cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Reinforcement Survey Schedule for Use in Therapy, Training, and Research

This paper describes a Reinforcement Survey Schedule (RSS) that is intended to be useful in a variety of therapy, training, and research applications. The RSS has four sections: (a) reinforcers that can be presented in palpable, facsimile or imaginary form; (b) reinforcers that can be presented only in facsimile or imaginary form; (c) situational contexts that are reinforcing; and (d) a survey of frequently-occurring daily behaviors. The rationale is discussed for private practice, institutional practice and research, and action implications are outlined. Illustrative data are presented.
Numerical uncertainty in fluid flow calculations: Needs for future research

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has established itself as a viable technique for performing research and solving engineering problems, and when used correctly, can give accurate results for many fairly complex problems. This success has led to an ever increasing number of journal publications, many code developers, and surprisingly many users in the industry. Commercial CFD packages are often marketed by claiming that a particular code can solve almost every fluid flow problem, while many users, both in industry and academia, stand aloof from quantitative error measures, instead being dazzled by colorful computer generated output. This is mostly due to insufficient education in the specific computing discipline which often leads (intentional or not) to misuse and wrong conclusions. Every year, hundreds of papers are published in conference proceedings, and journals, on the advancement and application of CFD techniques. Whenever something is spawned in such large quantities it is very easy to lose sense of quality control. To assert quality, papers often end with a conclusion such as good agreement is found between experiments and predictions to which the readers have become so immune that it no longer has meaning. Unfortunately, very little information is provided about the numerical uncertainty and themore » experimental data are often treated as if they are 100 percent accurate.« less
Historical changes in the postoperative treatment of appendicitis in children: Impact on medical outcome

Abstract Background/Purpose: The introduction of managed care in the 1980s caused increased pressure to reduce costs for hospitalized patients. The authors hypothesized that these market forces have resulted in a decreased hospital stay and utilization of sophisticated diagnostic testing in children treated for appendicitis. If true, the impact of this paradigm shift on patient outcome is unknown. Methods: Hospital records for 913 pediatric patients treated for appendicitis from 1974 to 1998 were reviewed retrospectively. Patients were stratified into those with perforated appendicitis (PA) and nonperforated appendicitis (NPA). Demographics, perioperative hospital course, diagnostic testing, complications, and long-term outcomes were analyzed after stratification into time intervals. Results: Over time, children with NPA were treated with shorter antibiotic courses ( P P P P P P Conclusions: The market pressures of managed care have resulted in a new treatment paradigm with an earlier discharge of all children with appendicitis. There has been no concomitant increase in the complication rate in either group as a result of this paradigm shift. Bayesian analysis indicates that USN and abdominal radiographs are overutilized in our institution. J Pediatr Surg 35:239-245. Copyright © 2000 by W.B. Saunders Company.
Spectral and threshold performance of patterned quantum dot lasers

Semiconductor quantum dots have been widely researched as a means of improving the performance of optoelectronic devices. Self-assembly has been the dominant method of fabricating quantum dots because of its relative ease compared to more explicit techniques. We have developed a method for fabricating quantum dots in a more explicit manner using electron beam lithography and selective-area metal-organic chemical vapor deposition crystal growth. By eliminating the dependence on strain-driven self-assembly, we can avoid the size distribution and resulting inhomogeneously broadened emission spectrum associated with self-assembled quantum dot ensembles. We report on the threshold and spectral properties of patterned quantum dot lasers. (© 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Associations between childhood refraction and parental smoking.

PURPOSE. Motivated by pharmacologic findings linking nicotinic acetylcholine receptors to eye development in chicks, the authors studied whether the refractions of children who were passively exposed to cigarette smoke by their parents differed from those of nonexposed children. METHODS. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 323 patients (mean SD age, 8.7 4.4 years; range, 1‐20) in a tertiary care pediatric ophthalmology clinic. Half (162/323) of the subjects had strabismus. The accompanying parent completed a detailed questionnaire on parental smoking history and on putative risk factors for myopia. The results were compared to the subjects’ cycloplegic refractions. RESULTS. If one or both parents ever smoked, their children had a lower myopia prevalence (12.4% vs. 25.4%; P 0.004) and more hyperopic mean refractions (1.83 0.24 vs. 0.96 0.27 diopters; P 0.02) than those whose parents never smoked. Smoking by either parent during the mother’s pregnancy had a similar effect on the child’s refraction. The associations largely persisted, both in multivariate models that included adjustments for the child’s age, child’s body mass index, child’s nearwork activity, parental myopia, and parental education and also in analysis by subgroups stratified by strabismus status. CONCLUSIONS. Despite the complex constituents of cigarette smoke, neuropharmacology perspectives may prove useful in the development of new hypotheses to understand the mechanisms governing refractive development, not only in experimental animals but also in children. The associations of less prevalent myopia and a more hyperopic mean refraction with both prenatal and childhood exposures to tobacco smoke suggest that nongenetic, environmental exposures may have long-term influences on refraction and that further study of the role of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in refractive develop
Transient Oscillations of Mutually Coupled Windings

