cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A microstructural study of low resistivity tin-doped indium oxide prepared by d.c. magnetron sputtering

The microstructure of low resistivity (∼ 2 × 10−4 Ω cm) Sn-doped In2O3 (ITO) thin films prepared by multipass d.c. magnetron sputter deposition with an ITO (10 wt.% SnO2) target onto soda-lime glass substrates was investigated using plan-view and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction. Each pass of the multipass sputter process deposits a 110 nm thick ITO layer. The substrate temperature was 400 °C during deposition and the sputter chamber was back-filled to a pressure of 1 × 10−3 Torr with a mixture of Ar and 0.8–1.0 at.% O2. Plan-view TEM studies combined with SEM observations of the film surface reveal that the sputtered ITO possesses a polycrystalline structure in which 200–350 nm grains are subdivided into highly oriented regions 10–30 nm in diameter. X-ray diffractometry studies show that the as-deposited films have a strong 〈100〉 texture and cross-sectional TEM studies reveal prominent columnar growth in the through-thickness direction.
The synthesis of dimethoxy- and trimethoxy[1]benzothieno[2,3-c]quinolines

Three dimethoxy[1]benzothieno[2,3-c]quinolines 24–26 were prepared by photocyclization of the appropriate 3-chloro-N-phenylbenzo[b]thiophene-2-carboxamides 15–17 to [1]benzothieno[2,3-c]quinolin-6(5H)-ones 18–20 followed by chlorination to 6-chloro[1]benzothieno[2,3-c]quinolines 21–23 and then dechlorination resulting in the title compounds. Reaction of 24–26 with methyl iodide furnished the corresponding N-methyl quaternary salts 27–29. Sodium methoxide readily converted 21–23 to trimethoxy[1]benzothieno[2,3-c]quinolines 30–32.
Differential recall of problems, clues, and solutions from completed and uncompleted tasks

Forty college students were given the task of solving 28 anagrams with the help of clues. The anagrams were constructed so that problem words, solutions, and clues were common English words. Set was varied between the two groups by telling one group to expect a recall test (open set) and not so informing the other group (closed set). Clues leading to solutions were subsequently recalled more frequently. Subjects in the open group tended to recall more problem words, while those in the closed group tended to recall more clues. The results were interpreted as being due to differential effects of reward.
Electromechanical simulation of a large-aperture MOEMS Fabry-Perot tunable filter

We are developing a micro-machined electrostatically actuated Fabry-Perot tunable filter with a large clear aperture for application in high through-put wide-field imaging spectroscopy and lidar systems. In the first phase of this effort, we are developing key components based on coupled electro-mechanical simulations. In particular, the movable etalon plate design leverages high coating stresses to yield a flat surface in drum-head tension over a large diameter (12.5 mm). In this approach, the cylindrical silicon movable plate is back etched, resulting in an optically coated membrane that is suspended from a thick silicon support ring. Understanding the interaction between the support ring, suspended membrane, and coating is critical to developing surfaces that are flat to within stringent etalon requirements. In this work, we present the simulations used to develop the movable plate, spring suspension system, and electrostatic actuation mechanism. We also present results from tests of fabricated proof of concept components.
Maximal Testosterone Production in Leydig Cells from Inbred Mice Relates to the Activity of 3β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase-isomerase*

We previously described significant differences in maximal testosterone production by Leydig cells from the following strains of inbred mice: C57BL/10J, C57BL/6J, DBA/2J, and C3H/HeJ. To evaluate whether these differences in maximal testosterone production related to the activities of the steroidogenic enzymes of the smooth endoplasmic reticulum of Leydig cells from these strains, the activities of 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-isomerase, 17α-hydroxylase, C17–20 lyase, and 17-ketosteroid reductase were measured in homogenates of purified Leydig cells using 3H-labeled substrates and measuring the amounts of 3H products formed. Maximal and basal testosterone production were determined by incubating aliquots of Leydig cells for 2 h in the presence or absence of 30 pM hCG. Maximal testosterone production by Leydig cells from C57BL/10J and C57BL/6J mice was significantly greater than that by Leydig cells from DBA/2J and C3H/HeJ mice. No difference in basal testosterone production was observed among the strai...
TIGER/Line files in teaching GIS

Abstract This paper offers a teaching strategy for incorporating TIGER/Line files into introductory GIS courses where IDRISI and OSUMAP are the primary software packages. TIGER/Line files present a valuable database for teaching GIS. The TIGER data structure aids in teaching concepts related to topological data structures, geocoding and address matching, and the files themselves provide an excellent database for laboratory exercises that incorporate census information along with environmental and natural resource data. Lack of support by commonly-used educational software packages to import TIGER/Line files directly has been a serious impediment in an instructional context. This paper presents software developed to convert TIGER/Line files into simple polygon vector files acceptable by IDRISI and OSUMAP for three alternative census geographic units (tracts, block groups and blocks). The resulting vector files are plotted for visual examination and graphical output. The vector files generated can also be i...
Theory of Multi-Path Maxmin Rate Allocation

