cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hedging dairy production losses using weather-based index insurance

This article proposes a temperature–humidity index insurance product and examines whether this product can effectively protect against the risk of reduced milk production caused by heat stress. Results suggest that even when premiums are at higher than actuarially fair levels and the insurance purchaser is faced with both spatial and temporal basis risks, a temperature–humidity index insurance product would provide risk management benefits to a representative south-central Georgia dairy producer.
Marketing strategy selection, marketing metrics, and firm performance

Purpose – This research aims to investigate the relationship between customer‐based performance measures (marketing measures of firm success) and business growth performance (strategy measures of firm success), in the context of strategic marketing positioning decisions and suggests customer‐based metrics may play a key role in measuring overall business achievements.Design/methodology/approach – This is an empirical survey of 209 business‐to‐business services firms.Findings – Customer‐based performance (marketing measures) is associated with the choice of generic positioning and segmentation strategies, while strategic positioning choice (i.e. low‐cost vs differentiation) is indirectly, rather than directly, associated with business growth performance. The “both” strategy, where firms simultaneously pursue both low‐cost and differentiated strategies, leads to improved performance in these B2B services firms.Research limitations/implications – The study potentially has industry‐ and/or service‐specific li...
Gifted & talented: Exploring the positive and negative aspects of labeling

(1998). Gifted & talented: Exploring the positive and negative aspects of labeling. Roeper Review: Vol. 21, No. 2, pp. 153-154.
Perchlorate is Not a Common Contaminant of Fertilizers

Perchlorate consumption can cause mental retardation and tumour formation in humans. Recent suggestions that perchlorate may be present as a contaminant in fertilizers and fertilizer components have caused concern in the fertilizer industry. The present study developed methods for improving the HPLC analysis of perchlorate and used these methods to survey 15 US fertilizers for perchlorate. Extraction with 50 mM NaOH rather than water was found to improve extraction eAciency from 84 to 98%. The incorporation of Ca(HO)2 into the extraction medium to yield 1 : 0.5 or 1 : 1, SO4 ‐ :C a +2 molar ratios reduced the analytical interference caused by SO4 by reducing the slope of the SO4 peak tail by 75%. The study found no perchlorate in any of the fertilizers investigated.
The Epistle of Eusebius To Carpianus Textual Tradition and Translation

The early Christian desire to create a harmony of the diverse elements presented in the four canonical gospels reached a degree of success in the labors of Eusebius, bishop of Caesarea in Palestine (b. A.D. 26o-d. A.D. 340). The Eusebian system which had the feature of maintaining the gospels intact was composed of several complementary elements: first, an epistle written to a certain Carpianus with the express purpose of explaining the complex arrangement; secondly, a marginal system of pairs of numbers, one indicating the paragraph number in that particular gospel and another indicating the canon table to be consulted for determining parallel paragraphs from other gospels; and thirdly, a prefixed set of canon tables 1). This harmony system became standard paraphenalia in Byzantine New Testament manuscripts and has appeared in many editions of the Greek New Testament beginning with the second edition of Erasmus in I5I9. The popular edition of the Nestles has aided the student by including the Eusebian harmony system in its entirety 2). While it is an inadequate critical tool when compared with modern synopses of the gospels, the Eusebian arrangement is no historical curio to be known only by the antiquarian; it has practical value for the user who will have his Greek New Testament in hand far more often than his Gospel Parallels. While NESTLE provides an explanation of the use of the system, the student may wish to know what Eusebius says about it himself. Since no full translation of this epistle into English has
Finite element analysis of maneuvering spacecraft truss structures

Abstract A finite element modeling and solution technique capable of determining the time response of flexible spacecraft truss structures undergoing large angle slew maneuvers has been developed. The elastic deformations of the structure are coupled with large nonsteady translational and rotational motions with respect to an inertial reference frame. The governing equations of motion of the system are derived using momentum conservation principles and the principle of virtual work. The finite element approximation is applied to the equations of motion and the resulting set of nonlinear second order matrix differential equations is solved timewise by an iterative direct numerical integration scheme based on the trapezoidal rule. The solution technique is tested on both planar and three-dimensional maneuvering spacecraft truss structures.
Electronic mail, privacy, and the public sector: Guidelines for public employees and organizations

What privacy rights are public employees entitled to when using their electronic mail systems? Are they entitled to privacy rights in the messages they send or receive? The setting, public or private, is crucial to determine what privacy rights exist for the employee. Unfortunately, no public sector electronic mail privacy case has been considered by the courts. Nevertheless, E-mail privacy guidance does exist. This article investigates previous privacy considerations provided in other workplace situations—cases that involve technologies other than E-mail—in search for common rules established by the Supreme Court. With this foundation, the article then applies the same rules to an electronic mail environment and provides guidelines intended to assist public managers in the creation or reevaluation of their organization’s electronic mail privacy policy.
Biobased chitosan hybrid aerogels with superior adsorption: Role of graphene oxide in CO2 capture

