cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Controlling Systemic Risk Through Corporate Governance

Most of the regulatory measures to control excessive risk taking by systemically important firms are designed to reduce moral hazard and to align the interests of managers and investors. These measures may be flawed because they are based on questionable assumptions. Excessive corporate risk taking is, at its core, a corporate governance problem. Shareholder primacy requires managers to view the consequences of their firm’s risk taking only from the standpoint of the firm and its shareholders, ignoring harm to the public. In governing, managers of systemically important firms should also consider public harm. This proposal engages the long-standing debate whether corporate governance law should require some duty to the public. The accepted wisdom is that corporate profit maximization provides jobs and other benefits that exceed public harm. The debate requires rethinking for systemic economic harm. This policy brief rethinks that debate, demonstrating that a corporate governance duty can be designed to control systemic risk without unduly weakening wealth production.
Isotope Effects Upon Motions in Liquids in the Classical Limit

The theory of changes in transport and relaxation coefficients in fluids and dilute solutions due to isotope substitution in the absence of quantal effects is described. In some cases the effects are completely predictable while in others they can be used to study intermolecular interactions in liquids.
Needs assessment for developing a program to help train advanced-practice pharmacists for research.

Purpose Results of a needs assessment to determine priority topics and preferred formats for research training in pharmacy residency programs are reported. Summary For pharmacists seeking advanced-practice positions in academia, the ability to conduct practice-based research is expected. Pharmacy residency programs are a primary recruitment source for these positions, but research training varies by residency site and available expertise. To help define the optimal content and format of resident research training, ASHP and the ASHP Research and Education Foundation conducted a needs assessment targeting postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) pharmacy residency directors (RPDs). The response rate was 36.5% (271 of 743 invitees); the information obtained was used to guide development of a Web-based training series. Only 12% of the RPDs who participated in the survey indicated that currently available research training resources within their residency programs were sufficient. Sixty-seven percent of surveyed RPDs agreed that a Web-based training program would be a useful resource, and 81% agreed that the target audience should be pharmacy residents. Training topics of greatest interest to RPDs included (1) components of a resident research plan, (2) identifying research questions, (3) study design and sample selection, (4) project management, (5) data acquisition, cleaning, management, and analysis, and (6) presenting and publishing project results. Conclusion This needs assessment clearly identified opportunities for improving the infrastructure and content of PGY1 residency research training. At a minimum, training programs should focus on practice-based research concepts using readily accessible health-system data systems and provide universal accessibility and sufficient flexibility to allow residency programs to integrate the training in a manner that works best for the program.
The Use of Avatar Counseling for HIV/AIDS Health Education: The Examination of Self-Identity in Avatar Preferences.

Background: The number of adults using the Internet to obtain health information is on the rise. An estimated 66% of the adults reportedly use the Internet to obtain health information related to a specific disease (ie, human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, HIV/AIDS). Previous research has demonstrated that health information seekers use the Internet to seek answers to stigma-laden questions from health avatars. Objective: The objective of this study was to identify patterns in the choice of avatar among health information seekers (patients or public health workers) using the Internet to obtain HIV/AIDS information and to describe the demographic characteristics (age, gender, and ethnicity) of health information seekers to determine whether they preferred an avatar that was similar to their own gender and ethnicity. Methods: The Rural South Public Health Training Center (RSPHTC) partnered with the New York State Department of Health to create the HIV/AIDS Avatar project. The avatar project was created to serve as an educational resource for public health workers by providing relevant and accurate information about HIV/AIDS. First, the user was instructed to choose one of the 8 avatars that voiced responses to 100 common questions and answers about HIV/AIDS. Next, the website gave users the option to complete a brief 3-question demographic survey. Finally, the demographic characteristics of each user were compared with the chosen avatar to determine whether they preferred an avatar that was similar to their own gender and ethnicity. Results: The avatar project website was loaded with 800 videos that included the answers to the top 100 questions about HIV/AIDS voiced by 8 avatars. A total of 1119 Web-based health information seekers completed the demographic survey upon accessing the website. Of these, 55.14% (617/1119) users were female. A total of 49.96% (559/1119) users were aged between 30 and 49 years. The ethnicity of the user and the avatar was found to have the strongest connection. All the users choose the female avatar matching their own ethnicity, followed by the male avatar. Additionally, the white female avatar was chosen the most by all users regardless of the age group or gender. Conclusions: Web-based health information seekers using the Internet to access medical research information may feel more comfortable receiving the answers to HIV stigma-laden questions from avatars, rather than receiving information directly from a health care provider. Additionally, providers seeking to utilize avatars to deliver interventions in health care settings may benefit from offering individuals choices in how they receive health information. Having the ability to choose whom you seek information from may lead to an increase in knowledge and awareness and could motivate HIV-positive individuals to seek care. [J Med Internet Res 2017;19(12):e365]
Time series analysis and forecast of respiratory conditions in Florida