IN THE PAST, the mathematical analysis of transient oscillations in transformer windings has been based upon a single winding having self and mutual inductances between its turns, capacitances along the stack and to ground, and, in one instance, resistances representing the losses. Such a circuit ignores the presence of secondary circuits, but strangely enough proves adequate to describe the internal high frequency transients of the winding under consideration, not only qualitatively but quantitatively as well. Cathode ray oscillograms, however, do show some difference in the characteristics of the oscillations, depending upon the terminal connections of the secondary circuit.
Monoclonal rat anti-Torpedo electroplax nicotinic acetylcholine receptor antibodies: immunochemical characterization.

Abstract The interaction of Torpedo california nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAcChoR) with three rat monoclonal antibodies (mcab) directed against nAcChoR (Gomez et al., 1979) was studied by use of four different radioimmunoassay protocols. Each mcab reacts poorly with formalin-fixed Staphylococcus aureus or S. aureus Protein A, which requires that an additional incubation with second antibody (goat anti-rat immunoglobulin G) is included in each radioimmunoassay paradigm. One mcab inhibits 125I-labeled α-bungarotoxin binding to nAcChoR, recognizes a subset of solubilized nAcChoR-toxin complexes, and shows higher titer against nAcChoR in the absence of toxin. Thus, it appears to be directed against nAcChoR antigenic determinants that at least partially overlap with toxin binding sites. Two other mcab react with nAcChoR in a toxin-independent manner. Receptor-mcab dissociation constants are less than 10 nM, according to each assay paradigm. Estimates of antibody titer or concentrations of antibody in stock hybridoma supernatants vary according to the assay used. This predictable result is attributed to differences in design and sensitivity of assay protocols. The data provide a basis for further utilization of monospecific antibodies as probes in characterization of nAcChoR structure and function.
An approximation scheme for Black-Scholes equations with delays

This paper addresses a finite difference approximation for an infinite dimensional Black-Scholes equation obtained by Chang and Youree (2007). The equation arises from a consideration of an European option pricing problem in a market in which stock prices and the riskless asset prices have hereditary structures. Under a general condition on the payoff function of the option, it is shown that the pricing function is the unique viscosity solution of the infinite dimensional Black-Scholes equation. In addition, a finite difference approximation of the viscosity solution is provided and the convergence results are proved.
Defining the challenges of providing long-term care: the case of the nursing home industry's response to the AIDS epidemic.

Abstract Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is now viewed as a chronic disease requiring long-term management. As a result, more persons with AIDS (PWAs) are seeking long-term care in facilities that have primarily served the elderly. In some regions, however, the nursing home market into which PWAs may introduce new demand is a market already characterized by excess demand. In light of this, competition for limited long-term care resources may develop between the frail elderly and PWAs. The nursing home industry has raised many issues regarding the feasibility of admitting AIDS patients as residents, but little is known about how important these issues are in deciding admissions policy. How the industry perceives and resolves the concerns it has regarding delivery of care to PWAs can affect the overall long-term care system and thus affect the traditional users–the frail elderly. Knowing the concerns and preferences of the industry may help guide and anticipate future changes in the system. In th...
Event-Based Haptic Tapping with Grip Force Compensation

Previous work in event-based haptics has demonstrated that augmenting position-based force feedback with high-frequency impact transients significantly improves the realism of virtual tapping. Transients can be portrayed more accurately by accounting for the dynamic relationship between actuator force and hand acceleration, a technique we call acceleration matching. This work extends the method of acceleration matching by analyzing how changes in user grip force affect the transients produced when tapping on real and virtual objects. We use this understanding to update the event-based paradigm, measuring grip force in real time and adjusting transient output accordingly. When implemented on a system that can provide high-bandwidth, high-magnitude current, this new approach successfully compensates for changes in user dynamics, significantly improving the robustness of event-based haptic tapping.
Microhabitats and Population Densities of California Legless Lizards, with Comments on Effectiveness of Various Techniques for Estimating Numbers of Fossorial Reptiles

Abstract We studied the cryptic fossorial legless lizard (Anniella pulchra) in a 1.57-ha area of sand dune on the coast of central California. This is the largest and most dense population of A. pulchra (N = 3,582; 0.228/m2) known to date. We documented distribution of animals through systematic removal and relocation of lizards at the site and with GIS analyses. Lizard density was high near shrubs and where soil moisture was greater but lower in disturbed soils and in iceplant. We also conducted time-constrained searches and coverboard surveys to analyze the efficacy of standard survey methods for legless lizards. Moderate-impact time-constrained searches were more effective in establishing presence of lizards when compared to low-impact time-constrained searches and coverboard surveys. Our data show that standard methods may not be effective in establishing presence or absence of this lizard at low densities. None of the survey methods was effective in predicting the density of lizards actually present.
Neurochemical Correlates of Autistic Disorder: A Review of the Literature.