Currently extensive research is focused on developing and designing novel porous materials for clean energy and environmental applications such as reducing the emission of carbon dioxide (CO2). In this work, hybrid monolith aerogels of chitosan (CTS), an environmentally-benign biopolymer, with different amounts of graphene oxide (GO) are prepared using freeze-drying. The sorption performance of the developed aerogels for CO2 capture is studied. The aerogels are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and nitrogen adsorption–desorption measurements. Homogeneous dispersion of GO in CTS is studied beyond the particle concentration where agglomeration takes place. The effects of GO on the specific surface area of the aerogels and CO2 capture are investigated and shown to increase with GO content. The BET surface area is dramatically increased from 153 to 415 m2 g−1 by loading 20 wt% GO into the CTS adsorbent. The amount of CO2 adsorbed at 25 °C increases from 1.92 to 4.15 mol kg−1 with the addition of 20 wt% GO. Adsorption–desorption cycles exhibit the stability of the hybrid aerogels during prolonged cyclic operations, suggesting excellent potential for CO2 capture technology.
Distributed Modeling and Framework for Collaborative Embedded System Design

In this paper, we develop a distributed modeling framework for collaborative embedded system design. Based on the component-based approach, a unified design-with-modules scheme is proposed to model the embedded system design process and a web-based knowledge intensive distributed module modeling and evaluation (KS-DMME) framework is developed as a collaborative cyber-infrastructure to support distributed network-centric embedded system design. The framework intends to link distributed, heterogeneous hardware/software (HW/SW) design modules and tools and assist designers in evaluating design alternatives, visualizing trade-offs, finding optimal solutions, and making decisions on the web. It also enables designers to build integrated design models using both the local and distributed resources (e.g., local and distributed HW/SW modules) and to cooperate by exchanging services. The client (browser) / knowledge server architecture allows embedded system design modules to be published and connected over the web to form an integrated intelligent models/modules network. Finally, as an illustration, a model for a modular micro-robotic systems design is developed.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Dr. Irene Hickman and Tax Reform in Sacramento County, Calif.

If I were to try to read, much less answer, all the attacks made on me, this shop might as well be closed for business. I do the very best I know how—the very best I can—and mean to keep doing so until the end.
Patterns of left ventricular dilatation with an opened artery after acute myocardial infarction: missing links to long-term prognosis.

Ventricular remodeling, the geometric adaptation to injury after acute myocardial infarction, affects the function of both non-infarcted and infarcted muscle, as well as prognosis. Ventricular dilatation bodes especially poorly for late survival.1 It has long been recognized that early infarct expansion is the result of lengthening of the noncontractile region undergoing a stress response with secondary volume overload hypertrophy, a process which maybe progressive over time.2–4⇓⇓ The extent of the initial myocardial damage is linked both to the magnitude and, to a lesser degree, the timing of left ventricular (LV) dilatation and ultimately survival.5 Moreover, ventricular remodeling (enlargement) is influenced not only by infarct size but also the type of infarct healing and coexistent LV wall stresses.5 See p 2351 The most effective interventions to limit or prevent ventricular dilatation after infarction are those addressing the initial myocardial insult through the earliest and most sustained reperfusion therapies.6 The re-establishment of coronary blood flow to the infarcted region, even if delayed in some circumstances, is thought to attenuate ventricular remodeling. Modification of those biochemical and physiological factors that deform the compromised ventricle also influences late ventricular adaptive responses and prognosis. It is now common knowledge that instituting afterload reduction improves ventricular remodeling, attenuates infarct expansion, and provides long-term clinical improvement.1 However, of the three major factors involved in the acute infarct remodeling sequence, cardiologists can exert the most influence only at the onset through the timeliness and …
Dispersal pathways of American eel larvae from the Sargasso Sea

At the end of their life cycle, American eel (Anguilla rostrata) migrate to the Sargasso Sea from freshwater habitats along the east coast of North America in order to spawn planktonic eggs. The eggs develop into larvae that then have to reach estuarine and freshwater nursery habitats along the North American coast within approximately their first year of life. A coupled biological–physical model was used to study how potential behavioral adaptations influence the ability of American eel larvae to reach near-coastal waters. Specifically, several larval swimming behaviors were investigated, including passive drift, random walk swimming, and directional navigation with and without a preferred swimming direction. Directional swimming with a randomly chosen direction improved the success rates of larvae reaching the continental shelf by more than two orders of magnitude compared to passive drift, and swimming primarily to the northwest further tripled these success rates. Success rates also substantially increased for larvae with swimming abilities even slightly above an estimated average. Notably, directional swimming resulted in a reasonable distribution of larvae along the North American shelf break, whereas other swimming scenarios left distinct gaps where no simulated larvae reached the shelf, including near the Gulf of Maine where juvenile eels are abundant. Additionally, directional swimming yielded transit times of , 1 yr, in agreement with observations. Finally, the model supported the southwestern Sargasso Sea as the probable spawning area for American eel.
Credit Constraints, Farm Characteristics, and the Farm Economy: Differential Impacts on Feeder Cattle and Beef Cow Inventories