In an effort to understand conditions triggering asthma episodes and therefore create a asthma risk index that might be valuable to both patients and medical practitioners, 6 different counties in Florida were chosen, 3 of them in the southeast region and 3 located in the central region. The number of cases at emergency rooms due to asthma and other respiratory conditions were provided by the Department of Health BRACE project and analyzed statistically looking for potential associations with weather and environmental conditions. Weather information was obtained from airports through Wolfram Language data mining interface, and environmental parameters (Ozone level and particulate matter) from the Environmental Protection Agency measuring stations. Correlation analysis was performed with both, linear and logistic models and using software RStudio. Additionally, ARIMA forecasting modeling was implemented within RStudio to predict future events based on previous records and compared with a Machine Learning approach.
A Deployment Life Cycle Model for Agricultural Data Systems Using Kansei Engineering and Association Rules

Abstract The early promise of artificial intelligence that was sought by many is now partially drifting toward data science and big data analytics. Software engineers have been increasingly overwhelmed by the amounts of data available to them during development, but their main quandary is that they are unable to draw solid conclusions from that data without proper analytics. As a result of the recent evolution of software engineering, analytics have been directly applied to solve different challenges of the software development life cycle. Rarely however, have analytics been applied directly for deployment or user acceptance . This chapter introduces a life cycle model that uses the power of data analytics (i.e., association rules and Kansei) to guide a federal team through software testing, deployment, and user acceptance. The model is evaluated through an agricultural data system and is deployed to federal employees; experimental results are collected and presented.
Advanced Paternal Age Affects Sperm Count and Anogenital Distance in Mouse Offspring

In Western society, couples increasingly delay parenthood until later in life. Overall, studies have focused on the reproductive performance of older parents or the impact of advanced maternal age on pregnancy outcomes, but few studies have examined how advanced paternal age (APA) affects offspring health. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of increasing paternal age on offspring reproductive performance and long-term metabolic health in a mouse model. Here, the same adult B6D2F1/J male mice were mated at 4, 12, and 18 months of age with 6- to 10-week-old naturally cycling CF1 females to generate 3 offspring cohorts conceived at increasing paternal ages PA4, PA12, and PA18. The offspring resulting from mating the same fathers at different ages (n = 20 per age; 10 males and 10 females) were maintained up to 20 weeks of age and morphometric parameters, growth curve, and glucose tolerance were measured. We found that increasing paternal age was associated with a trend toward longer time to conception. Litter sizes were not significantly different. Reassuringly, metabolic parameters and growth curve were not different in the 3 cohorts of offspring. Most importantly, increased paternal age (PA4 vs PA18) was associated with a statistically significant decrease in sperm concentration, sperm motility, and anogenital distance in offspring. These changes raise concerns about the potential impact of APA on the reproductive fitness in males of the next generation.
Metaphors of Developmental Process for Brain-Savvy Teachers

Early childhood care providers are inadequately prepared to make sense of findings from the neurosciences and are too easily misled by glib assertions from marketers about the brain and what neuroscience reveals about learning. To counter this confusion, teachers need more than simplified details about brain structure and mental process. They require a better understanding of foundational, if nonintuitive, constructs in current developmental science, including developmental biology and psychology, to better understand how brains change over time. To facilitate the introduction of this, an easily grasped metaphor might be employed that could encompass both neural and developmental processes and relate them coherently to what educators already know about learning and effective teaching. However, successful implementation of this operative metaphor in educators’ professional preparation and development will be arduous.
Thiophene hydrodesulfurization over bimetallic and promoted nitride catalysts

Alumina-supported bimetallic (Co3Mo3N/Al2O3” and promoted (Co–Mo2N/Al2O3) nitride catalysts have been prepared and characterized. Thiophene hydrodesulfurization (HDS) measurements show that the Co3Mo3N/Al2O3 and Co–Mo2N/Al2O3 catalysts are significantly more active than a Mo2N/Al2O3) catalyst with the same Mo loading. Furthermore, the Co–Mo2N/Al2O3 catalyst has a substantially higher HDS activity than a sulfided Co–MoO3/Al2O3 catalyst with an identical metal loading.
Stricter ioPTH criterion for successful parathyroidectomy in stage III CKD patients with primary hyperparathyroidism