This paper provides a foundation theory for maxim in rate allocation over a communications network. This paper is the first one to provide a comprehensive multi-path and multi-level (due to line lexicographic multi-objective nature) optimization theory. The multi-path maxmin problem is orders of magnitude harder than the single-path problem. The main problem is the non-uniqueness of lower level solutions; since higher level solutions depend on lower level solutions, the non-uniqueness makes the problem highly complex. This paper also introduces the concepts of over-provisioned links and efficient paths and their inter-relationship with bottlenecks. The results of this paper also show the usefulness of linear programming duality theory in multi-objective lexicographic optimization problem
Developmental Modulation of Nonhomologous End Joining in Caenorhabditis elegans

Homologous recombination and nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ) are important DNA double-strand break repair pathways in many organisms. C. elegans strains harboring mutations in the cku-70, cku-80, or lig-4 NHEJ genes displayed multiple developmental abnormalities in response to radiation-induced DNA damage in noncycling somatic cells. These phenotypes did not result from S-phase, DNA damage, or mitotic checkpoints, apoptosis, or stress response pathways that regulate dauer formation. However, an additional defect in him-10, a kinetochore component, synergized with NHEJ mutations for the radiation-induced developmental phenotypes, suggesting that they may be triggered by mis-segregation of chromosome fragments. Although NHEJ was an important DNA repair pathway for noncycling somatic cells in C. elegans, homologous recombination was used to repair radiation-induced DNA damage in cycling somatic cells and in germ cells at all times. Noncycling germ cells that depended on homologous recombination underwent cell cycle arrest in G2, whereas noncycling somatic cells that depended on NHEJ arrested in G1, suggesting that cell cycle phase may modulate DNA repair during development. We conclude that error-prone NHEJ plays little or no role in DNA repair in C. elegans germ cells, possibly ensuring homology-based double-strand break repair and transmission of a stable genome from one generation to the next.
Measurement of the Sintering Pressure in Ceramic Films

An experimental technique is described to estimate the intrinsic sintering pressure in ceramic films. It involves measuring the time-dependent axial strain of the film during isothermal sintering under a varying tensile load. The applied stress when the axial strain rate goes to zero gives the measurement of the sintering pressure. Such experiments with titania tapes fabricated by tape casting showed the intrinsic sintering pressure to lie in the range of 200 to 130 kPa for densities in the range of 85% to 95% of the theoretical density. The sintering pressure decreased with increasing density. These results are in agreement with measurements of sintering pressure in alumina and titania obtained from sinter-forging experiments.
Initial management of prostate‐specific antigen‐detected, low‐risk prostate cancer and the risk of death from prostate cancer

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? The recently published Prostate Cancer Intervention versus Observation Trial (PIVOT) did not identify differences in prostate cancer-specific mortality or all-cause mortality among patients with low-risk disease managed conservatively vs those managed definitively; however, recently published data suggest that older men may harbour more aggressive disease than is identified at biopsy owing to sampling error and undergrading. Whether older men with apparent low-risk disease are placed at risk of prostate cancer-specific mortality when managed conservatively remains unknown. The study used population-level data to show that non-curative approaches for older men with low-risk prostate cancer do result in an increased risk of prostate cancer-specific mortality. Differences between our study and the PIVOT trial include the fact that we included a larger sample size, analysed the data using an ‘as-treated’ approach, and included a healthier cohort of men as evinced by lower 4-year all-cause mortality estimates in our study than in the PIVOT. Our results suggest that older men with apparent low-risk prostate cancer are at risk of undergrading, which probably explains the differences in prostate cancer-specific mortality observed between men managed conservatively vs those managed definitively. Our study suggests that alternative approaches to excluding occult, high grade prostate cancer are needed in such men. Objective To evaluate whether older age in men with low-risk prostate cancer increases the risk of prostate cancer-specific mortality (PCSM) when non-curative approaches are selected as initial management. Patients and Methods The study cohort consisted of 27 969 men, with a median age of 67 years, with prostate-specific antigen (PSA)-detected, low-risk prostate cancer (clinical category T1c, Gleason score ≤6, and PSA ≤10) identified by the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results programme between 2004 and 2007. Fine and Gray's competing risk regression analysis was used to evaluate whether management with non-curative vs curative therapy was associated with an increased risk of PCSM after adjusting for PSA level, age at diagnosis and year of diagnosis. Results After a median follow-up of 2.75 years, 1121 men died, 60 (5.4%) from prostate cancer. Both older age (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR] 1.05; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02–1.08; P < 0.001) and non-curative treatment (AHR 3.34; 95% CI 1.97–5.67; P < 0.001) were significantly associated with an increased risk of PCSM. Men > the median age experienced increased estimates of PCSM when treated with non-curative as opposed to curative intent (P < 0.001); this finding was not seen in men ≤ the median age (P = 0.17). Conclusion Pending prospective validation, our study suggests that non-curative approaches for older men with ‘low-risk’ prostate cancer result in an increased risk of PCSM, suggesting the need for alternative approaches to exclude occult, high grade prostate cancer in these men.
DDT: design and evaluation of a dynamic program analysis for optimizing data structure usage