Review of neurochemical investigations in autistic disorder revealed that a wide array of transmitter systems have been studied, including serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, acetylcholine, oxytocin, endogenous opioids, cortisol, glutamate, and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). These studies have been complicated by the fact that autism is a very heterogeneous disorder which often presents with comorbid behavioral problems. In addition, many of these studies employed very small samples and inappropriate control groups, making it difficult to draw conclusions with confidence. Overall, serotonin appears to have the most empirical evidence for a role in autism, but this requires further investigation and replication. There is little support for the notion that a dysfunction of norepinephrine or the endogenous opioids are related to autism. The role of dopaminergic functioning has not been compelling thus far, though conflicting findings on central dopamine turnover require further study. Promising new areas of study may include possible dysfunction of the cholinergic system, oxytocin, and amino acid neurotransmitters. Implications for pharmacotherapy are briefly discussed for each neurotransmitter system with brief research examples. Review of this work emphasizes the need for future studies to control for subject variables, such as race, sex, pubertal status, and distress associated with blood draws, which can affect measures of neurochemical function. In addition, research in neurochemistry must continue to work in concert with other subspecialties to form a more comprehensive and theory-based approach to the neurobiological correlates of autistic disorder.
Geldanamycin and its analogue 17-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin lowers Bcr-Abl levels and induces apoptosis and differentiation of Bcr-Abl-positive human leukemic blasts

HL-60/Bcr-Abl cells, with ectopic expression of p185 Bcr-Abl tyrosine kinase (TK), and K562 cells, with endogenous expression of p210 Bcr-Abl TK, display a high degree of resistance against antileukemic drug-induced apoptosis (G. Fang et al., Blood, 96: 2246-2256, 2000). Present studies demonstrate that treatment with ansamycin antibiotic geldanamycin (GA), or its less toxic analogue 17-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17-AAG), induces cytosolic accumulation of cytochrome c and cleavage and activities of caspase-9 and caspase-3, triggering apoptosis of HL-60/Bcr-Abl and K562 cells. GA or 17-AAG down-regulated intracellular Bcr-Abl and c-Raf protein levels, as well as reduced Akt kinase activity. Similar to Raf-1, v-Src, and Her-2-neu, Bcr-Abl TK has chaperone association with heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90). By binding and inhibiting Hsp90, GA or 17-AAG treatment shifted the binding of Bcr-Abl from Hsp90 to Hsp70 and induced the proteasomal degradation of Bcr-Abl, because cotreatment with proteasome inhibitor PSC341 reduced both GA (or 17-AAG)-mediated down-regulation of Bcr-Abl levels and inhibited apoptosis of HL-60/Bcr-Abl and K562 cells. These data establish the in vitro activity of GA and 17-AAG against Bcr-Abl-positive leukemic cells and support the in vivo investigation of 17-AAG against Bcr-Abl-positive leukemias.
Call Availability Prediction in a Telecommunication System: A Data Driven Empirical Approach

Availability prediction in a telecommunication system plays a crucial role in its management, either by alerting the operator to potential failures or by proactively initiating preventive measures. In this paper, we apply linear (ARMA, multivariate, random walk) and nonlinear (Radial and Universal Basis Functions) regression techniques to recognize system failures and to predict the system's call availability up to 15 minutes in advance. Secondly we introduce a novel nonlinear modeling technique for call availability prediction. We benchmark all five techniques against each other. The applied modeling methods are data driven rather than analytical and can handle large amounts of data. We apply the modeling techniques to real data of a commercial telecommunication platform. The data used for modeling includes: a) time stamped event-based log files; and b) continuously measured system states. Results are given in terms of a) receiver operator characteristics (AUC) for classification into classes of failure and non-failure states and b) as a cost-benefit analysis. Our findings suggest: a) high degree of nonlinearity in the data; b) statistically significant improved forecasting performance and cost-benefit ratio of nonlinear modeling techniques; and finally finding that c) log file data does not contribute to improve model performance with any modeling technique
Phonological Awareness, Reading Skills, and Vocabulary Knowledge in Children Who Use Cochlear Implants.

