cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A tool for better well-woman exams.

This article explains how visit-specific encounter forms can help physicians improve their documentation and their care. The author shares the routine gynecological encounter form used in his practice.
Pilotstudie Über Verfahren der Oberflächenstabilisierung bei Endlagern in Oberflächennahen Formationen im Südwesten der U.S.A.

in semiariden Klimaten hangt die langfristige Integritat einer Abfalldeponie auch von der Regelung des Wassergleichgewichts am Standort ab. Abflus und Erosion sind haufig als Folge der kurzen, aber hochintensiven Sommersturme besonders stark. Versuche zur Eindammung der Erosion konnen zu verstarkter Infiltration von Wasser fuhren und erhohen damit das Risiko, das Wasser in das Deponiegut eindringt und spater Schadstoffe aus der Deponie in das Grundwasser migrieren. Oberflachen-Stabilisierungsverfahren mit dem Ziel, die Schadstoffmigration aus der Unterflur und dem Mull zu minimieren, mussen sich darauf konzentrieren, den einander widersprechenden Anforderungen an die Kontrolle einerseits der Erosion und andererseits der tiefen Perkolation des Wassers unterhalb der Wurzelzone gerecht zu werden.
Online Learning Self-Efficacy in Students With and Without Online Learning Experience

ABSTRACTA need was identified for an instrument to measure online learning self-efficacy, which encompassed the wide variety of tasks required of successful online students. The Online Learning Self-Efficacy Scale (OLSES) was designed to include tasks required of students enrolled in paced online courses at one university. In the present study, the twenty-two-item scale was completed by 338 postsecondary students with and without online learning experience. Separate principal components analyses were performed using data collected from participants who had and had not completed an online course. The results were similar for the two groups. A three-subscale structure was selected for use with all individuals. The three subscales represent items concerning (1) learning in the online environment, (2) time management, and (3) technology use. The reliability and validity of scores on the OLSES was explored through group comparisons and correlations. Suggestions for the use of the instrument with other populati...
Compact Precedence Graphs

In design by composition, compact precedence graphs (CPGs) are used to represent the possible fabrication sequences for primitives. The CPG is based on a least-commitment approach to process planning; a given compact set may have many valid build orders. Early selection of one of these possibilities may produce inefficient process plans or inferior part quality. Preserving a range of possible plans in the CPG allows the designer, the manufacturer, or an automated algorithm to make sequencing decisions as needed.
Pediatric Exposures to Ionizing Radiation: Carcinogenic Considerations

Children are at a greater risk than adults of developing cancer after being exposed to ionizing radiation. Because of their developing bodies and long life expectancy post-exposure, children require specific attention in the aftermath of nuclear accidents and when radiation is used for diagnosis or treatment purposes. In this review, we discuss the carcinogenic potential of pediatric exposures to ionizing radiation from accidental, diagnostic, and therapeutic modalities. Particular emphasis is given to leukemia and thyroid cancers as consequences of accidental exposures. We further discuss the evidence of cancers that arise as a result of radiotherapy and conclude the review with a summary on the available literature on the links between computer tomography (CT) and carcinogenesis. Appropriate actions taken to mitigate or minimize the negative health effects of pediatric exposures to ionizing radiation and future considerations are discussed.
The Kidney in Hypertension.

Hypertension is the second most common cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and is a potentiator of kidney failure when accompanying disease. CKD is a common cause of resistant hypertension. Nephropathy progression has dramatically slowed over the past 3 decades from an average of 8 to between 2-3 mL/min per year regardless of diabetes status. The incidence of very high albuminuria as well as progression from high albuminuria very high albuminuria has substantially decreased over the past 3 decades. This improvement relates to better blood pressure control using agents that slow nephropathy as well as better glycemic and cholesterol control.
Toward a Nonspeech Test of Auditory Cognition: Semantic Context Effects in Environmental Sound Identification in Adults of Varying Age and Hearing Abilities.

Objective Sounds in everyday environments tend to follow one another as events unfold over time. The tacit knowledge of contextual relationships among environmental sounds can influence their perception. We examined the effect of semantic context on the identification of sequences of environmental sounds by adults of varying age and hearing abilities, with an aim to develop a nonspeech test of auditory cognition. Method The familiar environmental sound test (FEST) consisted of 25 individual sounds arranged into ten five-sound sequences: five contextually coherent and five incoherent. After hearing each sequence, listeners identified each sound and arranged them in the presentation order. FEST was administered to young normal-hearing, middle-to-older normal-hearing, and middle-to-older hearing-impaired adults (Experiment 1), and to postlingual cochlear-implant users and young normal-hearing adults tested through vocoder-simulated implants (Experiment 2). Results FEST scores revealed a strong positive effect of semantic context in all listener groups, with young normal-hearing listeners outperforming other groups. FEST scores also correlated with other measures of cognitive ability, and for CI users, with the intelligibility of speech-in-noise. Conclusions Being sensitive to semantic context effects, FEST can serve as a nonspeech test of auditory cognition for diverse listener populations to assess and potentially improve everyday listening skills.
Differential expression of M3 muscarinic receptors in progressive colon neoplasia and metastasis.

