cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Elemental analysis of cotton by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) has been applied to the elemental characterization of unprocessed cotton. This research is important in forensic and fraud detection applications to establish an elemental fingerprint of U.S. cotton by region, which can be used to determine the source of the cotton. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a LIBS method for the elemental analysis of cotton. The experimental setup consists of a Nd:YAG laser that operates at the fundamental wavelength as the LIBS excitation source and an echelle spectrometer equipped with an intensified CCD camera. The relative concentrations of elements Al, Ba, Ca, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, and Sr from both nutrients and environmental contributions were determined by LIBS. Principal component analysis was used to visualize the differences between cotton samples based on the elemental composition by region in the U.S. Linear discriminant analysis of the LIBS data resulted in the correct classification of >97% of the cotton samples by U.S. region and >81% correct classification by state of origin.
Improving upon logistic regression to predict United States Army delayed entry program (DEP) losses

We improve upon McFadden's use of logistic regression for choice analysis. We investigate the use of neural networks, support vector machines, and random forest as functional approximations to improve upon the results obtained from logistic regression. The choice involves an Army enlisted applicant choosing between honoring their enlistment contract with the Army by shipping to basic combat training or choosing to not honor the contract and becoming a DEP Loss. An Army enlisted applicant is a person, who signs an active duty enlistment contract with the United States Army. The enlistment contract contains various terms, such as: the length of the service, the Army job (military occupational skill (MOS)), special schooling received by the applicant, and incentives. A shipper is an Army enlisted applicant, who initially honors their Army contract. A DEP Loss is an Army enlisted applicant, who doesn't honor their Army contract. We discover, for these data, both support vector machines and random forest outperform logistic regression. We also discover support vector machines outperforming all other functional approximations for these data. Performance is based on various metrics: error rate, type II error, and ROC curves
Documenting the emergence of “speaking with meaning” as a sociomathematical norm in professional learning community discourse

We introduce the sociomathematical norm of speaking with meaning and describe its emergence in a professional learning community (PLC) of secondary mathematics and science teachers. We use speaking with meaning to reference specific attributes of individual communication that have been revealed to improve the quality of discourse among individuals engaged in discourse in a PLC. An individual who is speaking with meaning provides conceptually based descriptions when communicating with others about solution approaches. The quantities and relationships between quantities in the problem context are described rather than only stating procedures or numerical calculations used to obtain an answer to a problem. Solution approaches are justified with logical and coherent arguments that have a conceptual rather than procedural basis. The data for this research was collected during a year-long study that investigated a PLC whose members were secondary mathematics and science teachers. Analysis of the data revealed that after one semester of participating in a PLC where speaking with meaning was emphasized, the PLC members began to establish their own criteria for an acceptable mathematical argument and what constituted speaking with meaning. The group also emerged with common expectations that answers be accompanied by explanations and mathematical operations be explained conceptually (not just procedurally). The course and PLC design that supported the emergence of speaking with meaning by individuals participating in a PLC are described.
Effects on hippocampus of lifelong absence of glucocorticoids in the pro-opiomelanocortin null mutant mouse reveal complex relationship between glucocorticoids and hippocampal structure and function

In humans changes in serum cortisol levels have been observed with aging, stress, and with affective disorders such as major depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Corticosteroids are known to influence hippocampal structure and function; specifically, plasma corticosteroid levels have been inversely correlated with hippocampal cell proliferation, cell death, and impaired memory function. The relationship between corticosteroids and structure and function of the hippocampus has been studied in experimental systems in adult animals by increasing or decreasing corticosterone levels through pharmacological supplementation and through surgical removal of the adrenal gland. Here, we utilized the genetically engineered pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) null mutant mouse, which because of the lack of all POMC peptides has no corticosterone from birth throughout life. The effect of this lifelong absence of corticosterone on the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus is a decrease in granule cell density, which correlated with a decrease in cell proliferation but not an increase in cell degeneration. Fine morphology of granule cells was unaltered. Analyses of gene expression revealed no changes in POMC null mutant vs wild-type hippocampus with respect to levels of expression of corticoid receptor genes or genes known to be regulated by corticosterone. Spatial learning as tested by the Morris water maze was not altered in the POMC null mutant mouse. Taken together with findings from other studies of the effects of altered levels of corticosteroids on the hippocampus, our results argue for a complex homeostasis in which disturbances of any one factor can offset the system in varying ways.
Jury Size Impact on Verdict's Correctness

As defined by the Supreme Court, trial by an impartial jury of one's peers is a procedural due process right; however, the Court has frequently been called on to establish its opera tive parameters...
The Mean Meridional Circulation of the Atmosphere Using the Mass above Isentropes as the Vertical Coordinate

