cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Psychotherapy Utilization and Retention in a National Sample of Veterans With PTSD

Objective This study examines the demographic, diagnostic, and military variables associated with psychotherapy utilization and retention in a national Veteran sample. Method A large administrative VA dataset (142,620 Veterans) was utilized. Logistic regression was used to determine predictors of psychotherapy utilization and retention. Results Female gender was associat ed with increased psychotherapy utilization and retention. Geriatric age was associated with less retention in individual psychotherapy. Being a racial minority was associated with decreased utilization, but increased retention in group therapy. The majority of comorbid diagnoses were associated with longer retention in treatment. Depression was associated with decreased utilization but longer treatment duration. Dimensional symptom assessment demonstrated relationships with the dependent variables. Avoidance symptoms did not emerge as a barrier to treatment. Conclusion Differences in psychotherapy utilization and retention emerged across demographic, diagnostic and military variables, suggesting that these variables should inform outreach and treatment retention efforts for Veterans with PTSD.
Challenges for Public Agricultural Research and Extension in a World of Proprietary Science and Technology

Recent developments in both biotechnology and intellectual property rights in the legal system have made things very interesting for scientists, businessmen and consumers, in both developed and less developed countries. They have also served up some fairly thorny problems for the operation of non-profits and public research institutions in this new environment.
Non-dioxin like polychlorinated biphenyl indicator congeners in Northwest Atlantic spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias)

Abstract In the Northwest Atlantic Ocean (NWAO), spiny dogfish ( Squalus acanthias ) is a promising commercial species following of collapse of traditional groundfish stocks. There are little available data assessing polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in NWAO spiny dogfish. Here, six non-dioxin like PCB indicator congeners used in European Union regulations (EU NDL-PCB) were quantified via gas chromatography/mass spectrometry in 50 mature male spiny dogfish landed in southern New England. The average total concentration of EU NDL-PCBs was 58 ± 43 ng/g (mean ± 1 standard deviation). PCB values (corrected for co-elution) were below the 200 ng/g EU regulatory limit. Results provide first recent regional insight into the PCB content of spiny dogfish in the NWAO. However, our study offers only a snapshot of one particular dogfish population, and might not be representative for the whole NWAO. This study underscores the need for further testing in this species.
The Underrepresentation of Women in Computing Fields: A Synthesis of Literature Using a Life Course Perspective

Using a life course perspective, this literature review synthesizes research on women’s underrepresentation in computing fields across four life stages: 1) pre-high school; 2) high school; 3) college major choice and persistence; and 4) post-baccalaureate employment. Issues associated with access to, and use of, computing resources at the pre-high school and high school levels are associated with gender differences in interest and attitudes toward computing. At the college level, environmental context (classroom design, interactions with peers and role models, signals from stereotypical images) contribute to whether students will major in computing, whereas psychosocial factors (e.g., sense of belonging and self-efficacy) and departmental culture play a role in persistence in computing fields. As in other fields, issues associated with work-life conflict, occupational culture, and mentoring/networking opportunities play a role in women’s participation in the computing workforce. Several initiatives and programs have been implemented to address women’s underrepresentation in computing fields. While great strides have been made in making computing more accessible, the life course perspective highlights the importance of longitudinal studies in identifying students’ pathways to and through computing fields, as well as how interventions across life stages may intersect or cumulate to generate trends in computing participation.
Simulations predict microbial responses in the environment? This environment disagrees retrospectively

In their recent study, Hu et al. (1) simulated in the laboratory the deep-sea oil plume of the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) disaster, and claim successful enrichment of the dominant oil-degrading bacteria found in the environment. Although the simulation offers valuable insights into microbial succession patterns following the addition of oil, our analysis revealed that the dominant hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria in the simulation was not in the environment, and the one in the environment was not in the simulation. The disaster in the Gulf of Mexico led to the formation of a deep-sea oil plume in which the first bacterial responders linked to oil degradation were affiliated with the family Oceanospirillaceae (2⇓–4). Cultivation efforts failed to isolate members from these early responders; however, a population genome reconstructed from the oil plume is available (5). In their simulation, Hu et al. (1) reconstructed various population genomes, including an abundant Oceanospirillaceae population. The authors named this … [↵][1]1To whom correspondence may be addressed. Email: delmont{at}uchicago.edu or meren{at}uchicago.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Using Multimedia to Teach Self-Regulated Strategy Development to Preservice Teachers:

The National Commission on Writing called for a reform in writing instruction over a decade ago. However, teacher preparation programs still rarely provide sufficient training in writing instructio...
(229) Revealing a Brain-Gut Microbiome Connection following Chronic Opioid Treatment