// Kunrong Cheng 1, 2 , Aaron C. Shang 2 , Cinthia B. Drachenberg 3 , Min Zhan 1, 4 , Jean-Pierre Raufman 1, 2, 5 1 Veterans Affairs Maryland Healthcare System, Baltimore VA Medical Center, Baltimore, MD, USA 2 Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA 3 Department of Pathology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA 4 Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA 5 Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA Correspondence to: Jean-Pierre Raufman, email: jraufman@medicine.umaryland.edu Keywords: colon neoplasia, metastases, muscarinic receptors, matrix metalloproteinase-1, receptor expression Received: November 30, 2016 Accepted: February 07, 2017 Published: February 18, 2017 ABSTRACT M3 muscarinic receptor (M3R) activation promotes colon cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro . Although over-expression of CHRM3 , the gene encoding M3R, is reported in primary colon cancers, expression of M3R itself has not been studied in colon neoplasia. We compared M3R expression in normal colon to colon adenomas, and primary and metastatic colon cancers. Compared to adjacent normal colon, CHRM3 expression was increased up to 128-fold in 10 of 18 consecutive surgical cancer specimens (56%) and associated with metastatic spread ( P < 0.05). To analyze M3R protein expression we interrogated 29 consecutive paraffin-embedded colon adenocarcinomas and adjacent normal colon using a specific anti-M3R antibody and immunoperoxidase staining. This revealed weak M3R expression in normal colonocytes, primarily on basolateral surfaces. In contrast, in 25 of 29 cancer tissues (86%) we observed both cytoplasmic and plasma membrane over-expression of M3R; compared to normal epithelium, mean M3R staining intensity was increased more than two-fold in colon cancer ( P < 0.001). M3R staining was also increased in 22 colon adenomas compared to adjacent normal colon ( P < 0.001). In contrast, M3R staining intensity was not increased in lymph node or liver metastases. These findings suggest M3R expression plays an important role in early progression and invasion of colon neoplasia but is less important once tumors have spread.
Stabilizing a Nonlinear System Over a Range of Operating Points

Abstract This paper shows that if the linearization of a nonlinear system can be simultaneously stabilized about two operating points by a single compensator and the closed-loop characteristic polynomials of the two linearized systems satisfy certain conditions, then the nonlinear system linearization is stabilized by the same compensator over a range of operating points. The set of operating points over which the linearization is stabilized corresponds to the set of transfer functions generated by a parametrization of the transfer functions of the linearization about the two original operating points. This result is applied to an example of underwater vehicle control.
Valvular Heart Disease in Adults: Infective Endocarditis

A variety of microorganisms can cause infective endocarditis (IE) in patients with native valves. Staphylococci and streptococci are most common in community-acquired IE; staphylococci are most common in nosocomial IE. Microbiology of prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE) depends on timing. Early-onset PVE (ie, 60 days or fewer postsurgery) typically is nosocomial, with Staphylococcus aureus infection being most common. Intermediate-onset PVE (ie, 60 to 365 days postsurgery) typically involves a mix of nosocomial and non-nosocomial organisms. PVE that develops more than 1 year after surgery has microbiology similar to that of native valve endocarditis. Fever is the most common symptom; others include dyspnea, pleuritic pain, anorexia, and myalgias. The Modified Duke Criteria is the standard for diagnosis, with blood cultures being the most important test. If patients are in stable condition, three sets of blood cultures should be obtained more than 6 hours apart and from separate sites before starting antibiotics. Echocardiography aids in diagnosis and can identify conditions best managed with surgery. For empiric therapy for native valve IE, most patients should receive vancomycin. For PVE, vancomycin and gentamicin should be prescribed, plus cefepime or an antipseudomonal carbapenem. Treatment typically continues for 6 weeks after blood culture results are negative.
Examining Differences in Identity Disclosure Between Monosexuals and Bisexuals

ABSTRACTSociological research has uncovered many ways social factors and locations influence identity disclosure decisions and strategies among sexual minorities. However, most research has examined only monosexual sexual minorities (i.e., lesbian and gay identified respondents) or lumped various sexual minorities together as one despite similarities and differences in experience and social recognition. In this article, we drew on insights from Queer Theory to compare and contrast social factors that influence identity disclosure among monosexual and bisexual sexual minorities,respectively. Utilizing data from the 2013 Pew Research Center Survey of LGBT adults, we demonstrate ways bisexual identity disclosure experiences both confirm aspects of existing research on monosexual sexual minorities, and reveal nuances and variations typically missing from such literature. In conclusion, we draw out implications for (1) understanding similarities and differences between monosexual and bisexual identity disclosu...
Effect of Grouping, Segmentation, and Vestibular Stimulation on the Autokinetic Effect.