Data structures define how values being computed are stored and accessed within programs. By recognizing what data structures are being used in an application, tools can make applications more robust by enforcing data structure consistency properties, and developers can better understand and more easily modify applications to suit the target architecture for a particular application. This paper presents the design and application of DDT, a new program analysis tool that automatically identifies data structures within an application. An application binary is instrumented to dynamically monitor how the data is stored and organized for a set of sample inputs. The instrumentation detects which functions interact with the stored data, and creates a signature for these functions using dynamic invariant detection. The invariants of these functions are then matched against a library of known data structures, providing a probable identification. That is, DDT uses program consistency properties to identify what data structures an application employs. The empirical evaluation shows that this technique is highly accurate across several different implementations of standard data structures, enabling aggressive optimizations in many situations.
Explicating Alcohol’s Role in Acquaintance Sexual Assault: Complementary Perspectives and Convergent Findings

This article summarizes the proceedings of a symposium presented at the 2004 meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA) in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. There were four presentations and a discussant. The symposium was co-chaired by Tina Zawacki and Jeanette Norris. The first presentation was made by Jeanette Norris, who found that alcohol consumption and preexisting alcohol expectancies affected women's hypothetical responses to a vignette depicting acquaintance sexual aggression. The second presentation was made by Joel Martell, who reported that alcohol-induced impairment of executive cognitive functioning mediated the effect of intoxication on men's perceptions of a sexual assault vignette. In the third presentation, Antonia Abbey found that the experiences of women whose sexual assault involved intoxication or force were more negative than were the experiences of women whose sexual assault involved verbal coercion. The fourth presentation was made by Tina Zawacki, who reported that men who perpetrated sexual assault only in adolescence differed from men who continued perpetration into adulthood in terms of their drinking patterns and attitudes toward women. William H. George discussed these findings in terms of their implications for theory development and prevention programming.
Investigation of the effects of process variables on the properties of europium-doped yttrium-oxide phosphor

The goal of this work is to synthesize Y 2 O 3 :Eu +3 of small size and high luminous efficiency using the oxalate co-precipitation process. We find that pH, solution temperature, and calcining temperature determine particle size and morphology. Particles with the smallest mean diameter form at a pH of 4, solution temperature of 22°C, and a calcining temperature of 1000°C. Cubic and plate-let/rod-shaped particles precipitate at a high pH and irregularly shaped particles at a low pH. Powders with 2-3 mol% Eu produce the most efficient luminescence. Efficiency increases with calcining temperate as does mean crystallite size.
Nonlinear effects of teaching and consulting on academic research productivity

Abstract This study tests the proposition that moderate amounts of faculty time spent in the “non-research” roles of teaching and consulting are, in fact, facilitative of research productivity; and establishes values for the point at which such activities cease to have a facilitating effect. This was done by fitting continuous piecewise-linear regression models to 1980 data pertaining to a national sample of 5605 faculty. The study illustrates the effectiveness of piecewise-linear methods relative to polynomial techniques for problems of this kind and suggests that the former approach should be more prevalent. The results indicate that up to 4 hr p/wk of consulting and up to 8 hr p/wk of teaching are indeed facilitative of research productivity. Policy implications are discussed.
On the absolutely continuous spectrum of a vector-matrix Dirac system

A Dirac system is considered which has a matrix-valued long-range, short-range and oscillatory potentials. The system has one singular endpoint at infinity. Additional conditions on the potential are given which guarantee particular asymptotic behaviour of an energy functional associated with a certain set of solutions. This asymptotic behaviour guarantees the existence of a purely absolutely continuous spectrum outside a gap containing the origin.
Agricultural Adjustment in China: Problems and Prospects

Because of the low income elasticity of demand for farm products and the ability of farmers to increase labor productivity, economic growth requires that farm employment decline if farmers are to share in the benefits of such growth. In 1952 approximately 84 percent of China's workers were engaged in agriculture; in 1997 the figure had declined to 41 percent. By 2030 farm employment may account for only 10 percent of the total. The productivity of farm labor must increase at a rapid pace if the 63 percent decline in farm employment does not adversely affect the rate of growth of farm output.
Global Up-Regulation of Microtubule Dynamics and Polarity Reversal during Regeneration of an Axon from a Dendrite

We look inside neurons in vivo and identify major cytoskeletal rearrangements that allow a dendrite to become a regenerating axon.
Multiple periorbital cutaneous myxomas progressing to scleromyxedema

Myxomas are rare cutaneous tumors that have been associated with a variety of other abnormalities including atrial myxomas, endocrine abnormalities, and bone malformations. We describe a 38-year-old white man with multiple periorbital myxomas in whom myalgias, fatigue, and more diffuse cutaneous involvement developed. These findings were consistent with scleromyxedema. He also had an associated left subclavian deep venous thrombosis. The patient responded well to therapy with cyclophosphamide.
Psychological Preparation for Labor and Delivery Using Hypnosis

