cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Expatriate Adjustment In Brazil: A Cross-Cultural Analysis

This study explores the experiences of expatriates in Brazil through the cross-cultural studies literature. It aims to assess how expatriates of various nationalities perceive the host culture in comparison to their own culture. In addition, this research seeks to identify what work-related and non-work related factors influence expatriate adjustment in the host country. Through a triangulation process of qualitative and quantitative methodologies this study identifies elements representative of adjustment and test their impact for a larger number of sojourners. Five expatriates were interviewed and the qualitative analysis of responses show that there are elements influencing expatriate adjustment in Brazil other than cultural transition. These elements are infrastructure, prices of goods and services, safety, bureaucracy, relationship with local people, language proficiency and family presence and satisfaction. Each of these elements was then tested in a larger sample through an online survey along with work-related variables taken from extant research on Cross-Cultural Studies. A total of 47 expatriates completed the survey and the results of the quantitative analysis show that among the non-work related variables, the variables infrastructure and safety are elements influencing adjustment to the living conditions in the host country. Amongst the work-related variables, the variables team work, relationship building, work-related attitudes and behaviors, conflict resolution style, motivation, company policies, negotiating and leadership styles are all correlated with the expatriate’s perception of the overall host culture, meaning that the more similar they perceive the overall host culture to their own culture, the more similar they perceive these work-related variables. In addition, this study found that while culture divergence in Brazil can be perceived through the variables selected from the literature on cross-cultural studies it also concluded that perceived differences in culture with respect to work-related values influence adjustment of sojourners in firms located in Brazil. The findings of this study show how cultural divergence challenges expatriate adjustment regardless of their nationalities and supports the significance of cultural interfaces at the organizational level.
Overview of atherosclerosis

Cardiovascular disease is a serious threat to both life and health, accounting for 44% of the nation's mortality and much of its morbidity. Moreover, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is a growing problem because of the aging population. Coronary heart disease is the most common cause of lethal atherosclerotic disease, accounting for two thirds of all deaths resulting from heart disease and 70% of all deaths in those older than 75. A 1997 estimate put the economic cost of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease at a staggering $259 billion. Indications are that atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is a generalized process that involves the heart, brain, and peripheral arteries. Clinical manifestations tend to coexist, and the presence of one manifestation increases the likelihood of developing others, because major risk factors tend to affect all arterial territories. Also, clinical atherosclerosis in one area may directly predispose the patient to occurrence of atherosclerosis in another vascular territory. Therefore, measures taken to prevent one clinical manifestation of atherosclerosis should prevent the others as well. Multivariate risk profiles can identify persons at risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and target them for preventive treatment. Primary preventive measures also appear to be applicable to secondary prevention. Meta-analyses of randomized trials of the efficacy of low-dose aspirin and other antiplatelet agents in persons with overt cardiovascular disease have shown reductions of approximately 25% in the incidences of subsequent myocardial infarctions, strokes, and cardiovascular mortality. Comparison of the risk profiles for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease indicates that correction of any particular set of risk factors or prevention of any cardiovascular disease outcome prevents other atherosclerotic disease outcomes as well. The challenge for all health care professionals is to implement comprehensive preventive measures for those at high risk for initial atherosclerotic events and even more vigorous measures for those who already have the disease.
Comparison of Intraoperative Aberrometry, OCT-Based IOL Formula, Haigis-L, and Masket Formulae for IOL Power Calculation after Laser Vision Correction.

Purpose To compare the accuracy of intraoperative aberrometry technology and the Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT)–based intraocular lens (IOL) formula for IOL power calculation in eyes undergoing cataract surgery after previous laser vision correction (LVC) compared with established methods. Design Retrospective consecutive case series. Participants Patients undergoing cataract surgery with a history of LASIK or photorefractive keratectomy. Methods The IOL power was estimated preoperatively using the IOLMaster 500 (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Dublin, CA) to calculate the Haigis-L and Masket regression formulae (when prior data were available), and the Optovue RTVue (Optovue Inc, Fremont, CA) spectral domain OCT was used to obtain the Fourier-domain OCT–based IOL formula. The Optiwave Refractive Analysis (ORA) System (WaveTec Vision Systems Inc, Aliso Viejo, CA) wavefront aberrometer measured aphakic refractive measurements intraoperatively and calculated the IOL power with a modified vergence formula. Comparative analysis was done for predictive accuracy of IOL power determination using 2 conventional methods and 2 new technologies: the Haigis-L formula, Masket regression formula, ORA intraoperative aberrometry, and Optovue RTVue Fourier-domain OCT–based IOL formula. Patients without historical data (N = 39) were compared using 3 methods (Haigis-L, ORA, and Optovue), and patients with historical data (N = 20) were compared using all methods (Masket regression formula, Haigis-L, ORA, and Optovue). Main Outcome Measures Median absolute error (MedAE), mean absolute error (MAE), and percentage of eyes within ±0.25, ±0.50, ±0.75, and ±1.00 diopters (D) of refractive prediction error. Results A total of 39 eyes of 29 patients without historical data were analyzed separately from 20 eyes of 20 patients with historical data. In the group without historical data (N = 39), 49% of eyes were within ±0.25 D, 69% to 74% of eyes were within ±0.50 D, 87% to 97% of eyes were within ±0.75 D, and 92% to 97% of eyes were within ±1.00 D of targeted refractive IOL power prediction error. The MedAE was 0.26 D for Haigis-L, 0.29 D for ORA, and 0.28 D for Optovue. The MAE was 0.37 D for Haigis-L, 0.34 D for ORA, and 0.39 D for Optovue. In the group with historical data (N = 20), 35% to 70% of eyes were within ±0.25 D, 60% to 85% of eyes were within ±0.50 D, 80% to 95% of eyes were within ±0.75 D, and 90% to 95% of eyes were within ±1.00 D of targeted refractive IOL power prediction error. The MedAE was 0.21 D for the Masket regression formula, 0.22 D for the Haigis-L formula, 0.25 D for ORA, and 0.39 for Optovue. The MAE was 0.28 D for the Masket regression formula, 0.31 D for the Haigis-L formula, 0.37 D for ORA, and 0.44 D for Optovue. There was no statistically significant difference among the methods. Conclusions Newer technology to estimate IOL power calculations in eyes after LVC shows promising results when compared with established methods.
Abscess of urachal remnant mimicking urinary bladder neoplasm.