We report some new observations on what could be regarded as the world’s simplest visual illusion—the autokinetic effect. When a single dim spot of light is viewed in a completely dark room, it mov...
Immigrants: The Desire to Be White

America began and remains a nation of immigrants, where citizens of foreign countries leave their birthplace for a chance to realize the American Dream. Initially, most immigrants were from Europe. For them the American Dream represented an opportunity for religious freedom, where they might worship without fear of retribution from foreign governments or hostile dictatorships. This first wave of immigrants was white, by racial identity. After a single generation, once their children had acquired English language and American cultural skills, they were accepted as members of the bona fide American mainstream. In a short span of time, the American Dream had become a reality for them.
Strategies of Gradient Evaluation for Dynamical Electron Correlation

Gradient evaluation is most rewarding for molecules with many degrees of freedom. Most accurate correlation methods are too expensive if applied to such systems. In this paper, we summarize our recent results on the development of accurate correlation methods which are applicable to larger (mainly ground-state) molecules, with special emphasis on gradient evaluation. We shall also compare functional based methods with non-functional based ones for gradient calculation. The combined use of a high-level method without gradients and a low-level method with gradients is discussed.
Robust program equilibrium

One approach to achieving cooperation in the one-shot prisoner’s dilemma is Tennenholtz’s (Games Econ Behav 49(2):363–373, 2004) program equilibrium, in which the players of a game submit programs instead of strategies. These programs are then allowed to read each other’s source code to decide which action to take. As shown by Tennenholtz, cooperation is played in an equilibrium of this alternative game. In particular, he proposes that the two players submit the same version of the following program: cooperate if the opponent is an exact copy of this program and defect otherwise. Neither of the two players can benefit from submitting a different program. Unfortunately, this equilibrium is fragile and unlikely to be realized in practice. We thus propose a new, simple program to achieve more robust cooperative program equilibria: cooperate with some small probability $$\epsilon $$ and otherwise act as the opponent acts against this program. I argue that this program is similar to the tit for tat strategy for the iterated prisoner’s dilemma. Both “start” by cooperating and copy their opponent’s behavior from “the last round”. We then generalize this approach of turning strategies for the repeated version of a game into programs for the one-shot version of a game to other two-player games. We prove that the resulting programs inherit properties of the underlying strategy. This enables them to robustly and effectively elicit the same responses as the underlying strategy for the repeated game.
NFMI: Connectivity for Short-Range IoT Applications

Magnetic-induction-based nearfield communication is an emerging technology that is used for short-range, Internet-of-Things applications requiring high security, human safety, and low power; it operates in harsh environments, withstanding the presence of water, soil, and metals.
Church-based social interactions and psychotic experiences among Black Americans: findings from the National Survey of American Life

ABSTRACTReligious attendance has generally been salutary for mental health, though recent evidence suggests that church attendance has no significant relation with psychotic experiences. This study will examine how various types of church-based social interactions might be related to psychotic experiences. We analysed data from the National Survey of American Life –a representative sample of Black Americans in the United States –and used multivariable logistic regression to examine associations between seven church-based social interaction variables and lifetime psychotic experiences. In separate models, church attendance, church member interaction, and closeness to church members were not significantly associated with psychotic experiences, while greater emotional support, negative social interactions, providing help to other church members and receiving help from fellow church members were associated with increased odds of reporting psychotic experiences. But in a fully adjusted model including all chur...
Exploring Interactions with Voice-Controlled TV.

Intelligent agents such as Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant are now built into streaming TV systems, allowing people to use voice input to navigate the increasingly complex set of apps available on a TV. However, these systems typically support a narrow range of control- and search-oriented commands, and do not support deeper recommendation or exploration queries. To learn about how people interact with a recommendation-oriented voice-controlled TV, we use research through design methods to explore an early prototype movie recommendation system where the only input modality is voice. We describe in-depth qualitative research sessions with 11 participants. We contribute implications for designers of voice-controlled TV: mitigating the drawbacks of voice-only interactions, navigating the tension between expressiveness and efficiency, and building voice-driven recommendation interfaces that facilitate exploration.
Zebrafish in Biomedical Research: the Retina and Vision

Abstract This review describes the structural organization of the zebrafish retina and the many behavioral, physiological, and fluorescent approaches that can be used to measure visual function. This provides the foundation for dissecting mechanisms underlying disease and for developing therapeutic strategies to treat blindness. The sophisticated genetic, cell biological, behavioral, physiological, and biochemical approaches available combined with rapid development and high fecundity promise to ensure the continued use of the zebrafish model for important discoveries in vision research.
Association of Neighborhood Socioeconomic Disadvantage With Complicated Appendicitis in Children.

