cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prevalence and correlates of transactional sex among women of low socioeconomic status in Portland, OR

Women who report transactional sex are at increased risk for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). However, in the United States, social, behavioral, and trauma-related vulnerabilities associated with transactional sex are understudied and data on access to biomedical HIV prevention among women who report transactional sex are limited. In 2016, we conducted a population-based, cross-sectional survey of women of low socioeconomic status recruited via respondent-driven sampling in Portland, Oregon. We calculated the prevalence and, assessed the correlates of, transactional sex using generalized linear models accounting for sampling design. We also compared health outcomes, HIV screening, and knowledge and uptake of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) between women who did and did not report transactional sex. Of 334 women, 13.6% reported transactional sex (95% confidence interval [CI]: 6.8, 20.5%). Women who reported transactional sex were older, more likely to identify as black, to identify as lesbian or bisexual, to experience childhood trauma and recent sexual violence, and to have been homeless. Six percent (95% CI: 1.8, 10.5%) of women with no adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) reported transactional sex compared to 23.8% (95% CI: 13.0, 34.6%) of women who reported eleven ACEs (P < 0.001). Transactional sex was strongly associated with combination methamphetamine and opiate use as well as condomless sex. Women who reported transactional sex were more likely to report being diagnosed with a bacterial STI and hepatitis C; however, HIV screening and pre-exposure prophylaxis knowledge and use were low. In a sample of women of low socioeconomic status in Portland, Oregon, transactional sex was characterized by marginalized identities, homelessness, childhood trauma, sexual violence, substance use, and sexual vulnerability to HIV/STI. Multi-level interventions that address these social, behavioral, and trauma-related factors and increase access to biomedical HIV prevention are critical to the sexual health of women who engage in transactional sex.
Percentage of Hormone Receptor Positivity in Breast Cancer Provides Prognostic Value: A Single-Institute Study.

Background: A majority of breast cancer tumors express estrogen receptor (ER) and/or progesterone receptor (PR); however, the percentage of cancer cells expressing these receptors can range from 0-100%. The prognostic and therapeutic impact of the percentage of cells expressing hormone receptors in breast cancer is not fully understood. Methods: A retrospective analysis of 411 breast cancer patients who were treated at the University of Nebraska Medical Center between 2010 and 2017 was performed. Patient tumors were evaluated for percentage of cells expressing ER and PR in conjunction with clinical outcomes. Results: Patient tumors demonstrated a highly bimodal pattern of ER and PR staining with a majority of tumors demonstrating either a high percentage (> 80% of cells) or lack of cells (0%) staining for ER or PR. An increase in the percentage of ER positivity correlated with decreased local recurrence and improved overall survival. An increase in the percentage of PR positivity demonstrated a trend towards decreased local recurrence and improved overall survival, but was not statistically significant. Conclusions: Results based on both continuous and categorical evaluation of ER expression revealed that increasing expression correlated with improved patient outcomes. Similar evaluation of PR expression demonstrated a trend towards improved patient outcomes though not statistically significant. These findings suggest that the degree of hormone receptor positivity and not a Boolean representation of positivity could provide additional prognostic value in the treatment and management of breast cancer. J Clin Med Res. 2021;13(1):9-19 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/jocmr4398
Diagnostic performance of Oncuria™, a urinalysis test for bladder cancer

Due to insufficient accuracy, urine-based assays currently have a limited role in the management of patients with bladder cancer. The identification of multiplex molecular signatures associated with disease has the potential to address this deficiency and to assist with accurate, non-invasive diagnosis and monitoring. To evaluate the performance of Oncuria™, a multiplex immunoassay for bladder detection in voided urine samples. The test was evaluated in a multi-institutional cohort of 362 prospectively collected subjects presenting for bladder cancer evaluation. The parallel measurement of 10 biomarkers (A1AT, APOE, ANG, CA9, IL8, MMP9, MMP10, PAI1, SDC1 and VEGFA) was performed in an independent clinical laboratory. The ability of the test to identify patients harboring bladder cancer was assessed. Bladder cancer status was confirmed by cystoscopy and tissue biopsy. The association of biomarkers and demographic factors was evaluated using linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and predictive models were derived using supervised learning and cross-validation analyses. Diagnostic performance was assessed using ROC curves. The combination of the 10 biomarkers provided an AUROC 0.93 [95% CI 0.87–0.98], outperforming any single biomarker. The addition of demographic data (age, sex, and race) into a hybrid signature improved the diagnostic performance AUROC 0.95 [95% CI 0.90–1.00]. The hybrid signature achieved an overall sensitivity of 0.93, specificity of 0.93, PPV of 0.65 and NPV of 0.99 for bladder cancer classification. Sensitivity values of the diagnostic panel for high-grade bladder cancer, low-grade bladder cancer, MIBC and NMIBC were 0.94, 0.89, 0.97 and 0.93, respectively. Urinary levels of a biomarker panel enabled the accurate discrimination of bladder cancer patients and controls. The multiplex Oncuria™ test can achieve the efficient and accurate detection and monitoring of bladder cancer in a non-invasive patient setting.
Towards Automated Assessment of Vulnerability Exposures in Security Operations

