cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Plane of nutrition × tick burden interaction in cattle: Effect on fecal composition

Effective tick management on grazing animals is facilitated by accurate noninvasive detection methods. Fecal analysis provides information about animal health and nutrition. Diet affects fecal composition; stress may do likewise. The constituents in feces that may be affected by tick burdens and in turn affect near-infrared spectra have not been reported. Our objective was to examine the interaction between plane of nutrition and tick burden on fecal composition in cattle. Angus cross steers (n = 28; 194 ± 3.0 kg) were assigned to 1 of 4 treatments (n = 7 per group) in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement: moderate (14.0 ± 1.0% CP and 60 ± 1.5% TDN) vs. low (9.0 ± 1.0% CP and 58 ± 1.5% TDN) plane of nutrition and control (no tick) vs. tick treatment [infestation of 300 pair of adult Lone Star ticks (Amblyomma americanum) per treated animal]. Fecal samples were collected at approximately 0700 h on d -7, 0, 7, 10, 14, 17, and 21 relative to tick infestation. Fecal constituents measured were DM, OM, pH, Lactobacillus spp., Escherchia coli, acetate, propionate, butyrate, isobutyrate, valerate, isovalerate, IgA, and cortisol. Experimental day affected (P < 0.05) all constituents measured. Plane of nutrition affected (P < 0.05) DM, OM, VFA, and IgA. Tick treatment numerically (P = 0.13) reduced cortisol. A multivariate stepwise selection model containing cortisol and E. coli values on d 10 and d 14 accounted for 33% of the variation in daily adult female tick feeding counts across both planes of nutrition (P < 0.07). Within the moderate plane of nutrition, a model containing only cortisol on d 10 and d 14 described 59% of the variation in the number of feeding ticks (P < 0.02). Similarly, a model including cortisol, propionate, isovalerate, and DM at d 10 and d 14 d described 95% of the variation in total feeding ticks in the low plane of nutrition. Of the constituents measured, fecal cortisol offers the best possibility of noninvasively assessing stress by way of a single assay but the presence of ticks would still need to be confirmed visually. Although several constituents measured in this study should exist in sufficient quantity to directly affect near-infrared spectra, none stood out as a clear descriptor of prior observed differences in fecal spectra between tick-treated versus non-tick-treated animals. There were, however, groups of fecal constituents related to daily adult female tick feeding numbers (as a visual estimation of tick stress).
A Pilot Study of Simple Interventions to Improve Informed Consent in Clinical Research: Feasibility, Approach, and Results

Background:Research suggests that participants do not always adequately understand studies. While some consent interventions increase understanding, methodologic challenges have been raised in studying consent outside of actual trial settings. This study examined the feasibility of testing two consent interventions in actual studies and measured effectiveness of interventions in improving understanding.Methods:Participants enrolling in any of eight ongoing clinical trials were sequentially assigned to one of three different informed consent strategies for enrollment in their clinical trial. Control participants received standard consent procedures for their trial. Participants in the first intervention arm received a bulleted fact sheet summarizing key study information. Participants in the second intervention arm received the bulleted fact sheet and also engaged in a feedback Q&A session. Later, patients answered closed- and open-ended questions to assess patient understanding and literacy. Descriptive s...
Trade Group Rules Against China in Rare Earths Dispute

The World Trade Organization (WTO) has ruled against China in a trade dispute over rare earth elements (REE) as well as tungsten and molybdenum, the group announced on 26 March. The European Union, Japan, and the United States brought trade cases against China in March 2012 concerning alleged unfair export restraints on the materials (see Eos, 93(13), 134–135, doi:10.1029/2012EO130002).
The 6th Annual World Congress on the insulin resistance syndrome.

This is the third of a series of articles based on presentations at the 6th Annual World Congress on the Insulin Resistance Syndrome held 25–27 September 2008 in Los Angeles, California. ### Insulin resistance epidemiology In an update on the metabolic syndrome, Earl Ford (Atlanta, GA) discussed epidemiological relationships between metabolic syndrome and incident diabetes and compared the syndrome with risk prediction models. Over the past 3 years, more than 3,000 articles have been written about the syndrome. The 1998 World Health Organization (WHO) definition focused on glucose intolerance or insulin resistance, the 1999 European Group for the Study of Insulin Resistance required either insulin resistance or fasting hyperinsulinemia, and the NCEP/ATP III (National Cholesterol Education Program/Adult Treatment Panel III) definition in 2001 did not focus on glycemia or insulin resistance, simply requiring three of five abnormalities (abdominal obesity, low HDL cholesterol, high triglyceride levels, hypertension, and hyperglycemia), in 2002 and 2005 changing the glycemic criteria. The 2005 International Diabetes Federation (IDF) definition focused on central adiposity, giving ethnic-specific limits. The American College of Endocrinology also proposed a definition, giving a large number of possible conditions associated with insulin resistance. Using the 1999–2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data, the age-adjusted prevalence of metabolic syndrome in adults is ∼35% with ATP III and 38% with IDF definitions. Based on the projected U.S. population of 218,000,000 adults in 2007, then, there are ∼80,000,000 individuals with metabolic syndrome. There is heterogeneity by ethnicity and sex, with prevalence lowest in African American men and higher in Hispanic women. With the IDF definition, prevalence of the syndrome is greater in men than women. A number of studies have analyzed the association of metabolic syndrome with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes, with meta-analysis showing a relative CVD risk of 1.5–1.8 and a threefold increase in likelihood of diabetes …
Influences of postfire salvage logging on forest birds in the Eastern Cascades, Oregon, USA