Summary— Three cases of urachal abscess with extensive interstitial inflammation and fibrosis are reported. Clinically, all patients had a lower abdominal mass and CT scan and ultrasonic examination revealed a large tumour located anterior or superior to the bladder. They all underwent laparotomy and had either a partial cystectomy or an en bloc resection of the bladder and adjacent organs due to severe adhesions. Microscopic examination of the specimens revealed no evidence of carcinoma and only abscess formation with extensive chronic interstitial inflammation and fibrosis were seen. In one case, residual columnar epithelium suggestive of urachal origin was identified in the abscess cavity. Urachal abscess should be considered when dealing with lower abdominal masses.
Bright light blocks amitriptyline-induced cholinoceptor supersensitivity

Introduction thal et al., 1984). This syndrome reportedly Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a synresponds to daily treatment with 2-6 hr of drome marked by recurrent depressions that bright artificial light (Lewy et al. 1982; Rogenerally occur in the fall or winter (Rosensenthal et al. 1984, 1986; James et al. 1985; Wehr et al. 1986). Neurobiological mechanisms accounting for the efficacy of this treatment remain unknown. Certain forms of afDepartments of Psychiatry (S.C.D., D.F.) and Neuroscience (S.C.D.), Ohio State University, Columbus, OH; and the fective illness may involve state-independent Department of Psychiatty (M.J.M), University of Michigan, Desupersensitivity of central muscarinic mechatrait, Ml. Address reprint requests to: Dr. Steven C. Dilsaver, Departments nisms (Janowsky et al. 1972; Dilsaver 1986aof Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Ohio State University, 473 West c). Amitriptyline and other heterocyclic anti12th Avenue. Columbus, OH 432101221. Supported in part by Physician Scientist Career Development Award depressants produce supersensitivity of a cen(Muscarinic Receptor Abnormalities in Affective Illness) SRCKl 1 tral muscarinic mechanism involved in the MHOO553-02, NIH Grant 2507 RR0583-5, the State of Ohio Neuroscience Program, and the Bremer Foundation. regulation of core temperature (Dilsaver et al.
Fatal Yersiniosis in Farmed Deer Caused by Yersinia Pseudotuberculosis Serotype O:3 Encoding a Mannosyltransferase-Like Protein WbyK

Sudden death of 9 deer occurred in a large enclosed deer farm with approximately 400 heads of cervids. Fatal yersiniosis was diagnosed in 2 deer that were submitted for laboratory diagnosis. Histopathologically, the disease was characterized by multifocal pulmonary hemorrhage and mild interstitial pneumonia, marked diffuse cholangiohepatitis, minimal myocarditis with mild myocardial degeneration, and mild multifocal suppurative cystic colitis. Yersinia pseudotuberculosis was isolated from the lungs and colon of the affected animals. The isolates were PCR-positive for genes virF, inv, yopB, and yopH, which are essential for invasion and colonization of host intestine and lung. The isolates reacted with polyclonal antibodies against serotype O:3 antigen. The O-genotyping patterns of the isolates were identical with each other, but different from those of the 21 O-genotypes (or serotypes) reported previously. In addition to the O-antigen genes possessed by classical serotype O:3, a gene (wbyK ) encoding a mannosyltransferase-like protein was detected in these isolates. The wbyK gene of the isolates showed 94% of DNA sequence homology with the wbyK gene harbored by Y. pseudotuberculosis O:1b. On the basis of pathology, bacteriology, and serology, the authors concluded that the acute deaths of these deer were caused by Y. pseudotuberculosis infection. Molecular characterization of the isolate revealed a genetic heterogeneity in the O-antigen gene cluster of Y. pseudotuberculosis serotype O:3.
Discrepancies in Recorded Results from Duplicate Neurological History and Examination in Patients Studied for Prognosis in Cerebrovascular Disease