ABSTRACT Background The effects of underlying renal insufficiency on intraoperative parathormone monitoring during parathyroidectomy (PTX) for primary hyperparathyroidism remain unclear. This study evaluates operative outcomes in patients undergoing parathyroidectomy using classic or stricter >50% intraoperative parathormone decrease criterion for primary hyperparathyroidism with mild or moderate renal insufficiency. Methods A retrospective review of prospectively collected data in 577 patients undergoing parathyroidectomy guided by intraoperative parathormone monitoring for primary hyperparathyroidism was performed. Patients were stratified by stages I to III of chronic kidney disease; those with overt secondary hyperparathyroidism (chronic kidney disease stages IV and V) were excluded. Patients were further subdivided into subgroups based on the classic criterion of a >50% intraoperative parathormone decrease and a stricter criterion of a >50% intraoperative parathormone decrease e to a normal range ( Results Of 577 patients, 38% (221) had normal renal function or stage I chronic kidney disease, 44% (251) had stage II chronic kidney disease, and 18% (105) had stage III chronic kidney disease. In stages I and II chronic kidney disease patients, there were no differences in operative success, failure, recurrence, bilateral neck exploration, and multiglandular disease between classic and stricter criterion groups. In contrast, in stage III chronic kidney disease patients, operative success was greater using the stricter intraoperative parathormone criterion than the classic intraoperative parathormone criterion (100% vs 92%, respectively, P Conclusion In patients with primary hyperparathyroidism and concurrent stage III chronic kidney disease, a stricter criterion of a >50% intraoperative parathormone decrease to a normal range should be used for successful parathyroidectomy.
Measuring the Growth in Complexity of Models from Industrial Control Networks

Profiling communication patterns between industrial devices is important for detecting anomalies and potential cyber-attacks. In this paper we do deep-packet inspection of various industrial protocols to generate models of communications between pairs of devices; in particular, we use two models (deterministic finite automata and discrete-time Markov chains) applied to three different industrial networks: (1) an electrical substation, (2) a small-scale water testbed, and (3) a large-scale water treatment facility. Overall these datasets represent a variety of industrial protocols, including EtherNet/IP, DNP3, and Modbus/TCP.
A Mean Field Game Approach to Swarming Robots Control

Controlling the collective behavior through individuals of swarming robots to accomplish the tasks which are beyond the capability of an individual robot is an important yet challenging problem for both research and industry communities, since the relationship between individual behavior and collective behavior for swarming robots still remain unclear. To bridge this gap, mean field game is applied using two coupled PDEs where the backward equation is used to understand the behavior of individual robots while the forward equation governs the evolution of the robots' distribution. The proposed approach aims to provide an optimal control strategy for each individual such that the desired swarm distribution generated by random forest regression can be tracked. The discrete mean field game is solved numerically to find the optimal control where the running cost is learned instead of directly given. Our proposed approach is illustrated by an example with the data from NYC taxi trips.
Bayesian baskets: A novel approach to biomarker-based clinical trial design.

e14057Background: Identifying predictive biomarkers is essential to precision medicine and can make therapeutic development more efficient. A critical decision in designing of biomarker-based clini...
The Challenge of the Digital and the Future Archive: Through the Lens of The National Archives UK

On the 7th of June 2018, The National Archives UK held its inaugural digital lecture, delivered by Professor Luciano Floridi entitled “Semantic Capital: What it is and how to protect it”. The lecture was followed by a poster exhibition, showcasing nine cutting-edge digital research projects at The National Archives (You can listen to the lecture’s podcast and see the posters at: https://media.nationalarchives.gov.uk/index.php/digital-lecture-semantic-capital/ Accessed on 12 July 2018). This paper aims at giving a distinct overview of The National Archives’ digital research priorities, drawing on examples from the active and recently completed research projects, which were displayed at the exhibition on the 7th of June 2018. The focus of this paper is to discuss the research challenges that we are facing as we seek to become a second-generation digital archive, that is digital by instinct and design. By placing a particular emphasis on the conceptual and epistemological challenges relating to trust and openness, the paper suggests that research is the key for us as a rapidly evolving digital archive; enabling us not only to inform but also innovate around the forthcoming digital challenges, and helping us to define future directions and lead the shaping of the future archive.
A sliding mode approach to enhance the power quality of wind turbines under unbalanced voltage conditions

An integral terminal sliding mode-based control design is proposed in this paper to enhance the power quality of wind turbines under unbalanced voltage conditions. The design combines the robustness, fast response, and high quality transient characteristics of the integral terminal sliding mode control with the estimation properties of disturbance observers. The controller gains were auto-tuned using a fuzzy logic approach. The effectiveness of the proposed design was assessed under deep voltage sag conditions and parameter variations. Its dynamic response was also compared to that of a standard SMC approach. The performance analysis and simulation results confirmed the ability of the proposed approach to maintain the active power, currents, DC-link voltage and electromagnetic torque within their acceptable ranges even under the most severe unbalanced voltage conditions. It was also shown to be robust to uncertainties and parameter variations, while effectively mitigating chattering in comparison with the standard SMC.
Detecting flood prone areas in Harris County: a GIS based analysis

