cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Conceptual Challenges for a Science of Eudaimonic Well-Being

Philosophers have long struggled to describe and conceptualize the phenomenon of eudaimonic well-being. These struggles only become exacerbated when the project turns to conceptualizing the science of eudaimonic well-being. While it is easy enough to provide boiler-plate descriptions of eudaimonia, such as a state of “well-functioning” or “flourishing”, moving past these general descriptors, and into the details that comprise this state is challenging. Doing so, however, is also essential to the successful science of eudaimonic well-being. In this chapter, I’ll explore these challenges as they occur on both the philosophical and psychological levels with the hope of developing a greater understanding of what is involved in the science of eudaimonic well-being (EWB).
Demo: Real-time vehicle movement tracking on Android devices through Bluetooth communication with DSRC devices

This demo paper describes the architecture and communication protocols — both single hop and multi-hop — for DSRC devices. The paper also describes an Android application that enables visualization of real-time vehicle movements on Google map using DSRC and Bluetooth communication. The application receives information about position, speed and direction of mobility that multiple vehicles obtain through the GPS Receiver attached to their DSRC OBU. The android application communicates with one of the DSRC units through Bluetooth to gather real-time traces collected from all DSRC-equipped vehicles. The application displays live movement of these vehicles on Google map with their path history, speed and direction. The source code and installation files of this application will be released through the Open Source Application Development Portal (OSADP) hosted by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Enteral Feeding Set Handling Techniques

BACKGROUND Enteral nutrition therapy is common practice in pediatric clinical settings. Often patients will receive a pump-assisted bolus feeding over 30 minutes several times per day using the same enteral feeding set (EFS). This study aims to determine the safest and most efficacious way to handle the EFS between feedings. METHODS Three EFS handling techniques were compared through simulation for bacterial growth, nursing time, and supply costs: (1) rinsing the EFS with sterile water after each feeding, (2) refrigerating the EFS between feedings, and (3) using a ready-to-hang (RTH) product maintained at room temperature. Cultures were obtained at baseline, hour 12, and hour 21 of the 24-hour cycle. A time-in-motion analysis was conducted and reported in average number of seconds to complete each procedure. Supply costs were inventoried for 1 month comparing the actual usage to our estimated usage. RESULTS Of 1080 cultures obtained, the overall bacterial growth rate was 8.7%. The rinse and refrigeration techniques displayed similar bacterial growth (11.4% vs 10.3%, P = .63). The RTH technique displayed the least bacterial growth of any method (4.4%, P = .002). The time analysis in minutes showed the rinse method was the most time-consuming (44.8 ± 2.7) vs refrigeration (35.8 ± 2.6) and RTH (31.08 ± 0.6) ( P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS All 3 EFS handling techniques displayed low bacterial growth. RTH was superior in bacterial growth, nursing time, and supply costs. Since not all pediatric formulas are available in RTH, we conclude that refrigerating the EFS between uses is the next most efficacious method for handling the EFS between bolus feeds.
Dual objective motion planning subject to state constraints

This paper presents a novel motion planning approach inspired by the Dynamic Programming (DP) applicable to multi degree of freedom robots (mobile or stationary) and autonomous vehicles. The proposed discrete–time algorithm enables a robot to reach its destination through an arbitrary obstacle field in the fewest number of time steps possible while minimizing a secondary objective function. Furthermore, the resulting optimal trajectory is guaranteed to be globally optimal while incorporating state constraints such as velocity, acceleration, and jerk limits. The optimal trajectories furnished by the algorithm may be further updated in real time to accommodate changes in the obstacle field and/or cost function. The algorithm is proven to terminate in a finite number of steps without its computational complexity increasing with the type or number of obstacles. The effectiveness of the global and replanning algorithms are demonstrated on a planar mobile robot with three degrees of freedom subject to velocity and acceleration limits. The computational complexity of the two algorithms are also compared to that of an A*–type search.
Genetic lessons from high altitude

What lessons can we learn from mountain sickness or wellness that may apply to our patients? Does hypoxia affect us similarly regardless of its cause? Millions of individuals are as hypoxic from congenital or acquired heart or lung disease as healthy individuals may be at altitude. Certain adjustments enable many of such patients to lead nearly normal lives. I will compare their adjustments to those seen in the acclimatization of healthy persons to altitude. Some living organisms use strategies which enable them to tolerate a degree of hypoxia lethal to man. Are there lessons we can learn from them? In my short talk I will raise a few provocative questions, and these will lead me to discuss the relevance of basic research to the resolution of vexing human ailments. When does commercialization of research become a form of intellectual prostitution?
Undergraduate Research Participation Is Associated With Improved Student Outcomes at a Hispanic-Serving Institution.