The mean meridional circulation of the atmosphere is presented using the mass (more specifically, the pressure corresponding to the mass) above the isentrope of interest as the vertical coordinate. In this vertical coordinate,themass-weightedmeancirculationisexactlybalancedbyentropysourcesandsinkswithno eddy flux contribution as in the isentropic coordinate, and the coordinate can be readily generalized to the mass abovemoistisentropesorotherquasi-conservativetracersbyconstruction.ThecorrespondingEliassen‐Palm (EP) flux divergence for the zonal-mean angular momentum is formulated in a hybrid isobaric‐isentropic form, extending the conventional transformed Eulerian-mean (TEM) formulation to finite-amplitude nongeostrophic eddies on the sphere. In the small-amplitude limit, the hybrid isobaric‐isentropic formulation reduces to the TEM formulation. Applying to the NCEP‐U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Reanalysis 2, the new formulation resolves the deficiency of the conventional TEM formulation for the near-surface flow, where the isentropic surface intersects the ground, and the mean circulation agrees well with the TEM above the near-surface layer. In the small-amplitude limit, this improvement near the surface can be partially attributed to the isentropic static stability over the isobaric counterpart, as the mass density in the near-surface isentropic layers gradually approaches zero. Also, the mean mass streamfunction can beapproximately obtained fromthe EP flux divergence except for the deep tropics or the near-surface flow, highlighting the dominant control of potential vorticity mixing for the subtropics-to-pole mean circulations. It is then expected to provide a valuable diagnostic framework not only for global circulation theory, but also for atmospheric transport in the troposphere.
Review: Jane Elliot (2005). Using Narrative in Social Research. Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches

Jane ELLIOTT hat mit Using Narrative in Social Research einen originaren und gut zuganglichen Beitrag zur sozialwissenschaftlichen Methodenliteratur geleistet. Die Originalitat ist insbesondere den beiden Zielen geschuldet, die sie mit diesem Buch verfolgt: ELLIOTT beschreibt nicht nur qualitative und quantitative narrationsanalytische Verfahren, sondern sie nutzt das Konzept der "Narration" auch zur Dekonstruktion traditioneller Grenzen zwischen qualitativer und quantitativer Sozialforschung. Im Grunde kommt dem zweiten Ziel auch grosere Aufmerksamkeit zu, und insoweit eroffnet das Buch auch weniger eine praktische Annaherung an Narrationsanalysen als der Titel des Buches vermuten lassen wurde. Vor allem anderen erlaubt Using Narrative in Social Research insbesondere fortgeschrittenen Studierenden und Forschenden eine profunde Reflektion des Gegensatzes zwischen qualitativen und quantitativen Ansatzen sowie Moglichkeiten, uber diesen Gegensatz hinauszugehen. Obwohl das Buch fur alle Sozialwissenschaftler(innen) lesenswert ist, richtet es sich doch in erster Linie an ein eher "quantitatives Publikum", um es fur den "interpretive turn" zu interessieren. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs0602192
The Evidence for Multiple Hominid Taxa at Swartkrans

Gutgesell's review of the single species hypothesis, and the dismissal of its proposed refutation at Swartkrans, is critically examined. Most of her claims are not supported by the available evidence at Swartkrans, nor by the morphology and variation of recognized robust australopithecines and other hominoid taxa. Her statistical results are questionable, whether or not one utilizes her procedures. With the demonstrated association of the maxilla (SK 80) with a cranium (SK 846/847) described as “Paranthropus” by both Robinson and Tobias, the only possible interpretation of the detailed morphology, the ranges of variation, and the statistical comparisons, is that SK 15, 45, and 80 are small robust australopithecines.
Complete-data spaces and generalized EM algorithms

Expectation-maximization (EM) algorithms have been applied extensively for computing maximum-likelihood and penalized-likelihood parameter estimates in signal processing applications. Intrinsic to each EM algorithm is a complete-data space (CDS)-a hypothetical set of random variables that is related to the parameters more naturally than the measurements are. The authors describe two generalizations of the EM paradigm: (i) allowing the relationship between the CDS and the measured data to be nondeterministic, and (ii) using a sequence of alternating complete-data spaces. These generalizations are motivated in part by the influence of the CDS on the convergence rate, a relationship that is formalized through a data-processing inequality for Fisher information. These concepts are applied to the problem of estimating superimposed signals in Gaussian noise, and it is shown that the new space alternating generalized EM algorithm converges significantly faster than the ordinary EM algorithm. >
Disruption of the Oxysterol 7α-Hydroxylase Gene in Mice