Abstract Background Lower socioeconomic status (SES) is linked to poorer outcomes for a variety of health conditions in children, potentially through delay in accessing care. The objective of this study was to measure the association between SES and delay in surgical care as marked by presentation with complicated appendicitis (CA). Methods Children treated for acute appendicitis between 2015-2019 at a large academic children's hospital were reviewed. Patient home addresses were used to calculate travel time to the children's hospital and to determine Area Deprivation Index (ADI), a neighborhood-level SES marker. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to compare the likelihood of CA across ADI while adjusting for confounders. Results Of 1,697 children with acute appendicitis, 38.8% had CA. Compared to those with uncomplicated disease, children with CA were younger, lived farther from the children's hospital, and were more likely to have Medicaid insurance and have ED visits in the 30 days preceding diagnosis. Children with CA disproportionately came from disadvantaged neighborhoods (P 60-min travel time were also associated with CA. Association between ADI and CA remained among younger ( Conclusions ADI is associated with CA among children, suggesting ADI may be a valuable marker of difficulty accessing surgical care among disadvantaged children.
Review: microbial transformations of human bile acids

Bile acids play key roles in gut metabolism, cell signaling, and microbiome composition. While the liver is responsible for the production of primary bile acids, microbes in the gut modify these compounds into myriad forms that greatly increase their diversity and biological function. Since the early 1960s, microbes have been known to transform human bile acids in four distinct ways: deconjugation of the amino acids glycine or taurine, and dehydroxylation, dehydrogenation, and epimerization of the cholesterol core. Alterations in the chemistry of these secondary bile acids have been linked to several diseases, such as cirrhosis, inflammatory bowel disease, and cancer. In addition to the previously known transformations, a recent study has shown that members of our gut microbiota are also able to conjugate amino acids to bile acids, representing a new set of "microbially conjugated bile acids." This new finding greatly influences the diversity of bile acids in the mammalian gut, but the effects on host physiology and microbial dynamics are mostly unknown. This review focuses on recent discoveries investigating microbial mechanisms of human bile acids and explores the chemical diversity that may exist in bile acid structures in light of the new discovery of microbial conjugations. Video Abstract.
They just fade away: mortality in the US venture capital industry

Organizational mortality events are better understood than the process by which organizations cease to be. Complementing research on organizing, we theorize about disorganizing. We propose that disorganizing organizations attempt to avoid mortality by reducing audience engagement. We also propose that, typically, such behaviors only delay the inevitable because reduced engagement diminishes audience appeal which, in turn, raises mortality hazards. Analyzing life histories of 1891 organizations that experience protracted mortality processes, we find support for our arguments. Reducing engagement increases the mortality hazard for venture capital firms by reducing the firm's appeal to co-investors, but gradual reductions attenuate the effects of reduced engagement on both mortality and appeal. We discuss implications of these findings for organizational theory, entrepreneurs, and institutional investors. Copyright 2012 The Author 2011. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Associazione ICC. All rights reserved., Oxford University Press.
Attentional Bias to Threat: Examining Associations with Children's Emotional Regulation and Interactions with Intimate Partner Violence.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) in the home—a prevalent environmental risk for children—exemplifies a key factor that may alter the role of attentional bias to threat (ABT) in children’s psychological adjustment. The current study aims to (1) examine potential variations in ABT and emotion regulation across animal and face stimuli and (2) test IPV as a potential moderator of the relationship between ABT and child outcomes. Participating children (N = 37) completed computerized tasks assessing ABT. Mothers provided data on IPV in the home, child victimization, and child emotion regulation. Children’s ABT toward animal stimuli was not associated with emotion regulation; IPV significantly moderated the link between ABT and emotion regulation (β = − 0.06, p < .001). At low levels of IPV, children’s ABT and emotion regulation were not related, but at high levels of IPV, ABT was negatively associated with emotion regulation skills. The relevance of ABT for understanding functioning may vary by both stimulus selection and by previous experiences of environmental risk.
A Relative Error Bound for Discrete Balanced Stochastic Truncation