Few scholars have comprehensively examined benefits of undergraduate research (UGR) participation for students at an institution campus-wide. In this study we examined benefits of UGR participation at a Hispanic-majority institution using National Survey of Student Engagement data. Generalized estimating equations were used to examine the influence of UGR participation on 5 student outcomes: gains in knowledge and skills, institutional support, overall satisfaction, grade point average, and student–faculty interaction. Results indicate that UGR participation is a robust positive predictor of all 5 outcomes. We provide insights into strategies for enhancing the beneficial impacts of UGR participation, especially for students from underrepresented groups.
The investigation of fly ash based asphalt binders using atomic force microscope

Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) is a relatively new technique for investigation of construction materials. In this study AFM was used to investigate the interaction of asphalt binder with fly ash. Fly ash is a coal combustion byproduct of electric power utilities having pozzolanic properties and commonly used in Portland cement concrete. In this study, an investigation was made by using different types of fly ash with two types of asphalt binders such as PG 58-28 and PG 64-28. Asphalt microstructure is divided into four subgroups such as Saturates, Aromatics, Resins and Asphaltenes (SARA). These four phases can be distinguished by the atomic force microscope. The interaction of these phases affected by introducing fly-ash was investigated and correlation with rheological properties was observed.
"When Birds of a Feather Don’t Flock Together: Dyad Similarity, Status and Conflict"

Previous diversity research has documented the influence of race as a status mechanism in diverse manager-employee dyads, particularly when the leader is from the majority race (i.e. in the high st...
Politics as Usual? Theatre, the Northern Irish Assembly, and the Romanticization of Normality

This article explores the treatment of Northern Irish electoral politics in two plays featuring Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) as major characters. Between 2007 and 2016, many viewed the stability of the Northern Irish Assembly as evidence of the continued success of the peace process. Although the principle of mandatory coalition at the system’s heart bears witness to the lasting nature of divisions within the state, the collaboration between once-bitter enemies demonstrates a real shift in Northern Irish politics. Until the institution’s (perhaps temporary) collapse in 2017, many commentators and politicians suggested that its success proved that the state was progressing in the nebulous but desirable direction of ‘normality’. Colin Bell’s God’s Country (2010) and Rosemary Jenkinson’s Planet Belfast (2013) suggest, however, that a valorization of normality obscures the dangers posed to Northern Ireland by problems that occur on more global levels. God’s Country explores the dangerous impact of homophobia in the North, and particularly within unionist politics, while Planet Belfast depicts the combined threat of environmental destruction and corporate interference. Both plays depict Northern Irish politics functioning smoothly, with minimal evidence of sectarian divisions deeper than the partisanship present in most democracies. In spite of this, however, they caution against treating normality as an end goal or as evidence that the state is safe. Instead, they suggest that the state faces a wide array of problems that have been obscured by the focus on sectarianism and the legacy of the Troubles.
Resiliency and Culturally- Responsive Practice for Adolescents and Young Adults with Substance Abuse and Mental Health Challenges

The developmental challenges of adolescence and young adulthood create particular vulnerabilities for those with co-occurring substance abuse and mental health issues. This chapter will provide practitioners with a theoretical framework to identify protective factors that promote resiliency and well-being for adolescence and young adults in the treatment process. The importance of the practitioner’s use of self to facilitate a culturally responsive approach in the worker-client relationship is described. A case example will integrate the use of a resiliency and culturally informed practice with attention to strengths and challenges. Practitioners will be able to discern the congruence of this approach with social work values and theories that guide clinical practice.
Subject Filtering for Passive Biometric Monitoring

Biometrie data can provide useful information about the person’s overall wellness. However, the invasiveness of the data collection process often prevents their wider exploitation. To alleviate this difficulty we are developing a biometrie monitoring system that relies on nonintrusive biological traits such as speech and gait. We report on the development of the pattern recognition module of the system that is used to filter out nonsubject data. Our system builds upon a number of signal processing and statistical machine learning techniques to process and filter the data, including, Principal Component Analysis for feature reduction, the Naive Bayes classifier for the gait analysis, and the Mixture of Gaussian classifiers for the voice analysis. The system achieves high accuracy in filtering non-subject data, more specifically , 84% accuracy on the gait channel and 98% accuracy on the voice signal. These results allow us to generate sufficiently accurate data streams for health monitoring purposes.
Prediction of lumbar vertebral body compressive strength of overweight and obese older adults using morphed subject-specific finite-element models to evaluate the effects of weight loss.

