cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adding evidence to the debate: Quantifying Airbnb's disruptive impact on ten key hotel markets

Abstract Airbnb's entry into the lodging landscape has dramatically increased the available supply of rooms for accommodating prospective visitors at a destination. In a competitive market, an increase in supply while keeping demand relatively constant would decrease prices and revenues. While Airbnb is expected to negatively impact the hotel industry, the effects of Airbnb on the performance of the hotel industry have not been extensively quantified. Also, existing studies on Airbnb's economic impacts are limited in their inferential, temporal, and/or geographical scope. In view of this gap in the literature, the present study examines the effects of Airbnb supply on key hotel performance metrics: room revenues (RevPAR), average daily rates (ADR), and occupancy rates (OCC) in ten major U.S. hotel markets for the period between July 2008 and June 2017. The results demonstrate that an increasing Airbnb supply negatively impacts all three performance metrics within the hotel industry. Moreover, while previous research has demonstrated a negative impact on lower-end hotels, our findings provide evidence of Airbnb's growing impact on the mainstream market across hotel class segments, signaling a high level of consistency with the tenets of the theory of disruptive innovation. The magnitude of these effects is not only statistically but also economically significant. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Crystal Structure of Delta-Prime Plutonium And the Thermal Expansion Characteristics Of Delta, Delta-Prime, and Epsilon Plutonium

The σ′ plutonium is found to be body-centered-tetragonal with two atoms per unit cell at 000 and 1/2, 1/2, 1/2. The unit cell dimensions at 477°C are α = 3.339 ± 0.003A and c = 4.446 ± 0.007A, which lead to a calculated density of 16.01 g per eu cm. Each plutonium atom is surrounded by 12 others at a mean distance of 3.275Ă. The linear coefficient of thermal expansion perpendicular to the c-axis is 106 ᾱa = 305 ±35 per °C, and parallel to the c-axis is 106 ᾱc=−659 ± 67 per °C. The average linear coefficient, (2ᾱa + ᾱc)/3, is equal to 106ᾱL = −18 ± 28 per °C. The linear coefficient of themal expansion of face-centered-cubic σ plutonium is found to be 106 ᾱL=−8.6 ± 0.3 per °C, and of body-centered-cubic ∈ plutonium 106 ᾱL = 36.5 ±1.1 per °C.
Graphical Models and Dynamic Latent Factors for Modeling Functional Brain Connectivity

With modern technology, the activity of thousands of neurons in the brain can be recorded simultaneously. Such data can potentially shed light on how neurons communicate with one another. These neuronal interactions are often viewed under the framework of functional connectivity, which is defined as the statistical dependence between recorded neuronal activity. Several have proposed to use graphical models to estimate functional connectivity between neurons directly from neuronal recording data. However, one challenge that can arise from this type of data that is not addressed by a traditional graphical model is the influence of dynamic latent brain states on recorded neuronal activity, as the neurons recorded in one experimental session constitute only a small subset of all the neurons in the brain. These latent states should be accounted for to get a more accurate estimate of functional connectivity. In this paper, we introduce two models, the dynamic mean operator (DYNAMO) and the dynamic covariance operator (DYNACO) conditional Gaussian graphical models, to infer functional connectivity from neuronal activity data after adjusting for dynamic latent brain states. We apply the DYNAMO and DYNACO models to a variety of simulation studies and demonstrate their superior performance over traditional, unconditional graphical models.
Navigating oncology inpatient care from admission to discharge: A quality improvement study.

76Background: Ensuring successful transitions between inpatient and outpatient settings is key in providing quality oncology care. To this aim, our team of inpatient Advanced Practice Providers (AP...
Improvement in renal function following cryoballoon ablation for atrial fibrillation.

Patients with chronic kidney disease are predisposed to heart rhythm disorders including atrial fibrillation (AF). Several studies have suggested that radiofrequency catheter ablation of AF improves renal function. However, little data exists for pulmonary vein isolation with cryoballoon ablation (CBA). The purpose of this study is to assess change in renal function following CBA for AF. This is a single-center retrospective study that included patients who underwent CBA for AF between 2011 and 2016. Patients were grouped by baseline-estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR): ≥ 90 (Stage G1), 60–89.9 (Stage G2), and 30–59.9 mL/min/1.73 m2 (Stage G3). Change in eGFR was assessed > 3 months post-ablation. A total of 306 patients with both pre- and post-ablation serum creatinine measurements available were included. Baseline eGFRs for Stages G1, G2, and G3 patients were 103.5 ± 12.9 (n = 82), 74.7 ± 8.2 (n = 184), and 52.6 ± 6.6 mL/min/1.73 m2 (n = 40), respectively. Renal function was assessed 310.8 ± 104.2 days post-ablation. Average intra-procedural contrast use was 58.4 ± 23.8 mL. There was no significant change in eGFR following CBA in Stage G1 patients (p = 0.10). For those with Stages G2 and G3 renal function, eGFR improved by 6.1% (4.2 mL/min/1.73 m2, p < 0.01) and 13.8% (7.2 mL/min/1.73 m2, p < 0.01), respectively. This improvement was seen regardless of the presence or absence of recurrent atrial arrhythmias. CBA for AF may be associated with an improvement in renal function, particularly among those with a reduced baseline eGFR despite recurrence of atrial arrhythmias and intra-procedural contrast use.
The Status of Pediatric Extracorporeal Life Support According to the National Inpatient Sample.

