cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Administrative capacity and welfare reform in North Carolina: does administration matter?

This study examines the administrative role played by the state of North Carolina in the provision of welfare. A survey of county professionals was conducted in April 2000 assessing perceptions of how well the state was performing its administrative functions. Fifty-three survey items composed ten indices that were grouped into three categories of resources, leadership and accountability. Logistic regression analyses examined perceptions of the state's Resources, Leadership, and Accountability administrative capacity in relationship to the four Work First Report Card measures of (1) putting people to work, (2) having them stay off of welfare, (3) reducing the number on welfare, and (4) collecting child support. Findings indicate that the state's efforts are not perceived as contributing to the success of welfare reform. Administrative capacity perceptions account for little of the variation explained by the logistic regressions. The state is not perceived as contributing to putting people to work or helping them to stay off of welfare subsequently. It actually is seen as slightly hindering efforts at reducing the welfare rolls. Only in the area of child support collection does state administrative capacity (in leadership and budgeting) improve the odds for success.
A Meta-analysis of Preoperative Duplex Ultrasound Vessel Diameters for Successful Radiocephalic Fistula Placement:

BackgroundThe Kidney Dialysis Outcomes Quality Initiative (K/DOQI) guidelines for vascular access recommend the use of radiocephalic wrist arteriovenous fistulas (RCAVFs) as the initial option for ...
Mobile Computing versus Spektrumverfügbarkeit

Viele von Ihnen werden sich vielleicht fragen, warum sich Intel als Mikroprozessorhersteller plotzlich fur Telekommunikationsfragen interessiert. Aus zwei Grunden wird Intel auf naturlichem Wege zum Mitspieler auf dem Telekommunikationsmarkt
Did FIN 48 Improve Comparability in the Financial Reporting of Income Taxes

This study investigates whether Financial Accounting Standards Board Interpretation No. 48 (FIN 48), Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes, improved comparability in the financial reporting of income tax expense. This research is important because it provides evidence on whether the standard improved comparability in accounting for income taxes. It also provides evidence useful to market participants in evaluating the decision usefulness of reported tax information. We use a comparability measure developed by De Franco et al. (2011) and, by definition, compute the comparability of income tax expense as the difference in comparability between pre-tax and after-tax income. We find that FIN 48 improved the comparability of income tax expense for more tax aggressive firms and firms that managed earnings prior to the issuance of FIN 48. This evidence is consistent with improved consistency in the measurement and recognition of uncertain tax benefits under FIN 48 leading to an improvement in income tax expense comparability for firms most likely to have greater uncertain tax positions and for firms that used the tax reserve to opportunistically manage earnings.
Political Reconciliation, Punishment, and Grudge Informers

In this paper I focus on a fundamental legal dilemma that the legacy of systematic injustice characteristically creates following periods of civil conflict and repressive rule. In the aftermath of injustice there is often a strong urge to punish those who committed morally egregious acts of injustice, but it is challenging to find legal grounds for such punishment. To explain this dilemma I summarize the case of the grudge informer. I then survey the different justifications for punishment found in the literature, concentrating on the idea that it is important to (re-)build a just order and sense of justice within transitional communities. To provide resources for understanding what constitutes a just order and for evaluating punishment’s contribution to this order, I articulate a conception of just political relationships, which are realized in a just order. I then return to the case of the grudge informer and explain how punishment may facilitate the creation of a just order by fostering some of the social and moral conditions that underpin it.
An Analysis of the Relevance of Minority Stockholder Interest Information

This study examines the relevance of minority interest financial statement information by using existing voluntary disclosure data. Minority interests are the result of acquisitions and have investor implications concerning disclosure and diversification. Regression analyses indicate that disaggregating the equity interest data into majority and minority shareholder interest information provides increased explanatory value about stock market returns. Furthermore, the market responds to the interaction between the size of the minority interest and the corresponding financial statement information. The findings provide weak evidence that minority interests are best classified as equity as opposed to a liability or the mezzanine category of neither.
Troubleshooting Data Collection

Troubleshooting is all about understanding your analytical system and how DNA typing data are generated during the PCR process and subsequent separation and detection of STR alleles via CE with fluorescence detection. Thus, this chapter begins with a brief review of the principles and processes of capillary electrophoresis (CE).
The Impact of College Financial Aid Rules on Household Portfolio Choice

Households who save in anticipation of their child’s college expenses reduce their child’s eligibility for financial aid. The penalty of reduced financial aid eligibility acts as an implicit tax on household assets. However, retirement assets and home equity are excluded from computations of financial aid, thus are exempt from financial aid tax. Households can diminish the marginal financial aid tax rate by moving funds into retirement plans or by increasing their home equity. Using the 2001 Survey of Consumer Finances, our purpose is to investigate the effect of the college financial aid rules on household portfolio choice. Our results show that households who have higher marginal tax rates have higher retirement assets and home equity compared to taxable financial assets. However, the marginal financial aid tax rate does not have a significant adverse effect on the total amount of taxable financial assets. The results are robust across different model specifications.
Assessment design in a MATLAB programming course for mechanical engineering students