A recurrent topic in the macroeconomic literature is the financial accelerator—the notion that informational asymmetries introduce inefficiencies to financial markets which amplify and propagate the effects of real or monetary shocks. With the purpose of finding empirical evidence that is consistent with a financial accelerator operating in the cattle sector, inventory investment models are estimated with an appended cash flow variable. The inclusion of cash flow is motivated by the notion that investment by credit-constrained farms should be sensitive to movements in internal funds. Results are consistent with the financial accelerator operating in the feeder cattle but not in the cow-calf sector.
Risk of and factors associated with readmission after a sentinel attack of acute pancreatitis.

Background & Aims Few data are available on how many patients are readmitted to the hospital after attacks of acute pancreatitis. We aimed to determine the risk and factors that determine early (within 30 days) and late (after 30 days) readmission of patients with acute pancreatitis. Methods In a retrospective study, we collected and analyzed data on 127 surviving patients (median age, 53 y; 52% male; 83% white) hospitalized at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center for a sentinel attack of acute pancreatitis, enrolled in the Severe Acute Pancreatitis Study from June 2003 through April 2010, and who had follow-up data. Information was collected on demographics, clinical profile, risk score at discharge (based on a recently developed scoring system), and details of readmissions during the follow-up period (median, 36 mo). Results Of the 127 patients, 52% were transfers from another care center and 32% required admission to the intensive care unit. Etiologies for pancreatitis were biliary (47%), idiopathic (13%), alcohol associated (12%), and others (28%). Pancreatic necrosis (28%), persistent organ failure (27%), and peripancreatic fluid collections (19%) were common. The median length of stay was 9 days. A total of 108 readmissions occurred for 43 patients (34%). Early readmissions (n = 21) occurred more frequently for patients with smoldering (ongoing) symptoms or local complications than for those without. Late readmissions (n = 22) occurred more frequently for patients with recurrent pancreatitis than for those without. Male sex, alcohol-associated disease, and severe disease increased the risks of readmission and recurrence. The risk for readmission was lower among nontransferred patients (23%) and patients without necrosis or organ failure (16%). Risk for readmission increased with the number of points on the weighted scoring system. Conclusions Approximately one-third of patients hospitalized for acute pancreatitis are readmitted, usually as a result of smoldering symptoms, local complications, or recurrent attacks. Studies are needed to determine whether individualized discharge planning, with consideration of the etiology of acute pancreatitis, can reduce the risk for readmission.
A TPQ interview: John S. Gentile talks with Lou Burton

The National Endowment for the Humanities and state humanities councils have funded projects which revive and adapt the old tent Chautauqua concept of bringing education and entertainment to America's heartland. In this TPQ interview, John S. Gentile talks with Lou Burton, the project director for the highly successful Rocky Mountain Chautauqua, who discusses the challenges, problems, and rewards of teaching history through performance in public humanities projects.
Seasonal influenza in the United States, France, and Australia: transmission and prospects for control

Recurrent epidemics of influenza are observed seasonally around the world with considerable health and economic consequences. A key quantity for the control of infectious diseases is the reproduction number, which measures the transmissibility of a pathogen and determines the magnitude of public health interventions necessary to control epidemics. Here we applied a simple epidemic model to weekly indicators of influenza mortality to estimate the reproduction numbers of seasonal influenza epidemics spanning three decades in the United States, France, and Australia. We found similar distributions of reproduction number estimates in the three countries, with mean value 1·3 and important year-to-year variability (range 0·9–2·1). Estimates derived from two different mortality indicators (pneumonia and influenza excess deaths and influenza-specific deaths) were in close agreement for the United States (correlation=0·61, P 60%) in healthy individuals who respond well to vaccine, in addition to periodic re-vaccination due to evolving viral antigens and waning population immunity.
Quality of Service Semantics for Multimedia Database Systems

Quality of service (QoS) support has been a hot research topic in multimedia databases, and multimedia systems in general, for the past several years. However, there remains little consensus on how QoS support should be provided. At the resource-management level, systems designers are still debating the suitability of reservation-based versus adaptive QoS management. The design of higher system layers is less clearly understood, and the specification of QoS requirements in domain-specific terms is still an open research topic. To address these issues, we propose a QoS model for multimedia databases. The model covers the specification of user-level QoS preferences and their relationship to QoS control at the resource-management level, and is applicable to adaptive and reservation-based systems. In this paper we present the model, discuss the implications it has for multimedia database design, and describe a practical implementation of it.
The Solid-State X-Ray Image Intensifier (SSXII) : An EMCCD-Based X-Ray Detector