The relative-error of discrete time Balanced Stochastic Truncation (BST) model reduction is derived. Fundamental differences between discrete-time BST and its continuous-time counterpart are shown to preclude a straightforward application of bilinear mappings to directly generalize existing continuous-time error bounds. Nevertheless, a crude L ? relative error bound for discrete time multi-input multi-output system BST model reduction is derived. It is hope that the preliminary results reported here will lay the foundation for a simpler, tighter error bound for discrete time BST.
Geospace Environment Modeling 2008–2009 Challenge: Geosynchronous magnetic field

[1] In this paper the metrics-based results of the inner magnetospheric magnetic field part of the 2008–2009 GEM Metrics Challenge are reported. The Metrics Challenge asked modelers to submit results for four geomagnetic storm events and five different types of observations that can be modeled by statistical or climatological or physics-based (e.g., MHD) models of the magnetosphere-ionosphere system. We present the results of 12 model settings that were run at the Community Coordinated Modeling Center and at the institutions of various modelers for these events. To measure the performance of each of the models against the observations, we use direct comparisons between the strength of the measured magnetic field (B), the sine of the elevation angle Θxz (τ), and the spectral power of fluctuations for both quantities. We find that model rankings vary widely by type of variable and skill score used. None of the models consistently performs best for all events. We find that empirical models perform well for weak storm events, and physics-based (magnetohydrodynamic) models are better for strong storm events. Within a series of runs of the same model we find that higher resolution may not always improve results unless more physics of the inner magnetosphere, such as the kinetic description of the ring current, is included.
Factors Influencing Athletic Training Students' Perceptions of the Athletic Training Profession and Career Choice

Context: Successful athletic training programs should help students develop a desire to work within the athletic training profession while providing adequate preparation for them to enter the workforce. Understanding athletic training students' perceptions of the profession as they leave programs and the factors that influence these perceptions is critical in ensuring retention of graduating students in the field. Objective: To examine senior athletic training students' [SATSs] attitudes, opinions, and perceptions of the athletic training profession and to gain insight into the factors that influence their career choice. Design: Qualitative study. Setting: Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education–accredited athletic training education programs. Patients or Other Participants: A total of 26 SATSs (7 men, 19 women) who graduated in 2011. Main Outcome Measure(s): We collected data using semistructured phone interviews and implemented a grounded theory approach to analyze the data. We used m...
Retrieval of water vapor profiles from a combination of SSM/T-2 and SSM/I observations

A physical relaxation algorithm has been developed for the microwave radiometric retrieval of water vapor profiles from the radiances measured by the SSM/T-2. The algorithm includes statistical constraints to provide stability in the layers for which there is little information in the radiances. It also includes an explicit treatment of clouds. The SSM/I with its better resolution and lower frequencies provides the potential for improved retrievals. However, under most conditions this improvement is marginal at best and easily negated by the practical problems in merging two sensors with dissimilar scan patterns. The advantage of adding the SSM/I occurs in the presence of thick clouds. Using only the radiances from the SSM/T-2, it is difficult to estimate the liquid water content of the clouds and thereby the cloud impact on the radiances. As a result, the quality of the retrievals suffers. Over an ocean background, the inclusion of the SSM/I observations provides a more reasonable basis for quantitative estimates ofthe cloud liquid water content as well as a precipitable water constraint on the profile resulting in significant improvement in the retrievals. The resolution ofthe 91 GHz channel ofthe SSM/T-2 is 100 km, twice that ofthe 183 GHz channels, making it of limited value in the presence of gradients. The SSM/I can be used to synthesize a dual polarized pair of 85.5 GHz observations with 50 km resolution which can be substituted for the 91 GHz channel. The SSM/I can also be used to filter for rain events which would result in erroneous retrievals. >
Impact of an emergency medicine residency program on the quality of care in an urban community hospital emergency department.

Study objectives: To assess the impact of the introduction of an emergency medicine residency program on the quality of care in an urban community hospital emergency department. Design: A retrospective chart review of all ED encounters for a three-month period beginning six months before and six months after the introduction of an emergency medicine residency. Setting: A 27,000-visit-per-year urban community hospital ED. Type of participants: All patients who presented to the ED with one of five complaints and subsequently were discharged home. The five presenting categories examined were nontraumatic chest pain when age 30 years or more, lower abdominal pain in women aged 15 to 40 years, recent head trauma, headache of nontraumatic origin, and extremity laceration. Interventions: None. Measurements and main results: The frequency of physician documentation on the ED record of explicit criteria related to the five presenting complaints was used as a measure of the quality of care. Items sought for documentation included elements of. the history and physical examination and diagnostic evaluations. The explicit criteria lists were drawn from the literature, including clinical policy guidelines. For each of the presenting complaints evaluated, documentation of the majority of items reflecting the quality of care was higher during the residency period. In no instance did the level of documentation decrease. Conclusion: As measured by a process evaluation, documentation of the medical record, the introduction of an emergency medicine residency significantly improved the quality of care in this urban community hospital ED.
Principle of corresponding states of liquid solutions—excess enthalpy and the pseudocriticals