This paper presents nine different types of formative assessment design for a MATLAB programming class. This work is grounded in the Felder–Silverman learning style model, a model that was develope...
Hidden diversity of soil giant viruses

Known giant virus diversity is currently skewed towards viruses isolated from aquatic environments and cultivated in the laboratory. Here, we employ cultivation-independent metagenomics and mini-metagenomics on soils from the Harvard Forest, leading to the discovery of 16 novel giant viruses, chiefly recovered by mini-metagenomics. The candidate viruses greatly expand phylogenetic diversity of known giant viruses and either represented novel lineages or are affiliated with klosneuviruses, Cafeteria roenbergensis virus or tupanviruses. One assembled genome with a size of 2.4 Mb represents the largest currently known viral genome in the Mimiviridae, and others encode up to 80% orphan genes. In addition, we find more than 240 major capsid proteins encoded on unbinned metagenome fragments, further indicating that giant viruses are underexplored in soil ecosystems. The fact that most of these novel viruses evaded detection in bulk metagenomes suggests that mini-metagenomics could be a valuable approach to unearth viral giants.
Quantitative high-throughput tests of ubiquitous RNA secondary structure prediction algorithms via RNA/protein binding

Abstract Nearest-neighbor (NN) rules provide a simple and powerful quantitative framework for RNA structure prediction that is strongly supported for canonical Watson-Crick duplexes from a plethora of thermodynamic measurements. Predictions of RNA secondary structure based on nearest-neighbor (NN) rules are routinely used to understand biological function and to engineer and control new functions in biotechnology. However, NN applications to RNA structural features such as internal and terminal loops rely on approximations and assumptions, with sparse experimental coverage of the vast number of possible sequence and structural features. To test to what extent NN rules accurately predict thermodynamic stabilities across RNAs with non-WC features, we tested their predictions using a quantitative high-throughput assay platform, RNA-MaP. Using a thermodynamic assay with coupled protein binding, we carried out equilibrium measurements for over 1000 RNAs with a range of predicted secondary structure stabilities. Our results revealed substantial scatter and systematic deviations between NN predictions and observed stabilities. Solution salt effects and incorrect or omitted loop parameters contribute to these observed deviations. Our results demonstrate the need to independently and quantitatively test NN computational algorithms to identify their capabilities and limitations. RNA-MaP and related approaches can be used to test computational predictions and can be adapted to obtain experimental data to improve RNA secondary structure and other prediction algorithms. Significance statement RNA secondary structure prediction algorithms are routinely used to understand, predict and design functional RNA structures in biology and biotechnology. Given the vast number of RNA sequence and structural features, these predictions rely on a series of approximations, and independent tests are needed to quantitatively evaluate the accuracy of predicted RNA structural stabilities. Here we measure the stabilities of over 1000 RNA constructs by using a coupled protein binding assay. Our results reveal substantial deviations from the RNA stabilities predicted by popular algorithms, and identify factors contributing to the observed deviations. We demonstrate the importance of quantitative, experimental tests of computational RNA structure predictions and present an approach that can be used to routinely test and improve the prediction accuracy.
Associations between provider communication and personal recovery outcomes

This study examined whether two types of provider communication considered important to quality of care (i.e., shows respect and explains understandably) are associated with mental health outcomes related to personal recovery (i.e., connectedness, hope, internalized stigma, life satisfaction, and empowerment). This study also tested whether these associations varied by the type of provider seen (i.e., mental health professional versus general medical doctor). This sample included participants from the 2014 California Well-Being Survey, a representative survey of California residents with probable mental illness, who had recently obtained mental health services (N = 429). Multiple regression was used to test associations between provider communication and personal recovery outcomes and whether these associations were modified by provider type. Providers showing respect was associated with better outcomes across all five of the personal recovery domains, connectedness (β = 1.12; p < .001), hope (β = 0.72; p < .0001), empowerment (β = 0.38; p < .05), life satisfaction (β = 1.10; p < .001) and internalized stigma (β = − 0.49; p < .05). Associations between provider showing respect and recovery outcomes were stronger among those who had seen a mental health professional only versus a general medical doctor only. Respectful communication may result in greater personal recovery from mental health problems. Respecting consumer perspectives is a hallmark feature of both recovery-oriented services and quality care, yet these fields have operated independently of one another. Greater integration between these two areas could significantly improve recovery-oriented mental health outcomes and quality of care.
The Anxiety of Authorship: Zadie Smith’s On Beauty, Fields, and Professional Jurisdiction

ABSTRACTThis article deploys critical work on professionals and intellectuals to argue that On Beauty is a way of writing through the tensions between field-specific knowledge carried by experts-in...
A Pilot Study of Optics Laboratory Activities’ Impact on Students Connections Between Theory and Experiment