Mice without oxysterol 7α-hydroxylase, an enzyme of the alternate bile acid synthesis pathway with a sexually dimorphic expression pattern, were constructed by the introduction of a null mutation at the Cyp7b1 locus. Animals heterozygous (Cyp7b1 +/−) and homozygous (Cyp7b1 −/−) for this mutation were grossly indistinguishable from wild-type mice. Plasma and tissue levels of 25- and 27-hydroxycholesterol, two oxysterol substrates of this enzyme with potent regulatory actions in cultured cells, were markedly elevated inCyp7b1 −/− knockout animals. Parameters of bile acid metabolism as well as plasma cholesterol and triglyceride levels in male and female Cyp7b1 −/− mice were normal. The cholesterol contents of major tissues were not altered.In vivo sterol biosynthetic rates were unaffected in multiple tissues with the exception of the male kidney, which showed a ∼40% decrease in de novo synthesis versuscontrols. We conclude that the major physiological role of the CYP7B1 oxysterol 7α-hydroxylase is to metabolize 25- and 27-hydroxycholesterol and that loss of this enzyme in the liver is compensated for by increases in the synthesis of bile acids by other pathways. A failure to catabolize oxysterols in the male kidney may lead to a decrease in de novo sterol synthesis.
Changes of sperm morphology, volume, density and motility and seminal plasma composition in Barbus barbus (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) during the reproductive season

Eighteen spermiating males were randomly selected from a hatchery-reared stock and electronically tagged to record changes in their sperm quality parameters (spermatozoa morphology, ultrastructure and motility, ionic composition and osmolality of the seminal plasma, and sperm volume and density) during the spawning season. Strip- ping was performed at the beginning of March, April and May. The Barbus barbus spermatozoon has a head with- out acrosome, a midpiece with 4-6 mitochondria and proximal and distal centrioles, and a flagellum with the typical 9+2 pairs of microtubules. Apart from posterior width of the midpiece, morphological and ultrastructural parameters changed significantly during the reproductive season; generally by decreasing toward the end of reproductive season. Sperm volume also decreased from 0.42 in March to 0.15 ml in May, and density from 18.81 in March to 12.45 × 10 9 spz ml −1 in May. Osmolality (mOsmol kg −1 ) was 268 ± 4, 276 ± 2 and 268 ± 2 in March, April and May respec- tively. Chloride, sodium, calcium and potassium ion concentrations (mM) did not show significant differences between March and April (Cl − : 125.3 vs. 120.5, Na + : 75.7 vs. 69.7, Ca 2+ : 0.4 vs. 0.3 and K + : 84.7 vs. 84.0). The percentage of motile spermatozoa at 15 s post activation did not show a significant difference between dates, but the highest sperma- tozoa velocity at 15 s post activation was observed in April (91.4 ± 3.2 µ ms −1 ) and then decreased significantly towards the end of the reproductive season (80.6 ± 1.9 µ ms −1 in May). However, lowest spermatozoa velocity was measured in March (70.4 ± 1.9 µ ms −1 ). This study supports the hypothesis that longer spermatozoa swim faster. Within one stripping, velocity and percentage motility decreased significantly with time post activation. In conclusion, changes ob- served inB. barbus sperm parameters during the reproductive season, suggest there is association between such changes and spermatozoa aging processes.
The persistence of emerging market equity flows

Abstract The portfolio flows of institutional investors have been found to be highly persistent across countries and individual investment funds. This paper investigates the source of this persistence in emerging market equities. We employ the decomposition methodology in NBER Working Paper no. 9079 (July 2002), which decomposes the persistence of flows into four components: (i) own-country, own-fund persistence (which might arise from informed trading within each country by individual funds); (ii) own-country, cross-fund persistence (which might arise from asynchronicities across funds); (iii) cross-country, own-fund persistence (which might arise from asynchonicities within a fund) and (iv) cross-country, cross-fund persistence (which might arise from other reaction lags—such as contagion—across both countries and funds). We find evidence that all four components are positive in emerging markets. Our results differ from those in developed countries, in that we attribute approximately 10–20% of total persistence to cross-country effects (iii) and (iv). These findings are consistent with stories of contagion, which suggest that demand shifts move predictably from one country to another. They cannot easily be explained by informed trading alone or by wealth effects.
Ensemble forecast: A new approach to uncertainty and predictability

Ensemble techniques have been used to generate daily numerical weather forecasts since the 1990s in numerical centers around the world due to the increase in computation ability. One of the main purposes of numerical ensemble forecasts is to try to assimilate the initial uncertainty (initial error) and the forecast uncertainty (forecast error) by applying either the initial perturbation method or the multi-model/multi-physics method. In fact, the mean of an ensemble forecast offers a better forecast than a deterministic (or control) forecast after a short lead time (3–5 days) for global modelling applications. There is about a 1–2-day improvement in the forecast skill when using an ensemble mean instead of a single forecast for longer lead-time. The skillful forecast (65% and above of an anomaly correlation) could be extended to 8 days (or longer) by present-day ensemble forecast systems. Furthermore, ensemble forecasts can deliver a probabilistic forecast to the users, which is based on the probability density function (PDF) instead of a single-value forecast from a traditional deterministic system. It has long been recognized that the ensemble forecast not only improves our weather forecast predictability but also offers a remarkable forecast for the future uncertainty, such as the relative measure of predictability (RMOP) and probabilistic quantitative precipitation forecast (PQPF). Not surprisingly, the success of the ensemble forecast and its wide application greatly increase the confidence of model developers and research communities.
Observations of Tilting Meddies

