cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Formative research on creating smoke-free homes in rural communities

The home is a significant place for exposure to secondhand smoke for children and non-smoking adults. This study explored factors that would convince families to adopt household smoking bans and actions to create and maintain smoke-free homes. Interviews were conducted with adults in 102 households in rural Georgia. Participating families had a young adolescent and included households with a mix of smokers and non-smokers and smoking ban status. Families reported they would consider a total ban to protect children from secondhand smoke and protect family members if they got sick. Few described difficulties in enforcement with over half of smokers accepting the rules. Situations that made it hard to enforce restrictions were if there was a visitor who smoked, a smoker who had cravings, and bad weather outside when the smoker desired to smoke. Smokers explained that family members could assist them in quitting by talking to them, not purchasing cigarettes for them, not smoking around them, and supporting them. Ideas for promoting smoke-free homes were having a no smoking sign, saying no to visitors who want to smoke, removing ashtrays, and creating a place outside for smokers. These findings can inform interventions designed to create and maintain smoke-free households.
Association between physician beliefs regarding assigned treatment and clinical response: re-analysis of data from the Hypericum Depression Trial Study Group.

Background We have previously shown an association between patient belief and treatment response in the Hypericum Depression Trial Study Group's 2002 study. We re-examined these data to determine whether clinical improvement was associated with physician belief about assigned therapy.
Tenure, Turnover, And Earnings Profiles In Germany And The United States

Employment tenure, job turnover and returns to general and specific skills are examined for male workers in Germany and the United States using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel and the Panel Study of Income Dynamics. Employment in Germany is characterized by longer duration and less frequent turnover than in the United States. Returns to experience and tenure are lower in Germany than in the U.S.; however, peak earnings occur later. This delayed peak in the employment-earnings profile provides an incentive for German workers to remain longer with their employers and change jobs less frequently.
Nutrition of Larval Fish

This chapter discusses the nutritional requirements of cultured marine fish larvae and some of the techniques used for feeding them. In larvae that have small reserves, the line between well-fed and malnourished (i.e., dead) often is very fine (Figs. 8-1, 8-2).
IQ-Services: network-aware middleware for interactive large-data applications: Research Articles

IQ-Services are application-specific, resource-aware code modules executed by data transport middleware. They constitute a ‘thin’ layer between application components and the underlying computational and communication resources. This layer implements the data manipulations necessary to permit wide-area collaborations to proceed smoothly in the presence of dynamic resource variations. IQ-Services interact with the application and resource layers via dynamic performance attributes, and end-to-end implementations of such attributes also permit clients to interact with data providers. The joint middleware/resource and provider/consumer interactions implemented with performance attributes may be used to realize effective methods for managing the data flows in the large-data, distributed Grid applications targeted by our research. Experimental results in this paper demonstrate substantial performance improvements. These are attained by coordinating network-level with service-level adaptations of the data being transported and by permitting end users to dynamically deploy and use application-specific services for manipulating data in ways suitable for their current needs. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Vector exchange andS-wave pion-nucleon scattering

Several very interesting effects have begun to manifest themselves in the difficult data analysis of πNS-waves. All of these involve the influence of inelastic channels coupled to πN. Since the σ-exchange force has been very successful in the understanding of the low-energy phenomena, it seems worth-while to pursue the implications of this force to higher energies in a many-channel formalism. Wyld has done this in a Schrodinger model; here it is undertaken in a dispersion theory framework. All of the relevant pseudoscalar meson-baryon channels are included and the vector-meson exchange force is prescribed to beSU3 symmetric. For degenerate masses a bound unitary singlet and two degenerate bound octets occur. For physical mass splittings only oneS11 resonance survives. A curious extinction phenomenon suppresses the ππN component in the wave function of the resonance so that it does not show up strongly in ππN clastic scattering. TheS11 resonance is found at 1690 MeV and is interpreted as a bound state of the KΣ system.
Combustion of Nonane and JP8 Droplets With Additives in Low Convection

The combustion of nonane and JP8 droplets was studied in an environment to promote spherically symmetric droplet flames. Measurements of the droplet, flame and soot ‘shell’ or ‘cloud’ diameters were made to examine how the burning process and sooting dynamics were influenced by three miscible additives: hexanol, tripropylene glycol methyl ether (TPM), and an additive that had been previously developed to improve thermal stability of JP8, called as ‘+100’. The experimental results presented for nonane were used to compare with JP8 for a comparatively simple fuel. The initial droplet diameters ranged from 0.4mm to 0.7mm to allow quantitative measurement of the influence of droplet diameter on the droplet burning process. Spherical symmetry was promoted by carrying out the experiments in microgravity. The burning conditions were room temperature air at atmospheric pressure. Soot formation was found to be massive for JP8 compared to nonane, with thick dark soot clouds that accumulated significant soot as burning progressed. With hexanol and TPM mixed with JP8, soot formation was noticeably reduced. Soot trends in the approximate order of JP8 > JP8+100 > JP8+100 / TPM (90/10, v/v) > JP8+100 / TPM (80/20) > JP8+100 / hexanol (50/50) > nonane are noted for the fixed initial droplet diameter. Significant droplet heating was found for JP8 compared to nonane, due to the higher liquid thermal diffusivity of nonane compared to JP8 and the lower product of density and specific heat of nonane compared to JP8. A distinct influence of initial droplet diameter on the subsequent evolution of droplet diameter after ignition was found for nonane in that larger droplets burned slower than smaller droplets for the range of initial droplet diameters examined. The evolution of soot shell diameter was independent of additive concentrations for JP8 and still distinct from nonane. A new scale variable is presented which collapses the various ‘standoff’ diameters (soot shell and flame) onto a single curve for a given fuel.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Spectral Sequences for the Layman