Abstract A new generalized enthalpy function of low pressure saturated liquids is developed to permit the accurate calculation of heats of mixing from the known pseudo quantities of a mixture system. A procedure is developed, with the aid of the new enthalpy function, by which ω′ and T′c of binary mixtures are determined from experimental heat of mixing data of their liquid solutions at multiple temperatures. The procedure is applied to twenty-seven binary hydrocarbon systems for which data were found in the literature. The pseudo quantities are established over the entire composition range to reveal their functional forms.
Microwave, structural, conformational, vibrational studies and ab initio calculations of fluoroacetyl chloride.

Abstract The infrared and Raman spectra (3200–50 cm −1 ) of the gas, liquid or solution, and solid of fluoroacetyl chloride, FCH 2 COCl have been recorded. FT-microwave studies have also been carried out and 22 transitions were recorded for the trans conformer. Variable temperature (−50 to −105 °C) studies of the infrared and Raman spectra (3200–50 cm −1 ) of xenon solutions have been carried out. From these data, the trans, cis and gauche conformers have been identified and their relative stabilities obtained. The enthalpy difference has been determined to be 159 ± 11 cm −1 (1.90 ± 0.14 kJ mol −1 ) with the trans conformer the more stable form than the cis. The energy difference between the cis and gauche form is 222 ± 18 cm −1 (2.66 ± 0.21 kJ/mol) and the energy difference between the trans and gauche forms is 386 ± 13 cm −1 (4.61 ± 0.16 kJ/mol). Vibrational assignments have been made for the observed bands for the three conformers with initial predictions by MP2(full)/6-31G(d) ab initio calculations to obtain harmonic force constants, wavenumbers, infrared intensities, and Raman activities for the three conformers. By utilizing the microwave rotational constants of two isotopomers for trans, combined with the structural parameters predicted from MP2(full)/6-311+G(d,p) calculations, adjusted r 0 parameters have been obtained for the trans conformer. The results are discussed and compared to the corresponding properties of some related molecules.
The interfacial microstructure of zirconia and MaCor™ joined using spin-on interlayers

Abstract Scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) were used to investigate the interfacial microstructure of sintered polycrystalline partially stabilized zirconia (PSZ) specimens bonded to a commercial machinable glass ceramic (MaCor™). All specimens were joined using a thin (approximately 400 nm) amorphous silica interlayer. This interlayer was produced by spin coating an organic based silica bond material precursor and curing at 200°C, followed by joining in a single-mode microwave cavity. After joining, no evidence of the silica bond layer was observed, with the silica presumably dissolving into the surrounding materials. The bond interface was non-planar as a result of the strong wetting of MaCor™ and silica and dissolution of ZrO 2 . The interfacial microstructure shows intimate bonding between the zirconia and MaCor™, without any additional observed interfacial phases. This microstructural development is discussed.
Specifying Price Judgments with Range–Frequency Theory in Models of Brand Choice

Abstract To construct a price judgment, consumers compare a focal price with one or more reference prices. However, reference price operationalizations in the brand choice literature use single-point summary measures that cannot account for several distributional effects. To account for effects beyond the first moment of the reference price distribution, the authors specify price judgments in models of brand choice in accordance with range–frequency theory. The findings indicate that range–frequency price judgments provide a more complete specification of reference price effects and become more important with an increase in the second and third moments of a reference price distribution. The data also indicate that range effects are stronger for coupon users and frequency effects are stronger for consumers exposed to a trend of prices. The results have several implications for choice modeling, pricing theory, and pricing strategy.
The case for sleep states in servers

While sleep states have existed for mobile devices and workstations for some time, these sleep states have largely not been incorporated into the servers in today's data centers.Chip designers have been unmotivated to design sleep states because data center administrators haven't expressed any desire to have them. High setup times make administrators fearful of any form of dynamic power management, whereby servers are suspended or shut down when load drops. This general reluctance has stalled research into whether there might be some feasible sleep state (with sufficiently low setup overhead and/or sufficiently low power) that would actually be beneficial in data centers.This paper uses both experimentation and theory to investigate the regime of sleep states that should be advantageous in data centers. Implementation experiments involve a 24-server multi-tier testbed, serving a web site of the type seen in Facebook or Amazon with key-value workload and a range of hypothetical sleep states. Analytical modeling is used to understand the effect of scaling up to larger data centers. The goal of this research is to encourage data center administrators to consider dynamic power management and to spur chip designers to develop useful sleep states for servers.
Stability of operator splitting methods for systems with indefinite operators: reaction-diffusion systems