The solid-state x-ray image intensifier (SSXII) is an EMCCD-based x-ray detector designed to satisfy an increasing need for high-resolution real-time images, while offering significant improvements over current flat panel detectors (FPDs) and x-ray image intensifiers (XIIs). FPDs are replacing XIIs because they reduce/eliminate veiling glare, pincushion or s-shaped distortions and are physically flat. However, FPDs suffer from excessive lag and ghosting and their performance has been disappointing for low-exposure-per-frame procedures due to excessive instrumentation-noise. XIIs and FPDs both have limited resolution capabilities of ~3 cycles/mm. To overcome these limitations a prototype SSXII module has been developed, consisting of a 1k × 1k, 8 μm pixel EMCCD with a fiber-optic input window, which views a 350 μm thick CsI(Tl) phosphor via a 4:1 magnifying fiber-optic-taper (FOT). Arrays of such modules will provide a larger field-of-view. Detector MTF, DQE, and instrumentation-noise equivalent exposure (INEE) were measured to evaluate the SSXIIs performance using a standard x-ray spectrum (IEC RQA5), allowing for comparison with current state-of-the-art detectors. The MTF was 0.20 at 3 cycles/ mm, comparable to standard detectors, and better than 0.05 up to 7 cycles/mm, well beyond current capabilities. DQE curves indicate no degradation from high-angiographic to lowfluoroscopic exposures (< 2% deviation in overall DQE from 1.3 mR to 2.7 μR), demonstrating negligible instrumentation-noise, even with low input signal intensities. An INEE of < 0.2 μR was measured for the highest-resolution mode (32 μm effective pixel size). Comparison images between detector technologies qualitatively demonstrate these improved imaging capabilities provided by the SSXII.
Moderatism or Polarization? Representation of Advocacy Groups’ Ideology in Newspapers

Scholars and commentators argue that the United States has become politically polarized in recent years, with news content itself favoring polarized views. If true, this represents a radical shift ...
Improved Survival over the Last Decade in Pediatric Patients Requiring Dialysis after Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation

Abstract It is not unusual for children to require dialysis for fluid and electrolyte management after hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Previous studies have documented high mortality in children who require dialysis after HCT, but recent data are lacking. The purpose of this study was to compare the incidence of dialysis after pediatric HCT and the survival of patients who received dialysis in 2 decades, 1990-1999 and 2000-2009. A total of 1427 patients age
Compensatory adaptation to a lean medium: an action research investigation of electronic communication in process improvement groups

Previous empirical findings from the computer-mediated communication research literature are consistent with media richness theory because they suggest that the use of electronic communication media is likely to have a negative impact on the success and outcome quality of process improvement groups. These findings lead to the expectation that electronic communication media will not be as appropriate as the face-to face medium to support the type of complex and knowledge-rich communication that takes place in process improvement groups. The paper analyzes 12 process improvement groups interacting through an electronic communication medium and finds this expectation unfounded. In fact, the use of an electronic communication medium can actually have the opposite effect, that is, a "positive" effect, on process improvement group success and outcome quality. Two other theoretical models, namely the compensatory adaptation and social influence models, are used to explain these counter intuitive findings.
Influences of adult-onset diabetes on orofacial pain and related health behaviors

Objectives: This study tested the hypothesis that persons with orofacial pain and comorbid adult-onset diabetes will experience greater functional and emotional impact than persons experiencing orofacial pain without diabetes. Methods: A random-digit dialing sampling procedure was used for a disproportionate probability sample of 10,341 persons who were screened for orofacial pain in the past 6 months and diabetes. This paper reports on 1,767 individuals reporting toothache pain and 877 reporting painful oral sores. A structured telephone interview assessed diabetes history, orofacial pain characteristics, oral health-care behaviors, and emotional and functional impacts of orofacial pain. Results: The 6-month point prevalence was 16.8 percent for toothache pain, 8.9 percent for painful oral sores, and 9.6 percent for adult-onset diabetes. Individuals with comorbid orofacial pain and adult-onset diabetes differed significantly on many of the pain characteristics and health behaviors compared with nondiabetic sufferers of orofacial pain. Diabetics were more likely than nondiabetics to have pain every day, to suffer negative emotions associated with pain, to experience disruption of daily activities and sleep, to make an emergency room visit for orofacial pain, and to report the current need for a pain-related health-care visit. Conclusions: Although diabetes is well known to be associated with neuropathic pain, these results indicate that the experience of nociceptive pain is exacerbated by diabetes. Findings have significance for the subjective experience of oral pain, dental-care outcomes, and health-related quality of life associated with oral-health outcomes among individuals with diabetes.
Pre-Route Interconnect Capacitance and Power Estimation in FPGAs

The increase in functional complexity and performance requirements of reconfigurable fabrics has necessitated the early estimation of power distribution to explore power aware architectures and design techniques. In this work, we make several contributions to interconnect power estimation in FPGAs. First we present a probabilistic methodology that uses demand, a parameter reflecting the probable usage of a routing resource, to estimate interconnect capacitance and dynamic power dissipation. We then extend this model to estimate static power distribution of interconnect resources. Finally, the framework of our model also allows us to estimate spatial power distribution. Our results indicate accurate predictions with average errors of 7, 11 and 7 percent for capacitance, dynamic and static power respectively.
On balanced realizations of 2-D delta-operator formulated discrete-time systems