(1969). Spectral Sequences for the Layman. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 76, No. 6, pp. 599-605.
Temporal Changes in Extremely Damaging Storms

Records of extremely damaging storms in the United States during the years 1949-2006 were assessed to define their temporal distribution. A change in climate due to global warming may lead to more ...
Neural Network-Based Solutions for Stochastic Optimal Control Using Path Integrals

In this paper, an offline approximate dynamic programming approach using neural networks is proposed for solving a class of finite horizon stochastic optimal control problems. There are two approaches available in the literature, one based on stochastic maximum principle (SMP) formalism and the other based on solving the stochastic Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman (HJB) equation. However, in the presence of noise, the SMP formalism becomes complex and results in having to solve a couple of backward stochastic differential equations. Hence, current solution methodologies typically ignore the noise effect. On the other hand, the inclusion of noise in the HJB framework is very straightforward. Furthermore, the stochastic HJB equation of a control-affine nonlinear stochastic system with a quadratic control cost function and an arbitrary state cost function can be formulated as a path integral (PI) problem. However, due to curse of dimensionality, it might not be possible to utilize the PI formulation for obtaining comprehensive solutions over the entire operating domain. A neural network structure called the adaptive critic design paradigm is used to effectively handle this difficulty. In this paper, a novel adaptive critic approach using the PI formulation is proposed for solving stochastic optimal control problems. The potential of the algorithm is demonstrated through simulation results from a couple of benchmark problems.
Accounting accruals, heterogeneous investor beliefs, and stock returns

We study how a firm's accounting accruals affect the heterogeneity of investor beliefs on the firm's value and further affect the firm's future stock returns. We document three findings. First, we find that the level of the heterogeneity in investor beliefs on a firm's value is higher when the firm experiences a larger increase in its accounting accruals. Second, we find that future stock returns following the earnings announcement are lower when the firm's accounting accruals increases the heterogeneity of investor beliefs to a larger degree. Finally, we also find that the effect of the accruals-induced heterogeneous investor beliefs on future stock returns is more pronounced when short-sale constraints are more binding. Overall, our empirical findings suggest that accounting accruals are a key determinant of the heterogeneity of investor beliefs. They also suggest a channel of investor beliefs whereby accruals affect future stock returns by affecting the heterogeneity of investor beliefs.
Biometrics: Biometrics for enterprise security

'You can't leave your finger behind,' as biometrics fans never tire of telling us. In fact biometrics have been promoted as a 'foolproof' way to authenticate an individual's identity. But how much should we trust those claims? Industry vendors even suggest error rates of less than one in a million, which appear far too broad (and too good) to be true. A brave new world of reliable and trustworthy authentication is promised, but how applicable are biometrics really in the enterprise today? Few decisions facing security professionals are straightforward - for instance, whether to use a central database to store all biometrics for users, or to issue them with a smartcard that will hold their biometric samples; whether to use the good old finger, or retina, vein patterns, perhaps - or even the way you walk. This article aims to dispel some of the common myths around biometrics, to give a deeper grasp of today's biometric technology and what it implies. Biometrics have been touted as a 'foolproof' way to authenticate an individual's identity - and industry vendors claim accuracy ratings of more than a million to one. A brave new world of reliable and trustworthy authentication is promised, but just how much can you trust those claims, and how applicable are biometrics in the enterprise today?
Ultra-High Q Acoustic Resonance in Superfluid ^4He

We report the measurement of the acoustic quality factor of a gram-scale, kilohertz-frequency superfluid resonator, detected through the parametric coupling to a superconducting niobium microwave cavity. For temperatures between 400 mK and 50 mK, we observe a T^(−4) temperature dependence of the quality factor, consistent with a 3-phonon dissipation mechanism. We observe Q factors up to 1.4×10^8, consistent with the dissipation due to dilute ^3He impurities, and expect that significant further improvements are possible. These experiments are relevant to exploring quantum behavior and decoherence of massive macroscopic objects, the laboratory detection of continuous gravitational waves from pulsars, and the probing of possible limits to physical length scales.
Caspase Inhibition Prevents Tumor Necrosis Factor-α-Induced Apoptosis and Promotes Necrotic Cell Death in Mouse Hepatocytes in Vivo and in Vitro.