Abstract Hypnotic preparation for labor and delivery is enjoying renewed interest. This interest lies in the mother's psychological comfort and sense of involvement in the birth process. In this paper I present a model of psychological preparation, illustrated with case examples, that appears to be superior to Lamaze. This model offers the mother a sense of involvement in the process, control, awareness, and a level of anxiety relief and pain management superior to that provided by Lamaze. This method requires no more time than does Lamaze and uses the following elements: (1) a unique opportunity for the mother to participate in tailoring the protocol to address her needs along with the husband or “coach” participating in the training; (2) utilization of a “parts model” for the hypnotic induction, deepening, and imagery; (3) incorporation of “hypnotic rehearsal,” dissociation, time distortion, and cognitive reframing; and (4) continued application of the hypnotic procedure after delivery and into the reco...
USPACOR: Universal sparsity-controlling outlier rejection

The recent upsurge of research toward compressive sampling and parsimonious signal representations hinges on signals being sparse, either naturally, or, after projecting them on a proper basis. The present paper introduces a neat link between sparsity and a fundamental aspect of statistical inference, namely that of robustness against outliers, even when the signals involved are not sparse. It is argued that controlling sparsity of model residuals leads to statistical learning algorithms that are computationally affordable and universally robust to outlier models. Analysis, comparisons, and corroborating simulations focus on robustifying linear regression, but succinct overview of other areas is provided to highlight universality of the novel framework.
Meckel's diverticulum

Meckel's diverticulum is a cause of significant morbidity and mortality. Often this is related to the delay in diagnosis. Based on a US population of 200 million people and a 2% incidence, there are 4 million Meckel's diverticula present waiting to cause symptoms. Considering that most Meckel's diverticula are asymptomatic and that many authors have described the condition as a great mimic, the diagnosis is often quite elusive. Therefore, a high index of suspicion is needed to diagnose Meckel's diverticulum correctly and expeditiously as the source of disease in the patient with an often unclear abdominal presentation. The difficulty with diagnosis should be lessened if one considers that Meckel's diverticulum presents largely in the male and younger age groups with the three major symptom complexes of bowel obstruction, gastrointestinal bleeding, and inflammation. Use of 99mTc pertechnetate scintigraphy appears to be the diagnostic study of choice if Meckel's diverticulum is suspected and the patient is clinically stable. When one considers the potential for bad outcome if Meckel's diverticulum is missed in the setting of possible obstruction or hemorrhage (i.e., bowel infarction or exsanguination), a high index of suspicion and diagnostic aggressiveness is warranted. Lastly, if one thought is to be left behind, it should be: "Meckel's is a great mimic that must be considered in all cases of intra-abdominal disease in which the cause is not readily apparent."
The Application of Chemical Mechanical Polishing for Nickel Used in MEMS Devices

Chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) has found extensive application in the fabrication of micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS). Nickel and Nickel based alloys are known to possess favorable properties that make them promising candidates to realize movable structures for MEMS applications. The development of CMP slurry chemistry for Ni that provides good CMP performance is the key in enabling CMP technology for Nickel based MEMS device fabrication. Unfortunately, very little work has been reported in terms of the electrochemical interaction of Ni with various CMP slurry constituents such as oxidizers, complexants and inhibitors. In this study, CMP of nickel was performed using H2O2 as oxidizer and alumina particles as abrasives. Electrochemical techniques were used to investigate the dissolution/passivation behavior of high-purity Ni under static and dynamic conditions in slurries at pH 4 with the addition of oxidizer, complexing agent and nickel salt. The affected surface layers of the statically etched Ni-disc were investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The Ni removal rate increased with the addition of oxidizer and further increased with the addition of complexing agent and nickel salt. The electrochemical results indicate that the surface chemistry and electrochemical characteristic of Ni play an important role in controlling the polishing behavior.
Flecainide and sotalol: a new combination therapy for refractory supraventricular tachycardia in children <1 year of age

Abstract Objectives The goal of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of the combination therapy of flecainide and sotalol for the treatment of refractory supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) in children Background Supraventricular tachycardia in infants can be refractory to single-drug as well as standard combination medical therapy. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is the definitive treatment of refractory SVT; however, interventional therapy poses a high risk of morbidity and mortality in this age group. Methods A retrospective review was performed identifying infants who required flecainide and sotalol to control refractory SVT. Patient age, previous drug therapy, duration of treatment, flecainide levels and corrected QT intervals were recorded; 24 h Holter monitoring was utilized to gauge efficacy of treatment. Efficacy was defined as suppression of SVT to no more than rare nonsustained episodes or slowing of SVT to a clinically tolerable rate. Results Ten patients (median age: 29 days, range: 1 to 241 days) failed at least two antiarrhythmic agents including either flecainide or sotalol as single agents before initiating combination therapy. Efficacy was achieved in all patients. The failure rate for therapy was reduced from 100% to 0% (95% confidence interval: 0% to 26%). The median doses used were: flecainide 100 mg/m2/day (range: 40 to 150 mg/m2/day) and sotalol 175 mg/m2/day (range: 100 to 250 mg/m2/day). Median duration of therapy was 16 months (range: 5 to 35 months). No proarrhythmia occurred. Conclusions The combination of flecainide and sotalol can safely and effectively control refractory SVT and may obviate the need for RFA in children
Competition and the evolution of efficiency

