cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Helping Students Evaluate Management Alternatives: The Debate

Abstract It is always difficult to overcome the decisionmaker's tendency to (a) focus on a preferred choice, (b) construct a set of facts supporting that choice, and (c) ignore possible negative outcomes as well as other rival alternatives. Using the debate as a pedagogical tool for case analysis can help students overcome this problem by forcing them to focus on two dichotomous solutions to a business problem. A survey of 73 undergraduate and 13 MBA students indicates that debates are enthusiastically accepted and thought to be useful.
2-(Anilinomethyl)imidazolines as α1-adrenoceptor agonists: the identification of α1A subtype selective 2′-carboxylic acid esters and amides

2-(Anilinomethyl)imidazolines with 2'-esters or 2'-amides are potent agonists of the cloned human alpha(1)-adrenoceptors in vitro. The size and shape of the ortho substituent can have significant effects on the potency, efficacy, and subtype selectivity of these 2-(anilinomethyl)imidazolines. alpha(1A)-subtype selective agonists have been identified.
Isocyanates derived from fatty acids by the trimethylsilyl azide modification of the curtius rearrangement

Five fatty acid chlorides—myristoyl (14:0), palmitoyl (16:0), linoleoyl (18:2), oleyl (18:1) and stearoyl (18:0)—were smoothly converted in a one-pot, one-step reaction to the isocynates with one less carbon atom in the alkyl chain by treatment with trimethylsilyl azide in aromatic solvents at 100 C. The yields were consistently greater than 70%, and NMR and IR spectra of the products were consistent with the assigned isocyanate structures.
Reflection-mode submicron-resolution in vivo photoacoustic microscopy

Submicron-resolution photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) currently exists only in transmission mode, due to the technical difficulties of combining high numerical-aperture (NA) optical illumination with high NA acoustic detection. The lateral resolution of reflection-mode PAM has not reached <2 μm in the visible light range. Here we develop the first reflection-mode submicron-resolution PAM system with a new compact design. By using a parabolic mirror to focus and reflect the photoacoustic waves, sufficient signals were collected for good sensitivity without distorting the optical focusing. By imaging nanospheres and a resolution test chart, the lateral resolution was measured to be ∼0.5 μm with an optical wavelength of 532 nm, an optical NA of 0.63. The axial resolution was measured at 15 μm. Here the axial resolution was measured by a different experiment with the lateral resolution measurement. But we didn’t describe the details of axial resolution measurement due to space limit. The maximum penetration was measured at ∼0.42 mm in optical-scattering soft tissue. As a comparison, both the submicron-resolution PAM and a 2.4 μm-resolution PAM were used to image a mouse ear in vivo with the same optical wavelength and similar pulse energy. Capillaries were resolved better by the submicron-resolution PAM. Therefore, the submicron-resolution PAM is suitable for in vivo high-resolution imaging, or even subcellular imaging, of optical absorption.
Role of complement receptors in uptake of Mycobacterium avium by macrophages in vivo: evidence from studies using CD18-deficient mice.

Mycobacterium avium is an intracellular pathogen that has been shown to invade macrophages by using complement receptors in vitro, but mycobacteria released from one cell can enter a second macrophage by using receptors different from complement receptors. Infection of CD18 (b2 integrin) knockout mice and the C57 BL/6 control mice led to comparable levels of tissue infection at 1 day, 2 days, 1 week, and 3 weeks following administration of bacteria. A histopathological study revealed similar granulomatous lesions in the two mouse strains, with comparable numbers of organisms. In addition, transmission electron microscopy of spleen tissues from both strains of mice showed bacteria inside macrophages. Our in vivo findings support the hypothesis that M. avium in the host is likely to use receptors other than CR3 and CR4 receptors to enter macrophages with increased efficiency. Mycobacterium avium is an intracellular pathogen that in the host main infects mononuclear phagocytes (8, 14). Intracellular pathogens such as mycobacteria have evolved sophisticated mechanisms allowing them to actively enter phagocytic and nonphagocytic cells and to survive in the intracellular environment.
Abridgment of loading transformers by temperature

It is pointed out that safe loading of transformers by temperature requires not only an accurate knowledge of the thermal laws but also a knowledge of what is a safe temperature limit to be maintained continuously which condition, with the present method of limiting the load to nameplate rating, seldom, if ever, happens. In view of our present knowledge and experience, the author questions the advisability of loading transformers continuously up to the present A. I. E. E. limit of 105 deg. cent, hot-spot and argues for the establishment of a differential of 10 deg. cent, between the limit to be maintained continuously by means of overloads and the limit to be reached occasionally with rated load. It is shown that by the use of the thermal laws and without increasing the maximum or hot-spot temperature, transformers can be overloaded 1 per cent for each deg. cent, by which the ambient is below 30 deg. cent, (air) for self-cooled transformers; 25 deg. (water) for water-cooled transformers. The results of laboratory aging tests conducted on class A insulations in air and in oil are given. These tests show that the rate of aging is, roughly, double for each 8 deg. cent, increase in temperature. By the use of these data and by integrating the hot-spot temperature rise curve resulting from different load factors, the permissible peak load which causes the same deterioration in the insulation as a steady load is obtained. By combining the two rules, increased kv-a. with lower ambients and increased kv-a. with lower load factors, there is obtained a series of loading curves giving the permissible kv-a. capacities for differentcooling mediums and load factors. On an average, these curves are conservative because they apply to transformers having quite a wide range of characteristics which affect the temperature rise.
Transmembrane pore formation by the carboxyl terminus of Bax protein.