Flooding is one of the most devastating natural disasters in the world that causes massive damages to natural and man-made features every year. As urbanization continues at an unprecedented rate, the damage caused by such natural disasters keeps increasing. Moreover, as human population continues to explode, settlements keep expanding and human activities continue to grow in low-lying areas vulnerable to flooding activities. Different strategies have been adopted to prevent flood hazards. One such strategy is flood susceptibility mapping to identify vulnerable areas prone to flooding. Such mapping processes are important for early warning system, emergency services, prevention and mitigation of future floods and implementation of flood management strategies. Harris County is a rapidly growing metropolitan area, situated on a low-lying coastal plain with little topographic relief and high susceptibility to flooding. This study incorporates a GIS based weighted multi-criteria analysis to determine flood prone areas in Harris County, Texas by integrating nine flood conditioning factors such as slope, elevation, soil type, rainfall intensity, flow accumulation, LULC, NDVI and distance from river and distance from road. The objectives of this study is threefold. Firstly, to determine the impact weight of the selected nine flood conditioning factors. Secondly, to combine the conditioning factors using weighted overlay method in ArcGIS to map the areas in Harris County that are prone to flooding. And finally, to overlay the 2017 FEMA flood hazard map on the weighted overlay flood hazard map.
Integrated Clustering and Anomaly Detection (INCAD) for Streaming Data (Revised)

Most current clustering based anomaly detection methods use scoring schema and thresholds to classify anomalies. These methods are often tailored to target specific data sets with "known" number of clusters. The paper provides a streaming clustering and anomaly detection algorithm that does not require strict arbitrary thresholds on the anomaly scores or knowledge of the number of clusters while performing probabilistic anomaly detection and clustering simultaneously. This ensures that the cluster formation is not impacted by the presence of anomalous data, thereby leading to more reliable definition of "normal vs abnormal" behavior. The motivations behind developing the INCAD model and the path that leads to the streaming model is discussed.
Abstract 5213: A modified L-penetratin peptide targeting e2f-1, 2 and 3 is effective in combination with cisplatin or pemetrexed against prostate and lung cancer cell lines

Overexpression of the “activating” transcription factors, E2F1,2 and-3a induces genes involved in DNA synthesis and leads to cellular proliferation, tumor growth, and invasion. Therefore, inhibiting the overexpression of one or more activating E2Fs is a recognized target in cancer therapeutics. Dysregulation/overexpression of E2Fs is also controlled by deletion or mutations in the retinoblastoma protein in tumors. In our previous studies we showed that a novel penetratin conjugated 7-mer peptide (PEP) inhibited transcription of the E2F1, 2 and 3a by bounding tightly to E2F promoters. The PEP was cytotoxic at low micro molar concentrations to several malignant cell lines. As the PEP was unstable in vivo, the PEP was encapsulated in PEGylated liposomes (PL-PEP). Treatment of xenografts of the pRB negative small cell lung cancer H-69 and castrate resistant prostate cancer DU145 tumors propagated in mice with the PL- PEP, caused tumor regression. To increase stability and potency of the PEP, L-Arg in the PEP was replaced by D-Arg. Molecular simulation studies showed that the D-Arg PEP secondary structure is more stable than the L- Arg peptide structure in water. In vitro studies showed that the D-Arg PEP was more potent and more resistant to degradation by serum proteases than the L- form. As E2F is important for DNA repair, and for transcription of thymidylate synthase, we tested the effects of the PEP in combination with cisplatin, a DNA damaging drug and pemetrexed, a potent thymidylate synthase inhibitor. Combination studies of the D-ARG pep with cisplatin (in DU145, PC3, LnCap and 4T1) cells and with pemetrexed (in non-small cell lung cancer, H2009, H441, H1975 and H2228) resulted in synergistic cytotoxicity as determined by Chou-Talalay analysis. Citation Format: Gulam M. Rather, Michael Anyanwu, John E. Kerrigan, Kathleen W. Scotto, Olga Garbuzenko, Tamara Minko, Zoltan Szekely, Joseph R. Bertino. A modified L-penetratin peptide targeting e2f-1, 2 and 3 is effective in combination with cisplatin or pemetrexed against prostate and lung cancer cell lines [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 5213.
Preventing Soldiers' and Veterans' Suicide by Pastoral Counseling and Mental Health Treatment:

Suicide prevention for active duty soldiers and veterans is a serious issue in the US, particularly in communities that are home to these populations. A body of research has addressed the prevention of veterans' suicide with therapy and medication. However, few researchers have focused on the role of spirituality and religion in suicide prevention. This paper will address the potential for collaboration between mental health professionals and clergy in the prevention of military-related suicide.
Disparities of HIV risk and PrEP use among transgender women of color in South Florida