In hearing children, reading skills have been found to be closely related to phonological awareness. We used several standardized tests to investigate the reading and phonological awareness skills of 27 deaf school-age children who were experienced cochlear implant users. Approximately two-thirds of the children performed at or above the level of their hearing peers on the phonological awareness and reading tasks. Reading scores were found to be strongly correlated with measures of phonological awareness. These correlations remained the same when we statistically controlled for potentially confounding demographic variables such as age at testing and speech perception skills. However, these correlations decreased even after we statistically controlled for vocabulary size. This finding suggests that lexicon size is a mediating factor in the relationship between the children’s phonological awareness and reading skills, a finding that has also been reported for typically developing hearing children.
Brucine, part 1: Electrochemistry of brucine

Cyclic voltammetry and chronocoulometry were used to study the electrochemistry of brucine. The oxidation of brucine 0.9 V versus a saturated calomel electrode at a carbon paste electrode produces a compound that undergoes reversible electrochemical behavior at Eo′ = 0.47 V. The product formed on the oxidation of brucine undergoes a slow chemical reaction to produce a compound that shows reversible behavior at Eo′ = 0.27 V. The hexadecane content of the carbon paste plays an important role in the observed behavior. Electrodes with low hexadecane did show oxidation of brucine, but irreversible waves occurred at Eo′ = 0.47 and 0.27 V. These features were also displayed by a platinum electrode. Calcium oxalate incorporated into the carbon paste catalyzes the oxidation of brucine. Chronocoulometry was used to estimate the heterogenous rate constant for the oxidation of brucine at calcium oxalate-modified and unmodified electrodes. The values found were 21.4 × 10−3 cm/s for the modified electrode and 6.1 × 10−3 cm/s for the unmodified electrode. Preliminary results on the use of brucine as a reagent for the determination of nitrate are given.
Decentralized pole-placement using generalized sampled-data hold functions

This paper presents a novel sequential technique for pole-assignment in linear time-invariant (LTI) decentralized control systems. Generalized sampled-data hold functions (GSHF) are used as local controllers to place the modes of the equivalent discrete-time closed-loop system in the desired locations in the z-plane. These locations are assumed to be obtained by using a proper mapping from the continuous-time domain. The GSHFs are obtained one at a time, in a sequential fashion. In other words, each local controller is designed for the equivalent discrete-time closed-loop model associated with the previously designed controllers. While no bound is provided on the intersample ripple, the convergence of the samples to zero ensures that the intersample values will also approach zero as time increases. The main characteristic of the proposed method is that unlike conventional pole-placement algorithms, the design complexity here does not increase after each local controller is obtained. A numerical example is provided which confirms the efficacy of the proposed pole-placement technique.
Pharmacological Interventions for Students with ADD

When behavioral and academic interventions prove ineffective in controlling the predominant symptoms of ADD; teachers, family members, affected students, and clinicians often turn to pharmacological solutions. Whereas studies clearly support the efficacy of psychostimulants such as methylphenidate (Ritalin) in significantly improving focus and impulse control, they underscore the importance of psychosocial and behavioral interventions in the reduction of hyperactivity. Furthermore, researchers recommend a thorough screening process before considering the use of such medication, which includes a comprehensive medical examination. Finally, the literature endorses the American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines on the use of pharmacology in the treatment of children with ADD and urges further research on the effects of the long-term use of psychostimulants such as methylphenidate and dextroamphetamine (Dexadrine).
Attribution of projected changes in summertime US ozone and PM 2.5 concentrations to global changes

Abstract. The impact that changes in future climate, anthropogenic US emissions, background tropospheric composition, and land-use have on summertime regional US ozone and PM2.5 concentrations is examined through a matrix of downscaled regional air quality simulations, where each set of simulations was conducted for five months of July climatology, using the Community Multi-scale Air Quality (CMAQ) model. Projected regional scale changes in meteorology due to climate change under the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) A2 scenario are derived through the downscaling of Parallel Climate Model (PCM) output with the MM5 meteorological model. Future chemical boundary conditions are obtained through downscaling of MOZART-2 (Model for Ozone and Related Chemical Tracers, version 2.4) global chemical model simulations based on the IPCC Special Report on Emissions Scenarios (SRES) A2 emissions scenario. Projected changes in US anthropogenic emissions are estimated using the EPA Economic Growth Analysis System (EGAS), and changes in land-use are projected using data from the Community Land Model (CLM) and the Spatially Explicit Regional Growth Model (SERGOM). For July conditions, changes in chemical boundary conditions are found to have the largest impact (+5 ppbv) on average daily maximum 8-h (DM8H) ozone. Changes in US anthropogenic emissions are projected to increase average DM8H ozone by +3 ppbv. Land-use changes are projected to have a significant influence on regional air quality due to the impact these changes have on biogenic hydrocarbon emissions. When climate changes and land-use changes are considered simultaneously, the average DM8H ozone decreases due to a reduction in biogenic VOC emissions (−2.6 ppbv). Changes in average 24-h (A24-h) PM2.5 concentrations are dominated by projected changes in anthropogenic emissions (+3 μg m−3), while changes in chemical boundary conditions have a negligible effect. On average, climate change reduces A24-h PM2.5 concentrations by −0.9 μg m−3, but this reduction is more than tripled in the Southeastern US due to increased precipitation and wet deposition.
An analysis of the performance of hybrid infrared and microwave satellite precipitation algorithms over India and adjacent regions