Bax is a cytosolic protein that responds to various apoptotic signals by binding to the outer mitochondrial membrane, resulting in membrane permeabilization, release of cytochrome c, and caspase-mediated cell death. Currently discussed mechanisms of membrane perforation include formation of hetero-oligomeric complexes of Bax with other pro-apoptotic proteins such as Bak, or membrane insertion of multiple hydrophobic helices of Bax, or formation of lipidic pores physically aided by mitochondrial membrane-inserted proteins. There is compelling evidence provided by our and other groups indicating that the C-terminal “helix 9” of Bax mediates membrane binding and pore formation, yet the mechanism of pore forming capability of Bax C-terminus remains unclear. Here we show that a 20-amino acid peptide corresponding to Bax C-terminus (VTIFVAGVLTASLTIWKKMG) and two mutants where the two lysines are replaced with glutamate or leucine have potent membrane pore forming activities in zwitterionic and anionic phospholipid membranes. Analysis of the kinetics of calcein release from lipid vesicles allows determination of rate constants of pore formation, peptide–peptide affinities within the membrane, the oligomeric state of transmembrane pores, and the importance of the lysine residues. These data provide insight into the molecular details of membrane pore formation by a Bax-derived peptide and open new opportunities for design of peptide-based cytotoxic agents.
Expression Vector for Zymomonas mobilis

This study describes the construction of several useful cloning vectors which can be conjugated from Escherichia coli into Zymomonas mobilis at high frequency, approaching 10 per donor or recipient. These vectors contain a broad-host-range replicon and mob site from RSF1010, a chloramphenicol acyltransferase gene under the control of an enteric consensus promoter, and a second mob site (originally derived from RP4). The addition of this second mob site appears to be responsible for a 2-order-of-magnitude increase in the efficiency of transfer into Z. mobilis. Such vectors may be useful for other gram-negative bacteria in which conjugation efficiencies are low. These vectors are stably maintained in Z. mobilis with no detectable loss of plasmid after 50 generations in the absence of selective pressure. One of these, pLOI193, contains the tetracycline gene from pBR322 and associated cloning sites for insertional inactivation. Another, pLOI204, contains a Z. mobilis promoter immediately upstream from a BamHI site which can be used for cloning. This promoter has been shown to efficiently drive the expression of beta-galactosidase in both Z. mobilis and E. coli. This promoter fragment from Z. mobilis has been sequenced, and the site for transcriptional initiation in E. coli and Z. mobilis has been identified.
Inductive Supervision as a Scaffolding Mechanism for Improving Employee Performance

This article presents a conceptual model of leadership supervision based on theories of parenting found to develop secure and well-adjusted children into productive, high-functioning adults. It describes the roles and expectations of a leader that correlate with the role of a parent and discusses theories of attachment and transference that explain why these parallels exist. It also discusses theories of leadership that support the extension of parenting style theory to leadership practice in supervisory engagements along with the limitations of extending a parenting metaphor to leadership supervision. The model itself is then explained and includes a perspective on the requisite elements of a developmentally oriented approach to supervision. It concludes with recommendations for implementation of an inductive supervision model in leadership settings.
A Polysilicon Microhemispherical Resonating Gyroscope

This letter reports, for the first time, an integrated polysilicon microhemispherical resonating gyroscope (µHRG) with self- aligned drive, sense, and tuning electrodes, all fabricated using a single wafer process. The polysilicon hemispherical shell is 700 nm in thickness and 1.2 mm in diameter, resulting in a 1:3000 aspect ratio three- dimensional (3-D) microstructure. The quality factor of the wineglass mode is measured to be 8500 at 6.7 kHz with an as-fabricated frequency mismatch of 105 Hz between the two m = 2 degenerate modes. The modes are electrostatically matched and aligned using the tuning electrodes with a resulting mode-matched quality factor of 11 100. Initial characterization of the sensitivity of the µHRG shows a scale factor of 4.4 mV/o/s. (2014-0005)
Power in Leader–Follower Work Relationships