* Abbreviations: ECLS — : extracorporeal life support ECMO — : extracorporeal membrane oxygenation ELSO — : Extracorporeal Life Support Organization NIS — : National Inpatient Sample In the current issue of Pediatrics , Sanaiha et al1 report trends in mortality and cost for extracorporeal life support (ECLS) in the United States from 2008 to 2015 using the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database. The NIS began in 1988 and obtains data through hospital discharge records from all hospitals participating in the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project. The Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project in turn relies on data collected by participating states through the State Inpatient Databases. The data collected by each state are then aggregated to create a national database from which retrospective research can be performed. There are many benefits to the use of large-scale administrative databases such as the NIS. But there are also significant limitations inherent to each database that need to be recognized to interpret data correctly. For the NIS, some of these limitations include a lack of granularity, a delay in data updates (the current study ends in 2015, but the data are being presented years later), and the inability to perform hospital-level analyses after 2011.2–4 … Address correspondence to Andrea H. Gillespie, MD, Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, Portland, OR 97239-3098. E-mail: gillespa{at}ohsu.edu
Protein S-palmitoylation in immunity.

S-palmitoylation is a reversible posttranslational lipid modification of proteins. It controls protein activity, stability, trafficking and protein–protein interactions. Recent global profiling of ...
Grid Voltage Control Analysis for Heavy-Duty Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

This paper presents an analysis of grid voltage control strategies for heavy-duty electric vehicle charging stations. The performance of three voltage control approaches—including power factor control, standardized volt-volt ampere reactive (VAR) curve control, and customized volt-VAR curve control—are investigated and evaluated for three different sizes of charging stations, including a single-port charging station, a midsized three-port charging station, and six-port travel center. The charging stations are placed on multiple locations of four different types of distribution systems to obtain a comprehensive performance analysis of the voltage control approaches under different scenarios. To quantitively compare the performance of the three voltage control approaches, a series of metrics are designed to quantify the performance and contribute to the comprehensive analysis.
Nutritious Foods, Healthy Diets, and Contributions to Health

This chapter introduces the concept of diets and explains how diets affect health. Diets are composed of foods that range in healthfulness and nutrition. Many different factors influence a person’s diet. Healthy diets meet an individual’s nutritional needs and support overall health. Dietary patterns vary by region, but global diets are less than optimal. These suboptimal diets directly affect nutrition and health outcomes. Poor diets are now considered a top risk factor for death and disability.
Psoriasis and Cardiovascular Disease: Novel Mechanisms and Evolving Therapeutics.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that is associated with increased cardiovascular risk compared to those without psoriasis. This review will cover emerging mechanisms of cardiovascular risk, key pathways targeted with biologic therapies, and the current evidence on therapies to modulate this risk in patients with psoriasis. Recent scientific work has highlighted mechanisms that contribute to this enhanced risk, including the role of vascular endothelial dysfunction, platelet activation, dyslipidemia, and increased cardiometabolic comorbidities. Newer biologic and targeted synthetic therapies have transformed psoriasis treatment with high rates of clinical remission and durable skin disease control now possible. Epidemiological evidence suggests that many of these therapies may lower cardiovascular risk in psoriasis, although prospective interventional data is lacking (or mixed). Recently, caution has also been raised that some treatments may negatively affect cardiovascular risk. Overall, the current data suggests a positive or neutral ability to reduce cardiovascular risk for TNF, IL-17A, and IL-12/23p40 inhibitors, but current evidence remains conflicting for anti-IL-23/p19 and JAK inhibitors. More studies that include prospective cohorts, larger number of patients, treatment duration, and validated surrogate outcomes are needed to better evaluate the role of biologic therapies on cardiovascular risk in psoriasis.
Value of a value culture survey for improving healthcare quality.

The article by Sorra and colleagues in this issue of BMJ Quality and Safety 1 reflects a subtle but important shift in national efforts to enhance quality in healthcare. Since 2000 and the publication of To Err is Human ,2 there has been widespread recognition of the need to address patient safety issues at a systems level. This and subsequent discourse directed attention to organisational culture as a key lever for ensuring safety and quality. The follow-on Crossing the Quality Chasm report acknowledged the multidimensionality of the cultural challenge by recommending redesign of the American healthcare system including six aims for improvement—safety, effectiveness, patient-centeredness, timeliness, efficiency and equity.3 However, safety has received the lion share of attention over the last two decades, perhaps due to Hippocrates’ admonition to ‘first, do no harm’. Efficiency has been particularly neglected. Despite painfully high, and relentlessly increasing, healthcare spending as a percent of US gross domestic product4 and embarrassing comparisons of outcomes for our spending,5 efforts in the USA to address escalating costs of healthcare have been relatively recent6 7 and have not sought to address organisational culture. Even in countries that achieve higher value, that is, patient experience and outcomes over cost, greater efficiency must be an enduring goal. In this context, the article by Sorra and colleagues is remarkable. In a project supported by the US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, they offer a set of new survey items to assess the culture of value and efficiency in hospitals and medical offices.1 More importantly, they offer a vision, derived with extensive input from academic experts and clinical professionals, for understanding the role of value and efficiency in promoting quality that policymakers, health system leaders and frontline healthcare workers can embrace. Since the authors did not …
Isolation of New Nor-isoprenoids Related to Tobacco Thunberganoids from Japanese Domestic SUIFU Tobacco