Diet and exercise can promote weight loss in older adults; however, there is potential to increase fracture risk due to loss of bone mineral density (BMD) known to accompany weight loss. Weight loss effects on measures of bone quality and strength are currently unknown. The purpose of this study is to develop subject-specific finite-element (FE) models of the lumbar spine and study the effect of intentional weight loss on bone strength in a pilot data set. Computed tomography (CT) scans of the lumbar spine of 30 overweight and obese (mean BMI = 29.7 ± 3.9 kg/m2), older adults (mean age = 65.9 ± 4.6 years) undergoing an 18-month intentional weight loss intervention were obtained at baseline and post-intervention. Measures of volumetric BMD (vBMD) and variable cortical thickness were derived from each subject CT scan. Development of the subject-specific FE models of the lumbar spine involved model morphing techniques to accelerate the development of the models. vBMD-derived material properties and cortical thickness measures were directly mapped to baseline and post-intervention models. Bone strength was estimated through simulation of a quasi-static uniaxial compression test. From baseline to 18-month post-weight loss intervention, there were statistically significant decreases in estimated bone strength (6.5% decrease; p < 0.05). Adjusting for baseline bone measures and gender revealed no statistically significant correlations between weight change and change in vBMD, cortical thickness, or bone strength. Integration of CT-based measures and FE models with conventional areal BMD can improve the understanding of the effects of intentional weight loss on bone health.
Heritability Estimation of Reliable Connectomic Features

Brain imaging genetics is an emerging research field to explore the underlying genetic architecture of brain structure and function measured by different imaging modalities. However, not all the changes in the brain are a consequential result of genetic effect and it is usually unknown which imaging phenotypes are promising for genetic analyses. In this paper, we focus on identifying highly heritable measures of structural brain networks derived from diffusion weighted imaging data. Using the twin data from the Human Connectome Project (HCP), we evaluated the reliability of fractional anisotropy measure, fiber length and fiber number of each edge in the structural connectome and seven network level measures using intraclass correlation coefficients. We then estimated the heritability of those reliable network measures using SOLAR-Eclipse software. Across all 64,620 network edges between 360 brain regions in the Glasser parcellation, we observed \(\sim \)5% of them with significantly high heritability in fractional anisotropy, fiber length or fiber number. All the tested network level measures, capturing the network integrality, segregation or resilience, are highly heritable, with variance explained by the additive genetic effect ranging from 59% to 77%.
Biologically inspired approaches to enhance human organoid complexity

ABSTRACT Organoids are complex three-dimensional in vitro organ-like model systems. Human organoids, which are derived from human pluripotent stem cells or primary human donor tissue, have been used to address fundamental questions about human development, stem cell biology and organ regeneration. Focus has now shifted towards implementation of organoids for biological discovery and advancing existing systems to more faithfully recapitulate the native organ. This work has highlighted significant unknowns in human biology and has invigorated new exploration into the cellular makeup of human organs during development and in the adult – work that is crucial for providing appropriate benchmarks for organoid systems. In this Review, we discuss efforts to characterize human organ cellular complexity and attempts to make organoid models more realistic through co-culture, transplantation and bioengineering approaches.
Sexual and Relationship Interest, Knowledge, and Experiences Among Adolescents and Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Little research exists to describe sexual and romantic relationships among adolescents and young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) from their perspectives. Sexuality and intimacy are developmentally important and influence health and quality of life for all adolescents and young adults, including those with ASD. This study explored and compared the sex and relationship experiences of 27 adolescents and young adults with ASD (males = 20). Adolescents and young adults participated in semi-structured interviews to explore this topic. Using theme analysis, we uncovered four thematic categories: (1) interest in relationships, (2) ideal partners, (3) realities of adolescent and young adult relationships, and (4) advice about sex and relationships. Although many adolescents and young adults expressed wanting a relationship, few reported having partners. Among those that did, their actual relationships rarely met ideals. Most adolescents and young adults talked with parents and friends but not healthcare providers about sex and relationships. All adolescents and young adults described the need for additional education. Adolescents and young adults express the need for education that covers basic safety and sexual health topics as well as social/relationship skills building and courtship modeling. These findings can inform the design of tailored sexual health intervention. Future research should examine specific issues related to sexuality from the adolescents’ and young adults’ perspectives.
Getting Your Collection Ready for the Centennial Anniversaries of the 19th Amendment

The centennial anniversaries of the passage and ratification of the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution are coming up. The authors are recipients of the 2018 American Library Association Carnegie Whitney Grant to create a centennial anniversary bibliography of currently available materials on women's suffrage for the general reader. This article highlights some resources and solicits suggestions for the complete bibliography.
Meningocele Manqué Discovered During Filum Terminale Resection in Occult Tethered Cord Syndrome.