How different cell death modes and cell survival pathways cross talk remains elusive. We determined the interrelation of apoptosis, necrosis, and autophagy in tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α/actinomycin D (ActD) and lipopolysaccharide/D-galactosamine (GalN)-induced hepatotoxicity in vitro and in vivo . We found that TNF-α/ActD-induced apoptosis was completely blocked by a general caspase inhibitor ZVAD-fmk at 24 hours but hepatocytes still died by necrosis at 48 hours. Inhibition of caspases also protected mice against lipopolysaccharide/GalN-induced apoptosis and liver injury at the early time point, but this protection was diminished after prolonged treatment by switching apoptosis to necrosis. Inhibition of receptor-interacting protein kinase (RIP)1 by necrostatin 1 partially inhibited TNF-α/ZVAD-induced necrosis in primary hepatocytes. Pharmacologic inhibition of autophagy or genetic deletion of Atg5 in hepatocytes did not protect against TNF-α/ActD/ZVAD-induced necrosis. Moreover, pharmacologic inhibition of RIP1 or genetic deletion of RIP3 failed to protect and even exacerbated liver injury after mice were treated with lipopolysaccharide/GalN and a pan-caspase inhibitor. In conclusion, our results suggest that different cell death mode and cell survival pathways are closely integrated during TNF-α–induced liver injury when both caspases and NF-κB are blocked. Moreover, results from our study also raised concerns about the safety of currently ongoing clinical trials that use caspase inhibitors.
Atomic Spectroscopy, Food and Dairy Products Applications of

The use of atomic spectrometry and spectroscopy for foodstuff analysis is described. Sampling, sample preparation and selection/application of elemental analysis techniques are discussed. The availability and use of standards and validation methods are extensively presented.
Polarization-Dependent Electronic Transport in Graphene/Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 Ferroelectric Field-Effect Transistors

Ferroelectric field-effect transistors (FeFETs) employing graphene on inorganic perovskite substrates receive considerable attention due to their interesting electronic and memory properties. They are known to exhibit an unusual hysteresis of electronic transport that is not consistent with the ferroelectric polarization hysteresis and is previously shown to be associated with charge trapping at graphene–ferroelectric interface. Here, an electrical measurement scheme that minimizes the effect of charge traps and reveals the polarization-dependent hysteresis of electronic transport in graphene–Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 FeFETs is demonstrated. Observation of the polarization-dependent conductivity hysteresis is important for the fundamental understanding of the interplay between the ferroelectric polarization and charge carriers in graphene. It is also important for practical memory applications because this hysteresis emulates the operation of nonvolatile memories and reveals the range of ON and OFF currents that can be achieved in long term data storage. It is demonstrated that this measurement scheme can be used to optimize the memory performance of graphene–PZT FeFETs that can exhibit nonvolatile time-independent ON/OFF ratios of over 5. The described measurement technique can potentially be used in the studies of kinetics of charge trap dissipation, polarization-dependent properties, and memory performance of FeFET devices comprising other 2D materials and various ferroelectric substrates.
Characterization of Acetyl-CoA Carboxylases in the Basal Dinoflagellate Amphidinium carterae

Dinoflagellates make up a diverse array of fatty acids and polyketides. A necessary precursor for their synthesis is malonyl-CoA formed by carboxylating acetyl CoA using the enzyme acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC). To date, information on dinoflagellate ACC is limited. Through transcriptome analysis in Amphidinium carterae, we found three full-length homomeric type ACC sequences; no heteromeric type ACC sequences were found. We assigned the putative cellular location for these ACCs based on transit peptide predictions. Using streptavidin Western blotting along with mass spectrometry proteomics, we validated the presence of ACC proteins. Additional bands showing other biotinylated proteins were also observed. Transcript abundance for these ACCs follow the global pattern of expression for dinoflagellate mRNA messages over a diel cycle. This is one of the few descriptions at the transcriptomic and protein level of ACCs in dinoflagellates. This work provides insight into the enzymes which make the CoA precursors needed for fatty acid and toxin synthesis in dinoflagellates.
Indirect Effect of Insecticides Used in Pecan Orchards to Larvae of Chrysoperla rufilabris (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae)