Abstract In coniferous forests of western North American, fire is an important disturbance that influences the structure and composition of floral and faunal communities. The impacts of postfire management, including salvage logging and replanting, on these forests are not well known. We compared densities and relative abundances of forest birds after fire in unsalvaged stands and stands subjected to one of two intensities of salvage logging (moderate, 30 snags retained per ha and heavy, 5–6 snags retained per ha) in mixed-conifer forests in central Oregon. We used analysis of variance with repeated measures to evaluate three hypotheses concerning the influence of different intensities of salvage on densities or relative abundances of sixteen species of birds, and two hypotheses concerning the influence of time since salvage logging on relative abundances or densities of birds. We also examined the relationship between vegetation and abundances of each bird species. We did not detect significant differences among treatments in densities or relative abundances for eight species and one genus of birds. We detected significant differences for seven species, though the patterns differed among species. Relative abundances or densities of the black-backed woodpecker (Picoides arcticus), hairy woodpecker (P. villosus), brown creeper (Certhia americana), western wood-pewee (Contopus sordidulus) and yellow-rumped warbler (Dendroica coronata) were lower in the heavy and moderate salvage treatment compared to the unsalvaged treatment, while densities of the dark-eyed junco (Junco hyemalis) and fox sparrow (Passerella iliaca) were greater in the moderately and heavily salvaged stands than in the unsalvaged treatment. We detected significant differences between years for four species of birds. Our findings suggest that both cavity-nesting and cup-nesting species respond to salvage logging, and that some species respond uniquely to habitat features influenced by salvage logging. For species that responded negatively to salvage logging, the moderate salvage intensity did not appear to mitigate the negative influence of salvage logging. Areas of unlogged burned forest appear to provide important habitat for some species of birds following forest fires. Our findings parallel those of other recent studies of these species, suggesting robust patterns that transcend particular locations.
Some ethical implications of qualitative research

Traditional values in nursing dictate a high level of concern for the welfare of research participants. Initial attempts at setting minimal ethical standards stemmed from the quantitative approaches. As qualitative modalities are more widely used, nurses must become acutely aware of possible problems in study design and planning, the dangers of coercion and deception, threats to confidentiality and trust, implications of the emergent design, and providing for a new concept of informed consent. The new character of the research relationship is examined in light of possible strategies for protection of research participants while preserving the integrity of qualitative investigation.
Perceived equity of salary policies.

Three systems for distributing yearly salary raises to faculty according to merit were studied to determine which system is judged to be most equitable. In the relative system, persons with equal ment receive equal percentage raises. In the absolute system, persons with equal ment receive equal raises In the adjustment system, persons who are equally underpaid receive equal raises In Experiment 1, faculty and undergraduate judges were asked to assign raises to hypothetical faculty from a fixed raise pool. It was found that the assigned raises were greater for the lower paid of two people of equal ment, consistent with the adjustment system. In Expenment 2, faculty and undergraduate judges examined future salanes produced by the three different systems Both groups judged the raises given by the adjustment system to be the most "equitable, just, and fair" and raises given by the relative system to be the least fair. In Expenment 3, faculty members judged salary deserved as a function of merit and years of experience This deservmgness function was used to develop a specific policy for a particular situation, in which raises are proportional to the deviations between actual salary and salary deserved This article compares the perceived equity of three systems for distributing yearly raises to university faculty according to merit The strategy is to model the salaries given by judges who are instructed to assign raises "fairly," and to compare the judged "fairness" of longitudinal salaries assigned by different systems. The goal of this work is to demonstrate how applied studies can be used to develop a policy for distributing raises that will be deemed to be "fair." Background Concepts of "fairness" or equity have been studied by philosophers and psychologists since the time of the ancient Greeks. Aristotle wrote that rewards should be distributed to individuals m proportion to their merits, fairness is achieved, according to Aristotle, when
Defense Organization and Civil—Military Relations in Latin America:

This study examines how defense institutions and personnel are formally organized in Latin America. In a region long plagued by praetorian armies, it is especially important that organizational designs ensure that civilians maintain institutional control over armed forces. For this to occur, it is argued that those designs must incorporate certain principles: (a) enhance the civilian presence in key defense institutions, (b) empower defense ministries, (c) lower the military's vertical authority along the chain of command, and (d) unify civilian power while dividing military power. Based on an examination of legal documents and other data for sixteen Latin American democracies, findings show three general organizational patterns: an ideal—typical defense structure that achieves all four objectives, a second best defense structure that still leaves too much military power unified, and a dual command structure that is least desirable for weakening the defense ministry while coalescing military might high up...
Contributions to the management of intraabdominal infections

Intraabdominal infection represents a spectrum of diseases with a common pathogenesis. Establishing a prompt diagnosis and avoiding treatment delays are keys to achieving the best outcomes. Mortality depends on initiating early appropriate treatment to restore fluid and electrolyte imbalances, supporting the function of vital organs, providing appropriate broad-spectrum antimicrobial therapy, and achieving adequate source control. Faculty from the Department of Surgery at the University of Louisville have made significant contributions to the understanding and management of intraabdominal infections that have affected clinical practice and patient outcomes.
Maneuvering Target Tracking with Simplified Cost Reference Particle Filters

In this paper, we investigate different variants of the recently proposed cost-reference particle filters (CRPFs) and study their application to the problem of tracking of a high-speed maneuvering target in the two-dimensional space. CRPFs drop all probabilistic assumptions required by conventional particle filters and, as a consequence, lead to practically more robust algorithms. We introduce some suitable and natural modifications of CRPFs in order to increase their efficiency and reduce their computational complexity. Computer simulations are provided to illustrate the performance of the new alternatives.
Serial and parallel simulated annealing and tabu search algorithms for the traveling salesman problem

This paper describes serial and parallel implementations of two different search techniques applied to the traveling salesman problem. A novel approach has been taken to parallelize simulated annealing and the results are compared with the traditional annealing algorithm. This approach uses abbreviated cooling schedule and achieves a superlinear speedup. Also a new search technique, called tabu search, has been adapted to execute in a parallel computing environment. Comparison between simulated annealing and tabu search indicate that tabu search consistently outperforms simulated annealing with respect to computation time while giving comparable solutions. Examples include 25, 33, 42, 50, 57, 75 and 100 city problems.
Creation Nets: Harnessing The Potential Of Open Innovation

Open innovation has become the latest management buzzword. We would have to look long and hard to find an executive who does not agree with the basic premise of open innovation that success in coming up with creative new value to offer to the marketplace depends upon connecting effectively with other companies. Executives realize they simply cant do it alone. Virtually all of them now buy into the wisdom of Bill Joys observation that there are always more smart people outside your company than within.
Preoperative Onyx Embolization of Aggressive Vertebral Hemangiomas

We report the first use of Onyx in the embolization of spinal tumors in 2 cases of aggressive vertebral hemangioma. In both cases, Onyx embolization provided effective preoperative tumor devascularization after the initial prolonged particulate embolization with Embospheres made little overall impact. Onyx enables a more rapid and visible embolization than particles and is less technically demanding than traditional liquid embolic agents, such as n-butyl cyanoacrylate.
Proglacial river stage, discharge, and temperature datasets from the Akuliarusiarsuup Kuua River northern tributary, Southwest Greenland, 2008–2011

Abstract. Pressing scientific questions concerning the Greenland ice sheet's climatic sensitivity, hydrology, and contributions to current and future sea level rise require hydrological datasets to resolve. While direct observations of ice sheet meltwater losses can be obtained in terrestrial rivers draining the ice sheet and from lake levels, few such datasets exist. We present a new hydrologic dataset from previously unmonitored sites in the vicinity of Kangerlussuaq, Southwest Greenland. This dataset contains measurements of river stage and discharge for three sites along the Akuliarusiarsuup Kuua (Watson) River's northern tributary, with 30 min temporal resolution between June 2008 and July 2011. Additional data of water temperature, air pressure, and lake stage are also provided. Flow velocity and depth measurements were collected at sites with incised bedrock or structurally reinforced channels to maximize data quality. However, like most proglacial rivers, high turbulence and bedload transport introduce considerable uncertainty to the derived discharge estimates. Eleven propagating error sources were quantified, and reveal that largest uncertainties are associated with flow depth observations. Mean discharge uncertainties (approximately the 68% confidence interval) are two to four times larger (p19% to p43%) than previously published estimates for Greenland rivers. Despite these uncertainties, this dataset offers a rare collection of direct measurements of ice sheet runoff to the global ocean and is freely available for scientific use at http://dx.doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.762818 .
A Theoretical Framework of a Bionomic Approach to Improve Individual and Organizational Outcomes

Human Factors often attempts to combat the effects of stress on human productivity through such tools as, automation, ergonomics, and training in the workplace but traditional human factors routes may not always be sufficient. Some organizations (e.g., military and civilian) may always suffer some degree of stress which may inadvertently disturb personal individual outcomes and resultant organizational outcomes, traditionally of macroergonomic concern. Positive bionomic effects on humans are well documented in other fields and being introduced here for consideration as a viable resource, possibly supplement, to traditional human factors/macroergonomic tools. Two models of this bionomic theory for human factors applications are presented for improving individual and organizational, physical, psychological, and social outcomes.
Thoracic Duct-Cutaneous Fistula in a Patient With Cirrhosis of the Liver: Successful Treatment With a Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt

Patients with cirrhosis of the liver have increased hepatic and gastrointestinal lymph flow that may contribute to the formation of ascites and pleural effusions. Increased lymph flow, which is due to postsinusoidal portal hypertension, causes a high rate of flow through the thoracic duct. Because of the high flow rates, disrupted lymphatic vessels in patients with cirrhosis of the liver may fail to close, a situation that results in chylous ascites, pleural effusions, or chylous fistulas. Chylous fistulas deplete proteins, fluid, and lymphocytes and thus lead to volume depletion and coagulopathy. Herein we describe an unusual case in which a high-output traumatic thoracic duct-cutaneous fistula developed in a patient with cirrhosis and led to volume depletion and coagulopathy. Correction of the portal hypertension with placement of a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt led to closure of the fistula and normalization of accompanying metabolic abnormalities.
Code construction and FPGA implementation of a low-error-floor multi-rate low-density Parity-check code decoder

With the superior error correction capability, low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes have initiated wide scale interests in satellite communication, wireless communication, and storage fields. In the past, various structures of single code-rate LDPC decoders have been reported. However, to cover a wide range of service requirements and diverse interference conditions in wireless applications, LDPC decoders that can operate at both high and low code rates are desirable. In this paper, a 9-k code length multi-rate LDPC decoder architecture is presented and implemented on a Xilinx field-programmable gate array device. Using pin selection, three operating modes, namely, the irregular 1/2 code mode, the regular 5/8 code mode, and the regular 7/8 code mode, are supported. Furthermore, to suppress the error floor level, a characterization on the conditions for short cycles in a LDPC code matrix expanded from a small base matrix is presented, and a cycle elimination algorithm is developed to detect and break such short cycles. The effectiveness of the cycle elimination algorithm has been verified by both simulation and hardware measurements, which show that the error floor is suppressed to a much lower level without incurring any performance penalty. The implemented decoder is tested in an experimental LDPC orthogonal frequency division multiplexing system and achieves the superior measured performance of block error rate below 10/sup -7/ at signal-to-noise ratio of 1.8 dB.
Promoting quality parent–child visits: the power of the parent–foster parent relationship

Parent–child visits for children in foster care are often fraught with tension, particularly between foster parents and parents. Qualitative interviews with 42 social workers, foster parents and parents revealed more positive relations when foster parents recognized parent fears and shared power over parenting decisions with them. Social workers can support the process by clarifying visiting expectations and encouraging foster parents to reach out to parents.
Directed Assembly of Periodic Materials from Protein and Oligonucleotide‐Modified Nanoparticle Building Blocks

DNA hybridization enables the three-dimensional assembly of Au nanoparticles and streptavidin. The high-density DNA-modified Au nanoparticles were stable to nonspecific binding of streptavidin. Structural and melting investigations on the assemblies showed their formation was reversible.
High glucose up-regulates angiotensin II subtype 2 receptors via interferon regulatory factor-1 in proximal tubule epithelial cells

Earlier studies have reported an increase in the proximal tubule AT2 receptor (AT2R) expression in diabetes, with a beneficial role in kidney function and blood pressure regulation. Here, we demonstrate that the increase in AT2R protein expression is associated with an increased expression of transcription factor IRF-1 in hyperglycemic rat and in high glucose-treated HK2 cells. Knock-down of IRF-1 by siRNA in HK2 cells prevented high glucose-induced AT2R up-regulation. The data suggest that IRF-1 is a transcriptional regulator of AT2R expression in hyperglycemia, and warrant further studies to understand the physiological role of IRF-1 along with AT2R in diabetic kidney.
Raman Scattering from Mixed Crystals

A theory for the optical properties (Raman scattering or I. R. absorption) of crystals containing a small but finite concentration of impurities will be described. One result of this theory will be a qualitative understanding of the various experimental results that have been obtained for different mixed crystals at much larger concentrations. For example, depending on the difference between the impurity atom and the host atom, a single formula describes either the CaF2-SrF2 Raman spectra, in which the Raman frequency shifts linearly with concentration, or the Ge:Si Raman spectra in which new lines appear when Si is added to Ge. The intensity of the new lines increase with increasing Si concentration. The theory further demonstrates that it is possible for the Raman modes and I. R. modes, within the same crystal to vary differently with impurity concentration.
POWER OVER CHANGE: HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE INQUIRY IN INDIA