Background Meningocele manque (MM) is characterized by tethering of the spinal cord, nerve roots, or filum terminale by fibrous attachments formed by atrophic or incomplete meningoceles. Patients with MM can present with symptoms of tethered cord syndrome (TCS). Case Description We present the case of an MM discovered incidentally during microsurgical resection of filum terminale for occult TCS. The MM was not visible on the preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies. After L2-L3 laminotomy, an extradural mass was appreciated adherent to the spinal dura, which was found to be an MM. The nerve roots of the cauda equina were found to protrude through the dura, consistent with tethered cauda equina. After microsurgical resection of the filum terminale, the tethered cauda nerve roots were stimulated, and redundant electromyographic signals were detected at both the left- and the right-sided muscles of the lower extremities. Microsurgical repair of the MM was performed, assuming that the patient's symptoms of TCS would also be explained by the MM and that her symptoms would likely have been incompletely addressed by filum terminale release alone. A review of the preoperative 3-dimensional constructive interference in steady state MRI sequence revealed pathological features at the L2-L3 level suspicious for our intraoperative findings of an MM. Conclusions Surgeons planning filum terminale release for occult TCS should always be aware of the possibility of associated pathological features of tethering that might be overlooked. In retrospect, the detection of MM was enabled by the high-resolution 3-dimensional constructive interference in steady state MRI sequence. This finding advocates for the use of high-resolution MRI for patients undergoing evaluation for occult TCS to detect pathological features that might otherwise be undetected.
Subjective value, not a grid-like code, describes neural activity in ventromedial prefrontal cortex during value-based decision-making

Across many studies, ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) activity has been found to correlate with subjective value during value-based decision-making. Recently, however, vmPFC has also been shown to reflect a hexagonal gridlike code during navigation through physical and conceptual space. This raises the possibility that the subjective value correlates previously observed in vmPFC may have actually been a misconstrued gridlike signal. Here, we first show that, in theory, a hexagonal gridlike code of two-dimensional attribute space could mimic vmPFC activity previously attributed to subjective value. However, using fMRI data from a large number of subjects performing an intertemporal choice task, we show clear and unambiguous evidence that subjective value is a better description of vmPFC activity than a hexagonal gridlike code. In fact, we find no significant evidence at all for a hexagonal gridlike code in vmPFC activity during intertemporal choice. This result limits the generality of gridlike modulation as description of vmPFC activity. We suggest that vmPFC may flexibly switch representational schemes so as to encode the most relevant information for the current task.
Association of caregiver-reported education with locked storage and disposal of prescription opioids after children's surgery

Abstract Purpose This study aimed to assess whether caregiver-reported storage and disposal education were associated with locked opioid storage and disposal of leftover opioids after children's surgery. Methods Caregivers of children Main Findings Among 606 respondents, storage education was reported by 366 (60.4%) and locked storage by 111 caregivers (18.3%). Caregivers who reported verbal storage education (aOR 3.01 (95% CI 1.52–5.94); p = 0.001) or both written and verbal storage education (aOR 2.18 (95% CI 1.30–3.68); p = 0.003) were more likely to lock opioids in storage. Among 451 caregivers with leftover opioids, disposal education was reported by 226 (50.1%) and disposal by 111 caregivers (24.6%). There was no association between verbal and/or written disposal education with disposal. Conclusion Caregivers infrequently reported education, locked storage, and disposal of leftover opioids after children's surgery. Education may improve locked opioid storage, but additional strategies are needed to increase disposal. Type of Study Treatment. Level of Evidence Level III.
U.S. Intellectual Property and Counterfeit Goods—Landscape Review of Existing/Emerging Research

This report provides an overview of the international market for counterfeit goods. Specifically, the report details the overall magnitude of international counterfeit trade, and explains how counterfeit goods affect the U.S. economy. It highlights the role of the private sector in combatting counterfeits, and the rising trend of counterfeit trade via small parcels. Last, it reviews trends in consumer attitudes towards counterfeit goods, and assesses the facilitating role of social media.
The Existence and Nature of Multi-Business Firms: Double Specialization and Neighboring Businesses

We propose a theory of the scope of the firm and offer supporting evidence. The theory suggests that multi-business firms exist because they allow better deployment of factors that, because of sub-additive bargaining costs, cannot be traded in fractions or rented for short periods. It predicts that the businesses making up multi-business firms are “neighbors” in two senses: their service needs are correlated and factors specialized to one business are also productive in the other. We then look at a sample of acquisitions and document three regularities. First, input intensities of targets change to more closely resemble those of their acquirers. Second, the performance of targets improves, but does not catch up to that of their acquirers. Third, acquirers tend to select targets in industries that are similar to their own.
Association Between Chronic Inflammatory Diseases and Stroke-Associated Pneumonia - An Epidemiological Study.