Abstract This paper presents an evolutionary model of the relationship between inter-firm competition and intra-firm organizational or X-efficiency. We model X-inefficiency within the firm as a prisoner's dilemma effort-monitoring problem, whose evolution is influenced by external competitive pressure from other firms. A closed form stochastic equilibrium displaying “survival of the fittest” dynastic cycles is derived and analyzed. The main result is that there exists a well defined sense in which competition is a surprisingly powerful force for efficiency.
Negative refractive index in optics of metal-dielectric composites

Specially designed metal-dielectric composites can have a negative refractive index in the optical range. Specifically, it is shown that arrays of single and paired nanorods can provide such negative refraction. For pairs of metal rods, a negative refractive index has been observed at 1.5 µm. The inverted structure of paired voids in metal films can also exhibit a negative refractive index. A similar effect can be accomplished with metal strips in which the refractive index can reach −2. The refractive index retrieval procedure and the critical role of light phases in determining the refractive index are discussed.
Does a Trauma Course Improve Resident Performance on the Trauma Domain of the OITE

Background: Lecture-based courses are common in orthopaedic surgery; however, their effectiveness in improving medical knowledge has not been widely assessed. The Orthopaedic Trauma Association conducts a resident trauma course that occurs four to six weeks prior to the Orthopaedic In-Training Examination (OITE). The purposes of this study were to determine whether residents who had taken this course performed better on the trauma domain of the OITE and to compare the effect of the course with the effect of a focused rotation in orthopaedic trauma. Methods: The percentile scores on the trauma domain of the OITE for forty-seven residents in postgraduate year (PGY) 2 were reviewed. Twenty-nine residents who took a trauma course within six weeks before the OITE were compared with eighteen residents who took the course after the OITE. As a secondary analysis, the effect of a trauma rotation for the same PGY-2 residents before and after the OITE was also assessed. Baseline orthopaedic knowledge was assessed with use of the overall OITE percentage scores. Results: The trauma domain scores were not significantly better among the residents who took the course (mean and standard deviation, 62.2 ± 9.9) compared with those who had not taken it (mean, 59.2 ± 6.2) (p = 0.2). A significant difference (p = 0.04) was found for a trauma rotation, with the residents who had a trauma rotation scoring better (mean, 64.5 ± 6.8) than the residents who had not (mean, 58.8 ± 8.9). The subgroup of residents who had both a course and a trauma rotation before the test scored significantly better (p = 0.01) than the subgroup that had neither of these experiences before the test (mean, 65.6 ± 8.0 and 56.9 ± 6.4, respectively). Conclusions: An orthopaedic trauma course alone does not enhance an orthopaedic resident’s trauma medical knowledge as assessed on a standardized test. However, a trauma rotation before, and in particular the combination of both a course and a trauma rotation, can improve trauma test scores.
NON-TARGET IMPACTS OF ACARICIDES ON LADYBEETLES IN CITRUS: A LABORATORY STUDY

Abstract Two ladybeetles, Cycloneda sanguinea (L) and Harmonia axyridis Pallas, were exposed to leaf residues and topical applications of five acaricide formulations commonly used in citrus production in Florida. Dicofol was the only compound demonstrating no toxicity to larvae of either species, even at twice the recommended rate. Abamectin + petrolium oil was the most toxic material; leaf residues applied at the recommended rate caused 100% mortality of both species. Diflubenzuron was toxic to larvae of both species as a leaf residue applied at twice the recommended rate, and to larvae of C. sanguinea when topically applied at the recommended rate. Fenbutatin oxide was toxic to larvae of C. sanguinea when topically applied at the recommended rate, and as a leaf residue applied at twice the recommended rate, but not to larvae of H. axyridis. Pyridaben was toxic to larvae of both species as a leaf residue applied at twice the recommended rate, and in topical application at the recommended rate. Adult beet...
Variation in Public Opinion About Health Reform, by Plan Type: Findings from the 2010 EBRI/MGA Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey

There is no shortage of public opinion surveys related to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), enacted March 23, 2010. However, differences in public opinion among individuals with private health insurance have not been explored as they relate to type of health plan. This paper uses data from a recent survey (2010 EBRI/MGA Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey, or CEHCS) to examine how individuals with different types of health plans think health reform will affect their personal health care costs, their personal health coverage, and the quality of the health care services that they receive. Individuals with traditional health coverage, consumer-driven health plans (CDHPs), and high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) are examined. The 2010 EBRI/MGA Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey finds that relatively few people with private health insurance consider themselves knowledgeable about the PPACA, the federal health insurance reform law enacted earlier this year. Roughly half say they are somewhat, not very, or not at all knowledgeable about the law. Most individuals with private health insurance have negative expectations of how the new law will affect them personally, with a majority saying they expect it will cause prices to go up and health care coverage and quality to go down. Individuals with traditional health coverage tend to have more positive views than those with high-deductible or consumer-driven health plans--possibly because traditional health plan participants tend to identify themselves more as Democrats, while high-deductible and consumer-driven plan participants are more likely to lean Republican. Very few participants in employment-based health plans say their employer has given them any information about the new law. Also, very few expect the law will have much, if any, impact on employers’ willingness to offer health benefits, at least for the next four years. The PDF for the above title, published in the November 2010 issue of EBRI Notes, also contains the fulltext of another November 2010 EBRI Notes article abstracted on SSRN: “Retirement Plan Participation: Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) Data, 2009.”
Can We Describe Graphene Confined Water Structures as Overlapping of Approaching Graphene–Water Interfacial Structures?

We investigate the microscopic mechanisms of the overlap of interfacial structures in confined fluids and attempt to answer the question whether the confined structures can be predicted from the original density profiles of individual solid–fluid interfaces. For that purpose, we perform (globally) isobaric–isothermal (locally, grand canonical) molecular dynamics simulations to extract not only the axial distribution functions of the water sites for the uncoupled graphene–water interfaces, but also those corresponding to the confined aqueous environments over the interplate range 8 ≤ h (A) ≤ 28 typically at ambient conditions. We have tested two (i.e., an arithmetic and a geometric) superposition approximations for the singlet density of confined water between flat graphene plates, as well as for a combination of flat and corrugated graphene plates. The outcome of this study suggests that the answer to the title’s question is a “yes”, provided that the interplate distance h is large enough to avoid fluid g...
Dynamics of coupled plasmon polariton wave packets excited at a subwavelength slit in optically thin metal films

We study by numerical simulations the excitation and propagation dynamics of coupled surface plasmon polariton (SPP) wave packets (WPs) in optically thin Ag films and a bulk Ag/vacuum interface under the illumination of a subwavelength slit by 400 nm continuous wave (cw) and femtosecond pulsed light. The generated surface fields include contributions from both SPPs and quasicylindrical waves, which dominate in different regimes. We explore aspects of the coupled SPP modes in Ag thin films, including symmetry, propagation, attenuation, and the variation of coupling with incident angle and film thickness. Simulations of the electromagnetic transients initiated with femtosecond pulses reveal new features of coupled SPP WP generation and propagation in thin Ag films. Our results show that, under pulsed excitation, the SPP modes in an Ag thin film break up into two distinct bound surface wave packets characterized by marked differences in symmetries, group velocities, attenuation lengths, and dispersion properties. The nanometer spatial and femtosecond temporal scale excitation and propagation dynamics of the coupled SPP WPs are revealed in detail by movies recording the evolution of their transient field distributions.
Multiple-Stimulus without Replacement Preference Assessment: Reducing the Number of Sessions to Identify Preferred Stimuli

Multiple-stimulus without replacement (MSWO) is a systematic direct assessment method used to identify preferred items and activities that may serve as reinforcers for behavior reduction or skill acquisition programs. DeLeon and Iwata (Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 29, 519–532, 1996) validated the original MSWO procedures that consisted of using an average of rank order preference of stimuli across 5-sessions. Carr et al. (Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 33, 353–357. doi:10.1901/jaba.2000.33-353, 2000) extended research on the MSWO by suggesting that 1 to 3 sessions may be sufficient to identify preferred stimuli. The current study extended theses results by systematically examining the degree of correlation between 5-session MSWOs and 1, 2, 3, and 4-session MSWOs for nine adults with intellectual disabilities. For edible and activity 5-session MSWOs, 3 sessions were significantly and positively correlated with the outcomes from the 5-session MSWOs for all participants. Results are discussed in terms of potential financial cost and time saving by reducing the number of MSWO sessions, especially in clinical settings where frequent preference assessments are conducted prior to therapy sessions.
Góngora, the Moriscos, and the falconry episode of the Soledades

ABSTRACTAmong scholars of Spanish Baroque poetry, the dominant opinion has been that the writer Luis de Gongora was silent, indifferent, or even supportive in the face of the forced exile of the Moriscos, the “New Christian” descendants of converts from Islam. This essay instead takes the minority position that Gongora opposed the expulsion, thus mirroring his Andalusian patrons and his humanist mentor Pedro de Valencia. Specifically, in his long lyric poem the Soledades, Gongora encodes opposition to the expulsion in the falconry scene and reinforces the connection between the cantos through the theme of parental grief, elaborated as well in his fragmentary but systematic allusions to Claudian's Rape of Proserpine.
PERIPHERAL PULMONARY ADENOCARCINOMAS WITH BRONCHIOLOALVEOLAR FEATURES : IMMUNOPHENOTYPES CORRELATE WITH HISTOLOGIC PATTERNS