The researcher was asked by the Chairman of a private school for girls in India to assist the science teachers at the school in moving classroom instruction towards a more inquiry based teaching method. The prevailing methodology at the school was that of direct instruction. The researcher, along with three undergraduate teacher candidates, conducted a series of demonstration lessons for students to engage in and for teachers to observe. After the lessons teachers from the Indian school were asked for feedback and questions. The study is framed around three concepts: risk, trust, and power. The Indian teachers are risking much in a transition to inquiry based teaching since they are bound to test scores as an indicator of effectiveness in their jobs. The researcher is a well-known figure in the Indian school that the teachers trust. The chairman of the school has the most power in this arrangement since he controls hiring and firing of teachers based on effectiveness measured by standardized tests. The key findings of this study suggest the teachers are willing to move from the direct teaching format in science instruction to an inquiry model, but are fearful of a drop in standardized test scores during the implementation period. Therefore, they would rather keep the direct instruction method that has been shown to generate high standardized test scores thus keeping their jobs. The Chairman wants an immediate move to inquiry teaching on one hand, but without a fluctuation of scores.
Hospice for the Terminally Ill and End-of-Life Care

Care during the final phase of life can present unique challenges for the health care provider. Although there is a spectrum of options for home care, the most comprehensive service for patients with limited life expectancy is hospice. It provides a patient and their family with an interdisciplinary health care team that works together to create a cohesive plan for pain and symptom management. Hospice referral is initiated by a physician that certifies a limited life expectancy based on Medicare guidelines.
Craft Beer in the United States: History, Numbers, and Geography*

We provide a mini-history of the craft beer segment of the U.S. brewing industry with particular emphasis on producer-entrepreneurs but also other pioneers involved in the promotion and marketing of craft beer who made contributions to brewing it. In contrast to the more commodity-like lager beer produced by the macrobrewers in the United States, the output of the craft segment more closely resembles the product differentiation and fragmentation in the wine industry. We develop a database that tracks the rise of craft brewing using various statistical measures of output, number of producers, concentration within the segment, and compares output with that of the macro and import segment of the industry. Integrating our database into Geographic Information Systems software enables us to map the spread of the craft beer segment from its taproot in San Francisco across the United States. Finally, we use regression analysis to explore variables influencing the entrants and craft beer production at the state level from 1980 to 2012. We use Tobit estimation for production and negative binomial estimation for the number of brewers. We also analyze whether strategic effects (e.g., locating near competing beer producers) explain the location choices of craft beer producers. (JEL Classifications: L26, L66, N82, R12)
Recycled Paper Products as Substitutes for Gelling Agent in Screwworm (Diptera: Calliphoridae) Larval Diet

Absorbent recycled paper products were tested and compared with a sodium polyacrylate gelling agent, Aquatain, for solidifying larval diets of the screwworm, Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel). A recycled newsprint product, Terra-Mulch, when mixed with water and dietary ingredients produced a diet medium of homogeneous texture that supported larval growth and development comparable to the standard diet prepared with the gelling agent. Biological yields as calculated from number of pupae per tray from both the diets were similar. Three other types of recycled paper products were tested. Although less homogeneous in texture, these diets were as good as the diet with Terra-Mulch. There were no significant differences in the mean larval and pupal weights, no. of pupae/tray, percent emergence, oviposition, percent hatch, and percent longevity. When tests were conducted through eight consecutive generations, no adverse effect was noticed in any of the life history parameters. Terra-Mulch is inexpensive and biodegradable compared with the gelling agent Aquatain that is expensive and not biodegradable. Replacing Aquatain with Terra-Mulch in the screwworm larval diet for mass rearing may result in an annual savings of more than half a million U.S. dollars in costs of material and labor.
Standardkosten — I Ermittlung der Standardkosten und Analyse der Abweichungen

Unter Standardkosten versteht man die pro Erzeugniseinheit geplanten Kosten; insbesondere die pro Erzeugniseinheit geplanten Herstellkosten (Rohstoff oder Einzelmaterial, Fertigungslohne und Fertigungsgemeinkosten). Da die Herstellkosten eines Produkts durch Summieren der fur die verschiedenen Arbeitsgange erforderlichen Kosten gebildet sind, stellen auch die pro Arbeitsgang geplanten Kosten Standardkosten dar. Ein Kilogramm Farbe zum Beispiel durchlauft in seiner Herstellung die Arbeitsgange Mischen (der Rohstoffe), Reiben, Verdunnen und Schattieren, Abfullen, Etikettieren und schlieslich Verpacken. Seine Herstellkosten sind die Summe der Herstellkosten fur diese einzelnen Arbeitsvorgange. Stellt man Standards auf wie z. B. 7 Stunden Standardzeit fur Mischen oder 11 Stunden Standardzeit fur Reiben, bezogen auf 1000 kg Farbe, und bewertet diese Zeiten mit Standardpreisen oder Standardkostensatzen, so bildet die Summe dieser Standardkosten pro Arbeitsgang — errechnet uber alle Arbeitsgange, die das Produkt laut Produktionsplan zurucklegen mus — die Standardherstellkosten pro Stuck bzw. pro Erzeugniseinheit wie etwa hier pro 1000 kg Farbe.
Correlation of maximal inspiratory pressure to transdiaphragmatic twitch pressure in intensive care unit patients

