cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Antimicrobial stewardship: Staff nurse knowledge and attitudes.

Background Registered nurses are uniquely qualified to augment antimicrobial stewardship (AS) processes. However, the role of nursing in AS needs further development. More information is needed regarding gaps in registered nurse knowledge, attitudes toward AS, and how infection preventionists can help. Methods An online descriptive survey was deployed to a convenience sample of approximately 2,000 nurses at the bedside. The survey included 15 questions addressing: (1) overall knowledge of AS; (2) antimicrobial delivery; (3) knowledge and attitudes regarding antimicrobial use; (4) antimicrobial resistance; and (5) antimicrobial resources and education. Results Three hundred sixteen staff nurses from 3 hospitals (15.8%) responded to the survey. Fifty-two percent of nurses were not familiar with the term “antimicrobial stewardship,” although 39.6% of nurses indicated that an AS program was moderately or extremely important in their health care setting. Almost all nurses (95%) believed that they should be involved in AS interventions. Discussion These findings suggest gaps in nursing knowledge rearding AS. However, nurses believed AS programs were important and were eager to be involved. Conclusions This study showed that many nurses are not aware of AS, or do not understand their role in contributing to AS endeavors. Infection preventionist education should focus on increasing staff nurse awareness and demonstrating how nurses can make specific AS interventions.
Political Considerations in Nonpolitical Decisions: A Conjoint Analysis of Roommate Choice

Research shows the increasing tendency of partisan considerations to influence decisions outside the context of politics, including residential choice. Scholars attribute this tendency to affective distaste for members of the other party. However, little work has investigated the relative influence of political and nonpolitical factors in these situations—and it has not sufficiently ruled out alternative explanations for these phenomena. Do people mainly choose to socially avoid members of the other party for political reasons, or is partisanship simply perceived to be correlated with relevant nonpolitical considerations? In some settings, political affiliation may serve primarily as a cue for other factors. As a result, studies that manipulate partisanship but fail to include other individuating information may exaggerate partisanship’s importance in these decisions. To address this shortcoming, I assess the impact of political and nonpolitical considerations on roommate selection via conjoint analysis. I find that partisanship strongly influences this social decision even in the presence of nonpolitical-but-politically-correlated individuating information. Partisan preferences are also moderated by roommates’ perceived levels of political interest. Finally, other social traits do matter, but how they matter depends on partisanship. Specifically, partisans report increased willingness to live with counter-stereotypic out-partisans. This suggests that partisan social divides may be more easily bridged by individuals with cross-cutting identities.
Awareness of and potential for dependent error in the observational epidemiologic literature: A review.

Abstract Purpose Measurement error discussions often assume classification errors of key variables are independent. Yet, small amounts of dependent error can create large biases in effect estimates. The purpose of this review was to evaluate frequency of measurement error discussions and potential for dependent error in the observational literature. Methods Two samples of articles analyzing exposure-outcome contrasts were collected: a random sample (n=100) from high-impact epidemiology and medical journals (June 2015-July 2016), and a citation-based sample (n=39) of studies citing one of two prominent dependent misclassification articles (through July 2016). We extracted study details, recorded measurement error mentions, and qualitatively assessed dependent error potential. Results Measurement error was often discussed. No random sample articles explicitly mentioned dependent error, compared to 59% of the citation-based sample. The random sample was found to be at low risk of exposure-outcome (15% plausible/probable) but increased risk for exposure-confounder (38% plausible/probable) dependency. The citation-based sample was at higher risk for dependent error (exposure-outcome: 46% plausible/probable; exposure-confounder: 61% plausible/probable). Conclusion Although measurement error was frequently mentioned, potential impact on observed results was rarely discussed in-depth or quantified. Dependent error mentions were rare, even among studies deemed susceptible. Further education and steps to avoid dependent error are needed.
Shared medical appointments and patient-centered experience: a mixed-methods systematic review

Shared medical appointments (SMAs), or group visits, are a healthcare delivery method with the potential to improve chronic disease management and preventive care. In this review, we sought to better understand opportunities, barriers, and limitations to SMAs based on patient experience in the primary care context. An experienced biomedical librarian conducted literature searches of PubMed, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov , and SSRN for peer-reviewed publications published 1997 or after. We searched grey literature, nonempirical reports, social science publications, and citations from published systematic reviews. The search yielded 1359 papers, including qualitative, quantitative, and mixed method studies. Categorization of the extracted data informed a thematic synthesis. We did not perform a formal meta-analysis. Screening and quality assessment yielded 13 quantitative controlled trials, 11 qualitative papers, and two mixed methods studies that met inclusion criteria. We identified three consistent models of care: cooperative health care clinic (five articles), shared medical appointment / group visit (10 articles) and group prenatal care / CenteringPregnancy® (11 articles). SMAs in a variety of formats are increasingly employed in primary care settings, with no singular gold standard. Accepting and implementing this nontraditional approach by both patients and clinicians can yield measurable improvements in patient trust, patient perception of quality of care and quality of life, and relevant biophysical measurements of clinical parameters. Further refinement of this healthcare delivery model will be best driven by standardizing measures of patient satisfaction and clinical outcomes.
Millimeter- and Submillimeter-Wave Dielectric Measurements of Household Powders Using Fourier Transform Spectroscopy