There is perhaps no more important dyadic relationship than that between a leader and a follower. Nonetheless, few studies examine the implications of both leader and follower power on important work outcomes. Therefore, using resource dependence and role theories, the authors examined the process by which leader power affects important work outcomes, namely, work relationship quality and job tension, through met relationship expectations. Additionally, the authors suggest that the leader power–met expectations relationship is conditional on follower power. A state agency was sampled to obtain and analyze 100 leader–follower work relationship dyads, whereby both dyadic partners were surveyed. Results indicated that leader power affected both leader–follower relationship quality and job tension through followers’ met relationship expectations. However, contrary to our hypothesis, the leader power–met expectations relationship was not conditional on follower power. Contributions of this study, strengths and...
The effects of impact ionization on the operation of neighboring devices and circuits

This paper examines the detrimental effects of excess majority carriers and photons induced by impact ionization on the operation of neighboring pn junctions, bipolar transistors, MOS transistors, and circuits. The experimental results show that in addition to an increase in the substrate surface potential due to the excess majority carriers, photons can lower the barrier of a pn junction and, as a consequence, shift the Gummel plot of an npn bipolar transistor. As for the neighboring circuits, an example in which the speed of an NMOS ring oscillator is retarded by impact ionization in a neighboring NMOS transistor is presented. >
Interactive Effects of Ungulate Herbivores, Soil Fertility, and Variable Rainfall on Ecosystem Processes in a Semi-arid Savanna

Large herbivores can both positively and negatively affect primary productivity and rates of nutrient cycling in different ecosystems. Positive effects of grazers in grasslands have been attributed to migratory behavior of the dominant ungulate species and soil fertility. We studied the effects of grazers on aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) and N cycling on central Kenyan rangeland characterized by intense, chronic grazing by a mixed community of cattle and resident native ungulates. Exclosure studies conducted at high and low levels of soil fertility showed that both soil fertility and annual rainfall patterns mediate the effects of grazers on ANPP and N cycling. In a low-rainfall year with short (1 month) growing seasons, grazers reduced aboveground productivity regardless of soil nutrient availability. However, in a high-rainfall year with a 5-month growing season, grazers increased ANPP on nutrient-rich glades and suppressed ANPP on nutrient-poor bushland sites. Concomitant studies of grazer effects on N cycling revealed complex interactions with the seasonal pattern of N-mineralization and inorganic N availability. Grazers increased the size of the inorganic N pool available to plants at the onset of the growing season, particularly in nutrient-rich glades. However, grazers also decreased N mineralization rates at all sites early in the growing season. Measures of N availability via ion-exchange resin bags suggested that the combined effects of grazers on inorganic N pool fluctuations and N-mineralization rates resulted in a net increase in N availability at glade sites and a net decrease in N availability at bushland sites. The net effect of grazers on soil N availability mirrored grazer effects on ANPP in the high-rainfall year. Overall, our results suggest that grazer effects on N dynamics are closely linked to effects on productivity and resilience to drought. Furthermore, even under optimal conditions of high soil fertility and above-average rainfall, grazer promotion of ANPP in this chronically grazed system dominated by resident ungulates was small compared to systems dominated by migratory ungulates.
An electromagnetic micro power generator for low-frequency environmental vibrations

This paper presents an electromagnetic (EM) vibration-to-electrical power generator which can efficiently scavenge energy from low-frequency external vibrations. The reported generator up-converts low-frequency environmental vibrations to a much higher frequency through a novel electro-mechanical frequency up-converter using a magnet, and hence provides efficient energy conversion even at low frequencies. Power is generated by means of electromagnetic induction using a magnet and coils on top of resonating cantilever beams. The expected maximum power from a single cantilever is 2.5 /spl mu/W in vacuum. The proposed system has been tested in milliscale and the frequency up-conversion technique has been verified.
The Coelomocytes of Nereid Polychaetes

The coelomic fluids of most polychaetes, or marine annelids, contain numerous mobile cells which have phagocytic abilities. Many investigators have observed that coelomocytes of several species of polychaetes take up foreign matter and have suggested that they probably remove particulate wastes. This applies equally to nereids (Dehorne, 1922a,b; Romieu, 1923; Fretter, 1953; Kermack, 1955; Dales, 1961, 1964; Marsden, 1963, 1966). Recent fine-structural studies support the view that coelomocytes of nereid polychaetes have a phagocytic role, which has still to be defined adequately in terms of cellular defense mechanisms. Nevertheless, investigations of their phagocytic responses are important in view of current ideas on the significance of the relationship of primitive phagocytic cells to origins of immune mechanisms (Burnet, 1968, 1970).
Characteristics of streaming media stored on the Web

Despite the growth in multimedia, there have been few studies that focus on characterizing streaming audio and video stored on the Web. This investigation used a customized Web crawler to traverse 17 million Web pages from diverse geographic locations and identify nearly 30,000 streaming audio and video clips available for analysis. Using custom-built extraction tools, these streaming media objects were analyzed to determine attributes such as media type, encoding format, playout duration, bitrate, resolution, and codec. The streaming media content encountered is dominated by proprietary audio and video formats with the top four commercial products being RealPlayer, Windows Media Player, MP3 and QuickTime. The distribution of the stored playout durations of streaming audio and video clips are long-tailed. More than half of the streaming media clips encountered are video, encoded primarily for broadband connections and at resolutions considerably smaller than the resolutions of typical monitors.
Supporting mobile users in database-driven opportunistic spectrum access