Research in Physics Education suggests students have difficulties in learning physics content through experimental lab work1. In applied areas, such as optics, the formation of a strong understanding that spans both theory and application is often necessary. In this pilot study, the progression of six optics students was tracked over a 15-week semester. We integrated short laboratory activities into a traditional upper-division theoretical optics course with the aim of helping students to make connections between concepts in theoretical optics and their implementation/applications in the laboratory. Three interviews were conducted at the beginning, the middle and the end of the semester to monitor the development of students’ skills and knowledge in the relevant optics areas. The interview protocols asked students to make conceptual explanations, perform theoretical calculations and perform experimental tasks to demonstrate their understanding. Initial analysis of the interview responses reveals the gaps in the students’ knowledge and skills. We performed a qualitative thematic analysis of the interview data to examine student success in making connections between theory and application. Our results consist of a revised interview protocol for assessing learning in this integrated optics context, revised laboratory activities, and insights for experimental designs that could better assess student learning gains.
Application of parenteral nutrition in critically ill patients undergoing cardiac surgery: a retrospective study

Objective To summarize the clinical application of parenteral nutrition (PN) in Fuwai Hospital. Methods The clinical applications of PN in 132 critically ill patients undergoing cardiac surgery in our hospital were retrospectively investigated and analyzed. Results The application of PN in Fuwai hospital was basically appropriate and standardized. Energy supply in PN formulation was reasonably low, but still met the energy needs of patients in the fasting period. The nutritional composition and energy/nitrogen ratio in the formulation were basically rational. However, problems including the lack of double energy in partial formulation, low proportion of glucose-supplied energy due to low glucose-lipid ratio, and insufficient supply of insulin still existed. One (0.76%)patient was discharged according to his own decision; 22 ( 16.67% ) patients died, which were not directly associated with PN; and the other 109 (82.58%) patients were cured and discharged. Conclusion Application of PN for critically ill patients undergoing cardiac surgery must strictly follow the operation indications and rationally select nutritional components and proportions to ensure its safety and effectiveness. Key words: Total parenteral nutrition; Cardiac surgery; Metabolic complication
All My Rowdy Friends: The Effect of Super Bowl Hosting on Audit Timing

We use the Super Bowl as a setting to explore the impact of a non-financial, exogenous source of distraction on audit efficiency/timeliness. The magnitude of festivities related to hosting the Super Bowl, combined with the game falling during the audit “busy season,” results in an ideal setting to examine how audit firms navigate short-term, anticipated audit team capacity constraints. Using 16 years of financial reporting data, we test the impact of Super Bowl hosting and find it results in less efficient audits (approximately 2 days, in terms of audit report lag) and less timely SEC (10-K) filings. However, we find no impact of Super Bowl hosting on audit fees, earnings announcement timeliness, or audit quality (using four different proxies). Our study contributes to our understanding of the costs of Super Bowl hosting, provides empirical evidence that exogenous distraction reduces efficiency in a large organizational setting, underscores the importance of high quality human resource inputs to positive audit outcomes, and provides evidence that audit firms accept lower audit efficiency in response to short-term, anticipated capacity constraints
What Is Evaluation?: Perspectives of How Evaluation Differs (or Not) From Research:

With a lack of consensus of what evaluation is within the field of evaluation, there is a difficulty in communicating to nonevaluators what evaluation is and how evaluation differs from research. T...
Thermodynamics of cation binding to the sarco/endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase pump and impacts on enzyme function

Abstract Sarcoendoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA) is a transmembrane pump that plays an important role in transporting calcium into the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). While calcium (Ca2+) binds SERCA with micro-molar affinity, magnesium (Mg2+) and potassium (K+) also compete with calcium (Ca2+) binding. However, the molecular bases for these competing ions’ influence on SERCA function and the selectivity of the pump for Ca2+ are not well-established. We therefore used in silico methods to resolve molecular determinants of cation binding in the canonical site I and II Ca2+ binding sites: 1) triplicate molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of Mg2+, Ca2+and K+-bound SERCA. 2) mean spherical approximation (MSA) theory to determine the affinity and selectivity of cation binding to the MD-resolved structures and 3) state models of SERCA turnover informed from MSA-derived affinity data. Our key findings are that a) coordination at sites I and II are optimized for Ca2+and to a lesser extent for Mg2+ and K+, as determined by MD-derived cation-amino acid oxygen and bound water configurations, b) the impaired coordination and high desolvation cost for Mg2+ precludes favorable Mg2+ binding relative to Ca2+, while K+ has limited capacity to bind site I, c) Mg2+ most likely acts as inhibitor and K+ as intermediate in SERCA’s reaction cycle, based on a best-fit state model of SERCA turnover. These findings provide a quantitative basis for SERCA function that leverages molecular-scale thermodynamic data and rationalize enzyme activity across broad ranges of K+, Ca2+ and Mg2+ concentrations.
Glucocorticoids and B Cell Depleting Agents Substantially Impair Immunogenicity of mRNA Vaccines to SARS-CoV-2