Current approaches for risk analysis of software vulnerabilities using manual assessment and numeric scoring do not complete fast enough to keep pace with the maintenance work rate to patch and mitigate the vulnerabilities. This paper proposes a new approach to modeling software vulnerability risk in the context of the network environment and firewall configuration. In the approach, vulnerability features are automatically matched up with networking, target asset, and adversary features to determine whether adversaries can exploit a vulnerability. The ability of adversaries to reach a vulnerability is modeled by automatically identifying the network services associated with vulnerabilities through a pipeline of machine learning and natural language processing and automatically analyzing network reachability. Our results show that the pipeline can identify network services accurately. We also find that only a small number of vulnerabilities pose real risks to a system. However, if left unmitigated, adversarial reach to vulnerabilities may extend to nullify the effect of firewall countermeasures.
Mid-Latitude Ozone Depletion

The observed ozone trend in percentage change per decade as a function of latitude and season from 1978 to 1991 is shown in Figure 1. In addition to polar ozone depletion, the unshaded areas in Figure 1 show that ozone depletion of 5% to 8% per decade has occurred at mid-latitudes in both hemispheres. The observed vertical profile (Fig. 2) shows that mid-latitude ozone is depleted mainly below 25 km. Currently, most chemical models predict that ozone should be depleted near 40 km at mid-latitudes, but they do not predict enough loss below 25 km.
Beyond Concern: K-12 Faculty and Staff's Perspectives on Privacy Topics and Cybersafety

In a time when discussions about information privacy dominate the media, research on Cybersafety education reveals that K-12 teachers and staff are concerned about information privacy in schools and they seek to learn more about the protection of their students' and own personal information online. Privacy topics are typically introduced to the K-12 constituents under one or two categories; namely, Internet safety and/or cybersafety. This study 1) assessed the level of cybersafety training that the K-12 teachers in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania receive in school and 2) evaluated the privacy topics that teachers and staff find important and beneficial to their work and personal lives.
Effects of depth of oviposition dish and age ofrearing host on efficiency of mass production of thetephritid fruit fly parasitoid Psyttaliafletcheri

Psyttalia fletcheri is a solitary larval endoparasitoid ofthe melon fruit fly, Bactrocera cucurbitae. Initiallycolonized in 1985, mass production of P.fletcheri for the last 10 years has beenfacilitated with a rearing method developed earlier.However, the level of parasitoid recovery seldomexceeded 35%. We examined the parasitoid'sdevelopmental biology and behavior to identify theprocedures that may improve efficiency ofproduction. We found that by limiting the depth ofoviposition dish (receptacle that holds the hostlarvae during exposure to female parasitoids) to 4 mm and using 4-d-old (late 2nd instar) B.cucurbitae larvae for oviposition, parasitoid yieldwas increased two-fold.
cDNA cloning and expression of the human hepatic bile acid-binding protein. A member of the monomeric reductase gene family.

In human liver, we previously identified one isoform of dihydrodiol dehydrogenase activity that expresses high affinity bile acid binding (HBAB) with minimal 3 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3 alpha-HSD) activity for bile acids. This protein may assist in the rapid intracellular transport of bile acids from the sinusoidal to the canalicular pole of the cell. We now report the cDNA cloning and bacterial expression of this novel, multifunctional protein. A 1252-base pair HBAB cDNA was cloned from a HepG2 lambda GT11 library using a rat hepatic bile acid binder cDNA probe. Bacterial expressed recombinant HBAB oxidized racemic trans dihydrodiol benzene (0.455 mumol NADPH/mg/min) with minimal 3 alpha-HSD activity for bile acids (
Stereotypic morphology of glutamatergic synapses on identified muscle cells of Drosophila larvae

The distribution and morphology of glutamatergic synapses on Drosophila bodywall muscle fibers were examined at the single-synapse level using immunocytochemistry and electrophysiology. We find that glutamate-immunoreactive motor endings innervate the entire larval bodywall musculature, with each muscle fiber receiving at least one glutamatergic ending. The innervation is initiated at stereotyped locations on each muscle fiber from where moderately branched varicose nerve processes project over the internally facing muscle surface. Individual muscle fibers have distinct stereotypic patterns of nerve endings that occupy characteristic regions on the cell surface. The muscle-specific branching pattern of motor endings is reiterated by segmentally homologous fibers. Two morphological types of innervating nerve processes can be distinguished by their bouton size distributions: (1) Type I processes, which have localized branching and a broad size distribution of relatively large varicosities ranging up to 8 microns (mean diameter, 3.1 +/- 1.6 microns; +/- SD, n = 521), and (2) thinner Type II processes, which have a narrower distribution of small varicosities with a mean diameter of only 1.4 +/- 0.6 microns (+/- SD, n = 214). Immunoelectron microscopy with peroxidase-labeled second antibody demonstrates that the varicosities are surrounded by a subsynaptic reticulum, that they contain immunoreactive vesicles of about 30-50 nm, and thus probably represent synaptic release sites. By iontophoretic application of glutamate we mapped the responsive sites on the muscle surface and found an excellent correspondence between transmitter sensitivity and the patterns of endings as described by immunocytochemistry. In contrast to our finding of numerous glutamate iontophoresis-sensitive sites, we did not detect any aspartate-responsive muscles. These data provide strong new evidence for glutamate being an endogenous transmitter at the Drosophila larval neuromuscular junction.
A Comparative Study of the Inter-Industry Determinants and Economic Performance of Foreign Direct Investments in France and Canada*