Eight insecticides at two concentrations (low and high) were tested for toxicity to first, second, and third instars of Chrysoperla rufilabris (Burmeister). Lindane (0.65 and 1.3 g actual insecticide AI/l), endosulfan (0.375 and 0.75 g AI/l), carbaryl (1.2 and 2.4 g AI/l), azinphos-methyl (1.0 and 2.0 g AI/l, malathion (0.9 and 1.8 g AI/l), methomyl (0.225 and 0.45 g AI/l), phosmet (0.375 and 0.75 g AI/l), and esfenvalerate (0.0.15 and 0.03 g AI/l) treated cowpea aphids (Aphis craccivora Koch) were fed to the lacewing larvae in the laboratory. Among tested insecticides, azinphos-methyl was the most toxic insecticide to larvae at the low and high rates and was classified as moderately harmful. Lindane and carbaryl were slightly harmful; endosulfan, malathion, methomyl, phosmet, and esfenvalerate were harmless. In most cases the first instar larvae were the most susceptible to the insecticides tested. Both rates caused similar mortality of C. rufilabris larvae after 48 h of feeding with the exception of azi...
Elizabeth: produced by Alison Owen, Eric Fellner and Tim Bevan and directed by Shekhar Kapur. (Gramercy Pictures, 1998, 124 minutes)

"More clearly than the other Tudors," AG. Dickens wrote of Elizabeth and her subjects, "she perceived their hunger for romance without expense," ( The English Rifonnation , London, 1964). In much the same way, director Shekhar Kapur perceives his audience's hunger for historical romance without the rigor of historical complexity. Written by Michael Hurst, the movie Elizabeth begins with a brief overview of the last three years of the reign of Mary I and Philip II, and covers primarily the first five years of the reign of Elizabeth I (1558-1603). Kapur and Hearst pull episodes from various periods of Elizabeth's reign and compress them into the first five years. Other facts are wholly altered or expanded upon. In the end, this allows an unfortunately over simple story of Elizabeth developing from youthful naivete to mature authority and regal ability.
Mechanical Structures and Engineering Techniques

Mechanical or engineering structures are designed to control runoff and soil erosion in fields where biological control practices alone are insufficient to reduce soil erosion to permissible levels. Because construction of engineering structures involves soil disturbance, change in landscape features, and some removal of land from production, biological practices such as residue mulching, no-till, reduced tillage, cover crops, riparian buffers, and grass filter strips must be the first choice for controlling soil erosion. Biological measures are also less expensive than engineering structures. Vegetative cover moderates erosion in a natural and ecological manner. Plants interact with the soil beneath in a mutual relationship while reducing soil erosion. Their roots increase soil shear strength and water infiltration and reduce detachment of soil particles. The canopy cover intercepts and changes the erosive raindrops into non-erosive streams of water throughfall. Dense stands retard runoff velocity and increase the infiltration opportunity time, thereby reducing runoff.
The Practice Gap

Based on a review of selected literature, this chapter identifies and explains three categories of potential barriers to the intra-organizational transfer of best practices. The first category is the organizational context, including institutional and organizational environment, absorptive capacity, competency traps, identity, culture, and size. The second category is related to the diffusion process itself: stages of diffusion, attributes of the innovation, the recipient, and the knowledge to be transferred, and the state of relationship between the source of knowledge and the receiving unit. The third category includes management-related barriers, such as the level of managerial commitment and the appropriateness of training and reward systems. Common strategies for facilitating best practice transfer are reviewed and research propositions are derived.
The Costs and Sustainability of Ongoing Efforts to Restore and Protect Louisiana’s Coast

The coast is the most vital economic region in Louisiana and is being affected greatly by land loss. The Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) is an overarching agency responsible for planning, coordinating, and implementing restoration and protection projects in the Louisiana Coastal Zone. CPRA publishes the Louisiana Coastal Master Plan (LACMP), a living document that is revised every five years according to new information from science and models. We overview the major processes involved with coastal restoration planning in Louisiana and the various types of restoration approaches and tradeoffs between them. The LACMP has co-evolved with numerical modeling tools that allow managers to identify tradeoffs between objectives that are sometimes at odds, such as: restoring natural processes to sustain ecosystems in the delta, and promoting economic development in the working coast. Marsh creation and river sediment diversions are two contrasting approaches that have the greatest potential for land building within the coastal zone. Both marsh creation and river diversions require a vast amount of energy and capital during implementation. Marsh creation requires large amounts of fuel for each unit of sediment delivered to a marsh and the costs are subject to changes in energy prices. River diversions, however, use gravitational energy to move sediment and are more sustainable in the long term, especially in an energy-constrained future. There are significant financial limitations on the LACMP that could be exacerbated by fluctuations in energy markets. An appropriate next step for the CPRA would be to incorporate energy forecasts into the planning process. Doing so might illuminate sustainability risks not yet considered by coastal planners.
Reassessment of the Electronic Structure of Cr(VI) Sites Supported on Amorphous Silica and Implications for Cr Coordination Number