Abstract Background The majority of the transgender female population in South Florida are Latina and Black, and are at greatest risk for acquiring HIV, yet there is limited research focused on South Florida transgender women of color. The study objective was to describe the disparities among racial/ethnic minority transgender women regarding HIV screening, pre exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) knowledge and PrEP utilization. Methods Sixty transgender women, recruited from South Florida community-based organizations, completed a questionnaire on HIV prevention and PrEP awareness and use. Univariate statistics were generated to describe sexual risk behavior, PrEP awareness and use, and HIV screening by race/ethnicity. Results Of the 60 participants, 50.0% were Latina, 35.0% African American/non-Hispanic Black (AA/NHB), 11.7% white and 3.3% other race/ethnicity. 75.0% reported being screened for HIV in the last 12 months, 15.3% of the participants reported living with HIV (PLWH), while 18.6% reported an unknown status. Compared to Latinas, AA/NHB demonstrated more risk (≥2 sexual partners: 76.2% vs 53.3%; transactional sex: 47.6% vs. 26.7%; unprotected receptive anal sex: 42.9% v. 26.7%), and more engagement in routine care (81.0% vs. 76.7%) at least once a year. PrEP knowledge was 76.7% among Latinas, 71.4% among whites, 47.6% among Blacks, and 50.0% among other race/ethnicity. 65.0% of participants knew about PrEP. Of the 8.2% with current or previous PrEP use, none were AA/NHB. Conclusion Findings suggest that education and public health campaigns in South Florida that promote HIV prevention should focus on increasing awareness and utilization of PrEP among racial/ethnic minority transgender, particularly among AA/NHB transgender women who are most at risk and had the lowest knowledge and use of PrEP.
Intrauterine Pressure Catheter Use Is Associated with an Increased Risk of Postcesarean Surgical Site Infections.

Objective This study aimed to determine if intrapartum placement of an intrauterine pressure catheter (IUPC) is associated with an increased rate of surgical site infections in women undergoing a cesarean delivery. Study Design This was a secondary analysis of the prospective observational Maternal–Fetal Medicine Units Network Vaginal Birth after Cesarean Registry. We compared patients with and without IUPC use. A multivariable logistic regression was performed to evaluate for an association between IUPC use and postcesarean surgical site infections. Results The study included 16,887 women: 7,441 with IUPC use and 9,446 without IUPC use. After adjustment for potential cofounders, IUPC use was associated with an increased risk of postcesarean infections compared with those without IUPC use (adjusted odds ratio: 1.28; 95% confidence interval: 1.10–1.50; p = 0.002). Conclusion IUPC use is associated with an increased risk of postcesarean surgical site infections. This supports the judicious use of IUPC for limited clinical indications and provides a potential area of focus for reduction in postcesarean infections.
De-agglomeration of cathode composites for direct recycling of Li-ion batteries

Direct recycling of Li-ion batteries (LIBs) reclaims electrode materials using physical separation followed by materials' rejuvenation processes. The cathode composites in LIBs contain both carbon black and PVDF binders in its chemistry. For the rejuvenation process to work, an ability to remove these impurities is desirable. In the present work, de-agglomeration of individual components from the cathode composites has been carried out using a mechanical process that is developed for preserving functional integrity of the cathode active materials. It has been shown that the size of the cathode composites is effectively reduced upon a de-agglomeration process due to a liberation of PVDF binders from the cathode composites. The de-agglomeration performance has been evaluated by separating mixed materials by the degree in surface hydrophobicity using the froth flotation method. The performance improves with end-of-life (EOL) LIBs compared to new LIBs, benefiting from a degradation of PVDF binders after charging-discharging cycles. X-ray photoelectron spectra suggests that the de-agglomeration is done by breaking intermolecular bond between PVDF and cathode active materials as well as covalent bond within PVDF binders. The present work demonstrates a non-chemical method for liberating individual components from cathode composites for the direct recycling of LIBs.
Sharing the 'weight' of obesity management in primary care: integration of registered dietitian nutritionists to provide intensive behavioural therapy for obesity for Medicare patients.

BACKGROUND Clinical provision of intensive behavioral therapy for obesity (IBTO) has been a reimbursable treatment for obesity since 2012. However, gaps remain in the literature regarding its impact on patient outcomes. OBJECTIVES The primary objective of this study was to examine the integration of registered dietitian nutritionist provided IBTO into a primary care setting and evaluate clinic outcomes for Medicare Part B beneficiaries. A secondary objective was to examine intensity of IBTO (quantity of IBTO visits) versus clinical outcomes and influence of socioeconomic factors. METHODS A case-control retrospective chart review was conducted at a rural, Academic Family Medicine Clinic in Eastern North Carolina for patients seen between 1 January 2016 and 1 January 2019. In order to be included in the treatment group, patients had to be female, white or black race, have Medicare insurance and a body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m2. RESULTS Mixed model analysis showed statistically significant improvements in clinical outcomes from IBTO treatment. Weight decreased by nearly 3 pounds, while body mass index was half a point lower. A1C was 0.1 units lower for IBTO patients, and they took prescription medication and average of 6 days less than the control group. Minorities and older respondents experienced smaller, all else constant, and annual fixed effects suggest that differentials widen over time. CONCLUSIONS Registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) provision of IBTO has demonstrated benefit in improving clinical outcomes including weight, A1C, and reduced medication duration (use) as demonstrated by the IBTO treatment group versus control. IBTO intensity was not predictive of success, and its impact was reduced with older and African American patients. IBTO is beneficial and can be delivered within the primary care setting by a RDN.
Postsecondary Education Programs on College Campuses Supporting Adults With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in the Literature: A Scoping Review:

Postsecondary education (PSE) programs for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) have increased steadily since the passage of the Higher Education Opportunity Act. Th...
Big Boys Don't Cry: Evaluations of Politicians Across Issue, Gender, and Emotion.