Multinational corporations and import competition assume high profiles in economic policy debates in both Canada and France. An initial glance at the structure of foreign direct investment and trade in these two countries also indicates certain similarities. The openness of the Canadian and French economies to international trade is quite comparable, while such industries as petroleum and natural gas, pharmaceuticals, and parachemicals head both countries’ lists of the sectors with the largest shares of foreign controlled sales and assets. In addition, there is a relatively high cORRelation coefficient of .603 between the inter-industry measures of foreign direct investment in the two countries (based on the sales data used in this study), while the cORRelation between the sum of their import and foreign subsidiaries’ shares (total foreign penetration) is .489.
Business and Game-Playing: The False Analogy

A number of business writers have argued that business is a game and, like a game, possesses its own special rules for acting. While we do not normally tolerate deceit, bluffing is not merely acceptable but also expected within the game of poker. Similarly, lies of omission, overstatements, puffery and bluffs are morally acceptable within business because it, like a game, has a special ethic which permits these normally immoral practices. Although critics of this reasoning have used deontological and utilitarian arguments to show that deceit in business is just an immoral as it is in any other realm of human practice, little attention has been paid to the fact that the argument is one of analogy. The analogical argument for business’ special ethic is only as strong as the alleged similarities between business and game-playing. This paper argues that this analogy is quite weak and incapable of either providing much insight into business or of offering a reason to think that the ethics of business are, or even could be, like those of a game.
The attractiveness of emerging market MNCs as employers of European and American talent workers: A multicultural study

Purpose – Upon entering developed markets, emerging market multinational corporations (EMNCs) from China and India must compete with both host companies and other developed nation MNCs to attract and recruit necessary local talent. The purpose of this paper is to examine to what extent EMNC firms will be perceived as less attractive employers than their developed nation counterparts due to a perceived liability of origin bias. Major demographic and psychographic factors that may affect this bias will also be identified. Design/methodology/approach – Seven hypotheses were tested on a total of 626 German, French and American respondents. Participants were randomly presented identical job descriptions from four hypothetical MNCs (American, European, Indian and Chinese) and were asked to evaluate the perceived attractiveness of working for, as well as their intent to pursue employment with, the offering firm. Findings – Using hierarchical linear regression testing, combined with analysis of variance testing, ...
THE SCATTERING OF PARTICLES FROM ROUGH SURFACES

This paper shows that preferential (or pseudospecular) scattering of particles from a surface can be explained as scattering from a random rough surface. The solution is adapted from work done on the scattering of electromagnetic waves from a rough surface. A more limited solution, based on Newtonian mechanics and restricted to one-dimensional surfaces, is also given. The theoretical solution is seen to closely match the shape of the scattering distribution lobe. Some possible explanations for the angular displacement of the peak of distribution lobe from the specular direction are discussed. The dimensionality of the rough surface is considered.
Expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM-1) in liver and pancreas allograft rejection

VCAM-1, a leukocyte adhesion molecule expressed by cytokine-activated endothelial cells in culture, may mediate mononuclear leukocyte infiltration in vessels and interstitium in solid organ allograft rejection. Using the avidin-biotin immunoperoxidase technique and two different antibodies--4B9, a murine monoclonal antibody, and rabbit polyclonal antisera to recombinant human VCAM (rVCAM Ab), which work in methacarn-fixed tissues--we studied the expression of this molecule in biopsies of transplanted liver and pancreas with and without features of rejection as well as nontransplant control tissues. The rVCAM Ab, but not 4B9, showed a population of reactive endothelial cells limited to sites of prominent subendothelial leukocytic cell infiltration in arteries and veins in rejecting allografts. VCAM-1 expression by sinusoidal endothelium in rejecting liver allografts was also observed. In addition, a population of cells (DC) with dendritic morphology was identified by rVCAM Ab within sites of lymphoid cell aggregations in both liver and pancreas allografts. Further evidence that these cells represent true DC was obtained by identification of VCAM-1 positive morphologically similar cells in both germinal centers and interfollicular areas of reactive lymph nodes; and by similar staining of these cells in allograft organs by a monoclonal antibody to nerve growth factor receptor, previously shown to recognize DC. DCs were generally not seen in normal control organs or portions of allografts uninvolved by lymphoid aggregates. This study provides evidence that 1) endothelial cell expression of VCAM-1 may be important in transplant rejection, 2) different epitopes of VCAM-1 may be preserved in tissue sections and recognized by different antibodies, and 3) there is probably a population of VCAM-1 expressing DC that participates in the cellular rejection progress.
What is being done to address the new drug epidemic