Delta-operator based implementations can avoid the numerical ill-conditioning usually associated with the high speed shift-operator based implementations of discrete-time systems. Moreover, it provides a unified methodology for tackling both continuous- and discrete-time systems. In particular, it has been shown that, delta-operator based balanced realizations can offer superior coefficient sensitivity properties under fixed-point arithmetic. The authors address computation of balanced realizations. For this purpose, given a discrete-time system, the relationship between its shift- and delta-operator formulated balanced realizations is presented.
Effects of Poverty on Home Environment: An Analysis of Three-Year Outcome Data for Low Birth Weight Premature Infants

Investigated the relationship between poverty and parenting in a sample of low birth weight (^ 2,500 grams) premature (LBWPT) infants (gestation ^ 37 weeks) who were control subjects in the Infant Health and Development Program. When classified using federal poverty levels, poor families scored lower on the HOME inventory (used to measure the caregiving environment) than nonpoor families. A regression model including poverty, race, site, and representative environmental, maternal, and child variables accounted for 60% of variance in total HOME scores. Poverty and maternal IQ had significant and independent effects on HOME scores, whereas maternal distress accounted for little of the variance. In a LBWPT sample, our results find a strong relationship between parenting and poverty, suggest a modest role for maternal psychological distress in this relationship, and indicate that the influence of poverty likely extends beyond commonly measured environmental, maternal, and child factors.
Optimal lead positioning for postoperative atrial pacing.

Temporary atrial pacing leads have uncontested utility for diagnosis and treatment of postoperative supraventricular arrhythmias. Sensing and capture thresholds may be inconsistent, however. We evaluated intraoperative atrial sensing amplitude and capture thresholds in 25 patients after coronary bypass using six bipolar and four unipolar lead combinations based on four lead positions: A, atrial appendage; B, 1 cm above the presumed sinoatrial node at the atrial-superior-vena caval junction; C, interatrial groove at the right superior pulmonary vein; and D, caudal inferolateral free wall. Unipolar lead B and bipolar lead B-D had the best voltage pacing threshold and system resistance (p 0.05). P-wave amplitude was not significantly different for any lead combination. Location C, in unipolar or bipolar combinations, frequently paced the phrenic nerve. These data provide new guidelines for establishment of postoperative temporary atrial pacing leads.
The Cost-Of-Living In Northwest Missouri

The cost-of-living in Maryville is approximately 90.3% of the national average of 324 cities nationwide. Eight Missouri cities participated in the official study under the rules of the American Chamber of Commerce Research Association (ACCRA). Separate from this study, but applying identical standards of calculation during the same time period, we conducted a cost-of-living study for Maryville, Bethany and Trenton, Missouri. Bethany’s cost-of-living came in at 94.9% of the national average, while Trenton’s was slightly higher, but still well below the national average, at 95.7%. Incorporating these three city’s data into the Missouri Average as calculated by ACCRA yielded a 1.1% increase, making the cost-of-living for the state of Missouri 93.7%. This resulted in a seventeenth place finish for Missouri when ranked against all other state composite indices. Without our data included, the Missouri Department of Economic Development reported that during the 3 rd quarter, 2002 the state had the thirteenth-lowest cost-of-living in the United States.
Multi-nucleate retinal pigment epithelium cells of the human macula exhibit a characteristic and highly specific distribution.

Background : The human retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is reportedly 3% bi-nucleated. The importance to human vision of multi-nucleated (MN)-RPE cells could be clarified with more data about their distribution in central retina. Methods : Nineteen human RPE-flatmounts (9 ≤ 51 years, 10 > 80 years) were imaged at 12 locations: 3 eccentricities (fovea, perifovea, near periphery) in 4 quadrants (superior, inferior, temporal, nasal). Image stacks of lipofuscin-attributable autofluorescence and phalloidin labeled F-actin cytoskeleton were obtained using a confocal fluorescence microscope. Nuclei were devoid of autofluorescence and were marked using morphometric software. Cell areas were approximated by Voronoi regions. Mean number of nuclei per cell among eccentricity/quadrant groups and by age were compared using Poisson and binominal regression models. Results : A total of 11,403 RPE cells at 200 locations were analyzed: 94.66% mono-, 5.31% bi-, 0.02% tri-nucleate, and 0.01% with 5 nuclei. Age had no effect on number of nuclei. There were significant regional differences: highest frequencies of MN-cells were found at the perifovea (9.9%) and near periphery (6.8%). The fovea lacked MN-cells almost entirely. The nasal quadrant had significantly more MN-cells compared to other quadrants, at all eccentricities. Conclusion : This study demonstrates MN-RPE cells in human macula. MN-cells may arise due to endoreplication, cell fusion, or incomplete cell division. The topography of MN-RPE cells follows the topography of photoreceptors; with near-absence at the fovea (cones only) and high frequency at perifovea (highest rod density). This distribution might reflect specific requirements of retinal metabolism or other mechanisms addressable in further studies.
Descartes and the First Cartesians