Background: Individuals with chronic inflammatory diseases (CID) are frequently treated with immunosuppressive medications that can increase their risk of severe COVID-19. While novel mRNA-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccination platforms provide robust protection in immunocompetent individuals, the immunogenicity in CID patients on immunosuppression is not well established. Therefore, determining the effectiveness of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in the setting of immunosuppression is essential to risk-stratify CID patients with impaired protection and provide clinical guidance regarding medication management. Methods: We conducted a prospective assessment of mRNA-based vaccine immunogenicity in 133 adults with CIDs and 53 immunocompetent controls. Blood from participants over 18 years of age was collected before initial immunization and 1-2 weeks after the second immunization. Serum anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) IgG + binding, neutralizing antibody titers, and circulating S-specific plasmablasts were quantified to assess the magnitude and quality of the humoral response following vaccination. Results: Compared to immunocompetent controls, a three-fold reduction in anti-S IgG titers (P=0.009) and SARS-CoV-2 neutralization (p<0.0001) were observed in CID patients. B cell depletion and glucocorticoids exerted the strongest effect with a 36- and 10-fold reduction in humoral responses, respectively (p<0.0001). Janus kinase inhibitors and antimetabolites, including methotrexate, also blunted antibody titers in multivariate regression analysis (P<0.0001, P=0.0023, respectively). Other targeted therapies, such as TNF inhibitors, IL-12/23 inhibitors, and integrin inhibitors, had only modest impacts on antibody formation and neutralization. Conclusions: CID patients treated with immunosuppressive therapies exhibit impaired SARS-CoV-2 vaccine-induced immunity, with glucocorticoids and B cell depletion therapy more severely impeding optimal responses.
Dual-Energy Computed Tomography Proton-Dose Calculation with Scripting and Modified Hounsfield Units.

Purpose To describe an implementation of dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) for calculation of proton stopping-power ratios (SPRs) in a commercial treatment-planning system. The process for validation and the workflow for safe deployment of DECT is described, using single-energy computed tomography (SECT) as a safety check for DECT dose calculation. Materials and Methods The DECT images were acquired at 80 kVp and 140 kVp and were processed with computed tomography scanner software to derive the electron density and effective atomic number images. Reference SPRs of tissue-equivalent plugs from Gammex (Middleton, Wisconsin) and CIRS (Computerized Imaging Reference Systems, Norfolk, Virginia) electron density phantoms were used for validation and comparison of SECT versus DECT calculated through the Eclipse treatment planning system (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, California) application programming interface scripting tool. An in-house software was also used to create DECT SPR computed tomography images for comparison with the script output. In the workflow, using the Eclipse system application programming interface script, clinical plans were optimized with the SECT image set and then forward-calculated with the DECT SPR for the final dose distribution. In a second workflow, the plans were optimized using DECT SPR with reduced range-uncertainty margins. Results For the Gammex phantom, the root mean square error in SPR was 1.08% for DECT versus 2.29% for SECT for 10 tissue-surrogates, excluding the lung. For the CIRS Phantom, the corresponding results were 0.74% and 2.27%. When evaluating the head and neck plan, DECT optimization with 2% range-uncertainty margins achieved a small reduction in organ-at-risk doses compared with that of SECT plans with 3.5% range-uncertainty margins. For the liver case, DECT was used to identify and correct the lipiodol SPR in the SECT plan. Conclusion It is feasible to use DECT for proton-dose calculation in a commercial treatment planning system in a safe manner. The range margins can be reduced to 2% in some sites, including the head and neck.
Community Health Care's O-Process for Evaluation

Observe & Assess Program Needs.- Operationalize the Evaluation Plan.- Obtain Data.- Organize & Analyze Data.- Outputs & Outcomes.
Shallow Defect Levels in Neutron Irradiated Extrinsic P-Type Silicon

Two shallow levels, at 0.027 eV and 0.039 eV from the valence band, measured by Hall effect vs. temperature, have been observed in neutron irradiated, float zone (FZ) grown Si: Ga. The neutron irradiation was for the purpose of counter-doping residual boron by producing phosphorus by neutron transmutation 3 0Si (n, γ)3 1Si → 3 1P + β- to allow the Si: Ga to be used as extrinsic Si detector material. These defect levels are observable after 575° to 625°C anneals. Annealing at 700°C - 850°C removes observable radiation defects. Analysis of the Hall effect vs. temperature data indicates that the two levels are acceptors with concentrations in the range 1014- 1015/cm3, in excess of the B concentration of ≴ 2 x 1013/cm3 measured before irradiation. A proportionality between defect concentration and Ga concentration is observed. The shallow levels appear also in photoconductivity spectral response measurements at 5K. Observations of shallow levels in FZ-grown Si: Al and Si: In will also be discussed.
Monolithic and Hybrid Spintronics