Emotional appeals are powerful motivators of political action. Yet the gender of a politician and the existing stereotypes held by audiences complicate the determination of which type of emotional appeal is best suited for different issue areas. In what ways do politicians’ emotional appeals serve to mitigate or exacerbate the impact of gender stereotypes across different policy domains? This research examines when politicians pay penalties or gain rewards for their emotional expressions using a survey experiment on a diverse national sample. We find evidence that women politicians are on equal footing or stand to benefit when expressing masculine emotions while also having greater emotional freedom across policy domains. Men politicians, on the other hand, are significantly punished for not acting “manly” enough in masculine policy domains. Nonetheless, these patterns become complicated by both situational context and partisan expectations. The results provide promise for the future prospects of women politicians while pointing to the continued relevance of gendered stereotypes about emotionality in today’s political world.
Where are the mixed methods research studies

In 2015, we published an editorial dedicated to providing guidelines for the publication of mixed methods research in the Nordic Journal of Music Therapy (Bradt, 2015). Because that editorial was p...
Monitoring a Poisson process subject to gradual changes in the arrival rates where the arrival rates are unknown

We look at a Poisson process where the arrival rates change from λ1 to λ2. We will assume that the arrival rates both before and after the change are unknown. We also assume that this change does n...
Storage protein degradation and proteolytic enzyme activities during germination of water stressed impatiens seeds

Water uptake of impatiens (Impatiens wallerana Hook. f. cv. Super Elfin Coral) seeds was measured as an increase in fresh weight every 24 hr during 144 hr of germination. Seeds absorbed most of the water required for germination within the first 3 hr of imbibition, and thus germinated at 60 to 67% moisture on a dry-weight basis. Germination started at 48 hr and was complete by 96 hr at 25C. Water stress of -0.1, -0.2, -0.4, and -0.6 MPa, induced by polyethylene glycol 8000 (PEG) reduced germination by 13, 49, 91, and 100%, respectively, at 96 hr. Under the same water-stress conditions, increases in fresh weight were inhibited by 53, 89, 107,and 106% respectively. Three distinct groups of storage proteins with estimated molecular weights of 35, 33, 31 kilodalton (kd) ; 26, 23, 21 kd; and two bands less than 14 kd were present in dry seed. Major depletion of storage proteins coincided with the time of maximum germination. Water potentials inhibited germination also inhibited degradation of storage proteins. The soluble-protein fraction increased and coincided with a decrease in the insoluble fraction during germination under optimum conditions. Threshold concentrations of soluble proteins were required for germination.
The exoA gene of Streptococcus pneumoniae and its product, a DNA exonuclease with apurinic endonuclease activity.

Abstract The gene encoding the major DNA exonuclease of Streptococcus pneumoniae, exoA, was cloned in a streptococcal host vector system. Its location was determined by subcloning and by insertion mutations. Transfer of a DNA segment containing the gene to an Escherichia coli expression vector showed that exoA was the structural gene for the enzyme and that it was adjacent to its promoter. DNA sequence determination indicated that the gene encoded a protein, ExoA, of molecular weight 31,263. Under hyperexpression conditions, the ExoA protein constituted 10% of total cellular protein. In addition to previously demonstrated 3' to 5' exonuclease and 3'-phosphatase activities, ExoA was shown to make single-strand breaks at apurinic sites in DNA. Its enzymatic activities are thus similar to those of exonuclease III of E. coli and other gram-negative bacteria. The nucleotide sequence of exoA revealed it to be homologous to xth of E. coli, with 26% identity of amino acid residues in the predicted proteins. So far, no null chromosomal mutants of exoA have been obtained, and the biological function of ExoA remains unknown.
Platelet and fibrinogen survival in coronary atherosclerosis

Survival times of chromium-51 platelets and iodine-125 fibrinogen were determined in 58 men with documented coronary atherosclerosis. Compared with findings in a control group of 28 men of similar age, mean platelet survival time was selectively shortened (6.8 ± 1.8 [standard deviation] days versus 9.0 ± 1.0 days; P P P
Enabling GeoCollaborative crisis management through advanced geoinformation technologies

Crisis events have dramatic impact on human society, economy and our environment. Geographical information and intelligence play a key role in crisis management activities. However, the use of geographical information technologies in responsible government agencies has been mostly confined to single users, and within single agency. An interdisciplinary team from Penn State University (comprised of GIScientists, information scientists, and computer scientists) has joined efforts with collaborators from federal, state, and local agencies to develop advanced geospatial information technologies that support GeoCollaborative Crisis Management (GCCM). In this demonstration, we present our progress in the design and implementation of a GIS-mediated collaborative environment that enables crisis managers and collaborating agencies to work together with geographical information. The system features multimodal interactions, mixed-initiative conversational dialogues, and map-mediated communication. It can be used by managers in emergency operation centers (EOC) as well as first responders in the field.
Improving Data Cache Performance via Address Correlation: An Upper Bound Study