Roger Ariew's monograph further undermines the traditional narrative according to which Descartes was a visionary figure who wholly transcended the influence of his scholastic predecessors. Situati...
Device for Stretching the Hamstring Muscles

If a patient's hamstring muscles are of inadequate length, his ability to perform or the manner in which he performs various functional maneuvers may be altered. A number of methods for stretching the hamstring muscles have, therefore, been described or recommended.1–4 Of the muscle stretching techniques practiced by clinicians, the most effective are probably those that incorporate the application of prolonged lengthening loads.5,6 Although such loads may use methods previously described, we needed a more versatile and portable device to apply such loads in our clinic. After considering several alternatives, we concluded that the method described by Gajdosik and Lusin for measuring hamstring muscle length could, if the appropriate equipment was available, be adapted for use in stretching the hamstring muscles.7 The purpose of this suggestion from the field is to describe the portable apparatus we designed for stretching the hamstring muscles. [ ARTICLE][1] [1]: /lookup/volpage/63/1085?iss=7
Abstract WP289: The Impact of Infection on Neurological Deterioration and Outcome in Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients

Introduction: To date, few studies have assessed the influence of infection on neurological deterioration (ND) and other outcome measures in acute ischemic stroke. Methods: Patients admitted to our stroke center (07/08-12/10) were retrospectively assessed. Patients were excluded if they had an in-hospital stroke, unknown time of symptom onset, or delay from symptom onset to hospital arrival >48 hours. Positive blood or urine culture, or chest x-ray consistent with pneumonia were classified as infection and stratified according to whether the infection was diagnosed within the first 24 hours of admission or after 24 hours. ND was defined as an increase ≥2 points on the NIHSS score within a 24hr period. Poor functional outcome was defined as a mRS score of 3-6 on discharge. Results: Of the 334 patients included in this study, 78 had an infection (19 on admission). The majority of infections were found in the urinary tract (64%), while pneumonia (37%) and bacteremia (24%) were also common. Infection on admission was predictive of ND (Table 1; OR=2.79, 95% CI 1.18-6.64, p=0.0211) and poor functional outcome (OR=3.0, 95% CI 1.1-7.9, p=0.0182). Developing an infection during acute hospitalization was an even stronger predictor of ND (OR=11.9, 95% CI 5.8-24.5, p Conclusion: Our data suggest that ischemic stroke patients who develop an infection during their acute hospitalization are at increased odds of experiencing ND and of being discharged with significant disability.
Health Education Needs of Alcoholism Services

When New York University’s Department of Health Education was funded in 1975 by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism to develop an Alcohol Studies specialization as part of our Community Health Education masters program, we had no certain knowledge about the job market for the people we would be preparing. We believed that there was an immense prevention job to be done in the alcoholism field, and we had a pretty good idea that trained health educators were a relatively scarce resource in that field. Beyond that, we felt that our Project had a sound theoretical base, namely that people prepared at the graduate level in community health education and with knowledge of alcohol problems would have a good deal to offer the alcoholism field.
The Value of Standards for Detection of Radioactive Materials

Document and physical standards play a vital role in security applications. Standards allow setting common measurement units, physical quantities and performance requirements for different types of radiation detection equipment and devices. Document standards provide a common ground for allowing consensus between user requirements, manufacturing process and testing capabilities. Physical standards address the reproducibility and traceability of measurements to national and/or international standards. Different standards have been developed for different types of instruments used in detection of illicit trafficking of radioactive materials and homeland security applications. These document standards are being used as part of a laboratory accreditation program that could be used for the development of an instrument certification program.
Tomographic Imaging of Combustion Zones: Impact of Measurement Noise and Reconstruction Error

Temperate and concentration distributions of a horizontal section through a stationary test flame were reconstructed with the help of computer tomography. Simulated reconstructions are based on temperature and concentrations distributions equal to published time-averaged data of the Sandia D flame. Based on property distributions, line integrated absorption due to water vapor (H 2 O) in the 6930-6940 cm 1 range was simulated to obtain projection values for tomographic reconstructions, where spectroscopic parameters for absorption features were obtained from the HITRAN 2004 1 database. Simulated projection values were calculated for direct absorption spectroscopy (DA) and wavelength modulation spectroscopy with second harmonic frequency detection (WMS-2f). The resulting projections were de-convoluted by tomographic methods, where Abel inversion and filtered backprojection were investigated. Based on the reconstructed spatial distribution of spectroscopic data, temperature and concentration profiles were obtained. Results highlight the impact of uncertainties introduced by measurement noise, deviations of reconstructed values, and tomographic artifacts. The comparisons of reconstructed results indicate that WMS-2f in conjunction with tomography is a viable method to reconstruct spatially resolved temperature and concentration distributions for stationary flames.
Gold Nanobelts as High Confinement Plasmonic Waveguides