“Spintronics” is the science and technology of using the spin degree of freedom of a charge carrier, either singly or in conjunction with the charge, to store, process and/or communicate information. Both, classical and quantum mechanical information can be encoded by spin. In this chapter, “hybrid” and “monolithic” spintronics are discussed; the distinction between the two is that, in the former case, spin is not used directly to store or process information; rather, that role is still delegated to charge. But spin influences how charge stores or manipulates information. The role of spin is secondary and may, at best, augment the role of charge. Examples of hybrid spintronic devices are spin field effect transistors (SPINFETs) and spin bipolar junction transistors (SBJTs). It is also noted that hybrid devices are not likely to yield major advances in device engineering in the short term. On the other hand, monolithic spintronics, which deals with devices in which spin single-handedly stores and processes information, is much better poised to make major advances. An example of this is “single spin logic” (SSL), where a single electron acts as a binary element (two-state switch), its two orthogonal spin polarizations being used to encode binary bits 0 and 1. Switching between bits is accomplished simply by flipping the spin of the electron, without physically moving charges in space and causing a current flow. In this way energy is saved, leading to a much-reduced power dissipation. The switching time is also not limited by the speed of charge carriers as there is no charge motion. The maximum energy dissipated in SSL gate operation is the Landauer–Shannon limit of kTln(p) per operation (where 1/p is the error probability). The chapter concludes with a brief discussion of spin-based quantum computing, where the spin of an electron in a quantum dot is used to implement a qubit. Of note, this last section is necessarily brief and will most likely be outdated by the time this book is printed, as rapid strides are being made in that area. Keywords: spintronics; spin transistors; single-spin logic; low-power computing; quantum computation; spin circuits
Moment-based plant and string stability analysis of connected cruise control with stochastic delays

In this paper we investigate the concept of connected cruise control (CCC) where vehicles rely on ad-hoc wireless vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication to control their longitudinal motion. While V2V communication potentially allows vehicles to build detailed knowledge about the traffic environment, intermittencies and packet drops introduce stochastic delays into the communication channels that make control very challenging. We derive the mean and covariance dynamics for the corresponding stochastic system and analyze the effects of stochastic delays on vehicular strings. We also provide conditions for plant and string stability using the mean and the covariance. Moreover, we demonstrate that how the stable regimes shrink when the sampling time or the packet drop ratio increases. Our results have important implications regarding safety and efficiency of connected vehicle systems.
An Energy-Efficient Low Frequency-Dependence Switching Technique for SAR ADCs

This brief presents a highly energy-efficient switching scheme for successive approximation register (SAR) analog-to-digital converters that achieves a 95% reduction in switching energy over the conventional SAR. The switching energy has been calculated by taking into account both the power drawn from reference and the power consumed by the switches themselves. The frequency dependence of the switching energy has been studied and the proposed technique presents ways to maintain high energy efficiency over the entire frequency range of operation. The results have been verified through behavioral and SPICE simulations.
Understanding how two related RNA binding proteins determine different splicing outcomes (742.2)

The process of alternative splicing is tightly regulated by RNA binding proteins that bind to corresponding cis-acting elements and influence the assembly of spliceosomal components at adjacent spl...
Characterization of Vanilla Olfactory Preference

The aroma of vanilla compliments its taste making it one of the most popular flavoring agents globally, and consequently vanilla is a product of great economic importance. The compounds in vanilla vary in both type and abundance depending on the growing location and condition of the plant, with V. planifolia being the species used in vanilla extracts. This study sought to measure vanilla extract olfactory characteristics and sensory preference. Subjects (19.3±2.6 years; female = 100, male = 22) took part in a double blind olfactory analysis of an artificial vanilla product in water (A) and of pure vanilla extracts in ethanol (B and C). On a preference scale (1-low to 10-high) the overall rating of vanillas A, B, and C were 6.17±1.7, 5.27±1.93, and 4.79±1.81 (p=0.0001), with A > C (p=0.0001), A > B (p=0.0001), and B > C (p =0.0142). Subjects smelled each vanilla sample two times and were asked to rate the strength (1-low to 5-high) of six different aroma characteristics (floral, fruity, liquor, metallic, s...
Advances in turbulent mixing techniques to study microsecond protein folding reactions.