Abstract Background Pneumonia, the most common post-acute ischemic stroke (AIS) infection, accounts for up to 30% of deaths after a stroke. Multiple chronic inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and inflammatory bowel disease, are associated with increased risk of stroke and stroke morbidity. This study assessed the relationship between chronic inflammatory diseases and stroke-associated pneumonia (SAP). Methods Using data from the 2015-2017 National Inpatient Sample, we classified hospital discharges with a diagnosis of AIS as having ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, systemic lupus erythematosus, other chronic inflammatory diseases, multiple chronic inflammatory diseases, or none. With multivariable logistic regression, we assessed for associations between chronic inflammatory disease and in-hospital SAP or death. Results Among AIS discharges, there was a decreased risk of SAP among those with psoriasis or other chronic inflammatory diseases (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.70, 95%CI 0.63-0.99; aOR 0.64, 95%CI, 0.46-0.89, respectively), compared to those without psoriasis and without other chronic inflammatory disease, respectively. Rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and other chronic inflammatory diseases were associated with reduced in-hospital mortality (aOR 0.89, 95%CI 0.78-1.00; aOR 0.77, 95%CI 0.59-1.00; aOR 0.69, 95%CI 0.50-0.94, respectively). Conclusions The risk of SAP and in-hospital mortality varies by chronic inflammatory disease – psoriasis and other chronic inflammatory diseases are associate with reduced rates of SAP, whereas rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and other chronic inflammatory disease were associated with reduced in-hospital mortality. Further investigations are needed to determine a relationship between the potential role of immunomodulation and the reduction in SAP and mortality in chronic inflammatory diseases.
Geographic location and other determinants of patient decision-making to decline chemotherapy in advanced breast cancer.

111Background: Much work has been done to explore how social determinants of health are associated with disparities in the use of chemotherapy for breast cancer. We used a large national registry t...
Research Strategies for Clinicians

Research begins with the patient. Nurses, as central figures in providing patient care, are increasingly being called upon to develop and lead initiatives that define what patient care is, and should become for the future. By participating in clinical practice work groups, leading patient care standards committees, and developing process improvement programs, nurses are using research to improve patient care. In this article, research strategies are presented that incorporate not only where to begin in the research process, but also the importance of incorporating teamwork and fun into the clinical research equation.
Gnotobiotics and Human Cell Culture

Some gnotobiotic techniques have been adopted for certain types of cell culturing. Related techniques are required for the maintenance of “cell plants” and complex attempts to provide an optimal environment for normal cells. This brief dissertation will review the interface of gnotobiotics and some of the practical problems encountered in our cell laboratory.
Defusing Complexity in Intermetallics: How Covalently Shared Electron Pairs Stabilize the FCC Variant Mo2Cu(x)Ga(6-x) (x ≈ 0.9).

Simple sphere packings of metallic atoms are generally assumed to exhibit highly delocalized bonding, often visualized in terms of a lattice of metal cations immersed in an electron gas. In this Article, we present a compound that demonstrates how covalently shared electron pairs can, in fact, play a key role in the stability of such structures: Mo2Cu(x)Ga(6-x) (x ≈ 0.9). Mo2Cu(x)Ga(6-x) adopts a variant of the common TiAl3 structure type, which itself is a binary coloring of the fcc lattice. Electronic structure calculations trace the formation of this compound to a magic electron count of 14 electrons/T atom (T = transition metal) for the TiAl3 type, for which the Fermi energy coincides with an electronic pseudogap. This count is one electron/T atom lower than the electron concentration for a hypothetical MoGa3 phase, making this structure less competitive relative to more complex alternatives. The favorable 14 electron count can be reached, however, through the partial substitution of Ga with Cu. Using DFT-calibrated Huckel calculations and the reversed approximation Molecular Orbital (raMO) method, we show that the favorability of the 14 electron count has a simple structural origin in terms of the 18 - n rule of T-E intermetallics (E = main group element): the T atoms of the TiAl3 type are arranged into square nets whose edges are bridged by E atoms. The presence of shared electron pairs along these T-T contacts allows for 18 electron configurations to be achieved on the T atoms despite possessing only 18 - 4 = 14 electrons/T atom. This bonding scheme provides a rationale for the observed stability range of TiAl3 type TE3 phases of ca. 13-14 electrons/T atom, and demonstrates how the concept of the covalent bond can extend even to the most metallic of structure types.
Sharing memory in asynchronous message passing systems

We present an algorithm to simulate Read-Modify-Write registers in a message passing system with unreliable asynchronous processors and asynchronous communication. The algorithm works correctly in the presence of a strong adversary that can stop up to T processors, or stop the delivery of their messages where T=[N/2]−1 and N is the number of processors in the system. This is the best resilience that can be achieved in the message passing systems. The high resilience of the algorithm is obtained by using randomized consensus algorithms and a robust communication primitive. The use of this primitive allows a processor to exchange local information with a majority of processors in a consistent way and therefore, make decisions safely. The simulator makes it possible to translate algorithms for the shared memory model to that for the message passing model. With some minor modifications the algorithm can be used to robustly simulate shared queues, shared stacks, etc.
A Sect Apart: A History of the Legal Troubles of the Shakers

This article explores the Shaker experience in nineteenth century America, particularly their relationship to legislative bodies and courts and analyzes the reasons underlying the persistent, selective, official persecution of this group.
Effects of organic matter on the growth of Thiobacillus intermedius.