Chronic opioid use is characterized by several phenotypic markers, including hyperalgesia and negative affect. We and other have shown previously that inflammation in the brain contributes to these behavioral symptoms, although the mechanism by which opioids drive central inflammation remains unclear. Recent reports have shown that neuroinflammation observed in other psychiatric conditions characterized by negative affect can be caused by disruptions to gut microbiota along a poorly understood gut-brain signaling axis. In this study, we explored how opioid use and cessation impacts the mouse gut microbiome. We hypothesized that opioid-induced changes in the gut microbiota influences inflammation-driven hyperalgesia and impaired reward behavior. Male adult C57Bl6/J mice were treated with either intermittent or sustained morphine. A separate group of animals treated with saline served as a control. Tail withdrawal and conditioned place preference were used to assess changes in evoked pain thresholds (hyperalgesia) and impaired reward, respectively. After 96 hours of morphine treatment, fecal samples were collected and processed for 16s rDNA sequencing. Manipulation of the gut microbiome was used to assess the causal relationship between the gut microbiome and opioid dependent behaviors. While both intermittent and sustained morphine treatment led to alterations in the gut microbiota composition, intermittent morphine treatment led to exacerbated inflammation, hyperalgesia, and negative affect. Depletion of the gut microbiota via antibiotic treatment led to a similar phenotypic outcome to opioid dependence, including central inflammation, morphine tolerance, and decreased negative affect. Recolonizing antibiotic-depleted animals with a control microbiota restored microglia to a resting phenotype, improved reward behavior, and blocked hyperalgesia. Recolonization with an opioid microbiota (isolated from mice treated with intermittent morphine), maintained the opioid-dependent phenotype. Our findings suggest that differing opioid regimens uniquely influence the gut microbiome, and that this process is causally related to the development of opioid dependent behaviors.
Investigation of a chaotic thermostat

A numerical study is presented of a free particle interacting with a deterministic thermostat in which the usual friction force is supplemented with a fluctuating force that depends on the self-consistent damping coefficient associated with coupling to the heat bath. It is found that this addition results in a chaotic environment in which a particle self-heats from rest and moves in positive and negative directions, exhibiting a characteristic diffusive behavior. The frequency power spectrum of the dynamical quantities displays the exponential frequency dependence ubiquitous to chaotic dynamics. The velocity distribution function approximates a Maxwellian distribution, but it does show departures from perfect thermal equilibrium, while the distribution function for the damping coefficient shows a closer fit. The behavior for the classic Nose-Hoover (NH) thermostat is compared to that of the enlarged Martyna-Klein-Tuckerman (MKT) model. Over a narrow amplitude range, the application of a constant external force results quantitatively in the Einstein relation for the NH thermostat, and for the MKT model it differs by a factor of 2.
Jejunal adenomyoma in an infant with gastroschisis

Abstract A case of jejunal adenomyoma in an infant, found during exploratory surgery for feeding intolerance, is described. A review of the literature reveals only one other reported case of pediatric jejunal adenomyoma. Awareness of these benign lesions in this location is important to ensure full evaluation of the bowel to identify sites of intraluminal obstruction which may contribute to intolerance of enteral nutrition.
Bone Microdamage and Its Contributions to Fracture

Microdamage formation is a major determinant of bone fracture. The nature and type of damage formed, as linear microcracks or diffuse damage, depends on the interaction between applied loading and the extracellular matrix. Human bone naturally experiences multi-axial cyclic loading. Changes in its extracellular matrix can contribute to the overall deterioration of bone’s mechanical integrity with aging and/or disease. This chapter provides a review of literature reports on the detection of microdamage and its limitations; alterations in microdamage with aging and disease; differences in microdamage between gender and bone’s two distinct structural forms (cancellous and cortical); and the role of microdamage in bone’s mechanical properties.
Environmental Justice Law, Policy & Regulation (Second Edition)

Environmental justice is a significant and dynamic contemporary development in environmental law. Professors Rechtschaffen, Gauna, and O’Neill provide an accessible compilation of interdisciplinary materials for studying environmental justice, interspersed with extensive notes, comments and questions designed to facilitate classroom discussion. Environmental Justice integrates excerpts from empirical studies, cases, agency decisions, informal agency guidance, law reviews and other academic literature, as well as community-generated documents. The materials include writings from the fields of environmental law and civil rights law, as well as sociology, political science, and risk assessment.After examining various conceptions of justice, studies about disparities in environmental harms and benefits, and the theories concerning the causes of such inequities, the book looks at environmental justice in a variety of regulatory contexts. Environmental Justice also explores various tools used in the effort to achieve environmental justice, including citizen suit enforcement of environmental laws, claims brought under the Equal Protection Clause and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, and various non-litigation strategies, including land use and planning tools, disclosure laws and collaborative projects.This second edition includes a new chapter addressing climate change. It also adds expanded coverage of international environmental justice issues, risk and the public health, empirical environmental justice research, and environmental justice for American Indian peoples.The Table of Contents is available to download at the link above.
Finite element method in die filling simulation of non-ferrous industrial castings