Recent experimental and computational advances in the protein folding arena have shown that the readout of the one-dimensional sequence information into three-dimensional structure begins within the first few microseconds of folding. The initiation of refolding reactions has been achieved by several means, including temperature jumps, flash photolysis, pressure jumps, and rapid mixing methods. One of the most commonly used means of initiating refolding of chemically denatured proteins is by turbulent flow mixing with refolding dilution buffer, where greater than 99% mixing efficiency has been achieved within 10's of microseconds. Successful interfacing of turbulent flow mixers with complementary detection methods, including time-resolved Fluorescence Spectroscopy (trFL), Forster Resonance Energy Transfer, Circular Dichroism, Small-Angle X-ray Scattering, Hydrogen Exchange followed by Mass Spectrometry and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, Infrared Spectroscopy (IR), and Fourier Transform IR Spectroscopy, has made this technique very attractive for monitoring various aspects of structure formation during folding. Although continuous-flow (CF) mixing devices interfaced with trFL detection have a dead time of only 30 µs, burst phases have been detected in this time scale during folding of peptides and of large proteins (e.g., CheY and TIM barrels). Furthermore, a major limitation of the CF mixing technique has been the requirement of large quantities of sample. In this brief communication, we will discuss the recent flurry of activity in micromachining and microfluidics, guided by computational simulations, which are likely to lead to dramatic improvements in time resolution and sample consumption for CF mixers over the next few years. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 99: 888–896, 2013.
Material Characterization of Ge 1- x Sn x Alloys Grown by a Commercial CVD System for Optoelectronic Device Applications

High-quality compressive-strained Ge1−xSnx/Ge films have been deposited on Si(001) substrate using a mainstream commercial chemical vapor deposition reactor. The growth temperature was kept below 450°C to be compatible with Si complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor processes. Germanium tin (Ge1−xSnx) layers were grown with different Sn composition ranging from 0.9% to 7%. Material characterizations, such as secondary-ion mass spectrometry, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, and x-ray diffraction analysis, show stable Sn incorporation in the Ge lattice. Comparison of the Sn mole fractions obtained using these methods shows that the bowing factor of 0.166 nm (in Vegard’s law) is in close agreement with other experimental data. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy results show that the films have started to relax through the formation of misfit and threading dislocations. Raman spectroscopy, ellipsometry, and photoluminescence (PL) techniques are used to study the structural and optical properties of the films. Room-temperature PL of the films shows that 7% Sn incorporation in the Ge lattice results in a decrease in the direct bandgap of Ge from 0.8 eV to 0.56 eV.
Occupational dermatitis transferred with job duties

Astroemeria is an increasingly common cause of allergic contact dermatitis. We report a case of occupational contact dermatitis that was transferred with job duties. When advising patients about their risk, it is advisable to discuss the risk to others in the setting as well.
Milk-based nutritional supplements in conjunction with lifestyle intervention in overweight adolescents.

There are limited data on successful weight management approaches among adolescents from underserved communities. The primary aim of this study was to obtain preliminary data on the efficacy, safety, and acceptability of a lifestyle intervention with milk-based supplements among adolescents from underserved communities. The secondary aims of this study were to assess change in adiposity indices and metabolic indices and to measure compliance. The authors conducted a 12-week open-labeled lifestyle intervention. Adolescents were taught a structured meal plan, including the use of 2 milk-based supplements daily, and participated in weekly lifestyle counseling. Overweight was defined as a body mass index >85th percentile. Percent total body fat was estimated using bioelectric impedance. Fasting blood samples were used to measure insulin indices and other biochemical safety tests. The sample consisted of 40 adolescents (70% girls, 83% minority). Although there was no significant change in body mass index (median [Q1, Q3]; -0.10 [-0.91, 0.61] kg/m(2), P = .26), participants showed a decrease in body mass index z score (-0.03 [-0.08, 0.01] SD, P = .01]), weight z score (-0.04 [-0.11, 0.02] SD, P = .001), and percent total body fat (-1.20 [-2.55, -0.12]%, P = .0001). No new onset of type 2 diabetes mellitus was reported, and plasma vitamin D increased (P < .01). Consumption of milk-based drinks increased from a median of 4.5 to 13.5 servings per week, whereas sugary beverages decreased from 8.0 to 3.8 servings per week. A lifestyle intervention that includes milk-based supplements may safely improve some adiposity indices and decrease intake of sugary beverages among overweight adolescents from underserved areas.
Biographical Sketch: John Albert Key, 1890–1955

This biographical sketch on John Albert Key corresponds to the historic text, The Classic: Epiphyseal coxa vara or displacement of the capital epiphysis of the femur in adolescence, available at DOI 10.1007/s11999-013-2913-y.
Experimental observations of the dimensionless scaling of planar and cylindrical ion acoustic solitons

Abstract An experimental comparison of planar and cylindrical ion acoustic solitons is made through the use of dimensionless scaling parameters. The Korteweg de Vries equation is found to be insufficient to completely explain the observed data.
A Brief History of American Sociolinguistics 1949-1989