The electronic structure of isolated Cr(VI) sites supported on silica was reinvestigated using multiple, complementary electronic spectroscopies applied to transparent xerogel monoliths. The absorption spectrum exhibits three previously reported peaks, at 22 800, 29 100, and 41 500 cm–1, as well as a previously unresolved band at ca. 36 900 cm–1. The emission is a long-lived red luminescence with λmax = 13 600 cm–1, emanating from the lowest excited state. Assignment of the excited states was facilitated using time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations performed on cluster models. All of the observed electronic transitions and their energies are accounted for by dioxoCr(VI) sites. The lowest energy observed excitation at 22 800 cm–1 populates a singlet excited state, while the emitting state is the corresponding triplet state, accessed by intersystem crossing from the singlet state. Spectroscopic bands observed at 29 100, 36 900, and 41 500 cm–1 were assigned, based on the TD-DFT calcu...
Quantification of the duodenal eosinophil content in adults: a necessary step for an evidence-based diagnosis of duodenal eosinophilia

Background The normal content of eosinophils in the adult duodenum remains undefined. Therefore, there is no foundation for evidence-based criteria to diagnose eosinophilic duodenitis. Aim This study aimed at: (1) establishing the range of the eosinophil density in the mucosa of the duodenum of normal adults, and (2) determining the biopsy-based prevalence of isolated eosinophilic duodenitis in a large population of adults. Methods We counted intact eosinophils in three separate high-power fields (hpf area = 0.237 mm2 each) with the highest densities of eosinophils from the duodenal biopsy specimens of 370 consecutive adults (60% women) with no history of small intestinal disease and a normal duodenal histology. From a large database we also extracted patients with a diagnosis of elevated duodenal eosinophilia and reviewed their biopsies and clinical history. Results The mean eosinophil count for the 370 patients was 8.2 eos/hpf with a standard deviation of ± 6.3. Twenty-seven of the 370 had eosinophil counts outside the 95% range, which was calculated as: mean + 1.96 × SD = 20.4 eos/hpf. In a database of 458 668 adult subjects, 31 patients (6.8/100 000) had elevated duodenal eosinophilia; 21 of these had other gastrointestinal organs involved by eosinophilia, suggesting eosinophilic gastroenteritis. No significant association between duodenal eosinophilia and any specific symptom was observed. Conclusions This study suggests that in this diverse US population, a cut-off count of 20 eos/hpf would be useful to separate patients with normal from those with elevated duodenal eosinophilic infiltrations. The clinical implications of duodenal eosinophilia, particularly when it is not an expression of eosinophilic gastroenteritis, remain to be established.
TCP CUBIC versus BBR on the Highway

4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) networks present new features of high capacities together with end-user mobility. These challenges have led to a gap in the understanding of the effectiveness of TCP congestion control algorithms in LTE networks with mobile users. To further understanding, we conduct a detailed measurement study comparing TCP CUBIC with Bottleneck Bandwidth and Round-trip propagation time (BBR) – a new congestion control alternative developed by Google – in a high-speed driving scenario over a tier-1 U.S. wireless carrier. Our results show CUBIC and BBR generally have similar throughputs, but BBR has significantly lower self-inflicted delays than CUBIC.
The Influence of the European Court of Human Rights on the Behavior of National Courts in Terrorism and National Security Cases: A Case Study of Supreme Courts in Denmark, the U.K., and Spain

In the last decade, as more European states have responded to threats from terrorism with new national security laws and policies, these laws and practices have sometimes come into conflict with human rights jurisprudence concerning rights to privacy, free expression, unlawful detention, and other rights. These issues are making their way to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), which is trying to decipher where to draw the line with these policies in terms of their negative impact on human rights. In this paper, I examine how the ECtHR might be influencing national courts in the area of human rights law and national security policy. I also examine other factors driving national court behavior in these cases. This paper investigates these questions quantitatively analyzing the decisions of high courts over the last several years in three member states of the Council of Europe: the U.K., Denmark, and Spain. The preliminary findings suggest that national courts are not necessarily influenced by the ECtHR, but rather they use references to the Convention and ECtHR precedent to their strategic advantage.
Genetic Testing and Counseling: Educational and Professional Aspects

Genetic Counseling is a young and growing profession comprised primarily of masters-trained clinicians who provide both educational and counseling services to individuals and families. Because genetic counseling often relates to reproductive decision-making, the profession has embraced, but continued to debate, the principle of nondirectiveness. Originally focused on diagnostic testing in the context of pediatric and rare diseases, the profession is increasingly involved in the application of predictive DNA testing for more common adult-onset diseases.
Southern Lay Midwives as Ritual Specialists

Midwifery in the southeastern United States is closely bound to the feminine reproductive-domestic role and requires specialized ritual, economic, and social behavior. Contemporary Southern lay midwives* are typically elderly black women; all of the midwives discussed here are black and live in rural areas or in towns having populations of less than 10,000 persons. Although the practices and events described here may reflect black-white relations in northern Florida, there is evidence that midwives throughout the United States shared similar experiences when local and state regulations affected their activities (Darlington 1911; Noyes 1912; Kobrin 1966). This presentation examines traditional birth ritual and changes in birth practices and midwifery initiated by state control.
Accountability and Transparency in U.S. Courts