The structure of two new nor-isoprenoids, diastereomers of l,4-epoxy-2,10-dihydroxy-7- isopropyl-4-methyl-5E-undecene, isolated from Japanese domestic SUIFU tobacco, has been determined mainly by 13C-NMR, 1H-NMR and high resolution MS. The carbon skeleton of the new compounds indicates that they are derived from thunbergane precursors.
Improvements in long-term mortality after myocardial infarction and increased use of cardiovascular drugs after discharge: a 10-year trend analysis.

Objectives We sought to assess the relationship between increasing use of cardiovascular medications and trends in long-term prognosis after myocardial infarction (MI) in the elderly. Background During the past decade, statins, beta-blockers (BBs), angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs), and angiotensin-II receptor blockers (ARBs) have been increasingly used after MI. However, little is known about the relationship between increasing use of these medications and improvements in prognosis after MI. Methods Using data from pharmacy assistance programs and Medicare in 2 states (1995 to 2004), we identified patients with MI who survived ≥30 days after discharge. We assessed age, gender, race, comorbidities, and coronary interventions during the MI hospitalization and recorded filled prescriptions for statins, BBs, ACEIs/ARBs, or antiplatelet agents within 30 days after discharge. All patients were tracked until they died or until the end of the eligibility/study period. We built multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression models to assess trends in long-term mortality and the contribution to increasing medication use after MI. Results Of 21,484 patients identified, 12,142 died during 74,982 person-years of follow-up. After adjusting for demographics and comorbidities, we found that mortality after MI decreased significantly from 1995 to 2004 (hazard ratio for annual trend 0.97; 95% confidence interval 0.97 to 0.98), a 3% reduction in mortality each year. Adjusting for the use of statins, BBs, ACEIs/ARBs, and antiplatelet drugs after discharge completely eliminated the association between time trend and mortality (hazard ratio 1.00; 95% confidence interval 0.99 to 1.01). Conclusions The observed improvement in long-term mortality in elderly patients with MI may be mainly due to increased use of cardiovascular medications after discharge.
IMAGING NEURONAL SUBSETS AND OTHER CELL TYPES IN WHOLE-MOUNT DROSOPHILA EMBRYOS AND LARVAE USING ANTIBODY PROBES

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the immunocytochemical procedures used to observe specific tissues and cells within whole-mount preparations of Drosophila embryos and young larvae. A special emphasis is placed on providing examples of antibodies and techniques used to examine the patterns of neurons and axons within the developing nervous system. These methods have two primary applications in the study of Drosophila development. First, once a gene of interest has been cloned and antibodies have been raised to the protein product, these immunocytochemical techniques can be used to determine the pattern of protein distribution during embryogenesis and larval development. Second, antibody probes that recognize defined tissues and cells can be used as markers to analyze phenotypes in mutant embryos. The protocol discussed in the chapter, the secondary antibodies are produced in goats and normal goat serum is used as a blocking agent. This ensures that the secondary antibodies will not recognize any of the immunoglobulins in the normal serum being used as a blocking agent. The procedures outlined in this chapter also work well for immunostaining a wide variety of organisms other than Drosophila.
Modeling Object-Oriented Program Execution

This paper describes a way of organizing information about an object-oriented program's execution. The context is our system for visualizing that execution. The critical constraints are completeness, compactness, and efficient retrieval. We describe our design and how it meets these constraints.
Distributed antipodal paraunitary precoders for OFDM systems

Antipodal paraunitary (APU) matrices have been shown to be useful with respect to bit error rate (BER) as linear precoders for OFDM systems, especially in a fast-varying channel environment. In this paper we study a broader class of paraunitary matrices, namely, the distributed antipodal paraunitary (DAPU) matrices, of which APU matrices are special cases. Systematic methods for recursively generating certain types of DAPU matrices as well as a fast algorithm to implement them in a system are presented. Simulation results show that under the same distribution length, DAPU precoded systems with longer precoders have a better BER performance than those with APU precoders, especially in mid- and high-SNR region.
Increasing the number of irrelevant stimuli increases ability to detect countermeasures to the P300-based Complex Trial Protocol for concealed information detection.