SUMMARYAmerican sociolinguistics was created by a set of ideas, social influences and fortunate comings-together of like-minded scholars in a fortuitous rather than carefully orchestrated manner. Very little attention has been given to the birthing of sociolinguistics and this paper recounts some of these ideas, social conditions and comings-together so that contemporary scholars can have some insights into how this field developed. It is difficult, if not impossible, to separate the growth of sociolinguistics from the influences of the theoretical paradigms prevalent at any given period of its growth. Several disciplines influenced its creation and development and the summer months of 1964 brought things into focus to the extent that virtually all subsequent advances in the field can be seen to have dependence on that very crucial period. This paper treats not only where American sociolinguistics came from but also how it has changed, its methodologies, its cross-disciplinary struggles, its current status, and prospects for its future growth.RESUMELa sociolinguistique americaine a ete creee a la suite d'une conjoncture d'un ensemble d'idees, des circonstances sociales et d'un rencontre d'esprits semblables, d'une facon plutot fortuite qu'orchestree. Peu d'attention a ete donnee jusqu'a present a la naissance de 'sociolinguistique'. Le present article offre un vue d'ensemble de cette conjoncture afin que l'erudit actuel puisse obtenir une idee de la facon de laquelle la sdciolinguistique s'est de-veloppee. II reste difficile, meme impossible, a separer la croissance de la sociolinguistique des influences des paradigmes theoriques qui ont predo-mine pendant les differents stages de son developpement. Plusieurs disciplines ont parraine sa creation et son organisation et les mois d'ete de 1964 ont mis au centre d'attention les ingredients qui depuis cette epoque ont carac-terise les developpements et le progres subsequents. Le present article ne traite pas seulement de l'origine de la socio-linguistique americaine mais egalement de la facon dont elle a change depuis dans sa methode, de ses debats, de son statut actuel, et de ses chances pour sa croissance a l'avenir.
Pediatric Psychopharmacology in a Capitated Managed Care System: How Do Patients Fare?

ABSTRACT A retrospective chart review was designed to evaluate how pediatric and adolescent patients fare within a strictly managed, capitated outpatient psychiatric setting. The charts of 96 conse...
Recursive sensitivity analysis for constrained multi-rigid-body dynamic systems design optimization

With the large dimensionality and complexity of many modern multibody dynamic applications, the efficiency of the sensitivity evaluation method used greatly impacts the overall computation costs, and as such can signficantly limit the usefulness of the sensitivity information. This paper presents a concise and computationally efficient sensitivity analysis scheme to facilitate such calculations. A unique feature of this scheme is its fully-recursive procedures which results in far fewer computational operation requirements than more traditional counterparts. The algorithm permits the key derivatives of generalized accelerations to be obtained without the explicit forming and then solution of the sensitivity governing equations. The resulting equations are “exact” to integration accuracy, and thus do not suffer from many of the difficulties associated with approximate methods. The solution accuracy is demonstrated by two numerical examples.
In vivo validation of intravascular ultrasound length measurements using a motorized transducer pullback system.

Abstract With use of endovascular targets of known length, IVUS lesion length measurements have been validated in vivo. Intravascular ultrasound imaging using motorized pullback of the transducer and imaging core through a stationary imaging sheath may prove to be a useful clinical and experimental adjunct to conventional cross-sectional image analysis.
Use of a colorimetric system to detect enzymes expressed by germinating conidia of entomopathogenic fungi

An apiZYM™ system, with 19 substrates, was used to detect enzymes expressed by germinating conidia of Nomuraea rileyi (5 isolates), Nomuraea atypicola, Nomuraea anemonoides, Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae. Similar enzyme profiles were obtained for two of the N. rileyi isolates (Mississippi, Ecuador) regardless of whether culture medium (Sabouraud-maltose-yeast) or cuticle (from larvae of Trichoplusia ni, Heliothis zea or Heliothis virescens) were used as substrates. Centroid-clustering analysis revealed three distinct enzyme profiles.
Crystallization of a fragment of human fibronectin: Introduction of methionine by site-directed mutagenesis to allow phasing via selenomethionine

Crystals of a fragment of human fibronectin encompassing the 7th through the RGD-containing 10th type III repeats (FN7–10) have been produced with protein expressed in E. coli. The crystals are monoclinic with one molecule in the asymmetric unit and diffract to beyond 2.0 A Bragg spacings. A mutant FN7–10 was produced in which three methionines, in addition to the single native methionine already present, have been introduced by site-directed mutagenesis. Diffraction-quality crystals of this mutant protein have been grown in which methionine was replaced with selenomethionine. The introduction of methionine by site-directed mutagenesis to allow phasing from selenomethionyl-substituted crystals is shown to be feasible by this example and is proposed as a general approach to solving the crystallographic phase problem. Strategies for selecting propitious sites for methionine mutations are discussed. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The impatient tutor: an integrated language understanding system

We describe a language understanding system that uses the techniques of segmenting the computation into autonomous modules that communicate by message passing. The goal is to integrate semantic and syntactic processing to achieve greater flexibility and robustness in the design of language understanding systems.
In Vivo Resolution of Conflicting In Vitro Results: Synthesis of Biotin from Dethiobiotin Does Not Require Pyridoxal Phosphate

The source of the biotin sulfur atom remains a contested point in studies of biotin synthase (BioB) in vitro. Recent reports that BioB has an intrinsic pyridoxal phosphate (PLP)-dependent cysteine desulfurase activity were tested by depleting Escherichia coli cells of PLP. The BioB-dependent conversion of dethiobiotin to biotin proceeded in these cells irrespective of the presence or absence of PLP.
Face recognition performance in one-year-olds: A function of stimulus characteristics?