As osteopathic physicians care for patients with complaints of pain, they commonly prescribe controlled substances. The use of these agents presents special challenges for providers, patients, and communities. The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has provided testimony to the US Congress in regard to the growing problem of diversion and misuse of such medications. Joseph T. Rannazzisi, the deputy assistant administrator in the Office of Diversion Control, appeared before the House Government Reform Committee's Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug Policy, and Human Resources on July 26, 2006.
Effects of dialysate calcium and fluoride on bone disease during regular hemodialysis

Abstract A previous study indicated that, in patients maintained by hemodialysis, clinically and roentgenographically apparent bone disease appeared almost exclusively when the dialysate calcium concentration was less than 5.7 mg. per 100 ml. In the present study, bone biopsy specimens from the iliac crest were studied at the beginning and end of 2 to 9 months treatment using dialysate with low calcium concentrations (≦ 5.7 mg. per 100 ml.) in 7 patients and high concentrations (≧ 6.0 mg. per 100 ml.) in 7 patients. Two patients in each group were exposed to dialysate high in fluoride. Bone resorption was increased in all but 1 patient at the beginning of treatment. At the end of treatment, it had increased more in 5 of the 7 exposed to low-calcium dialysate and decreased significantly in all exposed to high-calcium dialysate. Except for 1 in each group, bone formation was below normal in all patients and did not appear to change between the first and second biopsies. All 4 patients exposed to high-fluoride dialysate showed excessive osteoid formation with little change during the 3 to 9 month interval. Single biopsies from 5 additional patients who had been maintained by dialysis for 13 months or longer also were studied to assess any effect of long-term treatment with high fluoride dialysate. Osteoid formation was 9 times greater in those exposed to high-fluoride dialysate (50 μM) than in those exposed to lower concentrations (5 μM).
Bayesian methodology for diagnosis uncertainty quantification and health monitoring

SUMMARY This paper develops a Bayesian approach for the continuous quantification and updating of uncertainty in structural health monitoring. The uncertainty in each of the three steps of damage diagnosis—detection, localization, and quantification—is considered. Bayesian hypothesis testing is used for damage detection, thus facilitating easy quantification and updating of the uncertainty in damage detection. Qualitative damage signatures derived from the model are used for rapid damage localization; when the damage signatures fail to localize the damage uniquely, the uncertainty in damage localization is quantified using the principle of likelihood. Damage quantification is done through the method of maximum likelihood, and the uncertainty in damage quantification is estimated through Bayesian inference. The uncertainty in each of the three steps is continuously updated with the acquisition of more measurements. The overall uncertainty in diagnosis is also calculated, using the concept of total probability. The proposed methods are illustrated using two types of example problems—structural frame and a hydraulic actuation system. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Hippocampal brain derived neurotrophic factor levels are mediated by T cells in response to stress

Brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is ubiquitously expressed throughout the central nervous system and is vital for the maintenance of neuronal survival and function. Recent studies examining mRNA levels and total BDNF expression have suggested that the adaptive immune system may contribute to brain homeostasis and neuronal function via modulation of this neurotrophin. Taking into consideration BDNF processing and the opposing roles of pro-BDNF and mature BDNF on synaptic plasticity, we evaluated levels of both BDNF forms in the hippocampus of wild type C57Bl/6 and Rag2-/- mice that underwent stress exposure in the learned helplessness paradigm. Using this model, in conjunction with the reconstitution of Rag2-/- mice with naive T cells, we have shown that T cells modulate BDNF levels and the ratio of mature BDNF to pro-BDNF following exposure to inescapable stress. Compared to wild type mice, Rag2-/- mice displayed elevated levels of pro- and mature BDNF, concurrent with an increase in the mature:pro-BDNF ratio, two hours after stress exposure. Furthermore, adoptive transfer of naive T cells was sufficient to block this increase. Evaluation of BDNF levels after subsequent exposure to escapable stress did not reveal any differences in expression. These findings suggest that T cells modulate hippocampal BDNF levels as part of the development of adaptive processes in response to stress.
Embedded Computing in the Mechanical Engineering Curriculum: A Course Featuring Structured Laboratory Exercises

An important skill for any design engineer is the ability to embed a computational element into a mechanical product or process. A course in embedded computing suitable for senior undergraduates in a mechanical engineering curriculum is described. The course, which includes both lectures and laboratory exercises, has evolved through our experiences in teaching embedded computing during the past decade and a half. In preparing to modernize this course, we have reexamined the academic ideas on which the course is based and the conflicting issues involved in developing a course in embedded computing with a hands-on laboratory. These issues and our expectations for the future of embedded computing instruction in our department are discussed.
Ethnic Differences Using Behavior Rating Scales to Assess the Mental Health of Children: A Conceptual and Psychometric Critique.