In this paper numerical results are reviewed [D.L. Ropp, J.N. Shadid, C.C. Ober, Studies of the accuracy of time integration methods for reaction-diffusion equations, J. Comput. Phys. 194 (2) (2004) 544-574] that demonstrate that common second-order operator-splitting methods can exhibit instabilities when integrating the Brusselator equations out to moderate times of about seven periods of oscillation. These instabilities are manifested as high wave number spatial errors. In this paper, we further analyze this problem, and present a theorem for stability of operator-splitting methods applied to linear reaction-diffusion equations with indefinite reaction terms which controls both low and high wave number instabilities. A corollary shows that if L-stable methods are used for the diffusion term the high wave number instability will be controlled more easily. In the absence of L-stability, an additional time step condition that suppresses the high wave number modes appears to guarantee convergence at the asymptotic order for the operator-splitting method. Numerical results for a model problem confirm this theory, and results for the Brusselator problem agree as well.
Maximum Likelihood Estimation in the Truncated, Single Parameter, Discrete Exponential Family

A number of papers appear in the literature in which estimates are derived for parameters from truncated discrete probability density functions. A partial list is given in the references. Almost all of these papers deal with either the truncated binomial, negative binomial or poisson cases. These probability density functions are members of the single parameter, discrete exponential family (regular case). In the following, the maximum likelihood estimation equation is derived for all truncated densities which belong to this family. This more general derivation should help unify the work done on maximum likelihood estimation which is scattered throughout the literature.
Efficient treatment of collisions in simulation codes for heavy-ion reactions

This paper presents a technique for the modelling of collisions in simulation codes for the approximation of the relativistic Boltzmann-Uehling-Uhlenbeck equation. This equation is used to describe nuclear matter, in particular particle interactions during heavy-ion collisions. The technique presented is particularly designed to treat collisions efficiently on modern supercomputers.
Confined and delocalized polarons in π-conjugated oligomers and polymers: A study of the effective conjugation length

We studied optical absorption of polarons in $\ensuremath{\pi}$-conjugated oligomers and polymers using the photoinduced absorption technique as well as chemical doping spectra from the literature. We find that the photon energy of the polaron low-energy transition obeys a relationship that depends only on the oligomer-length in a wide class of unsubstituted and substituted oligomer solutions and films. Based on this observation, we show that polarons in polymer films can be either confined as in oligomers or quite delocalized, depending on the individual $\ensuremath{\pi}$-conjugated semiconductor. In high mobility polymer films polarons may be delocalized over several chains.
Do predatory fishes affect the structure of an epiphytal amphipod assemblage on a protected algal reef in Hawaii

On a sheltered Hawaiian algal reef seaweeds are abundant and large herbivorous fishes are absent. Epiphytal amphipods are abundant on their seaweed habitats. Predator exclusion experiments were conducted to determine if predatory fishes affect the abundance, diversity, and size distribution of the epiphytal amphipod community living on plant substrata. Results suggested that amphipod abundance, expected number of species, and size distribution were all independent of predation pressure.
Supervisor accessibility and subordinate role clarity

The relationship between supervisor accessibility and role clarity has been established. Previous organizational analyses have underscored the importance of structural determinants of accessibility. It has long been assumed that these formal organizational designations were among the most important determinants of access to supervisors. The structural orientation excluded the contributions of shared normative and dyadic expectations to the accessibility of supervisors. This study examined the significance of each of these components in the role assimilation process. The Supervisor Accessibility Measure and formal work group size were used to estimate supervisor accessibility. Two hundred and forty‐six civil service personnel at a midwestern university completed these scales along with the Rizzo, House, if Lirtzman (1970) measure of role ambiguity. The results suggest that structural aspects of the work environment contribute little to the ease of communication between superior and subordinate, while norma...
Environmental levels and fate of dioxins and furans

Abstract Biological and environmental levels of PCDDs and PCDFs are used to make risk estimates, correlate exposure with clinical observations, and determine the fate of these compounds in ecosystems. The many measurement activities reported here, although unrelated, serve to define the use of biological and environmental data for accessing risk to both the exposed human population as well as the impacted ecosystems.
Effect of lidocaine on the scalar orthogonal electrocardiogram

Abstract In summary, our data indicate that therapeutic serum levels of lidocaine demonstrate no electrocardiographic changes, and especially no shortening of the Q-T interval. This suggests that the therapeutic in vitro lidocaine level may be less than previously assumed.
A physiologically based kinetic model for lead in children and adults.