The measurement of precipitation is fundamental to our understanding of the hydrological cycle. Increasingly, there exists the capacity to independently determine components of the hydrological cycle from remote sensing data. Developing techniques to combine effectively the multiple streams of information required for a water budget assessment provides a difficult challenge, particularly given the disparities in spatial and temporal scales between measurements and predictions. Two research groups, the Naval Research Laboratory Monterey (NRL) and the University of Arizona (UA), are using a combination of geostationary infrared and polar-orbiting microwave satellite data to derive 6-hourly precipitation estimates over a global 0.25° grid. We examine the performance of these two algorithms for estimating the 24-h rainfall accumulation over India and Sri Lanka for the years 2002 and 2003. The derived values are compared with observations from a network of 39 national weather stations. In addition, two locations, Minicoy in the Laccadive Islands and Port Blair in the Andaman Islands were selected as being representative of the ocean environment to compare these satellite rainfall products against measurements from local rain gauges and Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite data. The NRL technique was accurate to within 25% of observed precipitation for only 33% of station locations, while the UA technique was accurate to within 25% of observed precipitation for about 47% of station locations.
Transmission analysis of a space-division optical star network with deflection routing

The combined traffic-transmission analysis of a single-wavelength optical star local area network (LAN) is presented. The star is a multistage space-division photonic switch which uses deflection routing. Deflected packets delivered to the wrong user are transparently re-routed to the switch. It is found that the network works best when lightly loaded at the optical level. Using fast optical transmitters and receivers to deplete the optical layer has the positive effect of reducing both deflections and crosstalk.
Predicting the phase equilibria of petroleum fluids with the SAFT‐VR approach

The SAFT-VR equation of state is combined with a semi-continuous thermodynamic approach to model several synthetic and crude oil systems. In our approach, the oil fractions are defined by a continuous distribution that is then represented as discrete pseudo-components using the Gaussian quadrature method. The SAFT-VR parameters for the pseudo-components are obtained from simple linear relationships that were defined in earlier work, which allows the approach to be easily applied to undefined oil systems. Good agreement between the theoretical predictions and experimental data is obtained for bubble point pressure calculations of several gas condensates and the solubility of gases such as methane, ethane, and carbon dioxide in several crude oils. ! 2007 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 53: 720‐731, 2007
Upper airway resistance syndrome: a long-term outcome study.

Abstract This prospective study aimed to assess symptomatic evolution of patients diagnosed with Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS) four and half years after the initial UARS diagnosis. For this purpose, 138 UARS patients were contacted by mail between 43 and 69 months after the initial evaluation; 105 responded to the letter and 94 patients accepted to undergo new clinical and polysomnographic evaluations. Initial and follow-up polysomnographic recordings were scored using the same criteria. Results Of the 94 patients who completed the follow-up examination, none of them were using nasal CPAP. It was related to refusal by insurance providers to provide equipment based on initial apnea–hypopnea index (AHI) in 90/94 subjects. Percentage of patients with sleep related-complaints significantly increased over the four and half year period: daytime fatigue, insomnia and depressive mood increased by 12 to 20 times. Reports of sleep maintenance sleep onset insomnia and depressive mood was significantly increased. Hypnotic, antidepressant and stimulant prescription increased from initial to follow-up visit (from 11.7% to 61.7%; from 3.2% to 25.5% and from 0% to 9.6%, respectively) with antidepressant given as much for sleep disturbance as mood disorder. The polysomnography results at follow-up showed that 5 subjects had AHI compatible with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS) but overall, respiratory disturbance index had no significant change. Total sleep time was significantly reduced compared to initial visit. Conclusions Many UARS patients remained untreated following initial evaluation. Worsening of symptoms of insomnia, fatigue and depressive mood were seen with absence of treatment of UARS.
A virtual prototyping test bed for electronics assembly

This paper discusses PANDYA, which is a virtual prototyping test bed for electronics assembly. With the help of virtual reality based environments, product and process design issues can be studied. PANDYA facilitates identification of problems by enabling ideas to be proposed, studied, modified and validated. Such an approach reduces the overall product development time, reduces overall cost and improves communication among product development team members.
Oat-cell carcinoma of the thymus

Oat-cell carcinoma of the thymus gland is exceedingly rare as a primary lesion, and only a few cases have been reported. We report a case in which a neoplasm interpreted as an oat-cell carcinoma was intimately associated with and arose in transition from a carcinoid tumor of the thymus. Ultrastructural features of this lesion were unusual compared with previous descriptions of thymus neuroendocrine neoplasms.
Toward an Electromagnetic Paradigm for Biology and Medicine