Histories were taken and neurological examinations performed according to a carefully standardized protocol by two neurologists on 28 patients with histories of probable transient cerebrovascular insufficiency. Duplicate examinations were performed within a short interval of the initial examinations. Comparison of the findings on the two examinations showed extreme discrepancies in recording of presence or absence of specific symptoms and of signs on the neurological examination, including signs considered "objective"— for example, reflex asymmetry. Discussion between the examiners followed by another set of duplicate examinations reduced the discrepancies on the findings of neurological examination, but did very little to the discrepancies in the history. The necessity of realizing the variability of the history and examination in evaluating the course of, and therapy for, transient cerebrovascular ischemic attacks is emphasized.
Chaotic dynamics in an atomistic model of environmentally assisted fracture

A simple atomistic model of a crack tip is used to demonstrate the existence of chaotic motion of crack-tip atoms. The model, which has been developed in detail elsewhere in the literature, consists of a linear chain of four atoms. Nearest neighbors interact via Morse-function potentials, with environment-induced lattice decohesion simulated by reducing the strength of the inner bond. Dynamic calculations are carried out by allowing the two inner atoms to move freely, starting from rest in a given initial configuration, with the two end atoms being held rigidly in place, Under certain conditions, associated with large departures from minimum potential energy, the motion of the inner atoms is shown to be chaotic in a manner that is consistent with the Kosloff-Rice description of chaotic dynamics in a classical Hamiltonian system. Possible implications of the results relative to the fracture of actual materials are discussed.
Preservice Teacher Perceptions of Appropriate Activities in Physical Education.

(1998). Preservice Teacher Perceptions of Appropriate Activities in Physical Education. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance: Vol. 69, No. 2, pp. 68-71.
Quantum Devices and Measurements

Nearly all of the measurements that detect individual events taking place at the quantum level depend in one way or another on a process of amplification. That amplification process, though essential to detection, may also impose certain limits on what can be detected. We shall discuss briefly some of the elements necessary to build a quantum amplifier and some of the features of the way in which such an amplifier works. We then discuss the application of these ideas to some experiments that show how the amplification process influences what is detected. One corollary, we shall see, is that no linear amplification process can lead to any such paradox as “Schrodinger’s cat”.
Lymphotoxin ॆ Receptor Induces Sequential Activation of Distinct NF-κB Factors via Separate Signaling Pathways

Lymphotoxin receptor (LTR)-induced activation of NF-κB in mouse embryo fibroblasts was mediated by the classical pathway and by an alternative or second pathway. The classical pathway involved the IκB kinase (IKK)- and IKKγ-dependent degradation of IκBα and resulted in the rapid but transient activation of primarily RelA-containing NF-κB dimers. The alternative or second pathway proceeded via NF-κB-inducing kinase (NIK)-, IKKα-, and protein synthesis-dependent processing of the inhibitory NF-κB2 p100 precursor protein to the p52 form and resulted in a delayed but sustained activation of primarily RelB-containing NF-κB dimers. This second pathway was independent of the classical IKK complex, which is governed by its central IKKγ regulatory subunit. The sequential engagement of two distinct pathways, coupled with the negative feedback inhibition of RelA complexes by NF-κB-induced resynthesis of IκBα, resulted in a pronounced temporal change in the nature of the NF-κB activity during the course of stimulation. Initially dominant RelA complexes were replaced with time by RelB complexes. Therefore, the alternative activation path mediated by processing of p100 was necessary for sustained NF-κB activity in mouse embryo fibroblasts in response to LTR stimulation. Based on the phenotype of mice deficient in various components of the LTR-induced activation of p100 processing, we conclude that this pathway is critically involved in the function of stromal cells during the generation of secondary lymphoid organ microarchitectures.
The use of international accounting standards terminology, a survey of IAS compliance disclosure

Abstract This study examined where and how companies that purport to be using International Accounting Standards (IAS) are referring to IAS in their financial statements. Virtually all firms surveyed referred to IAS in the footnotes but referred to IAS in the audit report just under 50 percent of the time. The largest group of companies uses a combination of home-country and IAS standards. A significant number of firms report the use of IAS standards with exceptions. The majority of these firms do not discuss the dollar impact of those exceptions. Referencing IAS with home country standards or exceptions reduces comparability and transparency of financial statements. The International Accounting Standards Committee (IASC) is referenced as the source of IAS in about half of the cases. Failure to reference the IASC as the source of IAS may result in ambiguity concerning what IAS means
Selectivity and mode of action of carfentrazone-ethyl, a novel phenyl triazolinone herbicide