ABSTRACT A research program on computer and experimental modelling of the die casting process is presently being carried out at National Research Council of Canada. In die casting, metal flow and filling in the die cavity are known to have a considerable bearing on the part quality even before solidification takes place. This paper describes recent progresses achieved in the mathematical modelling of the flow fronts under turbulent conditions. In the first phase of this work, free surface flow subject to a number of constraints is tracked by means of a 3-D finite element mesh. With clear knowledge of the fluid domain evolution and boundary conditions, the second phase of the program will lead to the generation of velocity, pressure and temperature fields. Some examples of filling simulations of industrial die cast aluminum parts are given. The results of validation of a few experiments are described.
Allelic imbalance and haploinsufficiency in MYBPC3-linked hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Mutations in cardiac myosin binding protein C (MYBPC3) represent the most frequent cause of familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), making up approximately 50% of identified HCM mutations. MYBPC3 is distinct among other sarcomere genes associated with HCM in that truncating mutations make up the vast majority, whereas nontruncating mutations predominant in other sarcomere genes. Several studies using myocardial tissue from HCM patients have found reduced abundance of wild-type MYBPC3 compared to control hearts, suggesting haploinsufficiency of full-length MYBPC3. Further, decreased mutant versus wild-type mRNA and lack of truncated mutant MYBPC3 protein has been demonstrated, highlighting the presence of allelic imbalance. In this review, we will begin by introducing allelic imbalance and haploinsufficiency, highlighting the broad role each plays within the spectrum of human disease. We will subsequently focus on the roles allelic imbalance and haploinsufficiency play within MYBPC3-linked HCM. Finally, we will explore the implications of these findings on future directions of HCM research. An improved understanding of allelic imbalance and haploinsufficiency may help us better understand genotype-phenotype relationships in HCM and develop novel targeted therapies, providing exciting future research opportunities.
On the Robustness of Authorship Attribution Based on Character N -gram Features

A number of independent authorship attribution studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of character n-gram features for representing the stylistic properties of text. However, the vast majority of these studies examined the simple case where the training and test corpora are similar in terms of genre, topic, and distribution of the texts. Hence, there are doubts whether such a simple and low-level representation is equally effective in realistic conditions where some of the above factors are not possible to remain stable. In this study, the robustness of authorship attribution based on character n-gram features is tested under cross-genre and cross-topic conditions. In addition, the distribution of texts over the candidate authors varies in training and test corpora to imitate real cases. Comparative results with another competitive text representation approach based on very frequent words show that character n-grams are better able to capture stylistic properties of text when there are significant differences among the training and test corpora. Moreover, a set of guidelines to tune an authorship attribution model according to the properties of training and test corpora is provided. * Assistant Professor, University of the Aegean. 422 JOURNAL OF LAW AND POLICY
Cheek Dimpleplasty: A New Classification of Described Procedures:

Cheek dimpleplasty has become a popular request amongst patients requesting cosmetic surgery. Since the first reported dimpleplasty in 1962, there have been many reported procedures in the literatu...
The Impact of Workplace Aggression on Employee Satisfaction With Job Stress, Meaningfulness of Work, and Turnover Intentions:

Research concerning workplace aggression has become more prevalent over the past several decades. These studies have mainly focused on the antecedents and outcomes of workplace aggression in genera...
Digit Recognition From Wrist Movements and Security Concerns with Smart Wrist Wearable IOT Devices

In this paper, we investigate a potential security vulnerability associated with wrist wearable devices. Hardware components on common wearable devices include an accelerometer and gyroscope, among other sensors. We demonstrate that an accelerometer and gyroscope can pick up enough unique wrist movement information to identify digits being written by a user. With a data set of 400 writing samples, of either the digit zero or the digit one, we constructed a machine learning model to correctly identify the digit being written based on the movements of the wrist. Our model's performance on an unseen test set resulted in an area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve of 1.00. Loading our model onto our fabricated device resulted in 100% accuracy when predicting ten writing samples in real-time. The model's ability to correctly identify all digits via wrist movement and orientation changes raises security concerns. Our results imply that nefarious individuals may be able to gain sensitive digit based information such as social security, credit card, and medical record numbers from wrist wearable devices.
Evolution of minimally invasive surgery for rectal cancer: update from the national cancer database.