We previously found that simultaneously executing a mental countermeasure and an explicit required response impairs reaction time (RT)-based detection of countermeasure use in a P300- based concealed information test. To address this issue, we increased the numbers of irrelevant stimuli to eight, and manipulated the proportions of to-be-countered irrelevant stimuli from 25% to 50% to 75% in three groups. Results: Based on P300 data, 100% of the simple guilty (no countermeasure use) and 92% of the innocent subjects were correctly identified as having or not having concealed information. In the countermeasure groups, detection rates varied from 71% to 92% across the different groups. Notably, in the present study with eight irrelevant items, simultaneous countermeasure use was indicated by elevated RT in the 50% and 75% countermeasure proportion groups, which it was not, previously, with 50% (two) countermeasures and four irrelevants. Descriptors: P300, Deception detection, Concealed information test, Countermeasures, Complex trial protocol, Credibility assessment
Correction: The future of organic photovoltaics

Correction for ‘The future of organic photovoltaics’ by Katherine A. Mazzio et al., Chem. Soc. Rev., 2015, 44, 78–90.
New public management

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the use of new public management (NPM) as a major strategy for democratic police reform in transitioning, developing and post‐conflict nations.Design/methodology/approach – The paper reviews the literature and history of the use of NPM in the public sector and policing in Western nations and considers its use in programs of police reform.Findings – The review identifies that NPM can be used as a strategy in police reform and is able to be used in conjunction with policing approaches such as community‐oriented policing. However, the adoption of NPM must be culturally specific and implemented within local capability constraints.Practical implications – Police reform, transparency and accountability are an important concern for all post‐conflict and transitioning police agencies; therefore, the findings of this research are useful for implementation or planning of police reform and restructuring programs.Originality/value – With its focus on police management...
Saitohin and APOE polymorphisms influence cognition and function in persons with advanced Alzheimer Disease.

Background/Aims: Alzheimer disease (AD) is characterized by variability in the onset and progression of cognitive, functional and behavioral symptoms. The purpose of this study was
Topical application of bacitracin ointment is associated with decreased risk of mediastinitis after median sternotomy.

Background. The diagnosis of mediastinitis after open-heart surgery is infrequent but dreaded as it carries a high morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact that topical antibacterials would have on the postoperative mediastinitis rate. Methods. Data were collected from 2455 consecutive patients who underwent sternotomy and cardiopulmonary bypass for both valvar and ischemic heart disease. Prior to 1999, patients (n = 1036) underwent surgery with standard perioperative intravenous antibiotics but no application of bacitracin. After 1999, patients (n = 1419) underwent surgery with intravenous antibiotics and application of bacitracin ointment to the sternotomy incision after closure. Results. Cases of mediastinitis occurred in 12 patients (1.2%) not treated with bacitracin, which required re-exploration, sternectomy, and soft tissue closure of the mediastinum. Alternatively, 3 patients (0.2%) in the group treated with bacitracin developed mediastinitis ( P 30), 294 versus 396. Conclusions. The use of topical antibacterials is associated with a decrease in the risk of mediastinitis after cardiac surgery.
Experimenting with Woodwind Instruments.

Simple experiments involving musical instruments of the woodwind family can be used to demonstrate the basic physics of vibrating air columns in resonance tubes using nothing more than straightforward measurements and data collection hardware and software. More involved experimentation with the same equipment can provide insight into the effects of holes in the tubing and other factors that make simple tubes useful as musical instruments.
Mechanism of intragastric nicotine protection against ethanol-induced gastric injury.

To elucidate the mechanism of intragastric nicotine protection against ethanol-induced gastric mucosal injury seen in a previous report and in our preliminary study, the following studies were performed. Rats were pretreated with naloxone (8 mg/kg intraperitoneal, 0.5 hr prior to study) to block opiate receptors; or capsaicin (125 mg/kg subcutaneous 10 days prior to study) to denervate the afferent sensory fibers; or indomethacin (2.5 mg/kg intragastric or 5 mg/kg subcutaneous, 1 hr prior to study) to inhibit endogenous prostaglandin synthesis. At 1-hr intervals, nicotine (4 mg/kg) or vehicle and 40% ethanol were then given intragastrically. Total gastric corpus mucosal lesion length was measured unbiasedly. In separate studies, gastric mucosal blood flow (GMBF) was assessed by hydrogen gas clearance before and after intragastric nicotine or vehicle; luminal mucus volume, gastric juice volume, and acid output were measured 1 hr after either intragastric nicotine or vehicle administration. The results showed that the acute protective effect of intragastric nicotine was associated with a significantly larger luminal mucus volume. It was not blocked by naloxone, capsaicin, or indomethacin. There was no increase in GMBF. The larger gastric residual volume did not account for the protection. We conclude that the mechanism mediating nicotine protection is unique and is independent of opiate receptors, capsaicin-sensitife afferent sensory nerve fibers, endogenous prostaglandin generation, or dilution of the injurious agent. The increase in luminal gastric mucus volume may contribute to the protective effect of intragastric nicotine against gastric mucosal injury produced by 40% ethanol.
Solar physics: Back to the next solar cycle

Many solar physicists expect the peak sunspot activity during the next solar cycle to be at its weakest in almost a century. A recent prediction to the contrary could turn this prevailing wisdom on its head.
Partitions to improve spatial reasoning

The field of spatial reasoning has provided a litany of formal models and reasoning systems aimed at providing users with information about spatial tasks and concepts, ranging from point-to-point distance measurements coming from sensors all the way to topological information coming from the interaction of multiple sensor readings. In this short paper, the concept of using topology to augment partitions is addressed. Future work within the dissertation includes other partition-based relation theories, including digital topological relations and surrounds configurations within a collection of objects.
Receipt of guideline-concordant pharmacotherapy among children with new diagnoses of bipolar disorder.