Post-emergence application of carfentrazone-ethyl at rates as low as 2.2 g ha -1 caused greater leaf injury and growth reduction in ivyleaf morningglory (Ipomoea hederacea) and velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti) than in soybean (Glycine max). The herbicide was more rapidly metabolized in the crop than in the weed species, with 26.7, 54.3 and 60.6% of the parent compound remaining in soybean, ivyleaf morningglory and velvetleaf, respectively, 24 h after exposure. The free acid metabolite, carfentrazone, was present in all species and accounted for 21.2-27.4% of the total radioactivity. Unknown metabolites (R f 0 and 0.22) were four to five times more abundant in soybean than in the weed species. Carfentrazone-ethyl induced more leakage from leaf discs from the weeds than those from soybean and the degree of injury correlated with the amount of protoporphyrin IX (Proto IX) present in the treated tissues. Both carfentrazone-ethyl and carfentrazone were potent inhibitors of protoporphyrinogen oxidase (Protox). Therefore, the selectivity of this herbicide may, at least in part, be attributed to the lower accumulation of Proto IX in soybean than in the weeds, probably because of the ability of soybean to metabolize more carfentrazone into unknown metabolites than the weeds.
Ability and Willingness to Pay in the Age of Pax Britannica, 1890–1914

Abstract The paper explores sovereign debt repayment during the late 19th and early 20th centuries within the context of an ability and willingness to pay approach. The paper's ability to pay hypothesis is that state interventions which promoted national economic development fostered repayment by directing borrowing to productive use. The paper's willingness to pay hypothesis is that repayment was enhanced by debtors' trade ties with Britain, the principal creditor during the period. Bolstered by Britain's status as the world's preeminent power, the British bondholders' organization, the Corporation of Foreign Bondholders, employed a variety of enforcement strategies to increase the costs of default. Using a new data set, derived principally from Corporation of Foreign Bondholders' records, the paper presents an econometric test of the two central hypotheses.
Sociodemographic Differences in Diagnosis and Treatment of Pediatric Headache

The authors investigated the sociodemographic differences in receiving a headache diagnosis for pediatric health care visits using 2 nationally representative databases--the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey and the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. For those visits involving a headache diagnosis, the authors explored 2 possible disparities in care--being diagnosed by a neurologist and being prescribed an evidence-based medication. A headache diagnosis was less common during visits for private insurance patients versus Medicaid patients. In addition, while a headache diagnosis was equally likely for visits by Caucasian American children versus African American children and children of other races, visits for the latter 2 groups were less likely to involve a headache diagnosis from a neurologist. Finally, only 37% of the headache visits involved a prescription of an evidence-based medication. The authors conclude that some sociodemographic disparities exist in pediatric headache care across the United States.
On the performance of internet worm scanning strategies

In recent years, fast spreading worms, such as Code Red, Slammer, Blaster and Sasser, have become one of the major threats to the security of the Internet. In order to defend against future worms, it is important to first understand how worms propagate and how different scanning strategies affect worm propagation dynamics. In this paper, we systematically model and analyze worm propagation under various scanning strategies, such as uniform scan, routing scan, hit-list scan, cooperative scan, local preference scan, sequential scan, divide-and-conquer scan, target scan, etc. We also provide an analytical model to accurately model Witty worm's destructive behavior. By using the same modeling framework, we reveal the underlying similarity and relationship between different worm scanning strategies. In addition, based on our simulation and analysis of Blaster worm propagation and monitoring, we provide a guideline for building a better worm monitoring infrastructure.
Janus Parallelism in Job 1:20

In Job 1:20, Job performs four actions:1) he rends his garment; 2) he shears his head; 3) he falls to the ground; and 4) he prostrates himself.The third of these can be read either (with the first two) as an act of mourning or (with the last) as an act of worship. I suggest that this is a deliberate literary choice: the poetic technique of Janus parallelism. Since Janus parallelism has already been demonstrated to be both frequent in the book of Job and significant for its meaning, this unexpected Janus parallelism in the prose portion of the book confirms that those chapters are not an early survival but a creation of the author of the book as a whole.
Becoming Mainstream: From the Underclass to the Entrepreneurial Poor

In 2006, concerns about an emerging “underclass” became a central point of debate in German welfare circles. Some commentators tried to explain this new social phenomenon in the context of a broader set of social realities — the diminishing prospects for advancement faced by a large share of the German labor force. For others, including the leader of the Social Democratic Party, the underclass represented a smaller but more deviant social element that had “come to terms” with its poverty and lacked ambition to improve its circumstances. The new debate posed a profound challenge to welfare policy analysts: should the “underclass” be seen as one part of a broader structural reality or as a smaller “deviant” part of the social order, isolated from broader social processes.
Viral Variation, Genetics