Abstract SOFAR floats at different depths within two Mediterranean Water eddies (meddies) reveal that the meddy rotation axes tilt transversely with respect to the meddy translation direction. The rotation axis of one of the meddies (Meddy 1) was displaced by about 6 km over a depth of roughly 100 m; the axis of the second meddy (Meddy 2) was displaced by about 0.4 km over 100-m depth. These results are compared to a simple theoretical model that predicts the deformation and translation of a lens-shaped eddy embedded in large-scale external shear. Observed lateral deformations of the meddles are in good agreement with model predictions. The observed tilt of Meddy 1 is attributed to a combination of depth-varying rotation rate beneath the meddy core and the horizontal translation of the meddy; the tilt of Meddy 2 is attributed to a deformation of the meddy core by vertically sheared flow outside the meddy. The observed translation speed of the meddies with respect to nearby floats outside of the meddies is...
General characteristics of the sigmoidal model equation representing quasi-static pulmonary P-V curves.

A pulmonary pressure-volume (P-V) curve represented by a sigmoidal model equation with four parameters, V(P) = a + b{1 + exp[−(P − c)/d]}−1, has been demonstrated to fit inflation and deflation dat...
Noninvasive risk assessment after myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND Mortality from acute myocardial infarction is substantially less than it was two and even one decade ago. This improvement in both short-term and postdischarge outcome results both from early interventions to restore myocardial perfusion and mitigate expansion and remodeling, and from later assessment and management of functional status at the time of hospital discharge. OBJECTIVE Recent studies suggest that invasive evaluation of the patient who has had a myocardial infarction (MI) should not be recommended on a routine basis. This review provides an approach to the noninvasive assessment of the patient. DISCUSSION Stress testing to ascertain post-MI ischemia, ejection fraction determination to evaluate ventricular volumes and function, and ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring, electrophysiologic study, and signal-averaged electrocardiography to assess presence and type of ventricular ectopy are discussed. CONCLUSION The approach to the post-MI patient offered herein is felt to be medically sound and cost-effective. Refinement and alterations in this approach will be necessary as outcomes in specific patient groups, such as thrombolysis patients, women, and the elderly, become clearer. Assessing risk for cardiac morbidity and mortality after acute myocardial infarction helps to distinguish those who need aggressive management from those who do not. A cost-effective approach is outlined.
Changes in Androstenedione, Testosterone and Protein Metabolism as a Result of Exercise

SummaryThe effects of endurance training on urea excretion and plasma androgen concentrations were investigated in male, female, and castrated male rats. Training increased urea excretion in male rats but not in female rats. Castration of male rats increased urea excretion to levels like those observed in trained rats and training did not further increase urea excretion. The level of testosterone in trained rats was lower than that of untrained rats. In trained rats there was a slight (P > 0.05) increase in testosterone immediately after exercise but the concentration of testosterone was significantly (P < 0.05) lowered 6 hr after the exercise bout. Plasma testosterone was also significantly lowered after an exhaustive exercise run. These results suggest that an alteration in plasma androgen levels may be responsible for the increased urea excretion that we observed in trained rats.
Seasonal Occurrence and Insecticidal Suppression of Eoreuma Loftini (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in Sugarcane

Efficacy of various insecticides against Eoreuma loftini (Dyar), a stalk borer of sugarcane and other graminaceous species, was examined in two experiments on sugarcane near San Juan, Tex., in 1981. Three foliar insecticides currently registered for use on sugarcane (monocrotophos, azinphosmethyl, and carbofuran) reduced percent internodes bored relative to the untreated checks when sprayed at registered rates. The higher rates of azinphosmethyl and monocrotophos further reduced damage. Fenvalerate did not reduce percent internodes bored relative to the untreated check. No other insecticides tested gave significantly lower damage than monocrotophos and azinphosmethyl. Sampling methods for efficacy were compared. Unlike the standard damage measure of percent internodes bored in mature cane, other earlier sampling methods did not detect differences between carbofuran and the untreated check. Analysis of percent stalk infestation over the eight postspray sample dates indicated reduced populations in monocrotophos- and azinphosmethyl-treated plots compared to untreated check plots and fenvalerate- and carbofuran-treated plots. On specific sampling dates, this pattern was most evident during June and July when cane growth is rapid and E. loftini populations are high in untreated check plots. The combined analysis of the July and September sample dates for either percent internodes bored or for percent stalks with bored internodes demonstrated the efficacy of monocrotophos and azinphosmethyl compared to the untreated check, but analysis by individual dates did not consistently demonstrate this efficacy. Percent larval mortality was greater in monocrotophos- and azinphosmethyl-treated plots compared to untreated check plots when data were analyzed across all postspray dates. However, percent mortality was too variable for this consistent pattern to be significant on any specific sampling date. Although populations of E. loftini peaked during June, generations broadly overlapped. Population levels were positively correlated with final damage. Larvae were found only in leaf sheaths and stalks. Larvae in stalks were generally larger than larvae in leaf sheaths. Pupae were located within the stalk and constituted a low percentage of individual E. loftini found in both treated and untreated check plots (0–8.3%).
Probing into Characteristics of Mediaeval Arab Islamic Science and Technology