As the use of minimally invasive techniques in colorectal surgery has become increasingly prevalent, concerns remain about the oncologic effectiveness and long-term outcomes of minimally invasive low anterior resection (MI-LAR) for the treatment of rectal cancer. The 2010–2015 National Cancer Database (NCDB) Participant Data Use File was queried for patients undergoing elective open LAR (OLAR) or MI-LAR for rectal adenocarcinoma. A 1:1 propensity match was performed on the basis of demographics, comorbidity, and tumor characteristics. Outcomes were compared between groups and Cox proportional hazard modeling was performed to identify independent predictors of mortality. A subset analysis was performed on high-volume academic centers. 35,809 patients undergoing LAR were identified of whom 18,265 (51.0%) underwent MI-LAR. After propensity matching, patients receiving MI-LAR were less likely to have a positive circumferential radial margin (CRM) (5.5% vs. 6.6%, p = 0.0094) or a positive distal margin (3.6% vs. 4.6%, p = 0.0022) and had decreased 90-day all-cause mortality (2.0% vs. 2.6%, p = 0.0238). MI-LAR resulted in decreased hospital length of stay (5 vs. 6 days, p < 0.0001) but a greater rate of 30-day readmission (7.6% vs. 6.5%, p = 0.0054). Long-term overall survival was improved with MI-LAR (79% vs. 76%, p < 0.0001). Cox proportional hazard modeling demonstrated a decreased risk of mortality with MI-LAR (HR 0.859, 95% CI 0.788–0.937). MI-LAR is associated with improvement in CRM clearance and long-term survival. In the hands of experienced surgeons with advanced laparoscopy skills, MI-LAR appears safe and effective technique for the management of rectal cancer.
11 – Violent Crime

Publisher Summary The use of physical force against a person or property is a crime of violence. Violent crimes include murders, robberies, rapes, and assaults that frighten people. Three behaviors generally are viewed as serious violent crimes—homicide, assault, and rape. Conventional forms of homicide are a by-product of social interaction; their incidence increases on weekends, holidays, and other times of more intense social activity. A homicide is viewed as a completed assault and an assault as an unfinished murder. Rape has undergone from a sex crime to a crime of violence, although it has a strong sexual component. This component involves the use of sexual dominance as an indication of power and superiority. Domestic violence causes serious harm to women and children. Sibling violence plays a role in socialization into the use of violence. Business, government, and professional violence form a very large part of the roster of serious harm-inflicting offenses. Injuries are often brought about by a failure to take proper precautions or by deceit in validating tests, as with new drugs. Organized crime is a term used to categorize groups of offenders, usually of similar ethnic identification, who use force to get their way. Organized criminals engage in activities such as extortion, drug trafficking, money laundering, and protection rackets in which for a certain payoff they will “protect” a merchant from their own willingness to wreck his or her store and from predation by other mobsters.
Polymorphism of IL-4 receptor gene in patients with childhood wheezing

The study eonsisted of 128 children with wheezing and 82 healthy subjects. PCR-RFLP was used to detect IL-4R gene 150V and Q576R. There were difference in I50 and V50, Q576 and 11576 allele frequency and genotypic frequency between childhood wheezing patients and normal children. Genotype 150/I50 was correlated with the susceptibility for wheezing (P=0.015, OR=0.439, 95% CI=0. 223 - 0. 826). The susceptibility for wheezing was related to the combination of I50/I50 and Q576/R576. Results of this study suggest that childhood wheezing is closely related to genetic factors, and children who carry predisposing genes may suffer from frequent wheezing and subsequent asthma. Key words: Receptor; interleukin-4; Genetic predisposition to disease
Using critical race theory to reframe mentor training: theoretical considerations regarding the ecological systems of mentorship

This article offers a theoretical and critical analysis of race-dysconscious mentorship involving students of color and white faculty. Inspired by ecological systems theory, critical race theory, and the NIH-funded program, Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity: Promoting Opportunities for Diversity in Education and Research, our analysis considers the ecosystems that promote student pushout and hinder diversification of the scientific workforce, which call for “critical” alternatives to traditional research mentorship. We first examine the historical, social–political, institutional, interpersonal, and intrapsychic ecosystems of traditional mentor–protege relationships. Two areas are reviewed: (a) “diversity” as it operates in universities and research laboratories and (b) the discursive properties of a dysconscious dialog that rationalizes modern racism. Next, we connect the five ecosystems of mentorship by integrating literature on critical history, white consciousness, the interpersonal context of mentoring, and mentor–protege phenomenology. Our analysis demonstrates how the racialized lives of members involved in a mentoring relationship are situated within racist macro-level ecological systems wherein intrapsychic and interpersonal actions and discourses unfold. The development of race-consciousness and anti-racist faculty mentor training programs is also discussed.
Failure of High Flow Nasal Cannula and Subsequent Intubation Is Associated With Increased Mortality as Compared to Failure of Non-Invasive Ventilation and Mechanical Ventilation Alone: A Real-World Retrospective Analysis.

Background:Despite the increasing use of high flow nasal cannula oxygenation systems (HFNC) in clinical practice, little is known about its role in all cause respiratory failure as compared to trad...
Technical Note---A Note on “The Censored Newsvendor and the Optimal Acquisition of Information”

This paper revisits the finite-horizon model of a censored newsvendor by Ding et al. [Ding, X., M. L. Puterman, A. Bisi. 2002. The censored newsvendor and the optimal acquisition of information. Oper. Res.50 517--527]. An important result claimed there without a proper proof is that the myopic order quantity is always less than or equal to the optimal order quantity. Lu et al. [Lu, X., J. S. Song, K. Zhu. 2008. Analysis of perishable inventory systems with censored demand data. Oper. Res.56(4) 1034--1038.] supplied a correct proof of the result. We analyze the same model using the interesting concept of the unnormalized probability, which simplifies the dynamic programming equation considerably and facilitates the proof of the claim. Moreover, it produces the proof of the existence of an optimal solution for an infinite-horizon setting of the problem.
Delighted for a dairy queen in Egypt: US foreign policy leadership discourse in the Middle East during Arab Spring