This paper presents the first step in characterizing and detecting common household powders as hoax materials by investigating their broadband dielectric characteristics. Pesticide is also studied due to its similarities to anthrax. A modified two-beam polarizing interferometer and custom-made sample holders were utilized to obtain the refractive index (RFI), absorption coefficient, complex real and imaginary permittivity, and loss tangent of flour, dry milk, cornstarch, pesticide, baking soda, and talc as a continuous function of frequency in the range of 400-1200 GHz. Dispersive Fourier transform spectroscopy was employed to provide phase and amplitude information, leading to the accurate and direct acquisition of the complex RFI and complex dielectric permittivity spectra. It is the first time that such measurements were carried out over such an extended frequency range for common powders to reveal marked variation in absorption and RFI values for different powders. The powders exhibit high-absorption characteristics, and the RFI values lie between 2.4 and 3.4 in this spectral range. A unique resonance signature for talc was detected at 1135 GHz with an associated anomalous dispersion. Parameters such as grain size and orientation were analyzed for their effect on the dielectric properties of powders. Relationships between density, permittivity, and RFI are explored to provide the ability to extrapolate results for other densities. The RFI and the real part of the dielectric permittivity were found to be the most reliable for identification and detection purposes.
Glass Capillary Gas Chromatographic-Mass Spectrometric Analysis of Organics in Drinking Water Concentrates and Advanced Waste Treatment Water Concentrates-II

A scheme has been established to analyze complex organic mixtures of water concentrates. It includes addition of deuterated internal standards to the concentrate, fractionation of the concentrate through a combination of extraction under both acidic and basic conditions, partitioning on a short silica gel column, and finally, analysis of the partitioned fractions as well as the unpartitioned concentrate by glass capillary gas chromatography using a flame ionization detector (GC-FID) and glass capillary gas chromatography coupled to a mass spectrometer (GC-MS). The GC-FID and GC-MS analyses are conducted on two types of wall-coated open-tubular glass capillary GC columns, one containing a nonpolar liquid phase (SP2100) and the other a polar liquid phase (SP1000).
COVID-19 in dialysis patients: adding a few more pieces to the puzzle.

Abstract The clinical presentation and mortality rate in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients with COVID-19 are not well established. Recent data from Italy and Spain suggest that these patients present with wide range of symptoms, with a significant portion being asymptomatic. There is prolonged positivity of pharyngeal swabs in MHD patients. The mortality rates are very high, reaching almost 30%. These data highlight the importance of diligent oversight and care of MHD patients during COVID-19 pandemic.
R-α-lipoic acid potentiates fasting-induced transcription and secretion of hepatic fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21)

Recombinant FGF21 (rFGF21) is an experimental polypeptide therapy against type-2 diabetes and lipid anomalies. However, the high costs of producing rFGF21 and the mode of delivery by injection are ...
Syndemic statuses: Intersectionality and mobilizing for LGBTQ+ Latinx health equity after the Pulse shooting

Abstract As a theoretical framework, syndemics offers a way to examine interactions between two or more pathogens or social phenomena that interact synergistically to exacerbate poor health. The concept allows for interrogating the social, political, and economic circumstances responsible for disease clusters, but it insufficiently considers how social factors themselves interrelate to create complex forms of social subjugation. Failing to examine intersecting inequalities that produce the social contexts in which syndemic interactions occur will inhibit efforts to correct the root causes of poor health. To address this shortcoming, I argue there is a need for research on syndemics to be informed by intersectionality—a framework that considers how multiple interlocking types of oppression create distinct structural inequalities and life experiences. Advancing this argument, I draw from ethnographic fieldwork in Orlando, Florida, following the Pulse nightclub shooting, which disproportionately affected LGBTQ+ Latinx individuals who experience intersecting forms of social marginalization and are part of a population at risk for an HIV and psychopathology syndemic. Key informant interviews (n = 13) revealed how LGBTQ+ Latinx organizations emerged after the shooting to mobilize for greater health equity and health programs that directly respond to populations who experience unique inequalities related to their intersecting LGBTQ+ and Latinx identities. Findings from this article show how attention to intersectionality can inform efforts to mitigate existing syndemics and prevent future syndemics. Such efforts are needed to adequately examine the social contexts in which syndemics arise and to respond to the social and political phenomena that interact to inform health-related vulnerability.
Child diurnal cortisol differs based on profiles of maternal emotion socialization in high risk, low income, and racially diverse families.