Respiratory muscle weakness contributes to respiratory failure in ICU patients. Unfortunately, assessment of weakness is difficult since the most objective test, transdiaphragmatic pressure in response to phrenic nerve stimulation (PdiTw), is difficult to perform. While most clinicians utilize maximum inspiratory pressure (Pimax) to assess strength, the relationship of this index to PdiTw has not been evaluated in a large ICU population. The purpose of the present study was to assess both PdiTw and Pimax in ICU patients to determine how these indices correlate with each other, what factors influence these indices, and how well these indices predict outcomes. Studies were performed on adult mechanically ventilated patients in the University of Kentucky MICU (n = 60). We assessed PdiTw by measuring transdiaphragmatic pressure (Pdi) in response to bilateral twitch stimulation of the phrenic nerves using dual magnetic stimulators (Magstim 200). Pimax was determined by measuring airway pressure during a 30-second inspiratory occlusion. We also assessed the twitch and maximum force generation for diaphragms excised from control and septic mice. Both Pimax and PdiTw measurements were profoundly reduced for mechanically ventilated MICU patients when compared to normal reference values, e.g., Pimax averaged 56 % of the predicted value for normal subjects. For the ICU population as a whole, PdiTw and Pimax values correlated with each other (r2 = 0.373, p < 0.001), but there was wide scatter and, as a result, PdiTw could not be reliably calculated from Pimax levels for individual subjects. Infection selectively reduced low-frequency force generation more than high-frequency force generation for both our mouse experiments (comparing muscle twitch to 150 Hz tetanic force) and for MICU patients (comparing PdiTw to Pimax). This effect of infection may contribute to scatter in the PdiTw to Pimax relationship. We also found that both PdiTw and Pimax were significantly correlated with both patient survival and the duration of mechanical ventilation, albeit statistically, PdiTw was the better predictor. While more difficult to measure, the PdiTw is a better predictor of outcomes in mechanically ventilated MICU patients than the Pimax. Nevertheless, for some clinical applications, the Pimax determination is a reasonable alternative.
Comparative feeding value of supplemental fat in steam-flaked corn- and steam-flaked wheat-based finishing diets for feedlot steers.

One hundred thirty crossbred steers (324 kg) were used in a 121-d comparative slaughter trial to evaluate the feeding value of fat in steam-flaked corn- (SFC) or wheat- (SFW) based diets. Treatments consisted of an 88% concentrate finishing diet containing 1) SFC, no fat; 2) SFC, 6% yellow grease (YG); 3) SFC, 6% cottonseed oil soapstock (COS); 4) SFW, no fat; 5) SFW, 6% YG; and 6) SFW, 6% COS. There were no interactions (P greater than .10) between grain type and performance response to supplemental fat. Fat supplementation increased (P less than .05) ADG by 7.3% and decreased (P less than .01) DMI/gain by 10.6%. Fat supplementation decreased (P less than .05) ruminal OM digestion by 5% and net flow of microbial N to the small intestine by 14.5% but did not affect (P greater than .10) total tract digestion of OM, ADF, or starch. Substituting SFW for SFC did not influence (P greater than .10) ADG but tended (P greater than .10) to increase DMI/gain and decreased (P less than .05) the NEm and NEg of the diet by 3.4 and 4.3%, respectively. Ruminal OM digestion was similar (P greater than .10) for SFC and SFW. Flow of microbial N to the small intestine was 12% greater (P less than .05) with SFW. Total tract digestibilities of OM and starch were similar (P greater than .10) for both grains. However, ADF digestion was lower (34%, P less than .01) with SFW. It is concluded that the feeding value of supplemental fat is similar for wheat- and corn-based finishing diets. The performance response to supplemental YG and COS was similar. The NEm and NEg values of YG were 6.35 and 4.93 Mcal/kg, respectively, whereas the corresponding values for COS were 5.69 and 4.60 Mcal/kg. Supplementation of growing-finishing diets with up to 6% (.45 kilograms/day) of fat did not directly influence body composition. The NE value of SFW was approximately 96% of the value of SFC.
Emotional Rollercoasters: Day Differences in Affect Incidence during Learning.