Plasmon propagation in thin plasmonic waveguides is strongly damped, making it difficult to study with diffraction-limited optics. Here we directly characterize plasmon propagation in gold nanobelts with incoherent light. The data indicate a short average propagation length of 0.94 μm but also reveal a weakly excited antisymmetric mode that has a propagation length greater than 10 μm with strong confinement of 2400 nm2. These results demonstrate that high confinement and long propagation length can be achieved with thin plasmonic structures.
A software reliability model with time-dependent fault detection and fault removal

The common assumption for most existingsoftware reliability growth models is that fault is independent and can be removed perfectly upon detection. However, it is often not true due to various factors including software complexity, programmer proficiency, organization hierarchy, etc. In this paper, we develop a software reliability model with considerations of fault-dependent detection, imperfect fault removal and the maximum number of faults software. The genetic algorithm (GA) method is applied to estimate the model parameters. Four goodness-of-fit criteria, such as mean-squared error, predictive-ratio risk, predictive power, and Akaike information criterion, are used to compare the proposed model and several existing software reliability models. Three datasets collected in industries are used to demonstrate the better fit of the proposed model than other existing software reliability models based on the studied criteria.
Back pain in golf

Although golfing is generally considered a begin activity, lower back pain is endemic among golfers. The golf swing subjects the lumbar spine to rapid, intense loads, more frequently in amateurs than in professionals. These loads predispose the golfing population to muscle strains, lumbar disc disease, spondylolysis, and facet joint arthropathy. It is imperative for all golfers to warm up properly, develop good swing mechanics, and participate in a lower back conditioning program off the golf course.
Review of Mauro Giuffrè (Ed.), Studies in Semiotic Textology in Honour of János S. Petöfi

"Central to the purpose of text grammar is the desire to develop a theory that better handles complexity within a passage. Text grammar allows the researcher to explore context, as well as the actual words, in a more comprehensive fashion. This allows a text to be used as truly intended, as a useful form of communication, not just an assemblage of distinct parts to be analyzed separately."
Empirical dependence of seismic ground velocity on the weight of explosives, shotpoint site condition, and recording distance for seismic-refraction data

In this study, we have constructed an empirical least-squares model for maximum seismic ground velocity (vertical component), as a function of source size and distance, from explosions in drillholes and bodies of water. This model is intended, in part, for use in designing explosion-seismic experiments in order to produce acceptable signal-to-noise ratios at larger distances (> 10 km) and to avoid damaging human structures at smaller distances (< 1 km). Data consist of velocities recorded by 120 portable seismographs from 159 shots fired by the U.S. Geological Survey in Alaska and Arizona. Results show that maximum ground-velocity amplitude (not necessarily first-arrival amplitude) decreases with distance, and the functional dependence changes with distance; for example, at 3 km, amplitudes decrease as r −2, but at 73 km, they decrease as r −1. Results also show a strong dependence on site conditions at the shotpoint; for example, a drillhole shot in wet alluvium produces amplitudes that are four times larger than a drillhole shot in dry alluvium. Ground velocities are proportional to the square root of the weight of explosives.
Abstract 4398: Impact of Interleukin-22 on K-ras mutant lung tumor microenvironment and stemness properties

Oncogenic K-ras mutations found in ∼ 30% of all non-small cell lung cancers are associated with chemoresistance and poor prognosis. Using a K-ras induced lung cancer mouse model, CC-LR, we previously showed that K-ras mutant lung tumors have intrinsic inflammatory characteristics with activation of NF-kB pathway, release of inflammatory cytokines IL-6, and activation of the IL-6 responsive transcription factor STAT3. We have further shown that IL-6/STAT3 pathway, and IL-17 producing CD4 helper T cells (Th17 cells) through their main cytokine, IL-17A, play critical roles in promotion of lung cancer in this model. IL-22 is another effecter molecule secreted by Th17 cells which is highly expressed in our K-ras mutant mouse model. IL-22 is a unique cytokine, which seems to act exclusively on nonhematopoietic cells, with basal IL-22R expression in the epithelial cells and fibroblast, and mostly signals through STAT3 pathway. Here we found that genetic ablation of IL-22 in CC-LR mice (CC-LR/IL22-KO mice), causes significant reduction in lung surface tumor numbers by ∼54% (2.1-fold). Histopathological analysis of lung sections confirmed a reduction in number and size of tumors in CC-LR/IL22-KO mice, which was associated with significantly lower tumor cell proliferation, angiogenesis and STAT3 activation. IL-22 ablation also reduced the numbers of inflammatory cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and decreased the expression of pro-tumor inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6, IL-17 and TNFα. This was associated with increased expression of anti-tumor Th1 cells -specific transcription factor (Tbet) and their activation markers, IFNγ, and GZB, and decreased expression of pro-tumor Th17- (RORγ) and T regulatory (FOXP3+) specific transcription factors. Recent studies have shown an association between IL-22 and stem-cell like properties in colon cancer. In lung cancer, cell populations expressing NANOG, SOX2, Oct4 and/or aldehyde dehydrogenase activity are enriched with stemness properties. Interestingly, in CC-LR/IL22-KO mice we found significant reduction in expression of these stemness genes. Thus, we conclude that IL-22 promotes K-ras mutant lung tumorigenesis by inducing a pro-tumor inflammatory microenvironment with proliferative and angiogenic properties as well as protecting stemness characteristic in epithelial/tumor cells. Therefore, we propose pharmacological targeting of IL-22 as a potential therapeutic strategy in combination with conventional cytotoxic therapy, immune check point blockade, or other targeted therapies (e.g. MEK inhibition) for lung cancer patients with K-ras mutation. Citation Format: Nasim Khosravi, Amber M. Cumpian, Soudabeh Daliri, Cynthia De La Garza, Mauricio S. Caetano, Seyed Javad Moghaddam. Impact of Interleukin-22 on K-ras mutant lung tumor microenvironment and stemness properties. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 4398.
Peritoneal metastases from adrenal cortical carcinoma treated by cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy.