Objective:This study examined the extent to which children with bipolar I disorder received recommended treatment of mood-stabilizer or second-generation antipsychotic monotherapy and factors associated with its receipt. Methods:Administrative claims data collected from January 1, 2005, to December 31, 2007, were used to construct a cohort of 412 privately insured children with bipolar I disorder. The primary outcome measure was the receipt of mood-stabilizer or second-generation antipsychotic monotherapy within 90 days of an index diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Results:Only 82 (20%) children received recommended first-line treatment for bipolar I disorder within 90 days of the index diagnosis, and 130 (32%) received no psychotropic medications. Of children receiving any medications, 200 (71%) received nonrecommended pharmacotherapy, most commonly antidepressant monotherapy (N=67, 24%) and combination pharmacotherapy (N=51, 18%). Youths who had been treated by a psychiatrist on the day of or 180 days befo...
Global and local health monitoring of civil structures using smart ferroelectric sensors and electronically steerable antennas

In this paper, the global and local health monitoring of civil structures using RF antennas and ferroelectric sensors is presented. The sensors are fabricated with interdigital transducers printed on a piezoelectric polymer or ceramic type film. They in turn are mounted onto an ultra thin Penn State's novel RF antenna. The wave form measurements may be monitored at a remote location via the antennas in the sensors and an outside antenna.
Dielectric Fabry-Perot mirror coatings for infrared astronomy

A number of Fabry-Perot (FP) coating designs have been developed specifically for IR astronomy. These have been optimized for uniform reflectance over five contiguous spectral ranges of particular astronomical interest between 1 and 5 microns. Wavelength coverage in individual designs is given by (maximum wavelength/minimum wavelength) greater than 1.4, over which reflective finesse is maintained near 35. Consideration has been made for the peculiar requirements of FP coatings. Visual alignment and testing of the FP has been made convenient by bringing the reflective finesse of the coating at 632.8 nm to the same value as the main IR reflection band. For example, a calcium fluoride FP can be aligned and tested at 632.8-nm He-Ne laser line, with the assurance of a corresponding finesse and spectral resolving power over its IR (3.6-5.1-micron) range. In addition, the FP can be used for IR spectroscopy while being simultaneously monitored and/or actively controlled at the laser wavelength. The potential for the coating itself to degrade the effective surface flatness of the FP through either mechanical stress or thickness nonuniformities is minimized by reducing to a minimum the number and thickness of coating layers. Several of these coatings have been fabricated and are actively in use at a number of observatories.
Spin-dependent studies of the dynamics of He + ion neutralization at a Au(100) surface

Spin labeling techniques, specifically the use of electron-spin-polarized ${\mathrm{He}}^{+}$ ions coupled with energy-resolved measurements of the ejected electron polarization, are used to study the dynamics of ${\mathrm{He}}^{+}$ neutralization at a Au(100) surface. A marked correlation in the spins of the electrons involved in the Auger neutralization process is observed that is particularly pronounced at the highest ejected electron energies. A theoretical model is presented that explains the general characteristics of the data by considering the perturbation in the surface electronic structure induced by the presence of the (polarized) ${\mathrm{He}}^{+}$ ion. This model, which includes the effects of ion velocity parallel to the surface, shows that the induced density of states is spin dependent, the spin dependence being most pronounced in the vicinity of the Fermi energy.
Learning about addiction from the genome

Drug addiction can be defined as the compulsive seeking and taking of a drug despite adverse consequences. Although addiction involves many psychological and social factors, it also represents a biological process: the effects of repeated drug exposure on a vulnerable brain. The sequencing of the human and other mammalian genomes will help us to understand the biology of addiction by enabling us to identify both genes that contribute to individual risk for addiction and those through which drugs cause addiction. We illustrate this potential impact by searching a draft sequence of the human genome for genes related to desensitization of receptors that mediate the actions of drugs of abuse on the nervous system.
Polarimetric bio-aerosol detection: numerical simulation

This paper examines the use of bi-static lidar to remotely detect the release of aerosolized biological agent. The detection scheme exploits bio-aerosol induced changes in the Stokes parameters of scattered radiation in comparison to scattered radiation from ambient background aerosols alone. A polarization distance metric is introduced to discriminate between changes caused by the two types of aerosols. Scattering code computations are the information source. Three application scenarios are considered: outdoor arena, indoor auditorium, and building heating-ventilation-air-conditioning (HVAC) system. Numerical simulations are employed to determine sensitivity of detection to laser wavelength and to particle physical properties. Results of the study are described and details are given for the specific example of a 1.50 μm lidar system operating outdoors over a 1000-m range.
Application of thermal infrared stereo vision in fire environments