This study investigated between-session variability in affective state incidence during learning with an intelligent tutoring system (ITS). We tracked 12 affective states (plus neutral) while three learners completed their statistics coursework in eight 45-minute weekly sessions with the ALEKS ITS. The results indicated that engagement/flow was the most frequent affective state that demonstrated considerable stability across sessions. Nine other affective states (anger, anxiety, boredom, contempt, curiosity, disgust, eureka, happiness, surprise) were rarely observed both within and across sessions. Confusion and frustration occurred with some frequency but there was considerable between-session variability in the incidence of these states. Followup analyses indicated that some of the between-session variability could be explained by initial (before session) positive and negative mood and initial physiological arousal (electrodermal activity). Implications of the findings for basic research on affect and learning and for affect-aware ITSs are discussed.
Dictators and their Secret Police: Coercive Institutions and State Violence

How do dictators stay in power? When, and how, do they use repression to do so? Dictators and their Secret Police explores the role of the coercive apparatus under authoritarian rule in Asia - how these secret organizations originated, how they operated, and how their violence affected ordinary citizens. Greitens argues that autocrats face a coercive dilemma: whether to create internal security forces designed to manage popular mobilization, or defend against potential coup. Violence against civilians, she suggests, is a byproduct of their attempt to resolve this dilemma. Drawing on a wealth of new historical evidence, this book challenges conventional wisdom on dictatorship: what autocrats are threatened by, how they respond, and how this affects the lives and security of the millions under their rule. It offers an unprecedented view into the use of surveillance, coercion, and violence, and sheds new light on the institutional and social foundations of authoritarian power.
Practical reconstruction protocol for quantitative 90Y bremsstrahlung SPECT/CT

Purpose: To develop a practical background compensation (BC) technique to improve quantitative 90Y-bremsstrahlung single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/computed tomography (CT) using a commercially available imaging system. Methods: All images were acquired using medium-energy collimation in six energy windows (EWs), ranging from 70 to 410 keV. The EWs were determined based on the signal-to-background ratio in planar images of an acrylic phantom of different thicknesses (2–16 cm) positioned below a 90Y source and set at different distances (15–35 cm) from a gamma camera. The authors adapted the widely used EW-based scatter-correction technique by modeling the BC as scaled images. The BC EW was determined empirically in SPECT/CT studies using an IEC phantom based on the sphere activity recovery and residual activity in the cold lung insert. The scaling factor was calculated from 20 clinical planar 90Y images. Reconstruction parameters were optimized in the same SPECT images for improved image quantification and contrast. A count-to-activity calibration factor was calculated from 30 clinical 90Y images. Results: The authors found that the most appropriate imaging EW range was 90–125 keV. BC was modeled as 0.53× images in the EW of 310–410 keV. The background-compensated clinical images had higher image contrast than uncompensated images. The maximum deviation of their SPECT calibration in clinical studies was lowest (<10%) for SPECT with attenuation correction (AC) and SPECT with AC + BC. Using the proposed SPECT-with-AC + BC reconstruction protocol, the authors found that the recovery coefficient of a 37-mm sphere (in a 10-mm volume of interest) increased from 39% to 90% and that the residual activity in the lung insert decreased from 44% to 14% over that of SPECT images with AC alone. Conclusions: The proposed EW-based BC model was developed for 90Y bremsstrahlung imaging. SPECT with AC + BC gave improved lesion detectability and activity quantification compared to SPECT with AC only. The proposed methodology can readily be used to tailor 90Y SPECT/CT acquisition and reconstruction protocols with different SPECT/CT systems for quantification and improved image quality in clinical settings.
ID-cache: instruction and memory divergence based cache management for GPUs

Modern graphic processing units (GPUs) are not only able to perform graphics rendering, but also perform general purpose parallel computations (GPGPUs). It has been shown that the GPU L1 data cache and the on chip interconnect bandwidth are important sources of performance bottlenecks and inefficiencies in GPGPUs. Through this work, we aim to understand the sources of inefficiencies and possible opportunities for more efficient cache and interconnect bandwidth management on the GPUs. We do so by understanding the predictability of reuse behavior and spatial utilization of cache lines using program level information such as the instruction PC, and runtime behavior such as the extent of memory divergence. Through our characterization results, we demonstrate that a) PC, and memory divergence can be used to efficiently bypass zero reuse cache lines from the cache; b) memory divergence information can further be used to dynamically insert cache lines of varying size granularities based on their spatial utilization. Finally, based on the insights derived through our characterization, we design a simple Instruction and memory Divergence cache management method that is able to achieve an average of 71% performance improvement for a wide variety of cache and interconnect sensitive applications.
Indications for Surgery in Patients with Severe Clostridium Difficile Colitis

Clostridium difficile colitis (CDC) is the leading cause of nosocomial diarrhea in the United States, with a broad spectrum of symptoms ranging from mild diarrhea to fulminant colitis which can lead to multisystem organ failure and death. For the majority of cases, surgical therapy is unnecessary as CDC responds to antibiotic therapy. Medically refractory colitis carries a high morbidity and mortality, and often necessitates surgical intervention which may also be associated with poor outcomes. The timing of surgery in the setting of CDC is critical; surgical intervention early in the course of disease may lead to an unnecessary colectomy with ileostomy when medical therapy may have been sufficient, but delaying surgical therapy in fulminant colitis commonly leads to a fatal outcome.
Map Cataloging, from Basics to Beyond: An Interview with Paige G. Andrew