This article reviews the literature on using behavior-rating scales to assess the mental health of children from different ethnic groups in the United States. Particular emphasis is placed on children referred to child welfare and juvenile justice systems. Differences between categorical and dimensional classification, as well as broadband versus narrowband classification approaches are discussed. Sources of potential bias and the best available methods used to assess ethnic group differences in ratings scales are presented. Finally, the extent to which behavior rating scales have been examined for measurement equivalence is critiqued and directions for future research are forward.
Fixing the number of events in large comparative trials with low event rates: A binomial approach

Abstract In designing large clinical trials where the event rates are low, capabilities can be improved if one fixes the number of events rather than the number of patients. The dependent variable, the number of events in the treatment group, has essentially an unconditional binomial distribution. Simple tables giving the minimum detectable difference are provided for common type I error values and power. Implications for sequential monitoring are also presented. The methods can be applied to large randomized, stratified trials utilizing censored survival data, planned under proportional hazards and equal target population completing losses, provided that event rates are low.
Expression of Three Immunoglobulin Isotypes by Individual B Cells During Development: Implications for Heavy Chain Switching*

Previous studies in mice and humans have shown that the first IgA+ and IgG+ B cells appearing during ontogeny also bear IgM on the surface. The acquisition of IgD seems to occur at a later stage in differentiation. In this study we have combined autoradiography with two-color immunofluorescence to directly detect human B cells expressing three surface isotypes. We report that the vast majority of IgA+ cells in the neonate also bear IgM and IgD; the same holds true for IgG+ cells. This phenotype is peculiar of newborns, while in the adult the majority of IgA+ and IgG+ cells are single. We discuss the genetic implications of such a finding for heavy chain switching.
Merging for Survival: An Innovative Collaboration Effort, One Year Later

Nonprofit human services providers are struggling to meet increasing demands for services with diminished budgetary resources. This study returns to a unique collaborative fundraising model one year later in order to assess the progress toward successful joint fundraising a year after an initial study of the partnership was completed. Key stakeholders from the two remaining partner agencies were interviewed using a semi-structured interview protocol. Two major themes arose from examining the data: the primacy of relationships in building a successful collaboration and the importance of sustainability and accountability to the well-being of the new organization. The authors discuss practice implications as well as important considerations for other leaders considering the implementation of such a model.
Heterosis and nuclear DNA content in maize

Twenty-five F1 maize hybrids were analysed with respect to their nuclear DNA content. Twelve of the hybrids have been reported previously to have a low heterotic response while 13 have a high heterotic response. The nuclear DNA content of each F1 hybrid was compared with the midpoint DNA amount of its respective parents. In nine of the hybrids with the low heterotic response, the observed nuclear DNA amount exceeded the expected DNA amount by approximately 5 per cent. In 12 of the 13 hybrids that had a high heterotic response, the observed nuclear DNA amount was not significantly different from the expected DNA amount. These results demonstrate an association between heterotic response and nuclear DNA content inheritance in F1 hybrids of maize.
Increased quality of life among hepatocellular carcinoma patients treated with radioembolization, compared with chemoembolization.

Background & Aims Quality of life (QoL) is an important aspect of any palliative treatment. However, few data are available from studies comparing how embolotherapy affects QoL for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We performed a health-related QoL study in patients with HCC treated by transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) or 90 Y radioembolization. Methods We performed a prospective study of patients undergoing 90 Y radioembolization (n = 29) or TACE (n = 27) for HCC. We assessed patients before treatment and 2 and 4 weeks after treatment using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–Hepatobiliary (FACT-Hep) survey. We compared differences in health-related QoL between the treatment groups using linear regression repeated-measures analysis. Results At baseline, the groups had comparable baseline Child–Pugh class and performance statuses, although patients undergoing TACE had lower tumor burdens ( P = .018) and less-advanced disease, based on United Network for Organ Sharing and Barcelona stage ( P = .03 and P = .02, respectively), permitting injections at segmental arteries ( P P = .055, effect size [ES], .54), owing to a limited sample size. Despite the more advanced disease of patients who received 90 Y radioembolization, they had a significantly better QoL, based on social well being ( P = .019; ES, .65), functional well-being ( P = .031; ES, .60), and embolotherapy-specific scores ( P = .018; ES, .67). They also had a trend toward better overall QoL ( P = .055; ES, .54) and higher Trial Outcome Index ( P = .05; ES, .56) and FACT-Hep scores ( P = .071; ES, .52). Conclusions In a prospective study, although 90 Y radioembolization was used to treat patients with more advanced disease, those who received this treatment had significant increases in several features of QoL, whereas patients who received TACE had decreases in QoL scores. However, because of the limited sample size, there was no significant difference in overall FACT-Hep health-related QoL scores. The increase was greatest in the embolotherapy-specific score. ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00739167.
Expectancy theory analysis of migration