A particularly intriguing aspect of the dengue viruses is the extraordinary extent to which they acquire a predilection for growth in the central nervous system (CNS) after “adaptation” to the mouse. Studies to be summarized in this section show that the acquisition of this trait is a process probably involving more than one mutational and selective step. It manifests itself, first, in the ability of the virus to grow in, and produce disease referable to, the CNS of newborn mice; second, in the gradual emergence of a similar capacity for growth and pathological effects in adult mice. Coincident with the first step is the diminution of pathogenicity for man (attenuation), while the stabilization of neurovirulence for the mouse in the second phase seems to be associated with the ability of the virus to grow in the CNS of other hosts, viz., the monkey and the chick embryo. That the transition from the first to the second phase involves a modification in the viral genome is suggested by previously unpublished results which will be presented below. It is implicit in this statement that these studies were concerned with the behavior of populations of heterogeneous viral particles, not of cloned stocks. It should be noted at the outset that this approach suffers from the lack of clearly defined multiple genetic markers and test systems and that the results merely illustrate the need for systematic genetic studies on dengue viruses.
Improving MBSE models using human performance simulation

It is important to recognize the human as an integral part of the system and its performance during systems development. However, systems engineers (SEs) currently fail to properly integrate the human into the system. This research aimed to improve system models by incorporating the human into modeling efforts. A set of Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) models were created to describe an example scenario involving a virtual remotely-piloted aircraft simulation. When creating the models, some assumptions were made about the human from a SE's perspective. In order to verify if these assumptions were realistic, a human-focused model of the system was created using the Improved Performance Research Integration Tool (IMPRINT). Running simulations in IMPRINT uncovered fallacies in some of these assumptions, thus demonstrating the value of incorporating the human into system models and re-emphasizing the human as part of the system.
Modeling National Army Reform: A Comparison of the DRC, Iraq, and Afghanistan

This paper looks at the broader issue of security sector reform (SSR) by examining the issue of national army reform through the prism of the academic subfield known as liberal peacebuilding. Specifically this paper will comparatively examine three known cases of national army reform by looking at The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Iraq, and Afghanistan. These three cases have been selected based on the recognition that national army reform is a vital component to the long-term health and stability of transitional states emerging from violent conflict. This paper analyzes three perceived patterns of reform: 1) the integration of negative elements into the national army, 2) removal of negative elements from the army, and 3) dissolve the national army and start from scratch. In addition to these broader trends, this paper will identify the parameters, obstacles, and likely outcomes of national army reform in light of weak national institutions.
Temporal Dynamics of an Optically Pumped Pulsed Alkali Laser at High Pump Intensity

The performance of several optically pumped rubidium lasers with pump intensities as high as 155kW/cm 2 have been characterized. A quasi CW system with pulse durations of 100ns has been scaled to greater than 32 x threshold, illustrating the effects of bottlenecking due to insufficient spin orbit relaxer concentrations. These lasers scale linearly to peak powers as high as 1 kW. The temporal dynamics of the 100ns pump and laser pulses have been used to study the continuously evolving laser efficiency, and validate a three level DPAL model incorporating a broadband frequency pump.
Energy-efficient task scheduling and consolidation algorithm for workflow jobs in cloud

The energy consumption of underlying cloud hardware has dramatically increased. The cloud service providers need to adopt some cost-effective and energy-aware job scheduler without compromising the quality of service QoS specified in the service level agreement SLA. Based on a rigorous mathematical model, we formulate an energy efficient problem to improve the resource utilisation for high system throughput. A multiple-procedure heuristic workflow scheduling and consolidation strategy is proposed with objectives to maximise the resource utilisation and minimise the power. Several techniques have been utilised including dynamic voltage and frequency scaling DVFS with task module migration for workload balance and task consolidation for virtual machine VM overhead reduction. The simulation results illustrate that our approach consistently achieves a lower power consumption and higher resource utilisation rate within the execution time bound compared with other similar scheduling algorithms as well as our previous algorithm without the task migration based on VM threshold.
In Vitro Regeneration of Salt-Tolerant Plants

An increase in global population and the demand for food production have steered the direction of research toward production of plants that can give better yields even with adverse environmental conditions. One such is the generation of salt-resistant plant varieties that would grow on saline soil and holds the possibility of irrigation with seawater. An upsurge in soil pollution accompanied by depleting water reserves warrants the production of salt-resistant crops as the next step in meeting the global demand for food.
Joint Transmit Designs for Coexistence of MIMO Wireless Communications and Sparse Sensing Radars in Clutter

The paper proposes a cooperative scheme for the coexistence of a multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) communication system and a matrix completion (MC) based, collocated MIMO (MIMO-MC) radar. To facilitate the coexistence, and also deal with clutter, both the radar and the communication systems use transmit precoding. For waveform flexibility, the radar uses a random unitary waveform matrix. We prove that for such waveforms and any precoding matrix, the error performance of MC is guaranteed. The radar transmit precoder, the radar subsampling scheme, and the communication transmit covariance matrix are jointly designed in order to maximize the radar SINR, while meeting certain communication rate and power constraints. The joint design is implemented at a control center, which is a node with whom both systems share physical layer information, and which also performs data fusion for the radar. We provide efficient algorithms for the proposed optimization problem, along with insight on the feasibility and properties of the proposed design. Simulation results show that the proposed scheme significantly improves the spectrum sharing performance in various scenarios.
Informal Entrepreneurship and Past Experience in an Emerging Economy