PurposeAdrenal cortical carcinoma is a rare cancer that often presents in an advanced stage. Not only systemic metastases but also local recurrence and peritoneal metastases prevent long-term survival in these patients.MethodsA profoundly symptomatic patient with extensive peritoneal metastases and local recurrence was treated using cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) with melphalan as the chemotherapy agent.ResultsRelative sparing of the small bowel within the abdomen and pelvis allowed a visible complete resection of all cancer. The HIPEC with melphalan was used to control microscopic residual disease. Similar surgical technology used in this patient could be used to prevent local recurrence and peritoneal metastases in patients at the time of resection of the primary adrenal cortical carcinoma.ConclusionsRare diseases may have peritoneal metastases as a component of disease progression and profit from treatment with CRS plus HIPEC. The clinical features sug...
Designing Wearable Mobile Device Controllers for Blind People: A Co-Design Approach

Blind people get critical information from their mobile phones while traveling. Accessing their phones while on the go, however, can be a cumbersome process as they have to listen to their environment, while holding a cane or a dog harness. We explore the design space and feasibility of using wearable mobile device controllers to make it easier and faster for blind people to access their phones on the go by considering various form factors and on-body placements. We conducted a study with eight blind participants, where the researchers and participants interacted with design probes to design mobile device controllers that operate the screen reader on a smartphone for the following on-body placements: hip, head, hand, and wrist. Most participants preferred wrist- and hand-mounted systems as they were considered to allow for more natural and discreet interfaces. Based on our findings, we designed a smart ring controller, which allows for a small and compact form factor, and only requires one-handed interactions.
Two images are better than one

Both positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging have yielded fundamental insights into the function of the brain. Several research groups have been working to integrate both methods into a single scanning device, which would allow the data obtained with one technique to be matched to those obtained with the other. A collaboration between US and UK scientists has now developed a prototype scanner that can measure both types of images at the same time (Y Shao et al. 1997 Phys. Med. Biol. 42 1965)
Angle-resolved photoemission extended fine structure: Multiple layers of emitters and multiple initial states

Recently, angle-resolved photoemission extended fine structure (ARPEFS) has been applied to experimental systems involving multiple layers of emitters and non-s core-level photoemission in an effort to broaden the utility of the technique. Most of the previous systems have been comprised of atomic or molecular overlayers adsorbed onto a single-crystal, metal surface and the photoemission data were taken from an s atomic core-level in the overlayer. For such a system, the acquired ARPEFS data is dominated by the p{sub o} final state wave backscattering from the substrate atoms and is well understood. In this study, we investigate ARPEFS as a surface-region structure determination technique when applied to experimental systems comprised of multiple layers of photoemitters and arbitrary initial state core-level photoemission. Understanding the data acquired from multiple layers of photoemitters is useful for studying multilayer interfaces, ''buried'' surfaces, and clean crystals in ultra- high vacuum. The ability to apply ARPEFS to arbitrary initial state core-level photoemission obviously opens up many systems to analysis. Efforts have been ongoing to understand such data in depth. We present clean Cu(111) 3s, 3p, and 3d core-level, normal photoemission data taken on a high resolution soft x-ray beamline 9.3.2 at the Advanced Light Source in Berkeley, California and clean Ni(111) 3p normal photoemission data taken at the National Synchrotron Light Source in Upton, New York, USA.
Randomized consensus in expected O(n 2 ) total work using single-writer registers

A new weak shared coin protocol yields a randomized waitfree shared-memory consensus protocol that uses an optimal O(n2) expected total work with single-writer registers despite asynchrony and process crashes. Previously, no protocol was known that achieved this bound without using multi-writer registers.