ABSTRACTPaige G. Andrew discusses his career in map cataloging and his work in cooperative cataloging programs and standards development. Topics covered include map cataloging, cooperative cataloging, scholarship and publishing in the field of map and geography librarianship, service to the profession, implementation of RDA, map cataloging workshops, and mentoring.
United Parcel Service of America, Inc

UPS had become a global public company, with a market cap of $74 billion, more than 428,000 employees, $47 billion in revenue, and operations in more than 200 countries. A recognized leader among package-delivery companies, its growth had been above industry averages and had historically been through geographical expansion. In 1998, UPS changed its business model to Synchronized Commerce and adopted a new growth strategy called the Four Quadrant Model, hoping to expand its market space by transforming itself into a logistics-solutions company. But eight years after these changes, UPS was generating only 17% of its revenue from its nonpackage deliveries, with only $2 million of its operating profit coming from the new businesses. In the company's 2006 Annual Report, the UPS chairman and CEO acknowledged the disappointing results and realized that these results required a response to the public market. Excerpt UVA-S-0143 UNITED PARCEL SERVICE OF AMERICA, INC. United Parcel Service of America, Inc. (UPS) had grown spectacularly from its humble beginning in 1907, when 19-year-old Jim Casey borrowed $ 100 to start a messenger and home-delivery service for Seattle department stores. By 2007, UPS had become a global public company, with a market cap of $ 74 billion, more than 428,000 employees, $ 47 billion in revenue, and operations in more than 200 countries. A recognized leader among package-delivery companies, its growth had been above industry averages and had historically been through geographical expansion. In 1998, UPS changed its business model to Synchronized Commerce and adopted a new growth strategy it called the Four Quadrant model. UPS had hoped to expand its market space from $ 90 billion to $ 3.2 trillion by transforming itself into a logistics-solutions company. But eight years after these changes, UPS was generating only 17% of its revenue from its nonpackage deliveries, with only $ 2 million of its operating profit coming from the new businesses. In the company's 2006 annual report, UPS Chairman and CEO Mike Eskew acknowledged the disappointing results and realized that these results required a response to the public market. Growth History Store locations . . .
Walking economy is predictably determined by speed, grade and gravitational load

Introduced is a “minimum mechanics” model that predicts human walking economy across a broad range of conditions from only three variables: speed, surface grade, and body-plus-load mass. The deriva...
The Hypothesis-Driven Physical Examination

The physical examination remains a vital part of the clinical encounter. However, physical examination skills have declined in recent years, in part because of decreased time at the bedside. Many clinicians question the relevance of physical examinations in the age of technology. A hypothesis-driven approach to teaching and practicing the physical examination emphasizes the performance of maneuvers that can alter the likelihood of disease. Likelihood ratios are diagnostic weights that allow clinicians to estimate the post-probability of disease. This hypothesis-driven approach to the physical examination increases its value and efficiency, while preserving its cultural role in the patient-physician relationship.
On Configurationality Parameters

The past ten years have seen a rapid expansion in the range of languages explored within the GB framework. Among the most interesting of these studies are those which challenge the universal status of basic principles of GB such as the Projection Principle and the thesis that all grammatical relations are defined in structural terms. Such studies have not only advanced our understanding of cross-linguistic variation, they have also underlain many improvements in the analysis of better understood languages.
Modeling Conversational Flows for In-Store Mobile Decision Aids

Based on the Human-Elaboration-Object-Construal (HEOC) Contingency Model, we propose design principles for modeling conversational flows between consumers and an in-store mobile decision aid (MoDA) with artificial intelligence, functioning as a virtual sales associate. Through an on-going assessment of the quantity, type, and specificity of the decision preferences from the user’s spoken input, MoDA is modeled to identify the user’s levels of decision elaboration and construal, which leads to its recognition of the user’s use of and shifts across four decision strategies commonly applied in consumer decision-making contexts. Upon identification of the user’s decision-making strategy, MoDA is modeled to (1) identify strategy-relevant assistive tasks, (2) generate or access strategy- and task-relevant intelligence, and (3) utter strategy-, task-, and intelligence-relevant speech to naturally support the user’s decision making strategy. The proposed design principles further map the types and examples of the agent tasks, intelligence, and speech required across the four consumer decision making strategies.
Implications of an Indemnification Clause in Construction Contracts

AbstractRisk is an inherent part of any construction project, and the contract language is a vehicle for contracting parties to allocate this risk and properly manage it. Among the various contract...
Advanced Planning and Scheduling Systems: The Quest to Leverage ERP for Better Planning

In this chapter, we focus on advanced planning and scheduling (APS) systems: their emergence as a replacement of materials requirements planning (MRP) systems and their eventual evolution into supply chain management (SCM) systems. This chapter provides a view from a software application provider’s perspective and is based on the author’s 10+years of experience in various roles in one of the software application providers. As it represents one point of view, it is not meant to be comprehensive, nor to include all activities and developments that took place in academia or in industry in the time period covered by this chapter.