This paper discusses the application of thermal infrared stereo vision for distance mapping in fire environments for mobile robotic systems and humans. The capabilities of thermal infrared stereo vision are presented. The relationship between the development of thermal IR stereo vision systems and the development of visual stereo vision systems is discussed. Aspects of thermal infrared stereo vision that require a different approach than visual stereo vision systems are then presented with a discussion of techniques used to address these items. A comparison of a thermal IR stereo vision system with an off-the-shelf visual stereo vision system is provided.
The physics of chemical strengthening of glass: Room for a new view

Abstract Glasses strengthen during an ion exchange experiment as a result of the high surface compression that develops from the stuffing of the invading alkali ion into the smaller host alkali ion site and the non-relaxation of this compression. The kinetics are described in terms of a Nernst–Planck interdiffusion coefficient of the exchanging ions in a stack of mixed-alkali glass layers with varying ratios of the alkali. The interdiffusion coefficient is suppressed by compression and enhanced by tension. However, the measured surface compression is usually 2–4 times lower than that calculated using thermal stress analogy incorporating an elastic suppression of the molar volume difference of the as-melted mixed-alkali glasses. A new view of the physics of deformations and failure of stress to continue to buildup is presented in an effort to seek technology improvements. Reduced stresses are ascribed to network yield in two separate modes: yielding of the shape-conserving hydrostatic stress component which prevents elastic expansion of molar volume and yielding of the volume-conserving deviatoric (pure shear) stress which leads to measurable shape change. An anomalous subsurface tension is also explained in this view. By drawing analogy to microindentation, it is concluded that optimum network topology glasses should undergo the least plastic deformation and, hence, develop a higher surface compression.
Scrambling sobol' and niederreiter-xing points

Abstract Hybrids of equidistribution and Monte Carlo methods of integration can achieve the superior accuracy of the former while allowing the simple error estimation methods of the latter. In particular, randomized (0, m , s )-nets in base b produce unbiased estimates of the integral, have a variance that tends to zero faster than 1/ n for any square integrable integrand and have a variance that for finite n is never more than e ≐2.718 times as large as the Monte Carlo variance. Lower bounds than e are known for special cases. Some very important ( t , m , s )-nets have t >0. The widely used Sobol' sequences are of this form, as are some recent and very promising nets due to Niederreiter and Xing. Much less is known about randomized versions of these nets, especially in s >1 dimensions. This paper shows that scrambled ( t , m , s )-nets enjoy the same properties as scrambled (0, m , s )-nets, except the sampling variance is guaranteed only to be below b t [( b +1)/( b −1)] s times the Monte Carlo variance for a least-favorable integrand and finite n .
Stroke Survivors and their Church Communities

This research examines the attitudes of stroke survivors and their caregivers in relation to their church communities. This study is based on semi-structured interviews of 15 stroke survivors and their caregivers. The interviews reveal that the participants’ church communities were generally excellent at providing initial comfort and practical support, but poor at truly including the stroke survivors and recognizing their desire for purpose after the “crisis” period. Survivors who formed subcommunities of members with disabilities found places within the church that manifested patience and a comfort with disability.
Terrorism, Counterterrorism, and the Rule of Law

Myra Williamson. Terrorism, War and International Law: The Legality of the Use of Force Against Afghanistan in 2001. Burlington, VT and Surrey, England: Ashgate, 2009. xi + 277 pp., $124.95 cloth. ...
Three-year clinical follow-up after Palmaz-Schatz stenting

Objectives. Our goals were to examine late clinical outcome in a cohort of patients who electively received Palmaz-Schatz intracoronary stents, to identify specific predictors of outcome and to determine the time course of the development of ischemic cardiac events after stenting. Background. Short-term results of Palmaz-Schatz intracoronary stenting have been promising, with a reduction in both angiographic restenosis and clinical cardiac events up to 1 year after stenting. Methods. We analyzed the clinical outcomes in 65 consecutive patients who underwent stenting at least 3 years before analysis. Demographic, clinical and procedural predictors of survival and event-free survival, defined as freedom from myocardial infarction, stent-site percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, coronary artery bypass graft surgery or death, were analyzed at a mean follow-up of 39 ± 17 months. Results. Absolute survival and event-free survival at 3 years were 88% and 56%, respectively. Three-year freedom from stentsite revascularization was 66%. Predictors of decreased long-term survival (p 24 months), no patients had stent-site stenoses requiring revascularization, whereas 11% of patients required revascularization in nonstented coronary segments. Conclusions. Clinical predictors of worse long-term outcome included diabetes mellitus, higher angina score at follow-up, smaller stent deployment balloon size and greater number of stents at implantation. During follow-up, the majority of adverse events and stent-site revascularizations occurred early after stenting, and disease progression in nonstented vessels accounted for the majority of late revascularization events.
Rapid Detection of Ebola Virus with a Reagent-Free, Point-of-Care Biosensor

Surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensors can rapidly detect Ebola antigens at the point-of-care without the need for added reagents, sample processing, or specialized personnel. This preliminary study demonstrates SAW biosensor detection of the Ebola virus in a concentration-dependent manner. The detection limit with this methodology is below the average level of viremia detected on the first day of symptoms by PCR. We observe a log-linear sensor response for highly fragmented Ebola viral particles, with a detection limit corresponding to 1.9 × 104 PFU/mL prior to virus inactivation. We predict greatly improved sensitivity for intact, infectious Ebola virus. This point-of-care methodology has the potential to detect Ebola viremia prior to symptom onset, greatly enabling infection control and rapid treatment. This biosensor platform is powered by disposable AA batteries and can be rapidly adapted to detect other emerging diseases in austere conditions.
The algebra of hyperboloids of revolution

Abstract If we change the sign of p ⩽ m columns (or rows) of an m × m positive definite symmetric matrix A , the resultant matrix B has p negative eigenvalues. We give systems of inequalities for the eigenvalues of B and of the matrix obtained from B by deleting one row and column. To obtain these, we first develop characterizations of the eigenvalues of B which are analogous to the minimum-maximum properties of the eigenvalues of a symmetric A , i.e. the Courant-Fischer theorem. These results arose from studying probability distributions on the hyperboloid of revolution x 2 1 + ⋯ + x 2 m−p − x 2 m − p + 1 − ⋯ − x 2 m = 1 . By contrast, the familiar results are associated with the sphere x 2 1 + ⋯ + x 2 m = 1.
Temperature dependence and GABA modulation of [3H]triazolam binding in the rat brain

Abstract The hypnotic triazolam (TZ), a triazolobenzodiazepine displays a short physiological half life and has been used for the treatment of insomnia related to anxiety states. Our major objectives were the direct measurement of the temperature dependence and the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) effect of [3H]TZ binding in the rat brain. Saturation studies showed a shift to lower affinity with increasing temperatures (Kd = 0.27±08 nM at 0°C; Kd = 1.96±0.85 nM at 37°C) while the Bmax values remained unchanged (1220±176 fmoles/mg protein at 0°C and 1160±383 fmoles/mg protein at 37°C). Saturation studies of [3H]TZ binding in the presence or absence of GABA (100uM) showed a GABA-shift. At 0°C the Kd values were (Kd=0.24±0.03 nM/−GABA; Kd=0.16±0.04/+GABA) and at 37°C the Kd values were (Kd=1.84±0.44 n/M−GABA; Kd=0.95±0.29 n/M+GABA). In contrast to reported literature, our findings show that TZ interacts with benzodiazepine receptors with a temperature dependence and GABA-shift consistent with predicted behavior for benzodiazepine agonists.
Do Birds of a Feather Flock Together? A Test of the Similarities within and the Differences between Five Occupations.

Abstract Two sets of samples of 40 women from each of five different occupations were subjected to J. H. Ward's (Journal of the American Statistical Association, 1963 , 58, 236–244) hierarchical cluster analysis, using an index of similarity from Kuder, 1977 , Kuder, 1980 , 40, 1–8). The five-group solution in neither case adequately recaptured the occupational membership of the original groups. This finding was interpreted to mean that there may be important differences in the interests of person in the same occupation, which in turn has implications for occupational scaling on interest inventories and theories of career development and counseling.
Emotion repair and the direction of attention in aversive contexts: Evidence from an attention-demanding task

Two studies (total N = 145) examined the novel idea that individual differences in emotion repair may relate to the attention deployment stage of emotion regulation. More specifically, it was hypothesized that high repair individuals would be able to maintain focus on an attention-demanding task in an aversive context, but that low repair individuals would not, in both cases relative to a control condition. This sort of interactive hypothesis was supported in Study 1, which manipulated aversive events through the use of concurrent auditory stimulation and conceptual replication was found in Study 2. Together, the two studies offer suggestive evidence for the role of attention direction in emotion repair.
Data-driven generation of simulated soccer behaviors

The dynamics of how groups move through space to accomplish common goals must be understood to create realistic synthetic environments. One potential method for creating such multiagent behaviors is to replay prerecorded examples of group movements. While these data-driven methods effectively capture the original performance for a particular instance, the success of these methods for interactive, multiagent applications is limited by the large number of potential agent movements that must be prerecorded. To mitigate the scaling effects of data-driven multiagent behavior algorithms, we propose a behavior model that reduces the dimensionality of prerecorded data and decreases the amount of data required by effectively using available data. We have chosen to investigate the sport of simulated soccer and have developed behaviors for simulated soccer players from the data acquired from recent RoboCup games.
Test of Innovative Nozzle Design for Film Cooling System to Maximize Turbine Efficiency

The ideal design of a turbine blade external film cooling system should contain a minimal uniform cooling film while simultaneously maximizing turbine efficiency. The current research reports on the tests on the pressure drop, hydraulic resistance, and mass flow rate of nine different nozzles. The effectiveness of the resulting film of cold air depends upon the mass flow rate and the shape, size, distribution and directional angles of these tiny nozzles. Of the orifices tested, the orifice shaped with the biggest spherical counter-sink inlet, allows the air to exit with the highest momentum. This shape produces the lowest hydraulic resistance and the highest blowing ratio.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Anthropogenic Chlorofluoromethanes in the Greenland and Norwegian Seas