Ample studies scrutinized what the Arab Spring meant for communication and politics in the Middle East and beyond. The rhetoric of the U.S. ambassadors stationed in those countries during the Arab ...
Pigskin Nation: How the NFL Remade American Politics

On August 26, 2016, NFL quarterback, Colin Kaepernick sat on the bench during the playing of the national anthem. Kaepernick stated that he sat during the anthem because the United States oppressed...
Specific Contribution of Different Phospholipid Surfaces to the Activation of Prothrombin by the Fully Assembled Prothrombinase

This paper addresses, in thermodynamic and kinetic terms, the reasons for the acidic lipid specificity of the human prothrombinase complex. We obtained, from the measured lipid titrations of the initial rates of prothrombin activation, the empirical binding constants for prothrombinase assembly on different membranes. These favored assembly on phosphatidylserine (PS)- as opposed to phosphatidylglycerol (PG)-containing membranes. In addition, we have used full time courses of prothrombin activation, in conjunction with a calculation of the equilibrium distribution of factor Xa between four enzymatic forms, to obtain the intrinsic kinetic constants of the prothrombinase assembled on PS- or PG-containing membranes. The resulting values of kcat, Km, and kcat/Km increased as acidic lipid content increased, and kcat/Km reached a plateau at 12 mol % PS and 50 mol % PG. Using the measured assembly and kinetic constants, the observed shapes of the phospholipid titration curves of human prothrombin activation were interpreted. We conclude that the difference in activity of prothrombinase assembled on PS- versus PG-containing membranes results both from the different binding properties of factors Xa and Va to these surfaces and from the different intrinsic activities of the prothrombinase when assembled on different membranes.
On the Solution of the Two-Sex Mixing Problem

In this paper we describe an axiomatic framework that allows for the general incorporation of sexual structure into two-sex pair-formation models for sexuallytransmitted diseases. A representation theorem describing all solutions to this mixing framework as perturbations of particular solutions is proved. Two-sex age structured demographic and age-structured epidemiological models that make use of our framework, and are therefore capable of describing the dynamics of individuals and/or pairs of individuals, are formulated.
Kinetics of Microbial Dehalogenation of Haloaromatic Substrates in Methanogenic Environments

Abstract The kinetic parameters associated with the microbial dehalogenation of 3-chlorobenzoate, 3,5-dichlorobenzoate, and 4-amino-3,5-dichlorobenzoate were measured in anoxic sediment slurries and in an enriched methanogenic culture grown on 3-chlorobenzoate. The initial dehalogenation of the substrates exhibited Michaelis-Menten kinetics. The apparent Km values for the above substrates ranged from 30 to 67 μM. The pattern of degradation, however, was unusual. The enrichment culture accumulated partially dehalogenated intermediates to 72 and 98% of that possible when incubated with either 3,5-dichloro- or 4-amino-3,5-dichlorobenzoate, respectively, but did not accumulate significant amounts of benzoate when 3-chlorobenzoate was the sole carbon and energy source. The accumulated intermediates were rapidly metabolized only after the parent substrate concentrations were nearly depleted (<5 μM). A sequential Michaelis-Menten model was developed to account for the observed pattern of biodegradation. Using this model, we found that relative differences in the Km and Vmax parameters for substrate and intermediate dehalogenations alone were insufficient to explain the transitory accumulation of intermediates. However, by inserting a competitive inhibition term, with the primary substrate as the inhibitor, the observed pattern of degradation was simulated. Apparently, the dichlorinated substrates competitively inhibit the dehalogenation of the monochlorinated substrates. Similar kinetic patterns were noted for sediments, although the rates were slower than in the enrichment culture.
Reconstruction from samples on linear and expanding spiral scans

The problem of reconstructing a two-dimensional function from a set of spiral samples is addressed. This problem is of practical interest in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A theorem that enables exact interpolation from linear spiral samples to a Cartesian lattice is presented, dealing with nonlinear, expanding spirals. These kinds of spirals have a potential advantage in a situation for which the data collection time is limited. In general, there is no exact reconstruction procedure from nonlinear spiral samples. Two practical methods are furnished to reconstruct an image from a set of spiral samples of its Fourier transform and examples are shown of reconstructions obtained through both methods. >
Fuzzy logic and probability applications: bridging the gap