London, Jack (University of California, Los Angeles), and Sydney C. Rittenberg. Effects of organic matter on the growth of Thiobacillus intermedius. J. Bacteriol. 91:1062–1069. 1966.—Yeast extract, glucose, glutamate, and other organic materials stimulate the rate and extent of growth of Thiobacillus intermedius in thiosulfate broth. Growth did not occur in glucose or glutamate mineral salts medium in the absence of thiosulfate, although a stable variant was obtained which grows on yeast extract alone. Cells harvested from media supplemented with organic matter have a reduced rate of thiosulfate oxidation (20 to 30% of autotrophic), oxidize the organic supplement, and have an additive rate of oxidation in the presence of both the organic substrate and thiosulfate. Carboxydismutase synthesis is repressed, and the incorporation of bicarbonate carbon into cell material is almost completely eliminated by the presence of organic matter in the growth medium. It is concluded that the availability of organic matter eliminates the autotrophic assimilatory mechanisms of T. intermedius but not its autotrophic energy-generating system. The data are discussed in relation to the existence of “obligate” chemoautotrophic bacteria.
Ethnoburb: The New Ethnic Community in Urban America – By Wei Li

A review of the book "Ethnoburb: The New Ethnic Community in Urban America," by Wei Li is presented.
E-Compliance, How to Increase the Motivation of Our Patients in a Click

Aim: Inform young orthodontic patients effectively on all phases of a fixed orthodontic treatment in order to obtain compliance to therapy, a greater involvement during the entire therapy and motivation to the maintenance of proper oral hygiene. Materials and Methods: 40 patients at the beginning of a fixed orthodontic treatment, aged between 14 and 18 years, were randomly assigned to two groups of equal amount. In the study group we have developed a method for information since the beginning of therapy ap to debonding and delivery of retainers (mean treatment 18 months). We have prepared a digital document informing about all stages of orthodontic treatment, the risks associated with it, the need of maintaining proper oral hygiene and the relevance of not missing check appointments.The document contains the photographic records of the initial situation of each patient case, links to videos on the oral hygiene techniques during orthodontic treatment and e-mail contacts where to send snapshots of cracks, debonding or simple FAQ, and it was delivered on USB pen drive to 20 patients. The control group did not receive any media. These patients were instructed by the hygienists of the department at the chair at the beginning of therapy and at quarterly intervals. A third operator, blind to the group assignment of individual patients, recorded the following parameters: number of brackets debonding throughout the treatment, degree of oral hygiene (plaque index, gingival index, presence/absence of white spots), number of check appointments skipped. Results: At the end of treatment, study group patients had a hard tissue and periodontal health improved compared to that of patients in the control group, significantly fewer episodes of detachment of the brackets and a check appointments attendance of 100%. Conclusions: We can conclude that informing young patients on the orthodontic treatment, the possible risks and the need to cooperate during treatment helps in obtaining better results and in the conduct of therapy. The communication channel used was significant because the target of orthodontic patients, by age, it is more predisposed to the use of new technologies and media, which have been shown to increase compliance of the subjects in both the management of treatment both in the maintenance of a proper level of oral hygiene.
Contributions to the theory of rough sets

We study properties of rough sets, that is, approximations to sets of records in a database or, more formally, to subsets of the universe of an information system. A rough set is a pair 〈L, U〉 such that L, U are definable in the information system and L ⊆ U. In the paper, we introduce a language, called the language of inclusion-exclusion, to describe incomplete specifications of (unknown) sets. We use rough sets in order to define a semantics for theories in the inclusion-exclusion language. We argue that our concept of a rough set is closely related to that introduced by Pawlak. We show that rough sets can be ordered by the knowledge ordering (denoted $$\preceq$$ kn)- We prove that Pawlak's rough sets are characterized as $$\preceq$$ kn-greatest approximations. We show that for any consistent (that is, satisfiable) theory T in the language of inclusion-exclusion there exists a $$\preceq$$ kn-greatest rough set approximating all sets X that satisfy T. For some classes of theories in the language of inclusion-exclusion, we provide algorithmic ways to find this best approximation. We also state a number of miscellaneous results and discuss some open problems. (This is an extended version of the first part of the presentation made by the authors at the RSCTC98, Rough Sets and Current Trends in Computing, an international meeting held in Warsaw, Poland, in June 1998. Address for correspondence: Department of Computer Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506-0046.)
Overview and controversies in the medical management of pit viper envenomation in the dog