Work by Lund, Burr, Becker, and others leads to the inescapable conclusion that organisms tend to express quasisystemic electric changes when perturbed, and, conversely, will tend toward wellness either through endogenous repair currents or the application of equivalent external currents. We show that an all-inclusive electromagnetic field representation for living systems is fully consistent with this extensive body of work. This electrogenomic field may provide the basis for a new paradigm in biology and medicine that is radically different from the present emphasis on molecular biology and biochemistry. An electromagnetic field description also enables a more rational transformation from the genome than the present endpoint, universally stated in terms of the so-called visible characteristics. Furthermore, once the organism is described as an electromagnetic entity, this strongly suggests the reason for the efficacy of the various electromagnetic therapies, namely as the most direct means of restoring the body's impacted electromagnetic field to its normal state.
Human-Computer Interface Design Guidelines

This volume contains guidelines to aid software designers in developing user oriented human-computer interfaces. The procedures, formats, and wording with which a computer system communicates with its users have an impact on ease of learning and ease of use of that system. It presents suggestions drawn from diverse sources.
Chemical challenges to bacterial AHL signaling in the environment.

Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia,South Carolina 29208, United States, and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, College of Arts and Sciences, University of South Carolina,Columbia, South Carolina 29208, United StatesReceived September 16, 2010
Financial Criteria, Capital Budgeting Techniques, And Risk Analysis Of Manufacturing Firms

This study examines the impact that capital budgeting considerations has on the average values of various performance measures for a sample of 118 U.S. manufacturing firms. This study also examines whether the variance of performance measures are affected by differing capital budgeting considerations. Results are analyzed with non-paramentric tests for mean and variance differences. The results of this study provide mixed support for conventional financial theory and a sound basis for further investigation into current capital budgeting practices.
Elevated Transglutaminase Activity Triggers Angiotensin Receptor Activating Autoantibody Production and Pathophysiology of Preeclampsia.

Background Preeclampsia (PE) is a life‐threatening hypertensive disorder of pregnancy associated with autoantibodies, termed AT1‐AA, that activate the AT1 angiotensin receptor. Although the pathogenic nature of these autoantibodies has been extensively studied, little is known about the molecular cause of their generation. Methods and Results Here we show that tissue transglutaminase (TG2), an enzyme that conducts posttranslational modification of target proteins, directly modified the 7‐amino acid (7‐aa) epitope peptide that localizes to the second extracellular loop of the AT1 receptor. These findings led us to further discover that plasma transglutaminase activity was induced and contributed to the production of AT1‐AA and disease development in an experimental model of PE induced by injection of LIGHT, a tumor necrosis factor superfamily member. Key features of PE were regenerated by adoptive transfer of purified IgG from LIGHT‐injected pregnant mice and blocked by the 7‐amino acid epitope peptide. Translating our mouse research to humans, we found that plasma transglutaminase activity was significantly elevated in PE patients and was positively correlated with AT1‐AA levels and PE features. Conclusions Overall, we provide compelling mouse and human evidence that elevated transglutaminase underlies AT1‐AA production in PE and highlight novel pathogenic biomarkers and innovative therapeutic possibilities for the disease.
An Empirical Assessment of Salesperson Motivation, Commitment, and Job Outcomes

This study contributes to the efforts to integrate work commitment constructs into the long-dominant expectancy theory framework of salesforce motivation and performance. Responses were gathered from 231 industrial salespeople in order to: 1) provide evidence concerning discriminant and convergent validity of two measures of work commitment and 2) distinguish expectancy and commitment constructs; and investigate the relationships between motivation, commitment, and two important outcomes—effort and performance. The results of the study indicate that conceptual and empirical differences do exist between commitment variables and expectancy-based motivation variables. Job commitment and extrinsic motivation are found to be related to salesperson effort, which in turn is related to salesperson performance.
Protein-binding molecular switches via host-guest stabilized DNA hairpins

Molecular switches, with target protein-binding activity controlled by prior binding to specific input stimuli, are ubiquitously used in Nature. However, the emulation of such responsive systems, especially in a de novo fashion, remains a significant challenge. Herein, we disclose a strategy that harnesses an intramolecular β-CD/adamantane host–guest interaction to generate a stabilized DNA hairpin (ΔTm = 17 °C) that undergoes an input oligonucleotide (ODN)-selective structural transformation from a stem-loop conformation to a duplex. This ODN-induced conformational switch allows for the transition from an inactive state (wherein the adamantane protein-binding headgroup is encapsulated) to an activated protein-binding complex, with a freely accessible adamantane moiety. Given that hairpin domains can be readily modulated to be responsive to alternative ODN triggering sequences and that encapsulating macrocycles, such as β-CD, are good hosts for a number of protein-binding small molecules, this strategy ma...
Distributing Mobile Music Applications for Audience Participation Using Mobile Ad-hoc Network (MANET).