Preface Section I. Fundamentals 1. Introduction 2. Fuzzy Set Theory, Fuzzy Logic, and Fuzzy Systems 3. Probability Theory 4. Bayesian Methods 5. Considerations for Using Fuzzy Set Theory and Probability Theory 6. Guidelines for Eliciting Expert Judgment as Probabilities or Fuzzy Logic Section II. Applications 7. Image Enhancement. Probability Versus Fuzzy Expert Systems 8. Engineering Process Control 9. Structural Safety Analysis. A Combined Fuzzy and Probability Approach 10. Aircraft Integrity and Reliability 11. Auto Reliability Project 12. Control Charts for Statistical Process Control 13. Fault Tree Logic Models 14. Uncertainty Distributions Using Fuzzy Logic 15. Signal Validation Using Bayesian Belief Networks and Fuzzy Logic.
Optical response time for carbon nanotube based infrared detectors

We present the development of a single carbon nanotube (CNT) based optical detector in the infrared (IR) region. CNTs have been found to be sensitive under IR radiation and they could be used as IR sensing elements. When a CNT is manipulated between two metal electrodes, two contacts are formed at the CNT-metal interfaces. The contact conditions play an important role in IR detection. Current results indicated that asymmetric electrode is capable to maximize photocurrent. The optical response time of the devices was also measured and considered. Beside, a reliable and efficient nano-manufacturing process has been introduced to build CNT-based IR detector. As a result, high efficiency, high sensitivity, stable and reliable performance CNT-based IR detectors can be fabricated.
A System for the Behavioral Assessment of Athletic Coaches.

Abstract A behavioral assessment system for coding and analyzing the behaviors of athletic coaches in naturalistic settings is described. The Coaching Behavior Assessment System (CBAS) consists of 12 behavioral categories derived from content analyses of coaching behaviors during practices and games. The manner in which coders are trained and the CBAS used in field settings is described, and the results of several reliability studies are reported. These studies indicate that high scorer accuracy and interrater reliability can be attained. The potential use of the CBAS to extend the study of interpersonal behavior into the realm of sport psychology is also discussed.
Friedrich, Pragmatism, and the Warrants of Authority

Thoughtfully employed, Carl Friedrich's conception of authority leads us to a pragmatic solution to the problem of what should constitute the proper warrants of authority. Contrary to the thinking of some who favor pragmatism in Public Administration, the discourse on this problem is neither pointless nor likely to dissolve should we opt for fully inclusive collaboration between administrators and citizens. And contrary to those who argue that genuine authority must originate in truth, Friedrich's concept of authority elucidates the contingent nature of truth and sets us upon a pragmatic trajectory out of the theoretical lacuna into which we are led by conservative and liberal thinkers. In brief, it suggests that people and institutions should only be recognized as legitimate authorities when they demonstrate the ability to generate directives founded upon reasons that derive from collaborative problem-solving, a process whereby knowledge gained through praxis of many and placed, through a wide-ranging an...
Assessing the optimal definition of oligohydramnios associated with adverse neonatal outcomes

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to compare the use of an amniotic fluid index (AFI) less than 5 cm to the use of an AFI less than the fifth percentile for gestational age in predicting adverse perinatal outcomes. METHODS This was a retrospective cohort study from 1998 to 2008. Patients with an AFI less than 5 cm and those with an AFI less than the fifth percentile were compared to patients with a normal AFI. The primary outcome measure was neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission. RESULTS A total of 17,887 patients had complete information for analysis. There were 145 NICU admissions in patients with an AFI less than 5 cm (relative risk, 2.2) compared to 235 in patients with an AFI less than the fifth percentile for gestational age (relative risk, 2.37). The sensitivity and specificity for NICU admission using an AFI less than 5 cm were 10.9% and 95.2% compared to 17.6% and 92.5% for an AFI less than the fifth percentile for gestational age. CONCLUSIONS Oligohydramnios defined as an AFI less than the fifth percentile better predicts fetuses at risk for adverse perinatal outcomes compared to an AFI less than 5 cm.
Optimal hedging via large deviation

Abstract The criterion of minimizing the cumulative hedged returns’ probability of underperforming a benchmark provides a framework for evaluating short-term hedges that are rolled over to produce longer-term hedges. Large deviations theory can be used to either parametrically or nonparametrically estimate underperformance probabilities for cumulative hedged returns produced by roll-overs, providing a straightforward way to find optimal hedge ratios. Optimal hedges using soybean futures are constructed to illustrate the procedures, and their relationship to the popular hedging criteria that are motivated by normality.
Oxytocin inhibits ACTH and peripheral catecholamine secretion in the urethane-anesthetized rat.