The concentrations of two industrially produced chlorofluoromethanes, CCl3F(F-11) and CCl2F2(F-12), have been measured in the water column and in the marine atmosphere of the Greenland and Norwegian seas. Measurable concentrations of these two chlorofluoromethanes have penetrated to the deep basins of both of these regions, and the general characteristics of their vertical distributions are similar to those of the bomb-produced radioisotopes injected into the atmosphere on a similar time scale. The data have been fitted to a time-dependent box model based on deep convective mixing in the Greenland Sea and lateral exchange between the deep basins. The model calculations for the two chlorofluoromethanes in the Greenland Sea give similar results, with a time scale for deep convection of about 40 years. The time scale for lateral mixing between the deep Greenland Sea and the deep Norwegian Sea is estimated to be 20 to 30 years, although the agreement between the calculations for the two chlorofluoromethanes is limited by analytical uncertainties at the low concentrations found in the deep Norwegian Sea and by uncertainties in the model assumptions.
Immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization for the diagnosis and classification of squamous lesions of the anogenital region

Distinguishing anogenital squamous intraepithelial lesions from benign conditions and mimics may be problematic. Immunohistochemistry for surrogate markers of HPV infection, such as Ki-67, p16, and ProEx™ C, may aid the diagnosis in equivocal cases. The main diagnostic pitfall in the diagnosis of LSIL is the occurrence of “pseudokoilocytes” in benign squamous mucosa, which may lead to overdiagnosis. When interpreted correctly, Ki-67 is a sensitive and specific marker for dysplasia in mature squamous epithelium and is therefore useful for confirmation of LSIL and condyloma. A Ki-67 positive result is defined as the presence of a cluster of at least two strongly stained epithelial nuclei in the upper two-thirds of the epithelial thickness. With such a definition, there is almost complete concordance between consensus diagnosis of LSIL/condyloma confirmed by detection of HPV DNA and positive Ki-67. A related proliferation marker, ProEx™ C, has similar staining patterns and utility for the diagnosis of low grade dysplasia. The differential diagnosis of HSIL includes atypical immature squamous metaplasia and atrophy. A marker with high sensitivity and specificity for the detection of HSIL in cervical, vulvar, and anal mucosa is p16. A 2-tier scoring system is used to evaluate p16 staining. No staining or a discontinuous, patchy nuclear and cytoplasmic staining pattern is considered as a negative result. A positive result is defined as diffuse and strong staining of cells of the basal and parabasal layers of the squamous epithelium, with or without staining of superficial cell layers. New markers that are undergoing evaluation for their clinical utility include stathmin-1, phosphorylated S6, and SOX2. Confirmation of the diagnosis of dysplasia by HPV detection in tissue sections using HPV capsid protein immunohistochemistry, HPV DNA or HPV RNA in situ hybridization offers lower sensitivity as compared to immunohistochemistry for surrogate markers and therefore has more limited utility in this context.
Synthesis and evaluation of an ester‐functional alkoxyamine for nitroxide‐mediated polymerization

The ester-functional alkoxyamine 2,2-dimethyl-3-(1-(4-(methoxycarbonyl)phenyl)ethoxy)-4-(4-(methoxycarbonyl)phenyl)-3-azapentane (2) was efficiently synthesized for use as a functional initiator in nitroxide-mediated polymerization. Two equivalents of 1-(4-(methoxycarbonyl)phenyl)ethyl radical were added across the double bond of 2-methyl-2-nitrosopropane to form alkoxyamine 2, which was found to control the polymerization of styrene, isoprene, and n-butyl acrylate. The ester moieties were hydrolyzed for subsequent esterification with 1-pyrenebutanol to form a dipyrene-labeled initiator that was used to probe nitroxide end-group fidelity after styrene polymerization. High retention of nitroxide was confirmed by UV-vis studies over a range of monomer conversions. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 6342–6352, 2009
Delivering Coal by Road and Rail in Britain: The Efficiency of the “Silly Little Bobtailed” Coal Wagons

The small railway coal wagon was an early example held up to demonstrate Edwardian Britain’s technological stagnation. The small wagons have been blamed for inflated rail freight rates and depressed railway profits. What has been overlooked is that the small wagon was integral to the local coal market. The coal wagon was a substitute for costly distribution and delivery by road transport; although some railway specific costs may have been inflated, beyond the railhead other costs were economized. Seen in the appropriate context the small coal wagon was neither a bad choice nor an oddity.
Failures of Electrical/Electronic Components: Selected Case Studies

Consumer products typically contain a large number of discrete electrical and electronic components. The failure modes of these components are usually benign. However, in some cases, these failure modes can pose a safety hazard. An understanding of a component's failure modes and mechanisms is desirable to design a product that is both safe and reliable. Two case studies are presented here: an electrical and thermal test to characterize the temperature of an aluminum electrolytic capacitor during a venting event, and a field failure case study showing a power connector failure due to improper connector mounting techniques. A summary of the test setup, test procedures and selected results are also presented here.