An Expectancy Theory analysis was used to explain patterns of migration in Iran. Fifty-four Iranian males and females were interviewed about their perception of the probability of attaining certain life outcomes in an urban or rural environment and the importance of each outcome. The subjects were divided into three samples: migrants to the capital city villagers and migrants who had returned to the village. Expectancy patterns successfully postdicted their location choices. Results indicated that differences in traditional vs. modern value choices accounted for most of the variance in expectancies. The role of Expectancy Theory in the prediction of migration in cross-cultural research is discussed. (excerpt)
Study of a particular magnet shape for a five-phase surface-mounted PM machine

This paper investigates the adaptation of the magnet shape for a low speed surface-mounted PM synchronous machine. For the considered marine propulsion application, the reduction of the ripple torques is of critical importance which explains the choice of a five-phase winding. From a multi-machine modelling of the five-phase machine, a reference back-emf spectrum is determined as design objective. To fulfill this requirement, it is decided to adapt the magnet shape. To perform this task, an analytical air gap field computation is developed and validated by using a finite element analysis software (FEMM). A particular trapezoid magnet shape is then determined for the case study. In comparison with the initial rotor made with fully pole-pitch magnets, the new magnet shape almost eliminates the pulsating torque. Furthermore, the average torque to magnet volume is improved which can be considered as a better use of the magnet material.
Eigenstructure vs Constrained H Design for Hypersonic Winged Cone

HE purpose of this study is to highlight some specie c decoupling issues in longitudinal control of the newer generation of airbreathing launch vehicles in hypersonic regime. The so-called winged cone, a reusable launch vehicle concept still being considered by NASA, is chosen as benchmark model. Critical in longitudinal control is the placement of the closed-loop poles at locations specie ed by, for example, the military standard e ying qualities of piloted aircraft (MILSPEC), along with the achievement of a certain degree of decoupling between the phugoid and the short-period modes. More specie cally, because airbreathing vehicles are vulnerable to change in angle of attack, itis imperative to achieve accurate angle-of-attack control and decouple it from the phugoid mode. This decoupling is traditionally achieved via the Shapiro eigenstructureassignment.Inthispaper,wedevelopanalternateapproach basedontranscribingtheamountofundesirablecouplingintermsof the H 1 normofsomespecie c closed-looptransfermatrixand using genetic algorithms to achieve the least possible H 1 norm subject
Neuropragmatism, old and new

Recent work in neurophilosophy has either made reference to the work of John Dewey or independently developed positions similar to it. I review these developments in order first to show that Dewey was indeed doing neurophilosophy well before the Churchlands and others, thereby preceding many other mid-twentieth century European philosophers’ views on cognition to whom many present day philosophers refer (e.g., Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty). I also show that Dewey’s work provides useful tools for evading or overcoming many issues in contemporary neurophilosophy and philosophy of mind. In this introductory review, I distinguish between three waves among neurophilosophers that revolve around the import of evolution and the degree of brain-centrism. Throughout, I emphasize and elaborate upon Dewey’s dynamic view of mind and consciousness. I conclude by introducing the consciousness-as-cooking metaphor as an alternative to both the consciousness-as-digestion and consciousness-as-dancing metaphors. Neurophilosophical pragmatism—or neuropragmatism—recognizes the import of evolutionary and cognitive neurobiology for developing a science of mind and consciousness. However, as the cooking metaphor illustrates, a science of mind and consciousness cannot rely on the brain alone—just as explaining cooking entails more than understanding the gut—and therefore must establish continuity with cultural activities and their respective fields of inquiry. Neuropragmatism advances a new and promising perspective on how to reconcile the scientific and manifest images of humanity as well as how to reconstruct the relationship between science and the humanities.
Chronic arterial responses to stent implantation: A serial intravascular ultrasound analysis of palmaz-schatz stents in native coronary arteries