At Medieval times,the Arab empires have made brilliant achievements in many fields,such as science,literature and art,especially represented by the Arab-Islamic science and technology. It makes the Arabs step into the cognition of the world science. The development pattern of the Arab-Islamic science and technology is very unique,and Islam to the guidance of the science attaches great importance to the application and development of practical technology,good at absorb valuable scientific culture,and attaches importance to the experimental research methods of the application but the lack of systematic science theory system research,which play the important roles in science and technology and become the obvious difference from China and Europe.
Thoughts on training guidelines in emergency mental health and crisis intervention.

Abstract Given the terrorist attacks in Oklahoma City, Washington, D.C., and New York City, there has been increased interest in the provision of emergency mental health services, especially disaster mental health. Rather remarkably, however, there is a paucity of formal emergency mental health training programs. As a result, psychologists, psychiatrists, and social workers have found themselves thrust into situations where they have been expected to provide emergency mental health services in the absence of formalized training. Herein follows a discussion of what may be argued to be five core competencies in the provision of emergency mental health services. These guidelines may be of value to those interested in assessing existing training programs, or those interested in developing new training programs in emergency mental health and crisis intervention.
Using Person Fit and Person Response Functions to Examine the Validity of Person Scores in Computer Adaptive Tests

Person fit procedures conducted at the individual level provide information regarding the trustworthiness of an individual test score. In computer adaptive tests (CAT), these person fit procedures are useful because traditional ways to examine model-data fit are limited due to test-takers receiving different sets of items. This study explores a two-step procedure for examining person fit in CAT. Five thousand person responses to a computer adaptive test were generated under the Rasch model. Then, three person fit statistics, Outfit MSE, Infit MSE, and Between Fit MSE, were used to categorize each person as fitting or misfitting by the Rasch model. Next, expected and empirical person response functions (PRF) were visually inspected for discrepancies between the model-expected patterns and the patterns observed in the data. The PRF and the person fit statistics provided complementary pieces of information about person misfit. This information can help guide practitioners in making judgements regarding person fit, and consequently about the validity of inferences from adaptive test scores.
Methods for Monitoring and Measuring Cleanliness of Surfaces

Publisher Summary This chapter presents some methods for monitoring and measuring cleanliness of surfaces. Most precision technology applications require characterization of micro-sized and smaller particles, as well as nonvolatile residue. Direct methods analyze the surface to determine whether the contamination of the surface exceeds a predetermined threshold. These methods either are dependent on human discretionary power, such as a magni?ed visual inspection, or require sophisticated and very expensive equipment. Direct methods are the preferred choice for surface cleanliness measurements as the surface is interrogated directly. The more common direct methods, both qualitative and quantitative, include white glove test and visual examination. Several types of witness surfaces are used for monitoring particle deposition. For microscopic counting and sizing, gridded membrane ?lters or counting slides are used. Spectroscopic methods are a versatile means for determining the structure of surface contaminants. The common techniques include ultraviolet spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and fluorescence spectroscopy. Some bulk analysis methods which include chromatographic techniques that are extensively employed for contaminant identi?cation and quanti?cation in biomedical and environmental applications are also elaborated.
Phylogenetic Analysis and the Detection of Ontogenetic Patterns

Some years ago an article in the journal Nature recounted a discussion which had occurred at a meeting of paleontologists at the British Museum (Halstead, 1978; see also Gardiner et al., 1979). Part of the debate concerned the differing classifications systematists of two schools might propose based on the same evidence about relationships. The schools were the phylogenetic (or cladistic) school and the “evolutionary” school. One discussant rose to claim that given a lungfish, a salmon, and a cow to classify, a phylogeneticist would perform the ridiculous action of grouping the lungfish and the cow together, exclusive of the salmon. A phylogeneticist replied “Yes, I cannot see what is wrong in that” (Halstead, 1978). Such exchanges exemplify some of the arguments that, until recently, were the stock in trade of gatherings concerning comparative biology and systematics. The debate has touched many areas of the biological sciences, from biogeography to developmental biology. What follows is a summary of the assumptions and methods of phylogenetic systematics, and how its practice can elucidate the relationship between ontogeny and phylogeny. I also address the problem of integrating studies of ontogenetic processes such as heterochrony into a modern comparative framework.
Board Certified Behavior Analysts and Related Ethical and Professional Practice Considerations for Rural Schools

When rural school districts employ Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) to assist in meeting the needs of students with disabilities, it is important that they be aware of the ethical and prof...
Serializing age: aging and old age in TV series