Young children's physiological and emotional regulation depend on supportive caregiving, especially in the context of stress and adversity. Experiences of child maltreatment become biologically embedded by shaping stress physiology. Maternal emotion socialization may have an important influence on children's limbic-hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (LHPA) functioning. Grounded in theories of caregiver emotion socialization, a person-centered latent profile analysis was utilized to identify profiles of maternal emotion socialization among a high risk, low income, and racially diverse group of 248 mothers and their young children (Mage = 4.39 years, SD = 1.10). The majority of the mothers (n = 165) had a history of involvement with the Department of Child Services for substantiated cases of child maltreatment. A latent profile analysis was conducted revealing three emotion socialization profiles: disengaged, engaged, and engaged + supportive. Emotion socialization profile differences in children's diurnal cortisol levels and slope (using area under the curve with respect to ground and increase, respectively) were examined. Children's diurnal cortisol levels were higher, and slopes were flatter, when mothers used more disengaged emotion socialization strategies. Mothers who neglected their children were more likely to fit the disengaged profile than the engaged profile. Implications for the socialization of regulation in children exposed to adversity are discussed.
ICFR Challenges and Practices at Large US Public Companies: Evidence from Accounting Executives

We report insights about ICFR-related challenges and practices at large U.S. public companies from survey responses of 145 accounting executives and interviews of 16 accounting executives. Executives view controls around non-routine transactions, income tax provisions, and access to data as particularly challenging and report that ICFR challenges increase after corporate restructuring events. Executives are satisfied with existing ICFR guidance because it allows judgment but expressed interest in additional guidance in the form of real-life, industry-specific ICFR examples to counter what they perceive as the PCAOB’s standard-setting via auditors. Executives report relying on their auditors for ICFR insights and vetting ICFR judgments but are frustrated with auditors’ excessive ICFR documentation requirements that executives attribute to the PCAOB. Lastly, executives report lagging in implementation of ICFR technologies for lack of qualified personnel and concerns that such technologies could actually increase some risks. We discuss additional insights and suggest avenues for future research.
Structure of Λ(δλλ)-[Co(en)3]I3(I)2.

The structure of tris­(ethane-1,2-di­amine-κ2N,N')cobalt(III) bis­(iodide) triiodide, [Co(C2H8N2)3]I3(I)2, at 120 K has ortho­rhom­bic (P212121) symmetry. The di­amine nitro­gen atoms form N—H⋯I hydrogen bonds throughout the lattice, resulting in a three-dimensional network, which involves the iodide and all atoms in the triiodide anions.
Poly(A)- and poly(U)-specific RNA 3′ tail shortening by E. coli ribonuclease E

Ribonuclease (RNase) E is an extensively studied enzyme from Escherichia coli whose site-specific endoribonuclease activity on single-stranded RNA has a central role in the processing of ribosomal RNA, the degradation of messenger RNA and the control of replication of ColE1-type plasmids (for recent reviews, see 1–3). Here we report a previously undetected activity of RNase E: the ability to shorten 3′ poly(A)- and poly(U)-homopolymer tails on RNA molecules. This activity, which leaves a 6-nucleotide adenylate or a 1-nucleotide uridylate remnant on primary transcripts, resides in the amino-terminal region of RNase E and does not require other protein cofactors. Addition of a 3′-terminal phosphate group prevents both removal of the poly(A) tail and endonucleolytic cleavage within primary transcripts, but has no effect on the cleavage of transcripts with tails that have already been truncated. The ability of RNase E to shorten poly(A) tails, together with the effect of tail length on endonucleolytic cleavage within primary transcripts, suggests a mechanism by which RNase E may exercise overall control over RNA decay.
Cooperative DNA binding of the human HoxB5 (Hox-2.1) protein is under redox regulation in vitro

The human HoxB5 (Hox-2.1) gene product is a sequence-specific DNA binding protein. Cooperative interactions stabilize in vitro DNA binding of the HoxB5 protein to tandem binding sites by at least 100-fold relative to binding to a single site. The HoxB5 homeodomain is sufficient for sequence-specific DNA binding but not for cooperative DNA binding. Here we report that the additional protein sequence required for cooperativity is a small domain adjacent to the homeodomain on the amino-terminal side. We further show that cooperative DNA binding is under redox regulation. The HoxB5 protein binds to DNA in vitro both when oxidized or reduced but binds cooperatively only when oxidized. Mutational analysis has revealed that the cysteine residue in the turn between homeodomain helices 2 and 3 is necessary for cooperative binding and redox regulation. The enhanced DNA binding of oxidized HoxB5 protein is the opposite of the redox regulation reported for other mammalian transcription factors such as Fos, Jun, USF, NF-kappa B, c-Myb, and v-Rel, in which oxidation of cysteine residues inhibits DNA binding. Thus, specific oxidation of nuclear proteins is a potential regulatory mechanism that can act to either decrease or increase their DNA binding activity.
The Dialogue between Theoretical and Empirical Scholarship