Every judicial system in the world must balance the values of accountability and independence. Both are important. Accountability helps keep the judiciary in check, while independence allows the judiciary to act as a check and to avoid undue influence. Yet these values are often in tension. The more connected courts are to other arms of government and to the political process, the more accountable but the less independent they tend to be. Likewise, every judicial system must balance transparency and privacy. These too are important values that are in tension with each other. Transparency—including public access of court records and participation in court proceedings—confers legitimacy to courts and facilitates accountability. Yet transparency comes at a cost to litigant privacy. How different sovereigns strike those balances depends in many ways upon the particular role of their courts in both politics and society. In the US, accountability, independence, transparency, and privacy are informed by American judicial structures, their processes, and their unique connection to politics. This US Report, prepared for the International Association of Procedural Law's World Congress in Japan in 2019, describes and assesses those features of the American civil justice system in the hope that the American approach for its judiciary may be an informative point of comparison or contrast for other countries.
ΔI vs. ΔY: a quantitative analysis of the trade-offs between higher capital investment and higher yield in PCB testing

The effect of increasingly complex digital VLSI technology on board test economics is discussed. An algebraic equation is described that quantifies the key variables contributing to total PCB testing costs (e.g., equipment, programming, volume, yield after ATF, and the cost of diagnosing defective boards.) Different values for these components are then ranged to illustrate the economic impact of trade-offs between higher ATE capital equipment investment, programming cost, and yield at the next test stage. The equation is used to analyze the differential yield required to make one test strategy more economically attractive than another.
Hospitality, Tourism, and Events Industry Competency Model: Human Resource Management Implications

This paper addresses the implications of hospitality, tourism and events industry competency modeling on human resource management for organizations and employees. While past research focused on organizational prescriptive action only, this paper addresses prescriptive actions and the potential benefits for both organizations and employees that result when competency modeling is employed throughout the employee life cycle (e.g., pre-employment to retirement). Competency models explicitly define the knowledge skills and abilities required for exceptional work performance in key jobs, link to overall organizational strategy, align human resource management initiatives, and have a prominent role in enhancing organizational effectiveness. The most comprehensive competency model for the hospitality, tourism and event industry was developed by the Employment and Training Administration under the sponsorship of the United States Department of Labor. This model provides a framework that aligns recruitment, selection, onboarding training and development, performance management, total rewards, human resource planning, and even employees’ retirement in the hospitality, tourism and events industry. Competency model limitations are discussed and future research is proposed.
Unintended Consequences of Opioid Regulations in Older Adults with Multiple Chronic Conditions.

Background and objectives The opioid epidemic has led to substantive regulatory and policy changes. Little is known about how these changes have impacted older adults, especially those with chronic pain and multiple chronic conditions (MCC). We sought to understand the experiences of older adults with chronic pain and MCC in the context of the opioid epidemic and policy responses to it. Research design and methods Purposive sampling of older adults in a West Coast metropolitan area. Semistructured in-depth interviews lasting 45-120 min were digitally recorded and transcribed. Responses were analyzed using the constant comparative method. Participants were 25 adults aged 65 years and greater with three or more self-reported medical conditions and pain lasting for more than 6 months. Results Respondents' accounts revealed numerous unintended consequences of the opioid epidemic and its policy responses. We identified four main themes: changes to the patient-clinician relationship; lack of patient agency and access in pain management; patient ambivalence and anxiety about existing opioid treatment/use; and patient concerns about future use. Discussion and implications Older adults have high rates of chronic pain and MCC that may reduce their pain management options. The opioid epidemic and policies addressing it have the potential to negatively affect patient-clinician relationships and patients' pain self-management. Clinicians may be able to mitigate these unintended consequences by actively conveying respect to the patient, empowering patients in their pain self-management activities, and proactively addressing worries and fears patients may own related to their current and future pain management regimens.
Sarcoid Infiltration of the Skull with Epidural Extension: Case Report and Literature Review.

Background Sarcoidosis is a granulomatous disease most often affecting the lungs, but extrapulmonary manifestations are also common. While virtually any organ system can be involved, skeletal manifestations are present in 1%−13% of cases. Skull lesions are even more rare. We found 14 case reports describing symptomatic skull lesions in patients with no prior history of sarcoid to better understand the symptomology and disease progression. Case Description Here we present the case of a 57-year-old female with history of sarcoidosis and new-onset forgetfulness, confusion, and headaches who was found to have multiple skull lesions with epidural extension. On histopathologic examination of the excised lesion, noncaseating granulomas were observed and diagnoses of skull sarcoidosis and neurosarcoid were made. Since the patient was actively treated with corticosteroids, the plan was to initiate infliximab. Conclusion Sarcoidosis affecting the skull and central nervous system is exceedingly rare and can mimic many pathologies including metastatic bone disease, multiple myeloma, and eosinophilic granulomatosis. With a wide differential, surgical specimen is needed for concrete diagnosis and treatment. While the rates of skeletal involvement are low, a skeletal survey might be an important step in monitoring disease burden in patients, especially as lesions can be asymptomatic.
Embedding pain neuroscience education in the physical therapy management of patients with chronic plantar fasciitis: a prospective case series.