Objectives. We used intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging to evaluate the chronic vessel responses to Palmaz-Schatz stents. Background. Palmaz-Schatz stents have been shown to inhibit early elastic recoil and late arterial remodeling while triggering neointimal hyperplasia. However, changes occurring in native vessels surrounding stent struts have not been well studied. Methods. Postintervention and follow-up (mean [±SD] 5.4 ± 3.8 months) serial IVUS imaging was performed in 25 stents without restenosis and 24 with in-stent restenosis. Intravascular ultrasound imaging using automatic transducer pullback at 0.5 mm/s allowed measurement at 1-mm axial increments of external elastic membrane (EEM), stent and lumen crosssectional areas (CSAs) and calculation of peristent plaque plus media (P+M = EEM — stent) CSA, intrastent plaque (stent — lumen) CSA, arterial remodeling (ΔEEM CSA), tissue growth outside the stent (ΔP+M CSA) and tissue growth within the stent (Δstent — lumen CSA). Volumes were calculated using the Simpson rule. Results. Mean EEM CSA increased significantly from 16.9 ± 5.0 mm2 after intervention to 18.4 ± 4.9 mm2 at follow-up (p Conclusions. After implantation there is a chronic increase in plaque mass both within and surrounding the stents. The increase in peristent plaque mass is associated with adaptive remodeling.
Test data analytics — Exploring spatial and test-item correlations in production test data

The discovery of patterns and correlations hidden in the test data could help reduce test time and cost. In this paper, we propose a methodology and supporting statistical regression tools that can exploit and utilize both spatial and inter-test-item correlations in the test data for test time and cost reduction. We first describe a statistical regression method, called group lasso, which can identify inter-test-item correlations from test data. After learning such correlations, some test items can be identified for removal from the test program without compromising test quality. An extended version of this method, weighted group lasso, allows taking into account the distinct test time/cost of each individual test item in the formulation as a weighted optimization problem. As a result, its solution would favor more costly test items for removal from the test program. We further integrate weighted group lasso with another statistical regression technique, virtual probe, which can learn spatial correlations of test data across a wafer. The integrated method could then utilize both spatial and inter-test-item correlations to maximize the number of test items whose values can be predicted without measurement. Experimental results of a high-volume industrial device show that utilizing both spatial and inter-test-item correlations can help reduce test time by up to 55%.
Open-ocean response and normal mode excitation in an eddy-resolving general circulation model

Abstract Analysis of a two-layer, flat-bottom, steady-wind driven, eddy-resolving general circulation model reveals a distinct separation in frequency of baroclinic and barotropic motion in the region distant from the model Gulf Stream. The far-field motions at periods less (greater) than about 100 days are predominantly barotropic (baroclinic), unlike the near-field, eddy-generating, free-jet region which contains barotropic and baroclinic energy throughout the modei frequency range. The far-field barotropic energy produces a peak in the model sea-level spectra between 25 and 50 days with a magnitude comparable to energy levels observed in spectra of sea level from oceanic island tide gauges. The far-field barotropic motion is clearly composed of large-scale, resonant, barotropic normal modes drive by mesoscale activity of the turbulent, free-jet region. Oceanic mesoscale turbulence may therefore provide for planetary normal modes an excitation mechanism distinct from atmospheric forcing. The open-ocean,...
Temperature Optimum of Non-sulphur Bacteria from a Spring at 90° C

IT is well established that bacteria live in hot springs at temperatures greater than 90° C depending on altitude1–4. We have studied the physiology and temperature optima of these organisms by growing them on coverslips and measuring directly the uptake of various radioactively labelled compounds5. The bacteria were obtained from an unnamed spring, known to us as “pool A”, which is in the Lower Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park4, and which has a temperature of 90°–91.5° C and is therefore just below the boiling point for this altitude. It has a pH of 8.6–8.9 and a low sulphide content (0.096 µg/ml.). Our work on Boulder Spring, a superheated spring with a relatively large sulphide content (3.1 µg/ml.), revealed that the bacteria in that spring incorporated radioactively labelled compounds only when sulphide was present6, yet the uptake by bacteria from pool A was inhibited by sulphide.
The theory of rationality for ideal games

Traditionally, the problem for the theory of two-person games has been to provide the solution to an ideal type of interdependent choice situation, characterized by the following background conditions: (1) both players are rational; (2) there is common knowledge of (a) the rationality of both players, (b) the strategy structure of the game for each player, and (c) the preferences that each has with respect to outcomes; (3) each player's choice behavior with regard to any abstractly conceived space of outcomes (including probabilistically characterized outcomes) can be captured by supposing the player maximizes a von Neumann-Morgenstern utility function, defined over that same space of outcomes; and (4) each player's choice among available strategies, is consequentially oriented, i.e., choice is strictly a function of the preferences that player has with respect to the outcomes associated with the various strategies. At the very outset of the formal study of games, von Neumann and Morgenstem (1944) argue that one encounters a conceptual, as distinct from a technical, difficulty in moving from the study of the isolated individual (the proverbial Robinson Crusoe) to the study of interacting persons. Crusoe's task, given his wants and resources, amounts to a simple maximization problem, complicated at most by the need to incorporate probabilistically defined outcomes. In the case of social interaction, however,
Evolution and Acceptability of Medical Applications of RFID Implants Among Early Users of Technology

RFID as a wireless identification technology that may be combined with microchip implants have tremendous potential in today's market. Although these implants have their advantages and disadvantages, recent improvements how allowed for implants designed for humans. Focus was given to the use of RFID tags and its effects on technology and CRM through a case study on VeriChip, the only corporation to hold the rights and the patent to the implantable chip for humans, and an empirically based study on working professionals to measure perceptions by early adopters of such technology. Through hypotheses-testing procedures, it was found that although some resistance to accept microchip implants was found in several applications, especially among gender, it was totally expected that healthcare and medical record keeping activities would be universally treated in a positive light and the use of authorities (namely governmental agencies) would be equally treated in a negative light by both sexes. Future trends and recommendations are presented along with statistical results collected through personal interviews.
Programs for use with the automatic amino acid analyser to identify, compute and correlate amino acid concentrations in biological samples.