Address correlation is a technique that links the addresses that reference the same data values. Using a detailed source-code level analysis, a recent study [1] revealed that different addresses containing the same data can often be correlated at run-time to eliminate on-chip data cache misses. In this paper, we study the upper-bound performance of an Address Correlation System (ACS), and discuss specific optimizations for a realistic hardware implementation. An ACS can effectively eliminate most of the L1 data cache misses by supplying the data from a correlated address already found in the cache to thereby improve the performance of the processor. For 10 of the SPEC CPU2000 benchmarks, 57 to 99% of all L1 data cache load misses can be eliminated, which produces an increase of 0 to 243% in the overall performance of a superscalar processor. We also show that an ACS with 1-2 correlations for a value can usually provide comparable performance results to that of the upper bound. Furthermore, a considerable number of correlations can be found within the same set in the L1 data cache, which suggests that a low-cost ACS implementation is possible.
Maternal stress can affect fetal neurobehavioral functioning.

We know that stress can eventually have a negative effect on physical well-being. However, there is increasing evidence that the psychological state of the pregnant woman can have an effect on fetal physiological functioning. Recently, researchers found maternal stress during pregnancy to be associated with a decrease in fetal heart rate variability (DiPietro, Hodgson, Costigan, Hilton & Johnson, 1996; Shupe, 1998). In addition, Shupe (1998) found chronic maternal stress to be associated with increased time between the onset of a fetal movement and the corresponding change in heart rate (latency). This is preliminary research, so we do not know exactly what it means in terms of outcome for the newborn. However, we are safe in telling women that chronic stress during pregnancy is not good for the fetus. Childbirth educators are in a position to assess women for chronic and pregnancy related stress. Referrals for counseling or ancillary services can get women the help they need to reduce the stress in their lives.
Conditional calcineurin knockout mice exhibit multiple abnormal behaviors related to schizophrenia

Calcineurin (CN), a calcium- and calmodulin-dependent protein phosphatase, plays a significant role in the central nervous system. Previously, we reported that forebrain-specific CN knockout mice (CN mutant mice) have impaired working memory. To further analyze the behavioral effects of CN deficiency, we subjected CN mutant mice to a comprehensive behavioral test battery. Mutant mice showed increased locomotor activity, decreased social interaction, and impairments in prepulse inhibition and latent inhibition. In addition, CN mutant mice displayed an increased response to the locomotor stimulating effects of MK-801. Collectively, the abnormalities of CN mutant mice are strikingly similar to those described for schizophrenia. We propose that alterations affecting CN signaling could comprise a contributing factor in schizophrenia pathogenesis.
Differential expression of genes associated with telomere length homeostasis and oncogenesis in an avian model

Telomere-binding proteins, their interaction partners and transcription factors play a prominent role in telomere maintenance and telomerase activation. We examined mRNA expression levels of tankyrase 1 and 2, TRF1 and 2, c-myc, TERT and TR in Gallus domesticus, the domestic chicken, by quantitative real-time PCR, establishing expression profiles for three contrasting cell systems: the pluripotent gastrula, differentiated embryo fibroblasts and transformed DT40 cells. All seven genes were up-regulated in DT40 cells compared to telomerase-negative CEFs and a majority of the genes were also up-regulated in the gastrula relative to CEFs. Surprisingly, we found TERT and TR transcripts in CEFs, albeit at low levels. TRF1 was down-regulated in the six CEF cultures by the time of culture growth arrest. A marked increase in the TRF2:TRF1 ratio occurred at or near senescence in all of the CEF cultures studied, with the most elevated ratio found in a short-lived culture in which TRF1 mRNA levels decreased two-fold and TRF2 levels increased 21-fold. This culture also showed highly reduced, degraded telomeres by Southern blot analysis. These data suggest that genes involved in telomere maintenance and telomerase induction are expressed differentially in pluripotent, differentiated and transformed cell systems.
A new hydrogen peroxide--based medical-device detergent with germicidal properties: comparison with enzymatic cleaners.