Objectives The purpose of this case series was to describe the effects of a biopsychosocial approach that embeds pain neuroscience education (PNE) within physical therapy for improving foot and ankle function, pain, and psychosocial factors in patients with chronic plantar fasciitis. Methods Seven female patients (mean [SD] age = 49.0 [11.4] years) receiving physical therapy for chronic plantar fasciitis were enrolled. Along with formal physical therapy, patients received six 15-minute PNE sessions. Knowledge of pain neuroscience was assessed before and after PNE with the Revised Neurophysiology of Pain Questionnaire. Patients completed questionnaires for foot and ankle function (Activities of Daily Living subscale of the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure), pain intensity (Numeric Rating Scale), pain catastrophizing (Pain Catastrophizing Scale), and fear of movement (Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia) at baseline (before treatment) and 6 and 12 weeks. Local and remote pain sensitivity was assessed using a pressure algometer at baseline and 6 weeks. Results Patients attended a mean (range) of 8.7 (7 to 12) physical therapy sessions over a mean (range) of 46.7 (42 to 56) days. After PNE, six (86%) patients demonstrated increased knowledge of pain neuroscience. At 12 weeks, six (86%) patients met or exceeded minimally clinically important difference (MCID) for foot and ankle function and pain. Five (71%) patients met or exceeded MCID for pain catastrophizing and fear of movement. Local pain sensitivity was reduced in six (86%) patients. Conclusions Physical therapy integrating PNE is potentially beneficial for patients with chronic plantar fasciitis. Future studies should examine the efficacy of PNE in randomized trials with larger representative samples.
The Species-specific Acquisition and Diversification of a Novel Family of Killer Toxins in Budding Yeasts of the Saccharomycotina

Abstract Killer toxins are extracellular antifungal proteins that are produced by a wide variety of fungi, including Saccharomyces yeasts. Although many Saccharomyces killer toxins have been previously identified, their evolutionary origins remain uncertain given that many of the se genes have been mobilized by double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) viruses. A survey of yeasts from the Saccharomyces genus has identified a novel killer toxin with a unique spectrum of activity produced by Saccharomyces paradoxus. The expression of this novel killer toxin is associated with the presence of a dsRNA totivirus and a satellite dsRNA. Genetic sequencing of the satellite dsRNA confirmed that it encodes a killer toxin with homology to the canonical ionophoric K1 toxin from Saccharomyces cerevisiae and has been named K1-like (K1L). Genomic homologs of K1L were identified in six non-Saccharomyces yeast species of the Saccharomycotina subphylum, predominantly in subtelomeric regions of the yeast genome. The sporadic distribution of these genes supports their acquisition by horizontal gene transfer followed by diversification, with evidence of gene amplification and positive natural selection. When ectopically expressed in S. cerevisiae from cloned cDNAs, both K1L and its homologs can inhibit the growth of competing yeast species, confirming the discovery of a new family of biologically active killer toxins. The phylogenetic relationship between K1L and its homologs suggests gene flow via dsRNAs and DNAs across taxonomic divisions to enable the acquisition of a diverse arsenal of killer toxins for use in niche competition.
Nano-additively manufactured gold thin films with high adhesion and near-bulk electrical resistivity via jet-assisted, nanoparticle-dominated, room-temperature microsputtering

Abstract Microsputtering is a novel additive manufacturing technique that takes a completely new approach to the printing of conductors, directly writing on an arbitrary substrate with the use of a microplasma, i.e., a plasma generated at atmospheric pressure by an arrangement of electrodes with millimeter-scale or smaller spacing. Conductors deposited via microsputtering promise significantly improved electrical conductivity over traditional extrusion ink-based methods. This study investigates, via a design of experiments, the deposits created by a 3D printer-compatible write head that encompasses an atmospheric-pressure gold microsputterer with strong coaxial gas flow. In addition to attaining 1 nm/s deposition rates—on par with traditional (i.e., vacuum) sputtering, the microplasma sputterer creates ~100 nm-thick gold films with near-bulk electrical resistivity (down to 2.9 µΩ cm, i.e., 120% the bulk value) and excellent adhesion—without employing an adhesion layer, annealing, or any other pre/post-processing steps. It is concluded that the strong gas flow promotes the formation of nanoparticles in the plasma plume out of the originally microsputtered gold atoms, which in turn, deposit and create films with excellent adhesion and conductivity.
Pancreatic adenocarcinoma: molecular drivers and the role of targeted therapy