This work introduces a way to distribute mobile applications using mobile ad-hoc network in the context of audience participation. The goal is to minimize user configuration so that the process is highly accessible for casual smartphone users. The prototype mobile applications utilize WiFiDirect and Service Discovery Protocol to distribute code. With the aid of these two technologies, the prototype system requires no infrastructure and minimum user configuration.
Pediatric emergency care capabilities of Indian Health Service emergency medical service agencies serving American Indians/Alaska Natives in rural and frontier areas

INTRODUCTION In the USA, the emergency medical services (EMS) system is vital for American Indians and Alaska Natives, who are disproportionately burdened by injuries and diseases and often live in rural areas geographically far from hospitals. In rural areas, where significant health disparities exist, EMS is often a primary source of healthcare providing a safety net for uninsured individuals or families who otherwise lack access to health-related services. EMS is frequently the first entry point for children and their families into the healthcare system. The Indian Health Service (IHS) supports the federally funded, tribally operated EMS agencies to help meet the affiliated American Indian and Alaska Natives' pre-hospital needs. While periodic assessments of state EMS agencies capabilities to care for children occur, it appears a systematic assessment of IHS EMS agencies in regards to children had not been previously conducted. METHODS A consensus process, involving stakeholders, was used to identify topic areas for a survey for assessing the pediatric capabilities of IHS EMS. The survey was sent to 75 of 88 IHS EMS agency contacts. RESULTS Sixty-one agencies (81%) responded. Nine agencies (15%) did not have a medical director. Agencies without a medical director were less likely to report the availability of online (p=0.1) or offline (p<0.01) pediatric medical direction. Half (51%) of the agencies had a mass casualties plan; however, 29% reported responding to a mass casualty incident, involving a large number of pediatric patients, that overwhelmed their service. Most agencies were well integrated with their state EMS system with almost all (95%) collecting EMS patient care data and 47% using national standard data elements. CONCLUSIONS In some areas, IHS EMS agencies did not have the infrastructure to treat pediatric patients during day-to-day operations as well as disasters. Similar to operational challenges faced by rural EMS agencies, the IHS agencies lacked a medical director, were unable to provide pediatric continuing education, and were overwhelmed during mass casualty incidents. Moreover, the overall ratio of IHS EMS to service population is almost double that for other EMS agencies. In other areas, agencies were well integrated with their state EMS system. One possible solution to increase capabilities to care for pediatric patients is combining and sharing of common resources including medical directors with their state EMS systems and authorities.
A Community-Powered, Asset-Based Approach to Intersectoral Urban Health System Planning in Chicago

Objectives. To describe, and provide a nomenclature and taxonomy for classifying, the economic sectors and functional assets that could be mobilized as partners in an intersectoral health system.Methods. MAPSCorps (Meaningful, Active, Productive Science in Service to Community) employed local youths to conduct a census of all operating assets (businesses and organizations) on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois, in 2012. We classified assets by primary function into sectors and described asset and sector distribution and density per 100 000 population. We compared empirical findings with the Institute of Medicine’s (IOM’s) conceptual representation and description of intersectoral health system partners.Results. Fifty-four youths mapped a 62-square-mile region over 6 weeks; we classified 8376 assets into 23 sectors. Sectors with the most assets were food (n = 1214; 230/100 000 population), trade services (n = 1113; 211/100 000), and religious worship (n = 974;185/100 000). Several large, health-relevant s...
Influence of ion outflow in coupled geospace simulations: 2. Sawtooth oscillations driven by physics‐based ion outflow

We present the first simulations of magnetospheric sawtooth oscillations under steady solar wind conditions that are driven internally by heavy ion outflow from a physics-based model. The simulations presented use the multifluid Lyon-Fedder-Mobarry magnetohydrodynamics model two-way coupled to the ionosphere/polar wind model (IPWM). Depending on the type of wave-particle interactions utilized within IPWM, the coupled simulations exhibit either sawtooth oscillations or steady magnetospheric convection. Contrasting the simulations that do and do not develop sawtooth oscillations yields insights into the relationship between outflow and sawtooth oscillations. The total outflow rate is not an adequate predictor of the convection mode that will emerge. The simulations that develop sawtooth oscillations are characterized by intense outflow concentrated in the midnight auroral region. This outflow distribution mass loads the tail reconnection region without excessively mass loading the dayside reconnection region and leads to an imbalance between the dayside and nightside reconnection rates.
Farmers' Market Use Patterns Among Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Recipients With High Access to Farmers' Markets.