Abstract Peripheral pulmonary adenocarcinomas (PPAs) often demonstrate a bronchioloalveolar component, with or without glandular differentiation. PPAs can be nondescript, mucinous, or show features of Type II pneumocytes. Particularly, mucinous lung carcinomas can resemble gastrointestinal metastases. Previous reports suggested that patterns of keratins 7 (K7) and 20 (K20) differ in pulmonary tumors versus enteric metastases. These studies, however, often failed to specify the precise morphotypes of PPA. Thus, we undertook this evaluation of PPAs with different histologic images. Thirty-nine cases were retrieved from institutional files; all were confirmed as primary tumors by clinicopathologic and radiographic review. Cases were classified as Type I (mucinous) bronchioloalveolar carcinoma (BAC1); Type II (nonmucinous) bronchioloalveolar carcinoma (BAC2); conventional PPA with BAC1-like areas (PPA1); or conventional PPA with BAC2-like foci (PPA2). Immunostains were performed for K7, K20, carcinoembryonic antigen, CA19-9, tumor-associated glycoprotein-72, surfactant apoprotein-A, and the c-erbB-2 peptide. BAC1 and PPA1 failed to express surfactant apoprotein-A, and BAC2 also consistently lacked K20, whereas 28% of PPA2 lesions were labeled for K20. All of the other determinants, however, were seen in variable proportions in each subgroup of PPA. Primary BAC1 and PPA1 resembled enteric adenocarcinomas immunophenotypically; on the other hand, BAC2 demonstrated a pattern of protein expression similar to that of Type II pneumocytes. PPA2s are a diverse group of neoplasms, and a subset of PPA2 does show K20 reactivity, as would be expected in metastatic enteric carcinomas. Thus, immunohistochemical data on PPAs must be interpreted carefully and only in clinicopathologic context. With respect specifically to primary pulmonary mucinous tumors, there still seems to be no uniformly reliably marker that will always allow the exclusion of metastatic enteric tumors.
Conclusion: Cottage Industries, Factories and Female Wage Labour

Industrialisation in southern Africa, as elsewhere, has been a complex process in its transformation from core to semi-periphery to periphery. It has initiated the formation of a hierarchy of political economies which have considerable complementarity. To analyse the periphery, the core and semi-peripheral contexts must be established.
An analysis of spatial correlates of terrorism using risk terrain modeling

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this study is to identify correlates of terrorism in space. It examines whether places with terrorist incidents show similar patterns with respect to the physical features across landscape, and tests the spatial influence of various features of environment on the incidence of terrorism. Drawing on the locations of violent terrorist offenses committed between 2008 and 2012, the study in Istanbul applies the Risk Terrain Modeling framework to terrorism. It uses data on police incidents and infrastructure (e.g., government buildings or parks). The analysis employs GIS techniques and an event count model, and combines all risky layers in a composite map to understand where the risk is higher. The study suggests a concentration of 1153 violent terrorist incidents relative to key physical factors by identifying seventeen potential risk factors, eight of which were significantly correlated in the model. Regardless of terrorists’ intent, the significantly associated establishments increase ...
Targeting Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition for Identification of Inhibitors for Pancreatic Cancer Cell Invasion and Tumor Spheres Formation.

Background Pancreatic cancer has an enrichment of stem-like cancer cells (CSCs) that contribute to chemoresistant tumors prone to metastasis and recurrence. Drug screening assays based on cytotoxicity cannot identify specific CSC inhibitors, because CSCs comprise only a small portion of cancer cell population, and it is difficult to propagate stable CSC populations in vitro for high-throughput screening (HTS) assays. Based on the important role of cancer cell epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in promoting CSCs, we hypothesized that inhibition of EMT can be a useful strategy for inhibiting CSCs, and therefore a feasible approach for HTS can be built for identification of CSC inhibitors, based on assays detecting EMT inhibition. Methods An immunofluorescent assay was established and optimized for HTS to identify compounds that enhance E-cadherin expression, as a hallmark of inhibition of EMT. Four chemical libraries containing 41,472 compounds were screened in PANC-1 pancreatic cancer cell line. Positive hits were validated for EMT and CSC inhibition in vitro using sphere formation assay, western blotting, immune fluorescence, and scratch assay. Results Initial hits were refined to 73 compounds with a secondary screening, among which 17 exhibited concentration dependent induction of E-cadherin expression. Six compounds were selected for further study which belonged to 2 different chemical structural clusters. A novel compound 1-(benzylsulfonyl) indoline (BSI, Compound #38) significantly inhibited pancreatic cancer cell migration and invasion. BSI inhibited histone deacetylase, increased histone 4 acetylation preferably, resulting in E-cadherin up-regulation. BSI effectively inhibited tumor spheres formation. Six more analogues of BSI were tested for anti-migration and anti-CSC activities. Conclusion This study demonstrated a feasible approach for discovery of agents targeting EMT and CSCs using HTS, and identified a class of novel chemicals that could be developed as anti-EMT and anti-CSC drug leads.
Understanding toward Mobile Phone Case Evaluative Criteria among U.S. Millennials