In database-driven opportunistic spectrum access, location information of secondary users plays an important role. In a database query-and-update procedure, a secondary user reports to the geolocation database of its location information, so that the updated knowledgebase facilitates location-aided incumbent protection and network coexistence. However, such database-driven spectrum sharing becomes very challenging when the secondary users are mobile. In this paper, we propose a probabilistic coexistence framework that supports mobile users by incorporating the solutions to solve two core problems: (i) white space allocation (WSA) at the database and (ii) location update control (LUC) at the users. We frame the two problems such that they interact through dynamic control of the users' location uncertainty levels. For WSA, we derive a centralized real-time solution to mitigate mutual interference among secondary users and protect primary users against harmful interference. For LUC, we design a local two-level strategy to enable both movement-driven and interference-driven control of location uncertainty. This strategy makes an appropriate trade-off between the effectiveness of interference mitigation and the cost of database queries. To evaluate our algorithms, we have carried out both theoretical model-driven and real-world trace-driven simulation experiments. Our simulation results show that the proposed framework can determine and adapt the database query intervals of mobile users to achieve near-optimal interference mitigation with minimal location updates.
A model evaluation methodology applicable to environmental assessment models

Abstract A model evaluation methodology is presented to provide a systematic framework within which the adequacy of environmental assessment models might be examined. The necessity for such a tool is motivated by the widespread use of models for predicting the environmental consequences of various human activities and by the reliance on these model predictions for deciding whether a particular activity requires the deployment of costly control measures. Consequently, the uncertainty associated with prediction must be established for the use of such models. The methodology presented here consists of six major tasks: model examination, algorithm examination, data evaluation, sensitivity analyses, validation studies and code comparison. This methodology is presented in the form of a flowchart to show the logical interrelatedness of the various tasks. Emphasis has been placed on identifying those parameters which are most important in determining the predictive outputs of a model. Importance has been attached to the process of collecting quality data. A method has been developed for analyzing multiplicative chain models when the input parameters are statistically independent and lognormally distributed. Latin hypercube sampling has been offered as a promising candidate for doing sensitivity analyses. Several different ways of viewing the validity of a model have been presented. Criteria are presented for selecting models for environmental assessment purposes.
Membrane shape as a reporter for applied forces

Recent advances have enabled 3-dimensional reconstructions of biological structures in vivo, ranging in size and complexity from single proteins to multicellular structures. In particular, tomography and confocal microscopy have been exploited to capture detailed 3-dimensional conformations of membranes in cellular processes ranging from viral budding and organelle maintenance to phagocytosis. Despite the wealth of membrane structures available, there is as yet no generic, quantitative method for their interpretation. We propose that by modeling these observed biomembrane shapes as fluid lipid bilayers in mechanical equilibrium, the externally applied forces as well as the pressure, tension, and spontaneous curvature can be computed directly from the shape alone. To illustrate the potential power of this technique, we apply an axial force with optical tweezers to vesicles and explicitly demonstrate that the applied force is equal to the force computed from the membrane conformation.
The influence of a DC electric field on high power microwave window flashover in air and N 2 environments

Observed delay times for high power microwave surface flashover are influenced significantly by the presence of a DC electric field. The experimental setup to investigate theses influences is comprised of an S-band magnetron operating at 2.85 GHz with a pulse rise time shortening switch assembly that produces a 50 ns rise time at a ∼ 2.5 MW power level. A wire electrode charged to ±20 kV is inserted into the dielectric interface perpendicular to the electric field of the TE 10 mode to provide a DC electric field in the flashover region. Tests have been conducted in pure N 2 at 125 torr in order to provide an environment composed of primarily electrons and positive ions. The average measured delay of window flashover with a DC field pointing into the dielectric has been observed to increase by ∼50%. Additionally, effective emission rates of seed electrons initiating breakdown have shown a decrease from 14 e/µs to 2 e/µs, indicating the removal of charged species from the high microwave field region due to charge drift in the applied DC field. An overview of the experimental setup is given along with a statistical analysis of delay times measured in Air as well as N 2 . The open question of where seed electrons originate from and the quantification of the primary processes involved will be addressed.
Nonvolatile and SDRAM ferroelectric memories for aerospace applications

A hardened-by-design ferroelectric memory cell has been developed for use in memories hardened to total ionizing dose and single event upset applications. This approach allows for wafer fabrication at commercial ferroelectric semiconductor vendors. To prove this design concept, a test chip has been developed and tested under irradiation. The design on the test chip is a prototype 1-kbit nonvolatile ferroelectric memory. The ferroelectric memory capacitor in the memory cell is intrinsically resistant to radiation exposure. The design also has circuitry for immunity to single event upset (SEU) and latch-up. Based on design simulations, it is possible to develop a similar memory to replace high-speed SDRAM. Nonvolatile and DRAM-like behavior of the memory cell can be controlled by using different internal programming voltages. Lower programming voltages are allow SDRAMs to have higher endurance levels in trade for shorter retention times as compared to the nonvolatile ferroelectric memory. This paper presents the approach used for developing hardened-by-design ferroelectric memory, as well as performance and preliminary radiation hardness results.
Leader-Member Exchange, the "Pelz Effect," and Cooperative Communication between Group Members.