The epidemic of gendered ageism plaguing Hollywood has been well attended to in recent years, with various actresses speaking out against the unfair practices that negatively impact the careers of ...
Socioeconomic and Demographic Predictors of Missed Opportunities to Provide Advanced Imaging Services

Abstract Purpose The extent to which racial and socioeconomic disparities exist in accessing clinically appropriate, advanced diagnostic imaging has not been well studied. This study assesses the relationship between demographic and socioeconomic factors and the incidence of imaging missed care opportunities (IMCOs). Methods We performed a retrospective review of outpatient CT and MRI appointments at a quaternary academic medical center and affiliated outpatient facilities during a 12-month period. Missed appointments not rescheduled in advance were classified as IMCOs. Appropriateness criteria scores and demographics were also obtained. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine if demographic and socioeconomic factors were predictive of IMCOs. Results Overall, 57,847 patients met inclusion criteria, representing 89,943 scheduled unique imaging appointments of which 5,840 (6.1%) were IMCOs; 0.8% of IMCO appointments had low appropriateness scores compared with 1.2% of completed appointments ( P P Conclusions Race and socioeconomic status are independent predictors of IMCOs. In efforts to enhance patient engagement, radiologists should be aware of the impact of race and socioeconomic status on access to clinically appropriate advanced diagnostic imaging.
The Archaeology of Sanitation in Roman Italy: Toilets, Sewers, and Water Systems. By Ann Olga Koloski‐Ostrow. (Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 2015. Pp. 286. $69.95.)

With her new book, Ann Olga Koloski‐Ostrow has justifiably retained her status as “Queen of the Roman Latrine.” With a masterful stroke, she presents her study of Rome's toilets, sewers, and water ...
Interferometry of Correlated Particles

In a 1935 paper [1] that has since become a classic in the literature regarding conceptual implications of quantum mechanics, Einstein and his colleagues Boris Podolsky and Nathan Rosen (to be designated EPR) raised in one of its starkest forms the issue of nonlocality—that is, the occurrence of interactions instantaneously at a distance in violation of physicists’ intuitive sense of cause and effect as embodied in the principles of special relativity. Actually, Einstein’s principal focus of concern was the completeness of quantum mechanics as a self-consistent theory of individual particles (as opposed to a purely statistical theory of ensembles of particles), but the Gedankenexperiment proposed by EPR illustrated what many physicists throughout the ensuing years have considered to be one of the strangest features of quantum mechanics.
The Clinical Use of Ivabradine.

Abstract The clinical use of ivabradine has and continues to evolve along channels that are predicated on its mechanism of action. It selectively inhibits the funny current (If) in sinoatrial nodal tissue, resulting in a decrease in the rate of diastolic depolarization and, consequently, the heart rate, a mechanism that is distinct from those of other negative chronotropic agents. Thus, it has been evaluated and is used in select patients with systolic heart failure and chronic stable angina without clinically significant adverse effects. Although not approved for other indications, ivabradine has also shown promise in the management of inappropriate sinus tachycardia. Here, the authors review the mechanism of action of ivabradine and salient studies that have led to its current clinical indications and use.
Toughness of dense MoSi2 and composites produced by low pressure plasma deposition

The thrust to develop new high temperature materials for advanced aircraft turbine engines has focused on composite systems based on metal-matrix, ceramic-matrix, intermetallic matrix and carbon-carbon composites. For the case of intermetallic matrix composites, candidate materials such as aluminides and silicides have been identified as potential materials due to their excellent oxidation resistance at high temperatures. More specific to the class of silicides, is molybdenum disilicide (NoSi{sub 2}), which has been used as a high melting intermetallic (2030 {degrees} C) for more than eighty years. One of the properties which has discouraged the application of MoSi{sub 2}, as well as other intermetallic compounds, is the inherent lack of ductility at low to intermediate temperatures. Plasma spraying as a means of fabricating composite structures of metals has been addressed recently by a number of researchers. In this paper the use of low pressure plasma deposition (LPPD) for producing spray deposits of MoSi{sub 2} and MoSi{sub 2} with a 20 volume fraction of tantalum is investigated. Initial results focusing on the as-deposited densities and fracture toughness of the spray deposited material are compared to those properties measured on conventionally hot pressed MoSi{sub 2}. Effects of post consolidation on fracture toughness of themore » spray deposits are also addressed.« less
Computational Modeling of Relevant Automotive Rotary Spray Painting Process