Personality and other personal traits play a critical role in major selection for college students. Studies have found that student’s pattern of interests and individual personality were very strong predictors of a student’s major choice (Allen & Robbins, 2008). Based on past research, it seems that college major choice can be a valuable factor to be studied to understand contemporary millennial consumers. One of the distinctive characteristics of Millennials is their early and frequent exposure to technology (Bolton et al., 2013). Millennials are also known for their powerful aggregate spending and heavy usage of mobile devices and services. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of personal traits of college students with different majors on the selection of a mobile phone case based on certain attribute.
Uninformed Voters and Corrupt Politicians

Repeated studies have shown that voters in mature democracies often do not punish corrupt politicians. The majority of existing explanations focus on institutions and their effect on voters’ abilit...
Variation in Patients' Travel Times among Imaging Examination Types at a Large Academic Health System

Rationale and Objectives Patients' willingness to travel farther distances for certain imaging services may reflect their perceptions of the degree of differentiation of such services. We compare patients' travel times for a range of imaging examinations performed across a large academic health system. Materials and Methods We searched the NYU Langone Medical Center Enterprise Data Warehouse to identify 442,990 adult outpatient imaging examinations performed over a recent 3.5-year period. Geocoding software was used to estimate typical driving times from patients' residences to imaging facilities. Variation in travel times was assessed among examination types. Results The mean expected travel time was 29.2 ± 20.6 minutes, but this varied significantly (p Conclusions Patients' willingness to travel longer times for certain imaging examination types (particularly breast and prostate imaging) supports the role of specialized services in combating potential commoditization of imaging services. Disparities in travel times by gender warrant further investigation.
Detection of Copy Number Variations (CNVs) Based on the Coverage Depth from the Next Generation Sequencing Data

Intragenic copy number variations (CNVs) in the human genome are significant contributors to the inherited genetic disorders. Currently the most established methods to detect CNVs are array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) and MPLA. With the fast adaption of next generation sequencing (NGS) in the clinical sequencing, increasing interest has been attributed to the detection of CNV from NGS data. In this chapter, we describe an easy-to-implement strategy to detect and visualize exonic CNVs from captured NGS data, as well as the confirmation. We also discuss the specificity and sensitivity of this strategy.
Continuum modelling of segregating tridisperse granular chute flow

Segregation and mixing of size multidisperse granular materials remain challenging problems in many industrial applications. In this paper, we apply a continuum-based model that captures the effects of segregation, diffusion and advection for size tridisperse granular flow in quasi-two-dimensional chute flow. The model uses the kinematics of the flow and other physical parameters such as the diffusion coefficient and the percolation length scale, quantities that can be determined directly from experiment, simulation or theory and that are not arbitrarily adjustable. The predictions from the model are consistent with experimentally validated discrete element method (DEM) simulations over a wide range of flow conditions and particle sizes. The degree of segregation depends on the Peclet number, Pe , defined as the ratio of the segregation rate to the diffusion rate, the relative segregation strength κ ij between particle species i and j , and a characteristic length L , which is determined by the strength of segregation between smallest and largest particles. A parametric study of particle size, κ ij , Pe and L demonstrates how particle segregation patterns depend on the interplay of advection, segregation and diffusion. Finally, the segregation pattern is also affected by the velocity profile and the degree of basal slip at the chute surface. The model is applicable to different flow geometries, and should be easily adapted to segregation driven by other particle properties such as density and shape.
Systematic Bias Introduced by Genomic DNA Template Dilution in 16S rRNA Gene-Targeted Microbiota Profiling in Human Stool Homogenates.

ABSTRACT Variability in representation of microbial communities can be caused by differences in microbial composition or artifacts introduced at sample collection or processing. Alterations in community representation introduced by variations in starting DNA concentrations have not been systematically investigated in stool samples. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of the genomic DNA (gDNA) concentration in the resulting 16S rRNA gene library composition and compare its effect to other sample processing variables in homogenized human fecal material. Compared to a gDNA input of 1 ng/μl, inputs of ≤1.6 × 10 −3 ng/μl resulted in a marked decrease in the concentration of the 16S rRNA gene amplicon ( P −3 ng/μl) were also associated with a decrease ( P P Proteobacteria and underestimation of Firmicutes . Even a gDNA concentration of 4 × 10 −2 ng/μl showed a significant impact on the β-diversity profile (unweighted UniFrac distance, P = 0.03). Overall, the gDNA concentration explained 22.4% to 38.1% of the microbiota variation based on various β-diversity measures ( P P = 0.03). The 16S rRNA gene yield and the microbial community representation of human homogenized stool samples are significantly altered by gDNA template concentrations of ≤1.6 × 10 −3 ng/μl. In addition, data from studies with a gDNA input of ≤4 × 10 −2 ng/μl should be interpreted with caution. IMPORTANCE The genomic DNA input for stool samples utilized for microbiome composition has not been determined. In this study, we determined the reliable threshold level under which conclusions drawn from the data may be compromised. We also determined the type of microbial bias introduced by less-than-ideal genomic input.