Informal economies account for up to 70 per cent of GDP in developing countries, but few studies have explored informal entrepreneurship. To fill this gap, an exploratory study involving 855 university students in an emerging economy applies the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) to study the cognitive process of informal entrepreneurship. The effect of past experience (PE) and necessity entrepreneurship on the intention to start a business is also explored. Our findings provide evidence that the decision to start a business in the informal economy reinforces the effect of subjective norms on entrepreneurial intentions (EIs). Implications for education programmes and for theory are discussed.
The Festival of Dionysus in 2 Macc 6:7b

Recent scholarship has maintained that the Dionysian rites of 2 Macc 6:7b are not historical because evidence of this cult in Seleukid official policy is seen as meager at best. A review of Antiochus IV ’s coinage, his procession at Daphne, his designation of Geron the Athenian as enforcer of the imposed cult, and other allusions to promiscuity in the Temple may indicate that this reference to Dionysian practices is at least plausible.
Duration of a minor epidemic

Abstract Disease outbreaks in stochastic SIR epidemic models are characterized as either minor or major. When ℛ 0 1 , all epidemics are minor, whereas if ℛ 0 > 1 , they can be minor or major. In 1955, Whittle derived formulas for the probability of a minor or a major epidemic. A minor epidemic is distinguished from a major one in that a minor epidemic is generally of shorter duration and has substantially fewer cases than a major epidemic. In this investigation, analytical formulas are derived that approximate the probability density, the mean, and the higher-order moments for the duration of a minor epidemic. These analytical results are applicable to minor epidemics in stochastic SIR, SIS, and SIRS models with a single infected class. The probability density for minor epidemics in more complex epidemic models can be computed numerically applying multitype branching processes and the backward Kolmogorov differential equations. When ℛ 0 is close to one, minor epidemics are more common than major epidemics and their duration is significantly longer than when ℛ 0 ≪ 1 or ℛ 0 ≫ 1 .
Finite Element Design and Modal Analysis of a Hexakis Icosahedron Frame for Use in a Vacuum Lighter-Than-Air Vehicle

AbstractThis research discusses the design, modal analysis, and additive manufacturing of a hexakis icosahedron frame for use in a vacuum lighter-than-air vehicle (VLTAV). A frame in the shape of a...
Isotretinoin made S.M.A.R.T. and simple.

With the introduction of oral isotretinoin 20 years ago, an incredible triumph was achieved in the treatment of acne vulgaris. Much has been learned of the pathogenesis of acne and the mechanism by which isotretinoin affects acne. The teratogenicity of isotretinoin has cast a shadow on this effective drug with recent concern about the regulation of its use. The S.M.A.R.T. program has been implemented to address this concern. Alleged depressive mood effects of isotretinoin have resulted in further controversy. The efficacy of and indications for isotretinoin use are discussed here, with elaboration on the reported side effects. Given its established risks, treatment with isotretinoin may become severely curtailed if caution is not exercised.
Experimental Study on Thermal Contact Conductance at Liquid Helium Temperature

Publisher Summary This chapter employs two methods to estimate this thermal contact conductance at liquid helium temperature–an empirical equation, and the Wiedemann-Franz law. When cooling an object in a cryogen-free, cryocooled system at liquid helium temperature, it is important to quantitatively estimate the thermal resistance that occurs at the contact surface between the cooling stage and the object. It compares the estimated conductance with that measured at liquid helium temperature, both methods are proved valid. Additionally, it measures the thermal conductivity and the electric resistance of phosphor bronze screen stacks at room temperature and at low temperature. For electrically conductive contacts consisting of electrically conductive blocks and interposers such as indium foil, the thermal conductance at liquid helium temperature can be estimated with Wiedemann-Franz law when the temperature dependency of the properties is considered. In contrast, the thermal conductance of phosphor bronze stacks whose surface was oxidized could not be estimated with Wiedemann-Franz law between 4K and 300K.
Feasibility of Using XRF for Assessment of Surface Free Energy Components of Asphalt Binder

Recently the surface free energy (SFE) techniques are being used to mechanistically quantify bonding characteristics of aggregate-asphalt binder systems and consequently moisture-induced damage potential of asphalt mixes. Also, the chemical composition of the asphalt binder is known to be an important factor in determining the strength of the asphalt-aggregate bond. The present study was undertaken to explore correlations between the chemical compositions of the binders containing different additives with their SFE components. For this purpose, a PG 64-22 asphalt binder was collected from a local supplier in Oklahoma. A commonly used chemical warm-mix asphalt (WMA) additive and an anti-stripping agent (ASA) were also collected and blended with the PG 64-22 binder at two different proportions, namely 0 and 0.5% by the weight of the asphalt binder. The SFE components of the short-term aged asphalt binders blended with additives were determined using Dynamic Wilhelmy Plate (DWP) test. The elemental analysis of the binders was carried out using an X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) analyzer. From the DWP tests it was concluded that the additions of WMA additive and ASA had significant effects on the values of the SFE components of the neat binder. The XRF results are expected to help explain the changes in SFE components due to any additive in an asphalt binder. Also, this study is expected to help predict the surface free energies of the binder from its chemical composition using a less time-consuming XRF test.
Evaluating the Microwave Performance of Epidermal Electronics with Equivalent Transmission Line Modeling