Prognosis from pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) continues to be poor despite the many efforts channeled to improve its management. Although the mainstay treatment is still traditional chemotherapy, recent advances highlighted a promising potential for targeted therapy in the management of this disease. Those advances emphasize the significance of timely genomic profiling of tumor tissue as well as germline testing of patients to identify potential markers of targeted therapy. While targeted therapy is reserved for a relatively small subset of patients with PDAC, ongoing research is uncovering additional markers, and targeted agents, that will hopefully translate to better outcomes for patients.
The Rise and Fall of Wiñaymarka: Rethinking Cultural and Environmental Interactions in the Southern Basin of Lake Titicaca

Investigations of how past human societies managed during times of major climate change can inform our understanding of potential human responses to ongoing environmental change. In this study, we evaluate the impact of environmental variation on human communities over the last four millennia in the southern Lake Titicaca basin of the Andes, known as Lake Winaymarka. Refined paleoenvironmental reconstructions from new diatom-based reconstructions of lake level together with archaeological evidence of animal and plant resource use from sites on the Taraco Peninsula, Bolivia, reveal frequent climate and lake-level changes within major cultural phases. We posit that climate fluctuations alone do not explain major past social and political transformations but instead that a highly dynamic environment contributed to the development of flexible and diverse subsistence practices by the communities in the Titicaca Basin.
Total Artificial Heart

The total artificial heart (TAH) is a temporary biventricular support device designed to bridge patients with severe heart failure to transplantation. Patients with significant myocardial damage such as those with postinfarction ventricular septal defect, with intractable arrhythmias, and with mechanical valves or native valvular diseases who are not candidates for ventricular assist devices (VADs) are candidates for TAH implantation. The CardioWest TAH can also provide a rescue for patients with advanced cardiogenic shock, such as following massive myocardial infarction or failing on left ventricular assist device (LVAD).
Efficient hierarchical interconnection for multiprocessor systems

The authors present a novel approach to the design of a class of hierarchical interconnection networks for multiprocessor systems. This approach, based on an architecture providing separate networks for each level, gives a general and flexible way to construct efficient hierarchical networks. The performance and cost-effectiveness of the resulting networks are analyzed and compared in detail, using both unbuffered and buffered network models. It is shown that, if the design parameters are determined based on the degree of locality, the cost-effectiveness of a hierarchical network can be significantly improved. In addition, the authors investigate how to construct a cost-effectiveness hierarchical network by determining appropriate design parameters. Two associated algorithms are developed for this purpose.
Race and payor type for child visits with public health dental hygienist practitioners.

Purpose. To examine whether growth in visits to Public Health Dental Hygiene Practitioners (PHDHPs) providing preventative dental services at a pediatric hospital clinic was predominantly among children receiving public insurance and children of minority background from 2013 to 2017. Methods. Longitudinal descriptive data analysis from electronic health records for 6,856 children under age 18 years who visited PHDHPs co-located at a hospital clinic in Pittsburgh, PA, from 2013 to 2017. We compared visits between white versus non-white children and between children with public, private, and no or missing insurance by year. Results. Visit volume doubled from 2013 (n=811) to 2017 (n=1868). The proportion of PHDHP visits with non-white children increased from 77% (n=625) in 2013 to 87% (n=1,472) in 2017 (P<.001). The proportion of PHDHP visits with children with public insurance increased from 72% (n=585) in 2013 to 82% (n=1,377) in 2017 (P<.001). Conclusions. PHDHPs co-located at a pediatric hospital clinic saw a high proportion of visits from children of non-white race and with public insurance. Visits from children of minority race and with public insurance increased disproportionately as visit volume grew from 2013 to 2017, depicting a vehicle through which historically underserved children increasingly accessed preventive dental services. Thus, PHDHPs co-located at a pediatric hospital clinic have great public health importance due to their potential to decrease oral health disparities among disadvantaged children.
How Consistent Are Consumers in Their Decisions? Investigation of Houseplant Purchasing

This paper examines the impact of intrinsic consumer attributes on decision consistency in houseplant purchasing intentions. Subjects reported their likelihood to buy (LTB) for themselves and as a gift at perceived bargain and getting expensive price levels. The sample was analyzed according to those who switched their LTB ratings to relatively lower values versus subjects who did not by using their demographic characteristics and responses to plant buying behavior questions. Secondly, subjects who had high initial purchase intents were analyzed versus those who had low initial purchase intents. The results indicate that inconsistent purchase decisions are more likely to occur at the perceived getting expensive price level than the perceived bargain price points. Additionally, there are very few demographic differences among the plant buyers who are consistent with their purchase intent versus inconsistent, indicating that external environmental cues may have more of an influence on purchase consistency than intrinsic cues. This information can be utilized by greenhouse and retail firms to understand when a consumer is less likely to change their plant purchase decision with a high initial intent. These price points can help firms optimize their current price offerings within the market and create dialogues with partnering box stores.