Oxytocin (OT) generally has a stimulatory effect on ACTH secretion both in vitro and in vivo. As part of a study of ACTH-releasing factors in hypophysial portal blood, the effects of i.v. OT administration on plasma ACTH levels were tested in urethane-anesthetized rats. Surprisingly, i.v. injection of 10 micrograms OT lowered plasma ACTH levels by about 35% (P less than 0.01). It was reasoned that this paradoxical inhibition of ACTH secretion by OT might be mediated by inhibition of the unusually high rate of peripheral catecholamine secretion in this model. Measurement of plasma catecholamines before and after i.v. administration of 10 micrograms OT revealed a 53% inhibition of EPI (P less than 0.01) and 43% inhibition of NE (P less than 0.05). Administration of the beta-adrenergic antagonist propranolol (400 micrograms) 15 min before the beginning of the experiment completely blocked the inhibitory effects of OT on ACTH secretion and in fact unmasked the stimulatory effects of OT normally seen in conscious animals and in vitro. Superfused bisected adrenal glands exposed to 10(-6) M OT for 10 min secreted more than 30% less EPI and NE than control adrenals suggesting that the inhibition of EPI and NE secretion by OT in vivo occurs, at least in part, directly at the level of the adrenal. The data support the hypothesis that peripheral catecholamines may at times be directly involved in the control of ACTH secretion and also suggest that OT, which has recently been identified in the adrenal medulla, may have important paracrine functions in the regulation of adrenal catecholamine secretion.
A small on-line computer system for high-resolution mass spectrometers

A system is described in which a medium-sized double-focusing mass spectrometer is coupled on-line to a small (4K memory words) computer. The system can produce complete elemental composition data within two minutes after the completion of the mass spectral scan. The inherent speed of the processor and memory sub-systems is effectively retained through the utilization of a low-cost random-access bulk-storage device and other high-speed peripherals. An attempt is made to define both the theoretical and practical considerations necessary in utilizing a small digital computer as an integral part of a chemical experiment, specifically as applied to high-resolution mass spectrometry. Important aspects include the interaction of resolution and errors of mass measurement, the contribution of noise to observed errors, the effect of peak shape on such errors, the techniques of analog and digital signal processing, the criteria of efficient system design and the fundamental validity of applying a mathematical model, such as the centroid, to a basically statistical situation. The centroid method of calculating peak centers is shown to be fundamentally correct and the resultant error due to statistics diminishes in absolute value as the peak width decreases, that is, as the resolution increases, errors being approximately one-half as large at R = 10,000 as those at R = 2200. The overall mass measuring accuracy has been investigated at resolutions up to R = 10,000 using several different organic compounds and has been shown to be about 12 ppm for a single scan. Multiple scan averaging reduces this error by approximately the square root of the numbers of scans.
A coated-platinum sulfate-selective electrode

Abstract Sulfate-selective electrodes can be fabricated from commercial platinum electrodes by coating them with a mixture of Aliquat-336 and trifluoroacetyl-p-butylbenzene in polyvinyl chloride matrix. Adding a solid, sparingly soluble sulfate such as that of strontium, lead, barium, or 2-aminoperimidine (2-AP) improves the selectivity for sulfate relative to nitrate. The 2-AP electrode shows the best physical stability and is described in detail. The order ofanion interference is ClO4->Cl->NO3->H2PO4->F-. The useful pH range is 4–9. The response is Nernstian from 10-5 to 10-1 M in sodium sulfate solutions.
Sporadic inclusion body myositis--diagnosis, pathogenesis and therapeutic strategies.

Sporadic inclusion body myositis is a slowly progressive inflammatory myopathy that is characterized histopathologically by a combination of degenerative and autoimmune inflammatory features in the muscle fibers. In this review, Marinos Dalakas describes the clinical features of sporadic inclusion body myositis, and considers potential disease mechanisms and therapeutic strategies. Sporadic inclusion body myositis (sIBM) presents with a characteristic clinical phenotype of slow-onset weakness and atrophy, affecting proximal and distal limb muscles and facial and pharyngeal muscles. Histologically, sIBM is characterized by chronic myopathic features, lymphocytic infiltrates invading non-vacuolated fibers, vacuolar degeneration, and accumulation of amyloid-related proteins. The cause of sIBM is unclear, but two processes—one autoimmune and the other degenerative—appear to occur in parallel. In contrast to dystrophies, in sIBM the autoinvasive CD8+ T cells are cytotoxic and antigen-driven, invading muscle fibers expressing major histocompatibility complex class I antigen and costimulatory molecules. The concurrent degenerative features include vacuolization, filamentous inclusions and intracellular accumulations of amyloid-β-related molecules. Although viruses have not been amplified from the muscle fibers, at least 12 cases of sIBM have been seen in association with retroviral infections, indicating that a chronic persistent viral infection might be a potential triggering factor. Emerging data imply that continuous upregulation of cytokines and major histocompatibility complex class I on the muscle fibers causes an endoplasmic reticulum stress response, resulting in intracellular accumulation of misfolded glycoproteins and activation of the transcription factor NFκB, leading to further cytokine activation. In spite of the brisk, antigen-driven T-cell infiltrates, sIBM does not respond to immunotherapies. New therapies using monoclonal antibodies against lymphocyte signaling pathways might prove helpful in arresting disease progression.
Role of the interface in the kinetics and mechanisms of extraction of nickel by 8-quinolinols