Abstract Objective Evaluate farmers' market (FM) use patterns among Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients. Design Cross-sectional survey administered June to August, 2015. Setting Cleveland and East Cleveland, OH. Participants A total of 304 SNAP recipients with children. Participants lived within 1 mile of 1 of 17 FMs. Most were African American (82.6%) and female (88.1%), and had received SNAP for ≥5 years (65.8%). Main Outcome Measures Patterns of FM shopping, awareness of FM near home and of healthy food incentive program, use of SNAP to buy fruits and vegetables and to buy other foods at FMs, receipt of healthy food incentive program. Analysis Two-stage cluster analysis to identify segments with similar FM use patterns. Bivariate statistics including chi-square and ANOVA to evaluate main outcomes, with significance at P ≤ .05. Results A total of 42% reported FM use in the past year. Current FM shoppers (n = 129) were segmented into 4 clusters: single market, public market, multiple market, and high frequency. Clusters differed significantly in awareness of FM near home and the incentive program, use of SNAP to buy fruit and vegetables at FMs, and receipt of incentive. Conclusions and Implications Findings highlight distinct types of FM use and had implications for tailoring outreach to maximize first time and repeat use of FMs among SNAP recipients.
An approach to addressing subpopulation considerations in systematic reviews: the experience of reviewers supporting the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force

Guideline developers and other users of systematic reviews need information about whether a medical or preventive intervention is likely to benefit or harm some patients more (or less) than the average in order to make clinical practice recommendations tailored to these populations. However, guidance is lacking on how to include patient subpopulation considerations into the systematic reviews upon which guidelines are often based. In this article, we describe methods developed to consistently consider the evidence for relevant subpopulations in systematic reviews conducted to support primary care clinical preventive service recommendations made by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). Our approach is grounded in our experience conducting systematic reviews for the USPSTF and informed by a review of existing guidance on subgroup analysis and subpopulation issues. We developed and refined our approach based on feedback from the Subpopulation Workgroup of the USPSTF and pilot testing on reviews being conducted for the USPSTF. This paper provides processes and tools for incorporating evidence-based identification of important sources of potential heterogeneity of intervention effects into all phases of systematic reviews. Key components of our proposed approach include targeted literature searches and key informant interviews to identify the most important subpopulations a priori during topic scoping, a framework for assessing the credibility of subgroup analyses reported in studies, and structured investigation of sources of heterogeneity of intervention effects. Further testing and evaluation are necessary to refine this proposed approach and demonstrate its utility to the producers and users of systematic reviews beyond the context of the USPSTF. Gaps in the evidence on important subpopulations identified by routinely applying this process in systematic reviews will also inform future research needs.
Reliance on experiential avoidance in the context of relational aggression: Links to internalizing and externalizing problems and dysphoric mood among urban, minority adolescent girls

Abstract A large body of research has linked relational aggression (RA) to indices of psychosocial and academic maladjustment. Recent work suggests that urban, minority adolescent girls who experience peer aggression are at particularly high risk for negative outcomes, including internalizing and externalizing behavior problems, and yet this population has been underrepresented in the literature. Despite the high prevalence of RA, only a small portion of adolescents experience chronic victimization and/or develop serious, lasting effects. Identifying factors which confer vulnerability in the context of RA may have important implications for intervention and prevention. The present study theorized that heavy reliance on experiential avoidance (EA) would be associated with history of RA victimization, and would predict internalizing problems. We also hypothesized that self-reported EA would be positively related to sadness in adolescents who experienced negative mood following an in vivo laboratory-based social exclusion experience. Participants included 58 female adolescents (aged 11–14 years) recruited from urban schools and community centers. Results supported our hypotheses. EA was associated with history of RA victimization, and predicted internalizing and externalizing symptoms, even when accounting for history of RA victimization. EA was also a significant predictor of more negative mood following a social exclusion experience, even when accounting for baseline mood. Implications and recommendations for future research and intervention are discussed.
Low-power multiplexer designs using three-independent-gate field effect transistors

Three-Independent-Gate Field Effect Transistors (TIGFETs) are capable of different modes of operation thanks to their additional gate terminals. By electrically controlling their side gates, TIGFETs can act either as a p-type or an n-type transistor and can also implement multi-threshold logic. This versatility can be used to create compact logic gates intended for high-performance or low-leakage applications. In today's Integrated Circuits (ICs), multiplexers are used in a broad range of applications such as encoding-decoding, routing signals or Look-Up Tables (LUTs). In particular, conventional Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS)-based multiplexers with a large number of inputs require several stages, leading to significant area and energy. Due to their three-gate terminals, TIGFETs can implement the equivalent multiplexers using less transistors, arranged in a compact way, reducing the area and energy. In this paper, we present novel two-level and tree-like multiplexer structures intended for low-power applications based on Silicon Nanowire TIGFETs (TIG SiNWFETs) and compare it with conventional CMOS FinFET Low-STandby Power (LSTP) structures. Using the 22nm technology node, electrical simulations show that our SiNWFET-based multiplexer can improve the energy by operation by 2 5× and Energy-Area Product by up to 2.6× compared to the best CMOS FinFET structures.