In this essay we offer brief reflections on the best process for critiquing empirical work in law and sustaining an engagement between theoretical and empirical approaches. We emphasize the importance of theoretical work in helping to shape the scholarly agenda, but we urge that theory should be more closely tied to fact. We illustrate our argument by responding to a recent critique of our own empirical work by Professor Rasmussen. His principal claim is that our work should be discounted because we reported on all business bankruptcies, both those of entrepreneurs and those in corporate form. In response, we reanalyze our data, separating the individuals from the corporations; in every case the re-analyzed data support the conclusions of our original paper to the same extent or more strongly. Similarly, his other claims about our work are shown to be incorrect.
Adaptive excitation and governor control of synchronous generators using multilayer recurrent neural networks

A novel neural network structure for the design of an adaptive control strategy for a single synchronous generator unit connected to a large power system through a transformer and transmission lines is presented. Both excitation control and governor control mechanisms are developed by exploiting the input-output mapping capability of trained neural networks for identifying the nonlinear system dynamics. A multilayer network architecture with a hidden layer that permits recurrent connections is used together with an LMS (least mean square) updating rule for supervised training to realize superior performance features in the excitation control and the governor control schemes. >
Learning by Demonstration for a Collaborative Planning Environment

Learning by demonstration technology has long held the promise to empower non-programmers to customize and extend software. We describe the deployment of a learning by demonstration capability to support user creation of automated procedures in a collaborative planning environment that is used widely by the U.S. Army. This technology, which has been in operational use since the summer of 2010, has helped to reduce user workloads by automating repetitive and time-consuming tasks. The technology has also provided the unexpected benefit of enabling standardization of products and processes.
Interest Groups' Roles in a Teachers' Strike

In Saint Louis, community leaders and students intervened in a teachers' strike, as victims. The matter seemed too urgent to leave it to officials and union.
Modeling delinquent behavior: Social disorganization, perceived blocked opportunity, and social control

The linkages among several popular theories in the delinquency literature—social disorganization, strain, and social control theory—as well as their effects on delinquent behavior are investigated in this study. Social disorganization has been primarily studied with aggregate‐level data in prior work, and we note certain theoretical and empirical issues associated with this approach. In this study of public high school students in Mississippi (n = 8,338), social disorganization is measured by observed indicators of juveniles’ perceptions of neighborhood deterioration. Social strain is operationalized through perceptions of blocked opportunity, whereas social control is measured through the respondents’ reported level of attachment, commitment, and involvement in school. Structural equation models with latent variables are estimated separately by race and residence in order to more fully compare the linkages among these constructs. This study is the first to extend the analysis of those theoretical linkage...
Synthesis and structural characterization of PHP[(C(5)Me(4))(2)], a monodentate chiral phosphine derived from intramolecular C-C coupling of tetramethylcyclopentadienyl groups: an evaluation of steric and electronic properties.

The chiral monodentate phosphine PhP[(C5Me4)2] is readily obtained by oxidation of the lithium complex Li2[PhP(C5Me4)2] with I2, which couples the two cyclopentadienyl groups to form a five-membered heterocyclic ring. The steric and electronic properties of PhP[(C5Me4)2] have been evaluated by X-ray diffraction and IR spectroscopic studies on a variety of derivatives, including Ph[(C5Me4)2]PE (E = S, Se), Cp*MCl4{P[(C5Me4)2]Ph} (M = Mo, Ta), Ir{P[(C5Me4)2]Ph}2(CO)Cl, and CpFe(CO){PhP[(C5Me4)2]}Me. For comparison purposes, derivatives of the related phospholane ligand PhP[Me2C4H6] have also been investigated, including Ph[Me2C4H6]PS, Ir{Ph[Me2C4H6]}2(CO)Cl, Ir{Ph[Me2C4H6]}2(CO)Me, Ir{PPh[Me2C4H6]}(COD)(Cl), and Pd{P[Me2C4H6]Ph}[η2-C6H4C(H)(Me)NMe2]Cl. The steric and electronic properties of PhP[(C5Me4)2] are determined to be intermediate between those of PPh2Me and PPh3. Thus, the crystallographic cone angles increase in the sequence PPh2Me (134.5°) < PhP[(C5Me4)2] (140.2°) < PPh3 (148.2°), while the elect...
Switching from oil to coal firing for steam raising A case study at a large industrial site

Abstract The prospects for a switch from oil to coal at large industrial sites are assessed, using a detailed examination of the problems at one particular site. These large sites, where combined heat and power generation is common, represent a sizeable fraction of coal's potential industrial market. The problems of coal transport, stocking and handling are discussed, as well as ash disposal, local environmental effects and boiler choice. The economics, as determined by the strict investment criteria currently applied by many companies, of a switch to coal are examined in the light of possible fuel price movements. The implications of boiler plant age and piecemeal replacement for the possible rate at which coal might penetrate the industrial energy market are discussed.
The crisis of the state in Russia

(1995). The crisis of the state in Russia. The International Spectator: Vol. 30, No. 2, pp. 21-33.
Fluid resuscitation in a porcine burn shock model