Abstract The measurement of individual rate constants, as well as the quantitative determination of the contribution of the liquid-liquid interface to the overall extraction kinetics in a well known extraction system, nickel extraction by oxine and its high molecular weight analog (KELEX 100), has revealed that a three path extraction mechanism is operative. The-results indicate that the interfacial region provides a more conducive reaction medium in comparison to the bulk aqueous phase. The finding of concurrent bulk and interfacial mechanisms not only reveals the complexity that can be involved in this extraction system, but also enables one to design more efficient separation techniques based on these differences in mechanisms.
The simultaneous computation of a few of the algebraically largest and smallest eigenvalues of a large, sparse, symmetric matrix

A heuristic argument and supporting numerical results are given to demonstrate that a block Lanczos procedure can be used to compute simultaneously a few of the algebraically largest and smallest eigenvalues and a corresponding eigenspace of a large, sparse, symmetric matrixA. This block procedure can be used, for example, to compute appropriate parameters for iterative schemes used in solving the equationAx=b. Moreover, if there exists an efficient method for repeatedly solving the equation (A−σI)X=B, this procedure can be used to determine the interior eigenvalues (and corresponding eigenvectors) ofA closest to σ.
The Measurement of Principal Rule Administration Behavior and Its Relationship to Educational Leadership

A report of research on the theoretical development, instrumentation, and subsequent investigations of the rule administration behavior of public school principals is the basis of this article. Findings indicate that principals can reduce conflict and increase leadership perception by utilization of representative rule administration.
Fate of Endogenous Mg28 in Laying Hens

Abstract The lack of basic information on the metabolism of magnesium in laying hens prompted this study which was carried out to determine the quantity of a dose of Mg28 that a hen would lose by way of the egg and droppings over an interval of time. Five yearling Single Comb White Leghorn hens, which were brought into production on a commercial laying ration, were selected for this study. The hens were individually housed, and the commercial ration and water supplied ad libitum. They were given an intraperitoneal injection of approximately 15 microcuries of Mg28. The Mg28 used in this study was obtained from the Brookhaven National Laboratories at Upton, New York. The Mg28 had a specific activity of 20 millicuries per gram of magnesium, and was received as magnesium chloride in concentrated hydrochloric acid. It was neutralized with 1.0 normal sodium hydroxide and diluted to give approximately 3 microcuries per …
Retrospective reflections on the Black American male athlete and the 1968 Olympics: an elite interview with Dr Harry Edwards

This research note presents an abbreviated version of an ‘elite’ interview conducted with pre-eminent sport sociologist Dr Harry Edwards. As the architect of the Olympic Project for Human Rights, Edwards’s activism targeted racial apartheid in the USA and in South Africa. Edwards’ leadership in the area of human rights catalysed the African-American boycott of the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. A series of semi-structured, retrospective interview questions were posed to Edwards to garner his perspectives on the progress that Black American, male Olympic athletes have made in the USA from 1968 to present day. Analysis of the interview with Edwards revealed the following about Black American, male Olympic athletes: (1) the social conditions in the USA had changed for the better since 1968; (2) in the second millennium these have become ‘commoditised’ after the Olympics and gain substantially from their celebrity; and (3) Black male, American athletes can become enslaved to the economics of their celebrity if...
Treatment of panic disorder in the general medical setting

There has been considerable interest and progress in the panic disorder field in the last two decades as witnessed by the excellent articles in this issue. As is demonstrated in the review below, many panic disorder (PD) patients present in primary care and in the general medical setting and far less is known about PD in that setting [1]. However, it does appear that many patients in primary care have PD and that, unfortunately, it is generally unrecognized as PD, despite the fact that these patients visit physicians frequently. Because treatment begins with proper recognition, I will review the issues involved in the recognition and evaluation of PD patients in primary care and suggest a model of how we might begin to think about treatment of these patients in the general medical setting. Unfortunately, there are as yet very few formal studies of this problem despite its apparent importance. These studies are urgently needed because we are not certain that findings generated in psychiatric settings and with psychiatric patients will, in fact, generalize to primary care patients and settings [2]. There are multiple reasons to think that they may not generalize, including epidemiologic differences, diagnostic differences, mindset and models of care of the patients and practitioners, and the obvious differences in training in psychiatric issues and the structural differences in practice (brief visits, poor reimbursement for psychiatric care, etc.) [3]. Therefore, I am grateful to the editor for the invitation to call attention to this area in this editorial. Panic disorder has a prevalence in the general population of 2.3% over the last year and a lifetime prevalence of 3.5 % [4]. However, it appears to be more common in primary care populations--a conservative estimate of a 3-8% prevalence [5]. Panic disorder patients are certainly part of the population of anxious patients visiting primary care, which has been estimated to involve 11% of all visits [6] and, more recently, 10% in an HMO setting [7]. This is not surprising in that most patients with psychiatric conditions are, in fact, seen in the general medical setting. Regier and colleagues [8] documented that 60% of all the care delivered to individuals with psychiatric conditions takes place in the primary care setting. This is coupled with estimates that 25% of primary care patients have a psychiatric problem