9: 3%; NS 10-12: 5%; P = 0.32) or CSM (n [total] = 8, 2%; NS 4-6: 2%; NS 7-9: 3%; NS 10-12: 2%; P = 0.88). CONCLUSION In high-complexity tumours PCA was associated with a tumour size-driven increased risk of post-procedural complications. Higher NS was associated with a small, clinically minor additional decline in renal function. Risks for local failure and CSM were low, regardless of tumour complexity.