Abstract Miniature swine are sensitive and responsive animals for the study of burn shock resuscitation. In this model the sodium loads requisite for resuscitation of burned swine can exert roughly the same effect although with slower restoration of cardiac output when administered in volumes of 50–75% less than those commonly employed clinically. Sodium excretion is more dependent upon the sodium load than upon the concentration of the saline solution. Plasma had no demonstrable resuscitative effect over and above that provided by its volume and sodium content.
Context-Based Morphological Disambiguation with Random Fields

Finite-state approaches have been highly successful at describing the morphological processes of many languages. Such approaches have largely focused on modeling the phone- or character-level processes that generate candidate lexical types, rather than tokens in context. For the full analysis of words in context, disambiguation is also required (Hakkani-Tur et al., 2000; Hajic et al., 2001). In this paper, we apply a novel source-channel model to the problem of morphological disambiguation (segmentation into morphemes, lemmatization, and POS tagging) for concatenative, templatic, and inflectional languages. The channel model exploits an existing morphological dictionary, constraining each word's analysis to be linguistically valid. The source model is a factored, conditionally-estimated random field (Lafferty et al., 2001) that learns to disambiguate the full sentence by modeling local contexts. Compared with baseline state-of-the-art methods, our method achieves statistically significant error rate reductions on Korean, Arabic, and Czech, for various training set sizes and accuracy measures.
Intercellular Adhesion and Surface Coats of Epidermal Cells in Psoriasis

Very complete descriptions at the fine structural level of the psoriatic epidermis have been given by Brody (3) and by Lagerholm (5). These authors note the increased numbers of cells, the enlarged nuclei, nucleoli and mitochondria. A larger amount of particle-covered reticulum often occurs and various inclusions not found in normal skin have been described. Our own survey of several psoriatic skins, which will be published independently, confirms these findings, which are on the whole, compatible with the independently established fact (10, 11) that the cells of the germinal layer divide far more rapidly than normally and that the normal course of differentiation is disturbed.
Preparation and characterization of tetrahalodimolybdenum(II) complexes with alkyl-substituted pyridines

Abstract The preparation and characterization of new tetrahalodimolybdenum(II) complexes with alkyl-substituted pyridines is described. IR and visible data are used to infer structural information with respect to previously prepared complexes of this type.
Heme packing motifs revealed by the crystal structure of the tetra-heme cytochrome c554 from Nitrosomonas europaea.

Cytochrome c554 (cyt c554), a tetra-heme cytochrome from Nitrosomonas europaea, is an essential component in the biological nitrification pathway. In N. europaea, ammonia is converted to hydroxylamine, which is then oxidized to nitrite by hydroxylamine oxidoreductase (HAO). Cyt c554 functions in the latter process by accepting pairs of electrons from HAO and transferring them to a cytochrome acceptor. The crystal structure of cyt c554 at 2.6 A resolution shows a predominantly alpha-helical protein with four covalently attached hemes. The four hemes are arranged in two pairs such that the planes of the porphyrin rings are almost parallel and overlapping at the edge; corresponding heme arrangements are observed in other multi-heme proteins. Striking structural similarities are evident between the tetra-heme core of cyt c554 and hemes 3−6 of HAO, which suggests an evolutionary relationship between these redox partners.
Improving genetic programming based symbolic regression using deterministic machine learning

Symbolic regression (SR) is a well studied method in genetic programming (GP) for discovering free-form mathematical models from observed data. However, it has not been widely accepted as a standard data science tool. The reluctance is in part due to the hard to analyze random nature of GP and scalability issues. On the other hand, most popular deterministic regression algorithms were designed to generate linear models and therefore lack the flexibility of GP based SR (GP-SR). Our hypothesis is that hybridizing these two techniques will create a synergy between the GP-SR and deterministic approaches to machine learning, which might help bring the GP based techniques closer to the realm of big learning. In this paper, we show that a hybrid deterministic/GP-SR algorithm outperforms GP-SR alone and the state-of-the-art deterministic regression technique alone on a set of multivariate polynomial symbolic regression tasks as the system to be modeled becomes more multivariate.
Predicting individual priorities of shared activities using support vector machines

Activity-centric collaboration environments help knowledge workers to manage the context of their shared work activities by providing a representation for an activity and its resources. Activity management systems provide more structure and organization than email to execute the shared activity but, as the number of shared activities increases, it becomes more and more difficult for users to focus on important activities that need their attention. This paper describes a personalized activity prioritization approach implemented on top of the Lotus Connections Activities management system. Our prototype implementation allows each user to view activities ordered by her/his predicted priorities. The predictions are made using a ranking Support Vector Machine model trained with the user's past interactions with the activities system. We describe the prioritization interface and the results of an offline experiment based on data from 13 users over 6-months. Our results show that our feature set derived from shared activity structures can significantly increase prediction accuracy compared to a recency baseline.
Higher Order Terms in the Lamb Shift Calculation