This study explored effects of differential quality of leader-member exchange on cooperative communication among members of work groups. Findings suggest that the nature of an individual's own exchange with his or her leader and his or her leader's upward leader-member exchange have significant impact on perceived use of cooperative communication among coworkers. Furthermore, results of this study provide evidence of a tight linkage between vertical dyads and horizontal relationships with respect to cooperative communication.
The impact of power system disturbances on AC-coil contactors

This paper is concerned with the impact of voltage sags on the performance of AC-coil contactors in industrial power systems. Sags have been commonly characterized in terms of magnitude and duration. However several experiments are presented which show that sag magnitude and duration are insufficient to characterize contactor performance. The results of these experiments show that contactor drop out and recovery depend on point on wave occurrence of the event as well as duration. The effect of the contactor shading rings on contactor transient performance is discussed.
Entrepreneurs: Strategic Thinkers In Search Of Opportunities

The purpose of this paper is to explore a perspective concerning the creation of new business ventures, in which the emphasis is on entrepreneurs’ strategic thinking skills as well as their perceptions of market opportunities. The paper postulates that strategic thinking is typically the triggering mechanism for decisions to found new ventures. A host of factors constitute the ingredients for the strategic thinking process that lead to decisions.
Computational enhancements to the power system state estimator at harmonic frequencies

A study on the application of estimation theory to predict harmonic bus voltages and line currents which cannot or are not measured directly is proposed. The methodology is based on measurements, state estimators, and harmonic system modeling. A hybrid of quadratic and nonquadratic criterion-based techniques utilizing singular value decomposition is used with a feasible application to large-scale problems. Contrary to the fundamental case, the Jacobian matrix of the power system equations at harmonic frequencies is shown to be ill-conditioned. A robust numerical technique, using linear transformations to scale the Jacobian matrix, is suggested to render the estimation problem solvable in a practical environment. >
Pulmonary Arterial Pulse Wave Velocity and Impedance in Man

The differential pressure method of Womersley and McDonald was used to measure instantaneous blood flow in the main pulmonary artery in ten human subjects. Three subjects had normal pulmonary arterial pressures and flows, seven had mitral stenosis and pulmonary hypertension. The spectrum of input impedance versus frequency was similar to that previously reported for the dog and rabbit, with the modulus decreasing from relatively high values at zero frequency to a minimum between 2 and 5 cycles/sec. Characteristic impedance and phase velocity were lower in the normal subjects than in those with pulmonary hypertension (averages, 23 dyne sec cm -5 and 1.68 m/sec in the normals; 46 dyne sec cm -5 and 4.77 m/sec in the hypertensives). Hydraulic energy dissipated per unit time by pulsations in the pulmonary bed was usually higher in the hypertensive than in the normal cases, because of the greater stiffness of the pulmonary arteries in the subjects with pulmonary hypertension. The elasticity of the pulmonary arterial tree appears to be as important as the state of the arterioles and capillaries in determining the energy required for pulsatile pulmonary blood flow.
Elements of a Decision Procedure for Christian Social Ethics

Several philosophers have observed an affinity between a role that an understanding of God has in Christian ethics and a role of an ideal observer in their own ethical theory. R. M. Hare has even gone so far as to assert that, “Since for many Christians God occupies the role of ‘ideal observer,’ the moral judgments which they make may be expected to coincide with those arrived at by the method of reasoning which I am advocating.” Now, Hare is correct in observing that God and an ideal observer have certain characteristics in common. But God is not simply an ideal observer. And some of the differences between God and an ideal observer may be as important as the similarities for the way in which Christians make moral judgments. It is therefore somewhat hasty of Hare to assume that his method of reasoning is identical to the method of reasoning appropriate in Christian ethics.
Ischaemia in the Heart Due to Atherosclerotic Mechanisms, Flow Anomalies and Vascular Spasm

This paper addresses ischaemia in the heart due to atherosclerotic mechanisms that can be related back to endothelial injury. Furthermore, endothelial injury is examined from a fluid dynamic point of view.
Mediation Analysis in Nursing Research: A Methodological Review