Abstract A series of computer programs is presented that enable chromatograms obtained from different machines run under a variety of analytical conditions to be processed. Many chromatograms may be examined per run to establish the identity of the amino acids and determine their concentrations. Using tissue analysis as an example, those chromatograms obtained from the same specimen but passed through different columns are combined to provide a profile for that tissue. Tissues are further grouped into sets of experiments which are jointly compared, and from the results, questions are formulated to aid in the elucidation of the biochemical changes occurring in tissues under various conditions.
Staurosporine and K-252 compounds protect hippocampal neurons against amyloid β-peptide toxicity and oxidative injury

Recent studies have shown that amyloid β-peptide (Aβ) can be directly neurotoxic by a mechanism related to secondary structure of the peptide, and mediated by free radical production and an increase in the concentration of intracellular free calcium ([Ca2+]i). We now report that staurosporine and K-252 compounds, low molecular weight alkaloids of bacterial origin, can protect cultured rat hippocampal neurons against the toxicity of Aβ in a concentration-dependent manner. The alkaloids also protected neurons against iron-induced (free radical-mediated) injury. Measurements of [Ca2+]i using fura-2 imaging revealed that the elevation of [Ca2+]i that occurred in response to long-term exposure to Aβ was attenuated in neurons treated with staurosporine and K-252 compounds. These findings indicate that staurosporine and K-252 compounds can interupt a neurodegenerative pathway relevant to the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease.
Production and characterization of biologically active human GM-CSF secreted by genetically modified plant cells.

Human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), a hemopoietic growth factor, was produced and secreted from tobacco cell suspensions. The GM-CSF cDNA was carried by a binary vector under the control of the CaMV 35S promoter and the T7 terminator. In addition, a 5'-nontranslated region from the tobacco etch virus (TEV leader sequence) was fused to the N-terminal end of the GM-CSF transgene. For ease of purification, a 6-His tag was added to the 3' end of the GM-CSF cDNA. Addition of the TEV leader sequence increased protein production more than twofold compared to non-TEV controls. Initial batch cultivation studies indicated a maximum of 250 microg/L extracellular and 150 microg/L intracellular GM-CSF. Western blot analysis detected multiple peptides with masses from 14 to 30 kDa in the extracellular medium. The plant-produced GM-CSF was biologically active and could be bound to a nickel affinity matrix, indicating that both the receptor-binding region and the 6-His tag were functional. The batch production of GM-CSF was compared with the production of other recombinant proteins secreted by transformed tobacco cells. The recovery of secreted GM-CSF was increased by the addition of stabilizing proteins and by increasing salt in the growth medium to physiological levels.
Outcomes from treatment of necrotizing soft-tissue infections: results from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database

Abstract Background Necrotizing soft-tissue infections (NSTIs) are a group of uncommon, rapidly progressive, potentially fatal disorders. The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) Registry was used to determine current data on the incidence, treatment, and outcomes of NSTIs. Methods There were 688 NSTI cases identified for years 2005 to 2008. Ten control patients for each NSTI patient were also selected. Demographic, laboratory, and outcome data were collected to compare both groups. Results Evidence of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), sepsis, or septic shock occurred in 83% of NSTI cases. Mortality was 12% for NSTI patients versus 2% for controls. Regression analysis showed that age, emergent surgery, transfer from an outside hospital, sepsis, and several comorbid diseases correlated with mortality but not sex or diabetes. Direct admission was associated with reduced mortality. Conclusions NSTIs are seen regularly in academic centers, and their incidence may be increasing. Despite a high incidence of comorbid conditions and frequent presentation with sepsis, mortality is lower than previously reported, reflecting ongoing progress in the treatment of these disorders at NSQIP hospitals.
Sacred images in dreamwork: The journey into self as journey into God

In adults, it is proposed that psychospiritual development occurs concurrently with a shift in god-image. Dreams provide primary access to discover and study this shift. Midlife graduate students in Pastoral Counseling and Spiritual Development each submitted a dream in a group seminar format. Images and themes that emerged reflect the individuation process described by C. G. Jung: the archetypal journey of life, the descent into hell, and the inner marriage were themes that recurred. This paper includes examples of dream material suggesting various sacred images and discussion of the dreams as a “call to ministry.” Also presented are techniques for group dream work.