Abstract The present research explored infants’ recognition memory for faces with stimuli that contained irrelevant paraphernalia. Stimulus characteristics (i.e., overall visual angle, and preexposure to irrelevant paraphernalia) were manipulated to determine the conditions under which twelve-month-old infants could perceptually differentiate face and paraphernalia, and demonstrate accurate face recognition. It was proposed that the perceptual differentiation of the two types of information would be more difficult under conditions in which the stimulus could be perceived holistically. However, increasing the overall visual angle of the stimulus and/or preexposure to the irrelevant components was expected to enhance differentiation and improve infants’ face recognition performance. Infants were presented with two face recognition problems using a familiarization/novelty preference paradigm. Results revealed an interaction effect between the two variables, indicating that even at one year of age, the ability to differentiate face and paraphernalia may be influenced by specific characteristics of the face recognition stimuli.
Applying queueing theory to improve the modeling of spares provisioning of small combat aircraft units

Abstract In Operation Desert Storm, aircraft were organized in small units. These units shared spares internally and operated aircraft with redundant systems. In this paper we compare three quick response approaches based on queueing theory to model and assess the combat effectiveness of spares provisioning decisions for such units.
Monocular Fading and Feedback Effects on Vision Changes in the Trained and Untrained Eye

Four subjects with a comparable degree of vision impairment in both eyes were trained, using a fading procedure, to increase the distance they could discriminate stimulus details in one eye. Subjects were provided training each day for a month, and discrimination testing was performed for each eye every other day. Changes in discrimination performance were analyzed according to a multiple baseline design across stimulus distances for the trained eye. Results suggested that changes in vision in the trained eye were related to implementation of the fading procedure across the testing distances. Correlations between discrimination changes in the trained and untrained eyes for the distances trained were uniformly high. This concurrent change in both eyes suggests that a central process responsible for regulating vision in both eyes, possibly accommodation, was being modified, rather than the fading technique operating only on the trained eye.
Factors affecting the patency of small-caliber prostheses: Observations in a suitable canine model

Abstract Lack of an endothelial surface is most often blamed for the relatively poor patency of polytetrafluoroethylene grafts used in infrageniculate bypass when compared to autogenous saphenous vein. Length, caliber, flow, and ability to withstand flexion are also acknowledged but have not been systematically examined. We report the results of our attempts to discriminate between the relative contributions of these factors and to develop a suitable canine model for evaluating small-caliber prostheses (4 mm × 10 cm thin-walled polytetrafluoroethylene). ASA/dipyridamole were given 1 week before and 4 weeks after operation. Patency was assessed by directional Doppler at frequent intervals (≤ 3 days). The following were observed: (1) Iliac placement provided a useful patency reference point (40% to 50% patency at 60 days). (2) Carotid patency was not better than iliac patency. (3) Crossing a flexion crease decreased patency. (4) The low patencies were not technical but intrinsic to the graft. Iliofemoral vein grafts achieved 100% patency at 60 days. (5) External rings did not improve iliofemoral patency (equal in paired comparisons). (6) Neither baseline platelet aggregation nor platelet aggregation after ASA administration correlated with patency. This canine model is an excellent test for small caliber-low flow prostheses. It allows paired-site comparisons, which are essential , and meaningful patency data with reasonable numbers of subjects within 2 months' observation. Directional Doppler evaluation avoids need for angiography or serial postmortem analysis sacrifice. (J VASC SURG 1991;14:441-51.)
Investigation of urinary pteridine levels as potential biomarkers for noninvasive diagnosis of cancer.

Abstract Background Biomarkers are good potential tools for early cancer diagnosis. Here we have analyzed eight different pteridines in the urine samples of cancer patients and compared them with samples from healthy subjects. Pteridines are important cofactors in the process of cell metabolism, and they have recently become a focal point of cancer screening research because certain pteridine levels have been shown to reflect the presence of cancers. Methods We analyzed 8 pteridines; 6,7-dimethylpterin, 6-biopterin, d -(+)-neopterin, 6-hydroxymethylpterin, pterin, isoxanthopterin, xanthopterin and pterin-6-carboxylic acid using a house-built high-performance capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection (HPCE-LIF). The levels of pteridines were reported as a ratio of pteridine to creatinine. Statistical hypothesis testing was conducted and P values were calculated to analyze the data. Results Among the eight pteridines studied, 6-biopterin, 6-hydroxymethylpterin, pterin, xanthopterin, and isoxanthopterin levels were significantly higher in samples from cancer patients than in those from healthy subjects. Further, xanthopterin and isoxanthopterin levels were compared in breast cancer and lung cancer patients, but no significant difference was observed. Conclusion Some pteridine levels can be used as biomarkers for noninvasive diagnosis of cancer; however, more data is needed to support this hypothesis.