Abstract Background: The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the cleaning and bacterial killing ability of a new non–enzyme-based formulation (killing detergent solution [KDS]) compared with commercially available enzymatic detergents that included Metrizyme (Metrex Research Division of Sybron Canada Ltd. Morrisburg, Ontario) and Gzyme (Germiphene Corp, Brantford, Ontario). KDS is a hydrogen peroxide–based detergent formulation that combines cleaning efficacy with the ability to kill microorganisms. The KDS formulation helps ensure the protection of the health care worker from infectious risk during the soaking and cleaning stages of medical device reprocessing and reduces the bioburden on devices before sterilization/disinfection. Methods: Test organisms that included Enterococcus faecalis , Salmonella choleraesuis , Staphylococcus aureus , and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were suspended in artificial test soil (ATS-B; patent submitted), inoculated at 10 6 colonyforming units per carrier and dried overnight before detergent exposure. The ATS-B mimics the blood, protein, carbohydrate, and endotoxin levels of patient-used medical devices. Plastic lumen carriers and a flexible colonoscope were used for surface and simulated-use testing, respectively. Results: The results for the microbial challenge dried onto polyvinyl chloride (PVC) carriers demonstrated that the ability of KDS to remove protein, blood, carbohydrate, and endotoxin from surface test carriers was as effective as the enzyme detergents that were evaluated. Furthermore, KDS was able to effect approximately a 5-Log 10 reduction in microbial loads with a 3-minute exposure at room temperature, whereas none of the other detergents were as effective. In simulated-use testing of a soiled colonoscope, KDS was significantly better at ensuring microbial killing compared with Gzyme and Metrizyme and was equivalent to the enzymatic detergents in cleaning ability. Conclusions: In summary the KDS has excellent microbial-killing ability in 3-minute exposures at room temperature and cleans as well as the existing enzymatic detergent formulations that were tested. (Am J Infect Control 2001;29:168-77)
Heat transfer in particulate flows with Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS)

Abstract A Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) method has been developed to solve the heat transfer equations for the computation of thermal convection in particulate flows. This numerical method makes use of a finite difference method in combination with the Immersed Boundary (IB) method for treating the particulate phase. A regular Eulerian grid is used to solve the modified momentum and energy equations for the entire flow region simultaneously. In the region that is occupied by the solid particles, a second particle-based Lagrangian grid is used, which tracks particles, and a force density function or an energy density function is introduced to represent the momentum interaction or thermal interaction between particle and fluid. The numerical methods developed in this paper have been validated extensively by comparing the present simulation results with those obtained by others.
Probing feedforward and feedback contributions to awareness with visual masking and transcranial magnetic stimulation

A number of influential theories posit that visual awareness relies not only on the initial, stimulus-driven (i.e., feedforward) sweep of activation but also on recurrent feedback activity within and between brain regions. These theories of awareness draw heavily on data from masking paradigms in which visibility of one stimulus is reduced due to the presence of another stimulus. More recently transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) has been used to study the temporal dynamics of visual awareness. TMS over occipital cortex affects performance on visual tasks at distinct time points and in a manner that is comparable to visual masking. We draw parallels between these two methods and examine evidence for the neural mechanisms by which visual masking and TMS suppress stimulus visibility. Specifically, both methods have been proposed to affect feedforward as well as feedback signals when applied at distinct time windows relative to stimulus onset and as a result modify visual awareness. Most recent empirical evidence, moreover, suggests that while visual masking and TMS impact stimulus visibility comparably, the processes these methods affect may not be as similar as previously thought. In addition to reviewing both masking and TMS studies that examine feedforward and feedback processes in vision, we raise questions to guide future studies and further probe the necessary conditions for visual awareness.
Cellulose I crystallinity determination using FT–Raman spectroscopy: univariate and multivariate methods

Two new methods based on FT–Raman spectroscopy, one simple, based on band intensity ratio, and the other using a partial least squares (PLS) regression model, are proposed to determine cellulose I crystallinity. In the simple method, crystallinity in cellulose I samples was determined based on univariate regression that was first developed using the Raman band intensity ratio of the 380 and 1,096 cm−1 bands. For calibration purposes, 80.5% crystalline and 120-min milled (0% crystalline) Whatman CC31 and six cellulose mixtures produced with crystallinities in the range 10.9–64% were used. When intensity ratios were plotted against crystallinities of the calibration set samples, the plot showed a linear correlation (coefficient of determination R 2 = 0.992). Average standard error calculated from replicate Raman acquisitions indicated that the cellulose Raman crystallinity model was reliable. Crystallinities of the cellulose mixtures samples were also calculated from X-ray diffractograms using the amorphous contribution subtraction (Segal) method and it was found that the Raman model was better. Additionally, using both Raman and X-ray techniques, sample crystallinities were determined from partially crystalline cellulose samples that were generated by grinding Whatman CC31 in a vibratory mill. The two techniques showed significant differences. In the second approach, successful Raman PLS regression models for crystallinity, covering the 0–80.5% range, were generated from the ten calibration set Raman spectra. Both univariate-Raman and WAXS determined crystallinities were used as references. The calibration models had strong relationships between determined and predicted crystallinity values (R 2 = 0.998 and 0.984, for univariate-Raman and WAXS referenced models, respectively). Compared to WAXS, univariate-Raman referenced model was found to be better (root mean square error of calibration (RMSEC) and root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) values of 6.1 and 7.9% vs. 1.8 and 3.3%, respectively). It was concluded that either of the two Raman methods could be used for cellulose I crystallinity determination in cellulose samples.