The intent of this chapter is to provide a non-exhaustive but useful guide to the capabilities of computational modeling to help understand the multiple rotary phenomena coexisting in the automotive rotary spray painting process. This manufacturing process has been extensively used to coat automobile bodies in assembly plants. For the last three decades, auto makers as well as spray painting equipment manufacturers have dedicated substantial efforts to understand rotary atomization and to develop more efficient and versatile atomizers. Despite these efforts, it is accepted that the current level of understanding is not sufficient to accurately assess the operation of commercially available rotary bell spray painting systems. The reasons for this lack of understanding are two fold: the inherent complex nature of the rotary bell painting process and the traditional experience-based development of these types of systems. In addition, there is a limitation in what experimentation and theoretical studies alone can provide to enhance both the desired understanding and the efficiency of the paint application process. Based on this realization, efforts have been oriented toward using computational modeling as a new tool to develop this understanding. However, the use of computational modeling has proven to be not an easy task due to the high speed of translation and rotation of the atomizer in real scenarios, the different scales of the phenomena going from micrometer at the rotary cup paint film level to meter at the painted part and spray booth level, the complicated rheology of the paint material (especially for dispersed-type paints), etc.
Factors related to diversity of decomposer fungi in tropical forests

Recent studies suggest that host-preferences are common among certain groups of tropical fungal decomposers but rare in others, and sometimes occur where we least expect them. Host preferences among microfungi and ascomycetes that decompose leaf litter are common but usually involve differences in relative frequencies more than presence/absence, so their diversity may be loosely correlated with species richness of host trees. Strong host-specificity appears to be rare among wood decomposer fungi, whereas characteristics of their substrata and habitat are very important for this group. Anthropogenic disturbance predisposed a tropical forest to subsequent hurricane damage, and the resulting direct and indirect effects on host diversity and habitat heterogeneity were reflected in the decomposer fungal community more than sixty years after the original disturbance. While species richness of dictyostelid slime molds and functional diversity of their bacterial prey increased with disturbance, the more diverse microfungi and ascomycetes were apparently negatively affected by disturbance.
Long-term outcome of adolescent depression initially resistant to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor treatment: a follow-up study of the TORDIA sample.

Objective We examined the long-term outcome of participants in the Treatment of SSRI-Resistant Depression in Adolescents (TORDIA) study, a randomized trial of 334 adolescents (aged 12-18 years) with DSM-IV-defined major depression disorder initially resistant to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) treatment who were and subsequently treated for 12 weeks with another SSRI, venlafaxine, another SSRI + cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), or venlafaxine + CBT. Responders then continued with the same treatment through week 24, while non-responders were given open treatment.
Association between Psychosocial and Organizational Factors and Objectively Measured Sedentary Behavior in Desk-Dependent Office Workers

Cross-sectional analysis of data from the Recharge@Work study was used to assess individual, interpersonal and organizational correlates of objectively- measured sedentary time, in desk-dependent office workers at 2 U.S. hospitals. Analysis included 65 participants (62 females and ~49.2 years old). Sedentary time was assessed by accelerometry across five consecutive days and expressed as prolonged sedentary bouts (60 min ≤ 150 cpm). Correlates measured a baseline included: age, BMI, active break enjoyment, active break outcome expectancy, active break self-efficacy, active break social support, direct supervisor support of active breaks and senior manager support of active breaks. As expected, we found that the more individuals perceived their supervisor as supportive of active breaks and the more they enjoyed active breaks, the more likely they were to actually take active breaks (i.e., to experience less sedentary time, OR = 2.8, CI = 1.1–7.1; OR = 5.2, CI = 1.4–19.2 respectively). However, contrary to our expectations, the more employees perceived their senior managers as supportive of active breaks, the less likely they were to take these breaks (OR = 0.29, CI = 0.09–0.93). No significant associations were found between age, gender, BMI, outcome expectancy, or self-efficacy and active breaks from sedentary behavior.
Amnion Transport: Histologic Features

The amnion can transport and accumulate substances from the amniotic fluid. The clinical correlation of lipid accumulation in amnion epithelium in gastroschisis and of bilirubin accumulation through the membranes in meconium passage is discussed.
Rectus Extraocular Muscle Paths and Staphylomata in High Myopia.

Purpose To investigate the relationship between displacement of extraocular muscles (EOMs) and staphyloma in high myopia using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Design Retrospective case-control study. Methods Setting : Institutional study. Population : Twenty-nine highly myopic patients (46 eyes), 11 age-matched healthy control subjects (21 eyes), and 34 patients (66 eyes) with sagging eye syndrome. Procedures : MRI was analyzed for aspect ratio (AR) of the ocular cross section, locations of staphylomata and EOMs, and status of superior rectus to lateral rectus (SR-LR) band ligament. Main Outcome Measures : Association between staphylomata with EOM paths and the LR-SR band. Results Several associations of staphylomata were statistically significant (P Conclusions Local staphylomata in high myopia reflect ocular asphericity and correlate with EOM paths. Myopic staphylomata are associated with inferior displacement of LR path and defect of the LR-SR band ligament.
Hepatic carboxylesterases are differentially regulated in PPARα-null mice treated with perfluorooctanoic acid.