Mediation statistical models help clarify the relationship between independent predictor variables and dependent outcomes of interest by assessing the impact of third variables. This type of statistical analysis is applicable for many clinical nursing research questions, yet its use within nursing remains low. Indeed, mediational analyses may help nurse researchers develop more effective and accurate prevention and treatment programs as well as help bridge the gap between scientific knowledge and clinical practice. In addition, this statistical approach allows nurse researchers to ask – and answer – more meaningful and nuanced questions that extend beyond merely determining whether an outcome occurs. Therefore, the goal of this paper is to provide a brief tutorial on the use of mediational analyses in clinical nursing research by briefly introducing the technique and, through selected empirical examples from the nursing literature, demonstrating its applicability in advancing nursing science.
The Supreme Court and election law

In the wake of the 2000 Florida election controversy, many Americans have questioned whether and how the Supreme Court should decide election law disputes. In the first comprehensive study of the issue since the Supreme Court decided Bush v. Gore, I rethink the Supreme Court's role in regulating elections.Drawing on the case files of Supreme Court Justices in the Warren, Burger, and Rehnquist courts, I root the Supreme Court's intervention in political process cases to the 1962 case Baker v. Carr, in which the Court first agreed to consider claims that a state legislature had violated the Constitution by failing to draw legislative districts with equal populations. The case opened the courts to a variety of election law disputes, to the point that the courts now control and direct major aspects of the American electoral process.The Supreme Court does have a crucial role to play in protecting a socially constructed "core" of political equality principles, but it should leave contested questions of political equality to the political process itself. Under this standard, many of the Court's most important election law cases from Baker to Bush have been wrongly decided.
Creating Dense, Constrained Ce0.9Gd0.1O1.95 Films at Low Temperature for SOFC Applications

We have investigated the effect of various dopants on the sintering characteristics of Ce0.9Gd0.1O1.95 (CGO) and found that 99% dense electrolyte pellets can be produced at the record low temperature of 800°C (as opposed to the 1400°C typically needed) by sintering Ce0.9Gd0.1O1.95 with as little 3mol% lithium. Our studies indicate that doping the CGO surface with lithium nitrate, as opposed to using alternative lithium salts, produces the largest decrease in sintering temperature. Unlike other dopants that lower the sintering temperature by altering the near grain boundary vacancy concentration, lithium lowers the sintering temperature through the formation of an intergranular liquid phase. This liquid phase allows fully dense, completely constrained CGO films to be produced on inert substrates at temperatures as low as 950°C.
Correction to: “Inner Product Spaces”

(1975). Correction to: “Inner Product Spaces”. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 82, No. 3, pp. 251-252.
Trends in Treatment of Uterine Serous Cancer in the Medicare Population.

Objective The objectives of this study were to evaluate the rates of chemotherapy and radiotherapy delivery in the treatment of uterine serous carcinoma in the Medicare population and to compare clinical outcomes in treated and untreated patients. Methods The linked Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results and Medicare databases were queried to identify patients with a diagnosis of uterine serous carcinoma between 1992 and 2009. The impact of chemotherapy on survival was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Factors predictive of outcome were compared using the Cox proportional hazards model. Results A total of 2188 patients met study eligibility criteria. Stages I, II, III, and IV diseases accounted for 890 (41%), 174 (8%), 470 (21%), and 654 (30%) of the study population, respectively. Chemotherapy, radiotherapy, both, or none, were administered as adjuvant therapy in 635 (29%), 536 (24%), 308 (14%), and 709 (32%) of the study population, respectively. Use of chemotherapy became more frequent over time. Over the study period, and after adjusting for race, time of diagnosis, SEER registry, marital status, stage, age, surgery, lymph node dissection, socioeconomic status, and comorbidity index, there was an association between receipt of radiotherapy alone (hazard ratio [HR], 1.3; 95% CI, 1.04–1.67) and not receiving any treatment (HR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.2–2.01) and worst survival. Survival was not improved over time. Conclusion Although adjuvant chemotherapy and combination treatment with chemotherapy and radiation were associated with improved survival in our model, there was no significant improvement in survival over time.
Digital Judgment: Canada's Information Network for Judges

While only enrolling fifteen judges at its inception on May 19, 1995, JAIN today emol?s over eight hundred federally appointed Canadian judges and extends to thou sands more provincial court judges by an allied system, JUDICOM (CJC, 1994-2002). Mr. Justice Robert Carr, of Manitoba's Court of Queen's Bench, and chairperson of the JAIN Steering Committee, comments, "There is no comparable network in the world. I was at a technology convention in Los Angeles not long ago with about 3,000 delegates, many of them judges, and the Americans were just astonished at how far behind they were" (Makin, 2000). This management note for students of court administration provides an overview of the operation of JAIN and JUDICOM, assesses their impact on Canadian judges and jus tices, and discusses implications for judicial reasoning. Of course, there are limits in assessing JAIN/JUDICOM due to the lack of systematic understanding through survey
In their own words: The experience and needs of children in younger-onset Alzheimer's disease and other dementias families:

Because of the age of persons diagnosed with younger-onset Alzheimer's disease or other dementias (YOD), an important and as yet relatively little explored area of YOD, particularly in the United States, is the impact on young children of having a parent with YOD. After reviewing the small but growing research in this area, we report on findings from 12 in-depth interviews with children and well-parents in families with a parent with YOD on the experience and needs of children having a parent with this diagnosis. Children report disruption in many aspects of their lives: their developmental trajectory, emotional and psychological development, familial and broader social relationships, and financial stability. Despite these significant disruptions, and a dearth of information, resources, and services tailored to their individual and familial needs, these children demonstrate remarkable resilience and self-awareness. We discuss implications for interventions with these families.
Patient Navigation for Comprehensive Cancer Screening in High-Risk Patients Using a Population-Based Health Information Technology System: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance Patient navigation (PN) to improve cancer screening in low-income and racial/ethnic minority populations usually focuses on navigating for single cancers in community health center settings. Objective We evaluated PN for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening using a population-based information technology (IT) system within a primary care network. Design, Setting, and Participants Randomized clinical trial conducted from April 2014 to December 2014 in 18 practices in an academic primary care network. All patients eligible and overdue for cancer screening were identified and managed using a population-based IT system. Those at high risk for nonadherence with completing screening were identified using an electronic algorithm (language spoken, number of overdue tests, no-show visit history), and randomized to a PN intervention (n = 792) or usual care (n = 820). Navigators used the IT system to track patients, contact them, and provide intense outreach to help them complete cancer screening. Main Outcomes and Measures Mean cancer screening test completion rate over 8-month trial for each eligible patient, with all overdue cancer screening tests combined using linear regression models. Secondary outcomes included the proportion of patients completing any and each overdue cancer screening test. Results Among 1612 patients (673 men and 975 women; median age, 57 years), baseline patient characteristics were similar among randomized groups. Of 792 intervention patients, patient navigators were unable to reach 151 (19%), deferred 246 (38%) (eg, patient declined, competing comorbidity), and navigated 202 (32%). The mean proportion of patients who were up to date with screening among all overdue screening examinations was higher in the intervention vs the control group for all cancers combined (10.2% vs 6.8%; 95% CI [for the difference], 1.5%-5.2%; P P = .04), cervical (11.1% vs 5.7%; 95% CI, 0.8%-5.2%; P = .002), and colon (7.6% vs 4.6%; 95% CI, 0.8%-5.2%; P = .01) cancer compared with control. The proportion of overdue patients who completed any cancer screening during follow-up was higher in the intervention group (25.5% vs 17.0%; 95% CI, 4.7%-12.7%; P P = .009), cervical (14.4% vs 8.6%; 95% CI, 1.6%-10.5%; P = .007), and colorectal (13.7% vs 7.0%; 95% CI, 3.2%-10.4%; P Conclusions and Relevance Patient navigation as part of a population-based IT system significantly increased screening rates for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer in patients at high risk for nonadherence with testing. Integrating patient navigation into population health management activities for low-income and racial/ethnic minority patients might improve equity of cancer care. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier:NCT02553538
Predictive model with improved statistical analysis of interactive factors affecting the growth of Staphylococcus aureus 196E

The growth of pathogenic bacteria in foods is affected by several factors which may interact to enhance or inhibit microbial growth. A model to predict the growth of Staphylococcus aureus 196E in microbiological media was developed using a modified Gompertz function and response-surface methodology. The predictive equation required the estimation of 23 parameters which describe singular and interactive effects of the growth factors studied. S. aureus 196E was inoculated into brain heart infusion broth formulated with either 0.5, 4.5, or 8.5% NaCl, adjusted to pH 5.0, 6.0, or 7.0, and incubated aerobically at 12, 20, or 28°C. Several interactive relationships between time, temperature, pH, and NaCl concentration were significant. The model adequately predicted the growth of S. aureus 196E. Predicted responses to multiple-factor interactions were displayed with three-dimensional and contour plots. A second model developed from a smaller subset of the growth data demonstrated that models could be produced with much less data collection. This methodology can provide important information to food scientists about the growth kinetics of microorganisms and prediction ranges or confidence intervals for growth parameters. Consequently, the effects of food formulations and storage conditions on the growth kinetics of foodborne pathogens or spoilage microorganisms could be predicted.
An Instructional Design Framework for Fostering Student Engagement in Online Learning Environments

Many approaches, models and frameworks exist when designing quality online learning environments. These approaches assist and guide instructional designers through the process of analysis, design, development, implementation and evaluation of instructional processes. Some of these frameworks are concerned with student participation, some with motivation and some with student success. All these variables affect active participation and engagement of the student to some degree but the main concern is how to design online instruction conducive to high level of engagement. Therefore, this paper presents an instructional design framework along with a set of strategies that could be used to foster learner engagement in online learning. This framework is result of an extensive literature review on student engagement and is aimed at summarizing the results in a cohesive way for online instructors. For e-learning design and development to be successful online designers and instructors need better approaches to increasing student engagement and its authors hope that proposed framework provides such an approach.
Performance characteristics of advanced volume phase holographic gratings for operation in the near infrared