Following previously described techniques, the atomic energy level displacements of order alpha (Z alpha )/sup 6/ ln/sup 2/ (Z alpha )mc/sup 2/ have been calculated and yield a result in agreement with that of Layzer. An addition is introduced which corresponds to a change of gauge of the virtual photon defining one-photon Lamb shift and serves to remove spurious lower order contributions from each term of the combined sequence M/sub n/ = I/sub n/ + J/sub n/. The first relativistic corrections to the lowest order Lamb shift STAof order alpha (Z alpha ) mc/sup 2/! and to hfs STAof order alpha (Z alpha )E/sub H/! may be obtained by use of these techniques. The necessary matrix elements for hfs calculations can be read from those of similar Lamb shift effects. (B.O.G.)
Non-oscillatory Spectral Element Chebyshev Method for Shock Wave Calculations

A new algorithm based on spectral element discretization and non-oscillatory ideas is developed for the solution of hyperbolic partial differential equations. A conservative formulation is proposed based on cell averaging and reconstruction procedures, that employs a staggered grid of Gauss-Chebyshev and Gauss-Lobatto Chebyshev discretizations. The non-oscillatory reconstruction procedure is based on ideas similar to those proposed by Cai et al. (Math. Comput. 52, 389 (1989)) but employs a modified technique which is more robust and simpler in terms of determining the location and strength of a discontinuity. It is demonstrated through model problems of linear advection, inviscid Burgers equation, and one-dimensional Euler system that the proposed algorithm leads to stable, non-oscillatory accurate results. Exponential accuracy away from the discontinuity is realized for the inviscid Burgers equation example.
Bitter taste stimuli induce differential neural codes in mouse brain.

A growing literature suggests taste stimuli commonly classified as “bitter” induce heterogeneous neural and perceptual responses. Here, the central processing of bitter stimuli was studied in mice with genetically controlled bitter taste profiles. Using these mice removed genetic heterogeneity as a factor influencing gustatory neural codes for bitter stimuli. Electrophysiological activity (spikes) was recorded from single neurons in the nucleus tractus solitarius during oral delivery of taste solutions (26 total), including concentration series of the bitter tastants quinine, denatonium benzoate, cycloheximide, and sucrose octaacetate (SOA), presented to the whole mouth for 5 s. Seventy-nine neurons were sampled; in many cases multiple cells (2 to 5) were recorded from a mouse. Results showed bitter stimuli induced variable gustatory activity. For example, although some neurons responded robustly to quinine and cycloheximide, others displayed concentration-dependent activity (p<0.05) to quinine but not cycloheximide. Differential activity to bitter stimuli was observed across multiple neurons recorded from one animal in several mice. Across all cells, quinine and denatonium induced correlated spatial responses that differed (p<0.05) from those to cycloheximide and SOA. Modeling spatiotemporal neural ensemble activity revealed responses to quinine/denatonium and cycloheximide/SOA diverged during only an early, at least 1 s wide period of the taste response. Our findings highlight how temporal features of sensory processing contribute differences among bitter taste codes and build on data suggesting heterogeneity among “bitter” stimuli, data that challenge a strict monoguesia model for the bitter quality.
A comprehensive CS curriculum revision, implementation, and analysis (abstract only)

In 2005, the Beloit College Computer Science Program began a complete revision of its courses and curriculum facing usual issues: limited staff, declining enrollments, and the Computing Curricula 2001 document. We used 1/2 semester, 1/2 unit courses to address the diverse areas with limited courses allowing multiple entry points by interest and knowledge level and flexibility for non-majors; however, it did present scheduling and staffing issues. After two years of experience, we revised our ideas to recombine some 1/2 unit courses to allow larger projects, stacked courses where students at different levels took courses together, and instituted a two year capstone experience that combined material from several classes. The poster will provide details and an opportunity to exchange ideas.
X‐ray Photoelectron Spectroscopic Studies of Carbon‐fiber Surfaces. 21. Comparison of Carbon Fibers Electrochemically Oxidized in Acid using Achromatic and Monochromatic XPS

Amoco M40 PAN-based carbon fibers were electrochemically oxidized in a pilot plant system. The changes in the surface of the fibers were monitored using monochromatic x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). A parallel experiment using achromatic x-radiation was conducted for comparison. Other graphitic materials were also studied. Decomposition of the fiber due to x-ray exposure could be effectively eliminated by using the monochromator. The use of monochromatic x-radiation produced considerable narrowing in the linewidth of the graphitic peak. This allowed the curve fitting of the component peaks to be performed with significantly greater confidence. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING OF THE CAUDAL LUMBAR AND LUMBOSACRAL SPINE IN 13 DOGS (1990–1993)