Abstract Hepatic carboxylesterases (Ces) catalyze the metabolism of drugs, environmental toxicants, and endogenous lipids and are known to be regulated by multiple nuclear receptors. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is a synthetic fluorochemical that has been associated with dyslipidemia in exposed populations. In liver, PFOA can activate nuclear receptors such as PPARα, and alter the metabolism and excretion of chemicals. Here, we sought to test the ability of PFOA to modulate Ces expression and activity in the presence and absence of the PPARα receptor. For this purpose, male C57BL/6 NCrl mice were administered PFOA (1 or 3 mg/kg, po, 7 days) and livers collected for assessment of Ces expression and activity. PFOA increased Ces1 and 2 protein and activity. Notably, PFOA increased Ces1d, 1e, 1f, 1 g, 2c, and 2e mRNAs between 1.5- and 2.5-fold, while it decreased Ces1c and 2b. Activation of PPARα by PFOA was confirmed by up-regulation of Cyp4a14 mRNA. In a separate study of PFOA-treated wild-type (WT) and PPARα-null mice, induction of Ces 1e and 1f mRNA and in turn, Ces1 protein, was PPARα-dependent. Interestingly, in PPARα-null mice, Ces1c, 1d, 1 g, 2a, 2b, and 2e mRNAs and Ces2 protein were up-regulated by PFOA which contributed to sustained up-regulation of Ces activity, although to a lower extent than observed in WT mice. Activation of the CAR and PXR receptors likely accounted for up-regulation of select Ces1 and 2 subtypes in PPARα-null mice. In conclusion, the environmental contaminant PFOA modulates the expression and function of hepatic Ces enzymes, in part through PPARα.
Economic Resources, Cultural Matching, and the Rural-Urban Boundary in China's Marriage Market

Objective This article investigates marital sorting by household registration status (hukou) and education in contemporary urban China, paying special attention to individuals who have achieved rural-to-urban hukou mobility before marriage. Background Existing theoretical frameworks of assortative mating have highlighted economic resources and cultural matching as two key dimensions. These two frameworks place different emphasis on individuals' achieved versus ascriptive characteristics, and hold different implications for understanding the link between marital sorting patterns and social openness/closure. With a focus on hukou converters, this study examines the relative importance of achieved versus ascriptive traits in China's marriage market and contributes to the evaluation of the two frameworks. Method This study adopts a mixed-methods approach. The quantitative analysis uses the harmonic mean marriage function to analyze the nationally representative 2006 China General Social Survey. The qualitative data consist of 115 in-depth interviews collected in two Chinese metropolitan areas between 2016 and 2017. Results Quantitative results showed that hukou converters and urban-born individuals both had the highest propensity of marrying a spouse of the same hukou trajectory. Qualitative results further revealed the gap between converters and their urban-born peers to be hierarchical. Although both groups emphasized the importance of shared values and habitus in evaluating prospective partners, urban-born individuals regarded hukou converters as a culturally distinct and less desirable option. Conclusion The findings highlight the power of cultural matching in China's urban marriage market. Hukou converters' rural origin remains visible and acts as a source of lasting symbolic distinction despite adulthood status attainment.
Learning in International Markets and a Rational Expectation Approach to the Contagion Puzzle

I develop a general equilibrium model in which agents from two countries do not observe directly the long-run growth prospects of their economies. Instead, the agents rationally learn the hidden components through the Kalman filter applied to international consumption data. Learning endogenously produces: (i) a rational explanation of international contagion phenomenon, defined as changes in one country's asset prices in response to foreign news, that occurs in the absence of domestic news, (ii) large and time-varying international equity risk premia, and (iii) a resolution of the forward premium anomaly, defined as the tendency of high interest rate currencies to appreciate.
Co-expression analysis is biased by a mean-correlation relationship

Abstract Estimates of correlation between pairs of genes in co-expression analysis are commonly used to construct networks among genes using gene expression data. Here, we show that the distribution of such correlations depend on the expression level of the involved genes, which we refer to this as a mean-correlation relationship in RNA-seq data, both bulk and single-cell. This dependence introduces a bias in co-expression analysis whereby highly expressed genes are more likely to be highly correlated. Such a relationship is not observed in protein-protein interaction data, suggesting that it is not reflecting biology. Ignoring this bias can lead to missing potentially biologically relevant pairs of genes that are lowly expressed, such as transcription factors. To address this problem, we introduce spatial quantile normalization (SpQN), a method for normalizing local distributions in a correlation matrix. We show that spatial quantile normalization removes the mean-correlation relationship and corrects the expression bias in network reconstruction.
Strategies and Mechanisms for Urban and Rural Subsidization

Almost all governments have explicit or implicit strategies and direct or indirect mechanisms for subsidizing certain groups within their societies. All subsidies effect income either by decreasing the cost of inputs (production supplies or consumption goods) or by increasing the price paid for outputs.
A Place for Me? African American Transfer Student Involvement on the Campus of a Predominantly White Institution in the Midwest:

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences and sense of belonging of African American transfer students attending a predominantly White institution in the Midwest when resources tailo...