Objective To provide a review and update on the medical management of pit viper envenomation in dogs. Etiology Pit viper snake (Crotalidae) envenomation in dogs is a common emergency in the United States. At least 50 enzymes contribute to snake venom potency that causes soft tissue damage, vasculotoxicity, coagulopathy, cytotoxicity, and necrosis. Diagnosis Snakebite envenomation may be identified by fang puncture wounds but primarily as a focal site with a rapid onset of severe swelling, hemorrhage, pain, and potentially necrosis. Crotalid venom causes hematologic abnormalities, local tissue damage, hypotension, and occasionally neurological impairment. The most marked hematologic abnormalities include thrombocytopenia, hemolytic anemia, and various forms of coagulopathy, including defibrination without disseminated intravascular coagulation (in North America), summarized as a venom-induced coagulopathy. Therapy The mainstay of treatment includes intravenous crystalloid fluid therapy, antivenom, and analgesic medications. Currently available antivenom products include a mixed polyvalent Antivenin (Crotalidae) Polyvalent (ACP(a)), and Crotalinae polyvalent immune Fab (Crofab(b)). There are products from Mexico and Costa Rica that have limited availability, a similar imported Fab product (Antivipmyn(c)), and a polyspecific antivenom (Polyvet-ICP(d)), respectively. Glucocorticoids, nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and antihistamines are not included in the majority of recommended treatment protocols by world authorities; however, there are some reports that describe their use. Antimicrobial therapy and blood products are used only when clinically indicated. There is a vaccine available, but at present, it is of unknown efficacy because of a lack of documented scientific information. Prognosis Mortality from North American crotalid envenomation is generally rare and is influenced by several variables, including the amount of venom injected, the size and species of snake, the size of the victim, the location of the bite, time elapsed until treatment, and the therapy initiated. Mortality rates range from 1% to 30%.
Sex ratio and habitat limitation promote delayed dispersal in superb fairy-wrens

IN a small proportion of bird species (<3%), offspring delay their dispersal beyond the time when they are reproductively capable, remain on their natal territory, and usually assist the resident breeders, normally their parents, to raise other young1–3. This pattern of social organization and care-giving behaviour, most frequently termed cooperative breeding, is controversial with respect to why offspring delay their dispersal2–8. In this study we investigate the interaction between habitat limitation, habitat quality, and sex ratio in influencing dispersal decisions in a population of superb fairy-wrens (Malurus cyaneus). We show that every non-breeding male (31 of 32; 96.9%) given the opportunity, dispersed and bred. The sex ratio was male-biased and although males did not disperse into vacant but previously occupied territories in the absence of females, the reintroduction of females prompted dispersals. Our data suggest that young males delay their dispersal in response to a limited number of mates and secondarily to habitat limitation.
Accounting for Manufacturing Variability in Interior Noise Computations

A formulation that accounts for manufacturing variability in the analysis of structural/acoustic systems is presented. The methodology incorporates the concept of fast probability integration with finite element (FEA) and boundary element analysis (BEA) for producing the probabilistic acoustic response of a structural/acoustic system. The advanced mean value method is used for integrating the system probability density function. FEA and BEA are combined for producing the acoustic response that constitutes the performance function. The probabilistic acoustic response is calculated in terms of a cumulative distribution function. The new methodology is used to illustrate the difference between the results from a probabilistic analysis that accounts for manufacturing uncertainty, and an equivalent deterministic simulation through applications. The probabilistic computations are validated by comparison to Monte Carlo simulations. Significant computational time savings are achieved by the new probabilistic algorithm in comparison with the Monte Carlo simulations. Based on its computational efficiency and its accuracy, the new methodology is concluded to be a viable method of calculating numerically the probabilistic response of structural/acoustic systems due to manufacturing variability. [Research supported by the National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship program.]
A dendritic solidification model to explain Ge-Ni variations in iron meteorite chemical groups

Abstract Segregation during solidification is responsible for the secondary fractionation of trace elements in iron meteorite chemical groups. This study examines the consequences of dendritic segregation on the Ge-Ni fractionation in iron meteorite chemical groups. Solidification experiments and computer simulations of the dendritic solidification process indicate that the effect of P on the partitioning behavior of Ge and the effect of solid state diffusion on segregation are both important in understanding the observed Ge-Ni correlations. The Ge-Ni concentration trends predicted by the dendritic solidification model agree well with the observed variations.
Entering the leinamycin rearrangement via 2-(trimethylsilyl)ethyl sulfoxides