The caudal lumbar and lumbosacral spine of 13 dogs with pain or neurologic deficits were evaluated using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Spin echo T1, proton density, and T2 weighted and gradient echo T2* imaging sequences were utilized. MRI permitted direct, multiplanar, tomographic visualization of the spine facilitating evaluation of all components of degenerative caudal lumbar and lumbosacral stenosis. Abnormalities detected included intervertebral disc degeneration, intervertebral disc protrusion involving both the vertebral canal and intervertebral foramina, articular process osteophytosis, articular process fracture, nerve root impingement by spondylosis deformans, and the presence of low signal material within the vertebral canal of 2 dogs with recurrent pain following previous spinal surgery. In all 7 dogs treated surgically, MRI findings were consistent with surgical findings.
Modeling of Chill Down in Cryogenic Transfer Lines

A numerical model to predict chill down in cryogenic transfer lines has been developed. Three chill down cases using hydrogen as the working fluid are solved: 1) a simplified model amenable to analytical solution, 2) a realistic model of superheated vapor flow, and 3) a realistic model of initially subcooled liquid flow. The first case compares a numerical model with an analytical solution with very good agreement between the two. Additionally, the analytical solution provides a convenient way to look at parametric effects on the chill down. The second and third cases are numerical models which provide temperature histories of the fluid and solid tube wall during chill down as well as several other quantities of interest such as pressure and mass flow rate. Of great interest is the ability to predict accurate values of chill down time (the time required to achieve steady-state cryogenic flow). The models predict that a 26 in. long, 3/16 in. ID aluminum tube has a shorter chill down time (approx. equal to 100 sec) and uses less hydrogen with superheated vapor flow than with initially subcooled liquid flow (greater than 200 sec for chill down).
Pain at the pump: Gasoline prices and subjective well-being

In recent years, there has been growing interest in the health implications of rising gasoline prices. This paper considers the impact of gasoline prices on subjective well-being, as captured by survey questions on happiness and life satisfaction. Using rich data from the DDB Worldwide Communications Life Style™ survey, we document a negative relationship between gasoline prices and self-reported life satisfaction over the period 1985–2005. The estimated reduction in well-being, moreover, is found to be nearly twice as large among groups of likely car owners. Interestingly, although rising gasoline prices lead to an immediate deterioration in subjective well-being, analyses of lagged prices suggest that well-being almost fully rebounds 1 year later and changes very little each year thereafter. Our contemporaneous estimates imply that rising gasoline prices generate well-being losses comparable to faltering labor market conditions, and likely offset some of the physical health benefits found in previous research.
Birds-of-a-feather session: student involvement in sigite

One of the things we want to do is encourage more participation by students in SIGITE. To that end we need to come up with some creative ways to entice them to come to SIGITE and the conference and make it worth thier time and effort.This BOF will be for a discussion of how we can make that happen.
Molecular Orbital Calculations on Some Sulfanilamides

Simple HMO-calculations on three sulfanilamides have been done using semi-empirical parameters for the SO 2 group which intrinsically take into account the effects of d -orbital overlap. Charge variations at the sulfonamido and at the aromatic p -amino position are noted which are in qualitative agreement with expectations.
A formal basis for architectural connection

As software systems become more complex, the overall system structure—or software architecture—becomes a central design problem. An important step toward an engineering discipline of software is a formal basis for describing and analyzing these designs. In the article we present a formal approach to one aspect of architectural design: the interactions among components. The key idea is to define architectural connectors as explicit semantic entities. These are specified as a collection of protocols that characterize each of the participant roles in an interaction and how these roles interact. We illustrate how this scheme can be used to define a variety of common architectural connectors. We further provide a formal semantics and show how this leads to a system in which architectural compatibility can be checked in a way analogous to type-checking in programming languages.
A Grateful Heart is a Nonviolent Heart: Cross-Sectional, Experience Sampling, Longitudinal, and Experimental Evidence

Five studies tested the hypothesis that gratitude is linked to lower levels of aggression. Although gratitude increases mental well-being, it is unknown whether gratitude mitigates against aggression. Gratitude motivates people to express sensitivity and concern for others and stimulates prosocial behavior. Aggression, defined as intentionally harming another person who is motivated to avoid the harm, runs counter to the motivation to increase others’ welfare and should be reduced among grateful people. Cross-sectional, longitudinal, experience sampling, and experimental designs yielded converging evidence to show that gratitude is linked to lower aggression. Higher empathy mediated the relationship between gratitude and lower aggression. These findings have widespread applications for understanding the role of emotion on aggression and can inform interventions aimed at reducing interpersonal aggression.
Ion channeling study of single-crystal columns of CoSi2 embedded in epitaxial Si on Si(111) grown by MBE

Abstract Codeposition of Si and Co on a heated Si(111) substrate with a Si/Co ratio much greater than 3 results in epitaxial columns of CoSi2 (χmin ∼ 4%) embedded in high quality epitaxial Si (χmin ∼ 3%). The average lattice distortion (or strain) in CoSi2 columns is estimated by channeling along off-normal axes. Due primarily to constraints by the surrounding Si lattice, the unit cell of the CoSi2 lattice in the columns is elongated perpendicular to the substrate when the average aspect ratio, [height]/[average diameter], of the columns is greater than ∼ 1.4.
The Science and Ethics of Induced Pluripotency: What Will Become of Embryonic Stem Cells?