Epidermal electronic systems, which conformally adhere to human skin, are a promising technology for wearable biomedical applications. Within these systems, the wireless components are made stretchable by translating solid traces into serpentine mesh patterns, which enable lateral spring-like mechanics. To ensure robust performance, there is a need to further study the impact of the serpentine mesh geometry and its stretching mechanics on microwave propagation. In this paper, we evaluate these impacts by modeling serpentine mesh traces in a microstrip system and extracting the corresponding effective transmission line parameters. The parameters are extracted by fitting full-wave results to an equivalent transmission line model. By demonstrating how the serpentine geometry and mechanics affect the power attenuation, electrical length, and impedance of microwave components, we provide a crucial step forward in the development of hiah-nerformance wireless wearable electronics.
Country Music in Dangerous Times: IASPM-US Keynote, Cleveland, February 24, 2017

In retrospect, Nadine Hubbs’s keynote address for the 2017 IASPM-US annual meeting seems almost prescient. Its title, “Country Music in Dangerous Times,” reflected the sense of crisis progressives felt in the wake of Donald Trump’s election four months earlier, and its central concerns
Up-to-date overview of imaging techniques in the diagnosis and management of inflammatory bowel diseases

Radiological examination occupies a significant role, complementary to endoscopic studies, in the diagnostic process of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Both ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, due to multiple remissions and relapses, require repetitive examinations to evaluate the disease extent, severity, and response to pharmacological treatment. Whereas the use of barium contrast studies is progressively reduced, plain radiography confirms its utility as a first-line imaging tool for acute abdomen. Computed tomography remains an easily accessible and effective method to demonstrate disease activity and extraintestinal manifestations. However, the related radiation exposure reduces its applicability to urgent situations. Ultrasound and magnetic resonance, with the great advantage of avoiding ionising radiation, are highly recommended to present the complications of IBD. Use of oral and intravenous contrast in computed tomography enterography and magnetic resonance enterography demonstrates IBD involvement in the small intestine wall, which is difficult to assess in other radiological and endoscopic examinations.
Punched‐out erosions with scalloped borders: Group A Streptococcal pustulosis

We present a case of an infant with severe atopic dermatitis infected with Streptococcus pyogenes who presented with pustules, honey-colored crusts, and punched-out erosions with scalloped borders mimicking eczema herpeticum or eczema coxsackium. We draw attention to this case to highlight the similar clinical appearance between bacterial and viral infections in the setting of atopic dermatitis and the importance of a broad workup and coverage while awaiting results.
A Combinatorial Approach for the Fabrication of Magneto-Optical Hybrid Nanoparticles.

Introduction The increasing demands for better resolution combined with anatomical information in biomedical imaging necessitate the development of multimodal contrast agents. In this respect, the multivalency of nanotechnology enables the integration of nanomaterials with distinct biophysical properties into a unique probe, capable to exert superior imaging characterstics through synergistic enhancement unmatched by any single modality. Materials and methods Novel magneto-optical hybrid nanoparticles (MOHNPs), comprise semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) tethered on the surface of superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) NPs, were synthesized using a combinatorial approach. The semiconductor components utilized for the synthesis of the hybrid NPs contained cadmium-free QDs, which were stabilized by a variety of functional ligands including thiols, polyethyleneimine (PEI) and amphiphilic polymers. While SPIO NPs were further modified with silica or PEI on the outermost layer. The main mechanism to assemble semiconductor QDs onto the SPIO NPs employed a core-shell approach, in which covalent bonding and electrostatic interaction held the components together. Results The versatility of the NP assembling mechanism described in this work offered a robust and flexible fabrication of MOHNPs. A proof-of-concept study demonstrated desterous coating of folic acid onto the surface of MOHNPs to create a targeted imaging probe. The emission of the resulted hybrid NPs extended in the near-infrared region, suitable for in vivo applications. Conclusion This novel assembling technology offers far-reaching capabilities to generate complex multimodal nanoiamging probes.
Development and validation of a person-centered abortion scale: the experiences of care in private facilities in Kenya.