Attack of cellular thiols on the antitumor natural product leinamycin is believed to generate a sulfenate intermediate that undergoes subsequent rearrangement to a DNA-alkylating episulfonium ion. Here, 2-(trimethylsilyl)ethyl sulfoxides were employed in a fluoride-triggered generation of sulfenate anions related to the putative leinamycin-sulfenate. The resulting sulfenates enter smoothly into a leinamycin-type rearrangement reaction to afford an episulfonium ion alkylating agent. The results provide evidence that the sulfenate ion is, indeed, a competent intermediate in the leinamycin rearrangement. Further, the molecules examined here may provide a foundation for the design of functional leinamycin analogues that bypass the unstable and synthetically challenging 1,2-dithiolan-3-one 1-oxide moiety found in the natural product.
Occupational Risk Factors in the Emergency Medical Services

Introduction:During a medical emergency, the American public often relies on the expertise of emergency medical technicians (EMTs). These professionals face a number of occupational hazards, and the literature suggests that EMTs are at a greater risk of developing physical and mental stress-related disorders. The purpose of this paper is to systematically examine gaps in the extant literature and to present a theoretically driven conceptual model to serve as a basis for future intervention and research efforts.Methods:A systematic review of the literature was conducted utilizing rele-vant databases (e.g., PsychInfo, Medline). All empirical articles regarding emergency medical responders were reviewed, but given the limited research available, relevant theoretical and conceptual literature on the constructs of interest in other, related populations also were included. Based on this extensive review, a modification of the stress process model is suggested to explain the relationships among occupational stress exposure, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and high-risk alcohol and other drug use.Results:Exposure to traumatic events was reported to be between 80% and 100% among EMTs, and rates of PTSD are >20%. High-risk alcohol and drug use rates among other emergency response professionals were reported to be as high as 40%. The proposed model suggests direct linkages between occupationally related stress exposure, including chronic and critical incident stress, PTSD, and high-risk alcohol and other drug use. Social support and personal resources (e.g., coping, locus of control) are proposed to have mediating and moderating influences on the three main constructs, and cohesion is introduced as an important, idiosyncratic influence in this population. The moderating influences of gender, age, ethnicity, marital status, and socioeconomic status, level of training, and years of service are included in the proposed model.Conclusions:High-risk alcohol and other drug use and post-traumatic symptomatology pose substantial risks for EMTs, and consequently, for the patients they serve. It is imperative that researchers develop and test a theoretically grounded model of risk and protective factors that will guide intervention development and future study. The model suggested in this paper, based on a comprehensive literature review and development of theory, represents a critical first step in the intervention research process.
Peripheral basis of sound localization in anurans. Acoustic properties of the frog's ear

Directional responses of single auditory fibers in the eighth nerve of northern leopard frogs (Rana pipiens) were studied in order to gain some insights into the acoustical properties of the frog's ear. In addition to the actual directional response of a fiber, a theoretical directional-response curve to the intensity-rate function of the unit. The difference in the two responses provided a measure of the directional characteristics of the frog's ear at the stimulating frequency which can be plotted in a polar diagram to show the directivity pattern of the frog's acoustic receiver. Directivity patterns were obtained from three groups of experimental animals under the following conditions: (I) mouth filled with moistened cotton; (II) contralateral ear coated with silicone rubber cement; (III) open mouth. Changes in the directivity patterns were observed with experimental manipulations and these were compared to those obtained from normal animals (Feng, A.S. (1980) J. Acoust. Soc. AM. 68, 1107-1114). The results suggest that the frog's ear behaves as a combination pressure-pressure gradient receiver.
Regulatory action criteria for filth and other extraneous materials.I. Review of hard or sharp foreign objects as physical hazards in food.

A review of the scientific literature concerning physical hazards in food products is combined with the results of 190 evaluations of foreign objects in food that were conducted by the FDA Health Hazard Evaluation Board over a period of 25 years. Hard or sharp objects 7 mm or longer in size were found to be a potential health hazard from laceration, perforation wound, and possible secondary infection. Objects less than 7 mm in size represent a possible hazard, especially if a special-risk group (e.g., infants, elderly) is among the intended consumers of the product. The results proved consistent with U.S. Department of Agriculture guidance concerning foreign objects in food. Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point applications for physical hazards in food are discussed.
Student perceptions of federated searching vs single database searching

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to compare the efficacy of two approaches to finding articles on a topic by measuring student perceptions of the ease‐of‐use of the search process and the perceived relevancy of search results retrieved using both a single multidisciplinary database and a federated search tool.Design/methodology/approach – Students are asked to search both a federated search tool and a single multidisciplinary database, record their searches and respond to a series of quantitative and qualitative questions regarding their experiences with searching both search tools.Findings – Study results indicate a slight preference for federated searching over single database searching based on perceived relevancy of results and likeliness of future use. Study data supports equal promotion of single database searching and federated searching to undergraduate students.Practical implications – The results of this paper have practical implications for reference and instruction librarians teaching un...