For over a decade, the field of stem cell research has advanced tremendously and gained new attention in light of novel insights and emerging developments for regenerative medicine. Invariably, multiple considerations come into play, and clinicians and researchers must weigh the benefits of certain stem cell platforms against the costs they incur. Notably, human embryonic stem (hES) cell research has been a source of continued debate, leading to differing policies and regulations worldwide. This article briefly reviews current stem cell platforms, looking specifically at the two existing pluripotent lines available for potential therapeutic applications: hES cells and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. We submit iPS technology as a viable and possibly superior alternative for future medical and research endeavors as it obviates many ethical and resource-related concerns posed by hES cells while prospectively matching their potential for scientific use. However, while the clinical realities of iPS cells appear promising, we must recognize the current limitations of this technology, avoid hype, and articulate ethically acceptable medical and scientific goals.
Distinguishing between two similar powders

Description d'un essai destine a determiner si la granularite d'une poudre substitut est significativement differente de celle de la poudre actuellement utilisee dans le procede
Depressive Tendencies and Susceptibility to Anxiety: Differential Personality Correlates

Although the constructs of depression and anxiety are conceptually and clinically separable, they have been difficult to separate psychometrically. The present study is an attempt to statistically disentangle the two constructs and to evaluate their differential correlates. A common factor analysis of the items in a depression and an anxiety inventory was conducted using data collected from two samples-208 college students and eighty-seven 18-years-old participating in the Block Longitudinal Study. In both samples two factors, interpreted as depressive tendencies and susceptibility to anxiety, were found; the factor loadings on each factor were highly correlated across the two samples. No sex differences were found in these factor structures. Factor-based scores comprised of well-differentiating items were computed for participants in the Block sample. Using partial correlation analyses, observer-measured as well as self-report-based personality correlates of the specific variance associated with depressive tendencies and with susceptibility to anxiety, respectively, were contrasted. The results indicated that a strong interpersonal component discernible in depression was less noticeable in anxiety.
Design automation flow for voltage adaptive optimum granularity LITHE for sequential circuits

Runtime Active Leakage Control (RALC) techniques like Power Gating (PG) and Reverse Body Biasing (RBB) being the primary candidates, several novel techniques such as Light Vth Hopping (LITHE) [3] with reduced substrate biasing have proven to be beneficial. The intention of LITHE is to reduce the Energy Breakeven Time (EBT) of the circuit, leading to frequent application of RBB. There are several problems that arise while integrating LITHE in a design flow. In this paper, a generic flow from RTL to spice incorporating the LITHE technique at near-optimum granularity is proposed. The problems of control transistor sizing and control signal generation is also addressed. A preprocessing clustering algorithm is applied to extend LITHE technique to sequential circuits. The entire flow has been developed using a 90 nm library developed from Synopsys PDK and has been verified on designs with varying complexities.
Some Probability Distributions Associated with Commuter Travel in a Homogeneous Circular City

A commuter living outside a circular city arrives at a point on the circumference and is equally likely to wish to travel to every point of the interior. In the present paper we give the probability distribution for trip length, and the probability distribution for traffic weight at each point, under the assumption of six different routing systems.
Could the Virtual be Similar to the Real? A First Look from an Efficient Markets Perspective

In recent years, increasing effort has been devoted to the study of virtual world economies due to their potential of increasing our understanding of the real world economy, and vice versa. Due to a scarce availability of reliable global data, previous virtual world economic studies have been largely limited to qualitative observations. This paper presents novel financial data and is the first to apply a time series approach to the forecasting of virtual commodity prices. The results are assessed against the random walk and, from an efficient markets perspective, evaluates the potential of virtual worlds becoming experimental simulations for the real.
Temperature Diagnostics for Field-Reversed Configuration Plasmas on the Pulsed High Density (PHD) Experiment

The high flux source for the Pulsed High Density Experiment (PHDX) has been constructed, and field-reversed configuration (FRC) plasmas are being produced. To diagnose FRC plasma temperatures three kinds of diagnostic systems have been set up on PHDX; λ = 632.8 nm He-Ne laser interferometer system at the midplane for total temperature Ttotal, 16 channel spectrometer for ion temperature Ti and soft x-ray (SXR) measurement system for electron temperature Te viewed along z-axis, respectively. The SXR measurement system consists of five sets of collimators and AXUV100 photodiodes with directly deposited filters which have different bandpass regions. As a result of preliminary temperature diagnostics, the following plasma parameters are estimated during a relatively quiescent phase of FRCs; Ttotal ∼ 50 eV, Ti ∼ 50 eV and Te ∼ 25 eV. This result does not agree with the equilibrium relation of Ttotal ≈ Ti + Te, and it must be caused by plasma condition and our assumptions in the spectral analysis.