Volume phase holographic (VPH) gratings are proven dispersing elements in astronomical spectrographs over the visible spectrum. VPH gratings have also been successfully deployed for use at cryogenic temperatures. Recent advances in production technology now permit the production of gratings for use in the near infrared up to 2450 nm at cryogenic conditions. This paper describes the requirements of VPH gratings for use in the H (wavelengths from 1500 nm to 1800 nm) and K (wavelengths from 1950 nm to 2450 nm) bands, gives the theoretical performances of diffraction efficiency for the production designs and presents the measured performances on the production gratings
How Much for an Interval? a Set? a Twin Set? a p-Box? A Kaucher Interval? Towards an Economics-Motivated Approach to Decision Making Under Uncertainty

A natural idea of decision making under uncertainty is to assign a fair price to different alternatives, and then to use these fair prices to select the best alternative. In this paper, we show how to assign a fair price under different types of uncertainty.
Regulatory Analysis of Effects of Hepatitis C Virus NS5A Polymorphisms on Efficacy of Elbasvir and Grazoprevir.

Background & Aims Elbasvir (an NS5A inhibitor) and grazoprevir (an NS3/4A protease inhibitor) are direct-acting antiviral agents recently approved in the United States for treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 and 4 infections, as a fixed-dose combination. Trials of elbasvir and grazoprevir, with or without ribavirin, demonstrated high rates of sustained virologic response 12 weeks after treatment ended (SVR12). However, 12 weeks of treatment with elbasvir and grazoprevir failed in a small proportion of patients with HCV genotype 1 infection. We summarize findings from independent US Food and Drug Administration analyses of drug resistance data from trials of elbasvir and grazoprevir, with and without ribavirin. Methods We independently analyzed HCV drug resistance and HCV RNA measurement results that were submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration to support the regulatory approval of elbasvir and grazoprevir. These data were reported from selected phase 2 and 3 clinical trials of elbasvir and grazoprevir, with and without ribavirin. Genotypic resistance analyses were conducted using Sanger population nucleotide sequencing data derived from blood samples from study patients. Results In 56 of 506 (11%) patients with HCV genotype 1a infection who received elbasvir and grazoprevir for 12 weeks, baseline HCV genetic variants encoding amino acid polymorphisms in NS5A (M28, Q30, L31, or Y93) reduced treatment efficacy; rates of SVR12 were 70% and 98% for patients with or without NS5A polymorphisms, respectively (P Conclusions The combination of elbasvir and grazoprevir, with or without ribavirin is safe and effective for patients with HCV genotype 1 or 4 infections. In patients with HCV genotype 1a infection, polymorphisms in NS5A at baseline (before treatment) can affect the efficacy of this direct-acting antiviral regimen, and pretreatment resistance analyses can optimize treatment selection.
Heart Peptide Hormones: Adjunct and Primary Treatments of Cancer.

Four heart hormones, namely atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), long-acting natriuretic peptide (LANP), vessel dilator and kaliuretic peptide reduce up to 97% of cancer cells in vitro. These four cardiac hormones eliminate up to 80% of human pancreatic adenocarcinomas, two-thirds of human breast carcinomas and up to 86% of human small-cell lung carcinomas growing in athymic mice. ANP given intravenously for 3 hours after ‘curative’ lung surgery as an adjunct to surgery results in a 2-year relapse-free survival of 91% compared to 75% for those treated with surgery alone. The anticancer mechanisms of action of these peptides involve binding to receptors on the cancer cells, followed by 95% inhibition of the conversion of inactive to active rat sarcoma-bound guanosine triphosphate (RAS)-mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinases 1/2 (MEK 1/2) (98% inhibition)-extracellular signal-related kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2) (96% inhibition) cascade in cancer cells. They are dual inhibitors of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its VEGF2 receptor (up to 89%). They also inhibit MAPK9, i.e. c-JUN-N-terminal kinase 2. One of the downstream targets of VEGF is β-catenin, which these peptides inhibit by up to 88%. These four peptide hormones inhibit the Wingless-related integration site (WNT) pathway 68% and WNT secreted-Frizzled protein is reduced by up to 84%. Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), a final ‘switch’ that activates gene expression that leads to malignancy, is specifically reduced up to 88% by these peptides but they do not affect STAT1. There is crosstalk between the RAS-MEK 1/2-ERK 1/2 kinase cascade, VEGF, β-catenin, JNK, WNT, and STAT pathways and each of these pathways and their crosstalk is inhibited by these peptide hormones. They enter the nucleus of cancer cells where they inhibit the proto-oncogenes c-FOS (by up to 82%) and c-JUN (by up to 61%). Conclusion: These multiple kinase inhibitors have both adjunct and primary anticancer effects.