A physiologically based model of lead kinetics in children and adults has been developed and tested. The premises on which the physiologically based model is founded are reviewed in this paper. Bec...
Protection against oxaliplatin-induced mechanical hyperalgesia and intraepidermal nerve fiber loss by minocycline

Treatment with the chemotherapeutic agent oxaliplatin produces a robust painful neuropathy similar to various other neuropathic conditions which result in loss of nerve fibers innervating the skin. This loss of intraepidermal nerve fibers (IENFs) appears to play an important role in neuropathy, but has yet to be investigated in oxaliplatin-induced neuropathic pain. For this study, mechanical hyperalgesia and IENF density were measured in rats receiving oxaliplatin, given at a dosage of 2 mg/kg every other day for four injections. The immunomodulatory agent minocycline (25 mg/kg) was also administered and was given 24 h prior to the first dose of oxaliplatin and continued throughout oxaliplatin treatment. Immunohistochemistry using the pan-neuronal marker PGP9.5 was used to investigate IENF densities in hind paw skin on Day 15 and Day 30. The results show that a robust mechanical sensitivity developed in oxaliplatin treated animals, as did a pronounced decrease in epidermal nerve fibers, and these outcomes were effectively prevented by minocycline treatment. This is the first study to show changes in IENF density in oxaliplatin treated animals, and confirm not only a relationship between IENF loss and hypersensitivity but also prevention of both with minocycline treatment.
Rapid characterization of extended defects in III–V/Si by electron channeling contrast imaging

Electron channeling contrast imaging (ECCI) is a high-throughput technique for imaging extended defects in single crystals. While similar to transmission electron microscopy, ECCI is performed in a scanning electron microscope and requires little sample preparation. Here, we first show that ECCI can be used to characterize a variety of extended defects, including threading dislocations, misfit dislocations, and stacking faults, in heteroepitaxially grown samples of GaP on Si. Then, as a proof of concept, misfit dislocations are characterized across a 4″ wafer of GaP/Si. Imaging over such a large area is a prime example of an application that would be difficult to perform by TEM, but can easily be performed by ECCI.
pH dependence of actin self-assembly

Fluorescence enhancement and fluorescence photobleaching recovery have been utilized to examine actin self-assembly over the pH range 6.6–8.0. The kinetics of assembly are faster and the critical concentrations are lower at lower pH. Filament diffusion coefficients are not a function of pH, indicating that average filament lengths are not pH dependent. Although critical actin concentrations are a sensitive function of the concentrations of various cations in the medium, the relative pH dependences of critical concentrations are similar for all combinations of cations employed. The pH dependence of actin self-assembly is sufficiently great that it should be taken into account when comparing data from different reports and when relating in vitro measurements to cytoplasmic mechanisms.
Polarograms: a New Tool for Image Texture Analysis

Abstract This paper introduces a new tool for image texture analysis called a polarogram. A polarogram is a polar plot of an orientation sensitive texture statistic. Polarograms give rise to a class of texture descriptors which are sensitive to both texture coarseness and directionality, but yet which are invariant to rotations of the image textures. An experiment is described in which polarograms are applied to the classification of texture samples.
Managing indigent care: a case study of a safety-net emergency department.

Emergency departments (EDs) of safety-net hospitals that treat a low-income population face two problems on a daily basis: social use and tenuous financing. Problematic social use arises because EDs are required to see “all people at all times regardless of the problem” (Gordon 1999, p.321), even if this means assessing and treating patients for social problems that typically fall outside of the purview of the acute-care hospital (Malone 1995; Pope et al. 2000). Tenuous financing is a problem because hospital services are often inadequately reimbursed by patients who have Medicaid or are uninsured (Rask et al. 1994). Although EDs have faced these problems for decades (Roth and Douglas 1983), recent market-oriented changes in social welfare provision and in health care financing have exacerbated the problems of social use (Gordon 1999; Malone 1998) and tenuous financing (Cunningham et al. 1999; Grogan and Gusmano 1999; Mann et al. 1995). A considerable amount of research exists, including the studies cited previously here, on the structural, demographic, and political causes of inappropriate social use and tenuous financing. However, previous research has not examined how these two problems are managed in everyday life inside of the safety-net ED. To provide some initial insights into how inappropriate use and tenuous financing manifest themselves and are managed, a case study of one safety-net ED was conducted using ethnographic research methods. Like many safety-net facilities (Fishman 1997), the studied ED was affiliated with a teaching hospital, and indigent care was usually provided in conjunction with graduate medical education (GME). In this article, the relationship between GME and indigent care in the ED is examined. While acknowledging the substantial role of GME in financing indigent care, the focus here is on how GME shaped day-to-day work inside the safety-net ED. Itisargued that GME shaped the social and cultural mechanisms by which EDstaffers managed the problems of social use and tenuous financing in everyday life.