There is a need for a standardized way to measure person-centered care for abortion. This study developed and validated a measure of person-centered abortion care. Items for person-centered abortion care were developed from literature reviews, expert review, and cognitive interviews, and administered with 371 women who received a safe abortion service from private health clinics in Nairobi, Kenya. Exploratory factor analyses were performed and stratified by surgical abortion procedures and medication abortion. Bivariate linear regressions assessed for criterion validity. We developed a 24-item unifying scale for person-centered abortion care including two sub-scales. The two sub-scales identified were: 1) Respectful and Supportive Care (14 items for medication abortion, 15 items for surgical abortion); and 2) Communication and Autonomy (9 items for both medication and surgical abortion). The person-centered abortion care scale had high content, construct, criterion validity, and reliability. This validated scale will facilitate measurement and further research to better understand women’s experiences during abortion care and to improve the quality of women’s overall reproductive health experiences to improve health outcomes.
To Live According to the Form of the Holy Gospel: Francis of Assisi’s Embodied Challenge to the Institutional Church

This essay explores what the contemporary church can learn from Francis of Assisi and the monastic traditions of the church so that by focusing less on itself as an institution, it might offer concrete resources to help contemporary Christians find continuity between who they are and what they do. Drawing on the work of Giorgio Agamben, it examines how Francis challenged the institutional church of his day by his decision “to live according to the form of the Holy Gospel,” deferring the establishment of a formal monastic rule to govern that form-of-life, and by his decision to live without property. Finally, the essay examines how the “Way of Love, Rule of Life,” propounded by the current Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, is consistent with Francis’s way of changing the church through the example of a life lived according to the pattern of Jesus Christ.
The broader autism phenotype constellations–disability matrix paradigm: Theoretical model for autism and the broader autism phenotype

Abstract The prevalence of autism has increased dramatically over the last 60 years, and the cause of this increase is unclear. In this paradigm-shift paper, I propose an explanatory paradigm for the cause of autism and its increased prevalence in the general population. I also discuss how social and historical contexts may have influenced the evolution and manifestation of specific traits in the autism population. These traits expand the characterization of the broader autism phenotype to include a constellation of socially valued traits, termed Broader Autism Phenotype Constellations (BAPCO). The frequency of these traits may have increased due to assortative mating opportunities that occurred alongside social changes in education and occupational opportunities over the last 100 years. I propose that assortative mating can lead to both positive and negative developmental consequences affecting social and language development. I also propose that BAPCO traits, which are not intrinsically disabilities, could interact with co-occurring conditions in a new model called the BAPCO-Disability Matrix Paradigm (BAPCO-DMAP). In this paradigm, autism is located at the intersection of BAPCO traits and at least one co-occurring condition. These proposed models support the need to create a more comprehensive definition of autism that includes constellations of BAPCO traits. The BAPCO-DMAP paves the way to testable predictions of autism prevalence and provides a framework to better understand the foundational traits of autism. Finally, this paradigm radically redefines the broader autism phenotype with characteristics that can inform therapy and child development.
Cost analysis and complication rate comparing open, mini-open, and all arthroscopic rotator cuff repair

Hypothesis/Background Value-based healthcare delivery models are becoming increasingly common and are driving cost effectiveness initiatives. Rotator cuff repair (RCR) is a commonly performed procedure with some variations on the specific surgical technique. The purpose of this study was to perform a comprehensive analysis of the cost, complications, and readmission rates of 3 categories of RCR techniques (open [oRCR], combined arthroscopically assisted and mini-open [CRCR], and all arthroscopic [ARCR]) at a high-volume institution. Methods All RCR procedures performed by 2 fellowship-trained shoulder surgeons at a single institution between 2012 and 2017 were retrospectively identified. These consisted of oRCR, CRCR, and ARCR repair techniques. One surgeon performed oRCR and CRCR, and the second surgeon performed ARCR. A cost analysis was designed to include a period of 60 days preoperatively, the index surgical hospitalization, and 90 days postoperatively, including costs of any readmission or reoperation. Results The cohort consisted of 95 oRCR, 233 CRCR, and 287 ARCR. Median standardized costs were as follows: preoperative evaluation $486.03; index surgical hospitalization oRCR $9,343.10, CRCR $10,057.20, and ARCR $10,330.60; and postoperative care $875.02. Preoperative and postoperative costs did not vary based on the type of RCR performed. However, significant differences were observed among index surgical costs (P = .0008). The highest standardized cost for hospitalization for both the CRCR group and the ARCR group was related to the cost of the operating room and the implants. The 90-day complication, reoperation, and readmission rates were 1.1%, 1.1%, and 2.1% in the open group; 0.8%, 0.8%, and 1.7% in the combination group; 0%, 0%, and 1.7% in the all arthroscopic group, respectively. There were no significant differences among the 3 surgical procedures with respect to complication (P = .26), reoperation (P = .26), and readmission rates (P = .96). Discussion/Conclusions In this investigation, the median standardized costs for RCR inclusive of 60-day workup and 90-day postoperative care were $10,704.15, $11,418.25, and $11,691.65 for oRCR, CRCR (average added cost $714.10), and ARCR (added cost $987.50), respectively. The group complication, reoperation, and readmission rate were 0.5%, 0.5%, and 1.8% with no significant differences between the varying techniques, respectively. This retrospective cost analysis and complication profile may serve as a useful reference as surgeons consider engaging in bundled payment for RCR. As value based initiatives continue to progress, implant cost may serve as an actionable area for cost reduction.