cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On puritanical character.

In her last work, Neurosis and Human Growth, Karen Homey enriches her earlier description of the strategy of "moving against" by pointing out the "solution of mastery" that goes along with it (the identification of the individual with the glorified self-image), and she proceeds to point out three subtypes within that general personality style: the perfectionist, the arrogantvindictive, and the narcissistic, t She characterizes the perfectionist as an individual who feels superior because of his high moral and intellectual standards and, on this basis, looks down on others. Unlike the narcissistic type, who beclouds the issue of unfulfilled "shoulds," the perfectionist makes strenuous efforts to measure up to his standards by fulfilled duties and obligations, by polite and orderly manners, by not telling obvious lies, etc. Homey regards characteristics such as meticulous order, punctuality and punctiliousness, and the need to find just the right word, or necktie, as only superficial aspects of a need to attain the highest degree of excellence. It is the intent of this paper to pursue further the delineation of the perfectionistic syndrome, which has been observed again and again by novelists and encountered by historians but has received negligible attention from psychologists. A clear description of perfectionism was given by Wilhelm Reich in his Character Analysis. Curiously, he did not postulate the existence of a generalized syndrome, but limited himself to a description of a case of "aristocratic character," which he discusses in support of some general ideas on the function of character. He describes his patient as having a "reserved countenance" and being "serious and somewhat arrogant"; "his measured noble stride caught one's attention . . . . It was evident he avoided--or concealed-and hate or excitement . . . . His speech was well-phrzLsed and balanced, soft and eloquent." As he lay on the couch, "there was very little if any change in his composure and refinement. "2,pp.t°4"g8 (Emphasis added).
Pulse-coupled neural networks (PCNN) and new approaches to biosensor applications

Recent developments in pulse coupled neural networks techniques provide an opportunity to extend the toolbox available for exploring new approaches to biosensor applications. This paper presents a demonstration of properties and limitations of new computational intelligence (CI) techniques as shown by and related to an application. New pulse coupled neural networks (PCNN) techniques are supplemented by combination with wavelet analysis and fine- tuned by radial basis functions. This toolbox is exercised to demonstrate its properties and limitations as related to the development of biosensor applications. The approach selected employs abstractions of biological models of peripheral vision and relates them to analysis of time series generated by biosensors such as chemosensors or motion detectors. Detection of targets (rare or interesting events) is facilitated by PCNN multi-scale image factorization. Interpretation of the resulting image set is aided by contrast enhancement and by segmentation using standard PCNNs. Wavelet coefficients provide supplemental discrimination and lead to characteristic sets of numbers useful in identifying image factors of interest. To complete the transition from acquisition of a complex, noisy image to recognition of targets of interest, radial basis function (RBF) analysis is appended. This five- step process (odor image generation, image factoring, PCNN analysis, wavelet analysis and RBF interpretation) was recently suggested, but is expanded and fully implemented here for the first time. This paper explores the properties and limitations of this approach for simulation of biosensors using small, incomplete sets of real-world data. The relationship between selection of appropriate design parameters and the need for supplementing the available data by simulation is investigated. Evolutionary computation is employed off line to explore and evaluate the possibilities and limitations. Sensor fault detection and RBF training vector generation are addressed. Results are analyzed to provide recommendations for further experimentation and collection of needed additional data without extraneous effort. This methodology is recommended for use in real-world applications where experimental data is difficult, expensive or time consuming to obtain.
Quantitative Assessment of the Variation Within Grades of Facial Paralysis

A completely objective, unambiguous outcome measure of facial function is now available. Anew automated computer-assisted clinimetric system combines the crucial detection capabilities of the human observer and the unique capacity of the computer to quantify the image light reflectance difference observed during facial expression. The new system was applied to 27 patients with a variety of diseases affecting the facial nerve. All subjects could be individually and objectively ranked, and disease-specific profiles could be constructed. These tasks are not possible with the House-Brack-mann scale, because of the wide variation within grades and the ambiguity between grades. With the automated objective, unambiguous outcome measure, it may be possible to define individual case progression, recovery, and outcome over the course of disease.
Finite Mean‐Free‐Path Effects in Tokamak Scrape‐Off Layers

We address the problem of calculating the parallel electron heat conduction in a tokamak scrape off layer with non-negligible mean free path. We develop a model distribution function based on pieces of Fokker-Planck solutions, containing: a local Maxwellian at low energies, a modified Spitzer-Harm distribution at energies below where the mean free path equals the distance to the nearest wall, a bounce-averaged distribution at higher energies up to the confining potential energy, a filled-in outgoing loss-cone distribution at still higher energies, and finally an empty loss region at energies such that the mean free path exceeds the length of the field line. The model is compared with Monte Carlo simulations.
Space charge oscillations in the cylindrical magnetron

ABSTRACT It is found that in a smooth anode cylindrical magnetron oscillations due to slipping stream interactions have frequencies which are linearly dependent on the magnetic field strength and are independent of the anode voltage. An earlier theory predicting a different field and voltage dependence is shown to be incorrect. For thin cathodes and low emission current the frequencies are integral multiples of the cyclotron frequency. This is confirmed by experiments, which also indicate that the oscillations cause the flow of anomalous anode current.
Strongly anisotropic in-plane thermal transport in single-layer black phosphorene

Using first principles calculations, we predict the thermal conductivity of the two-dimensional materials black phosphorene and blue phosphorene. Black phosphorene has an unprecedented thermal conductivity anisotropy ratio of three, with predicted values of 110 W/m-K and 36 W/m-K along its armchair and zigzag directions at a temperature of 300 K. For blue phosphorene, which is isotropic with a zigzag structure, the predicted value is 78 W/m-K. The two allotropes show strikingly different thermal conductivity accumulation, with phonons of mean free paths between 10 nm and 1 μm dominating in black phosphorene, while a much narrower band of mean free paths (50–200 nm) dominate in blue phosphorene. Black phosphorene shows intriguing potential for strain-tuning of its thermal conductivity tensor.
Spatial price discrimination, monopoly upstream and convex costs downstream

Under spatial price discrimination a critical cost of an upstream monopoly is the resulting distortion in downstream locations. While this is well-established for linear production costs it is examined here for the first time for convex production costs. Convex production costs create their own location distortions yet it is shown that the presence of the upstream monopoly has a smaller influence on efficiency with such costs.
Gendered harassment in secondary schools: understanding teachers’ (non) interventions

This article provides an analysis of teachers’ perceptions of and responses to gendered harassment in Canadian secondary schools based on in‐depth interviews with six teachers in one urban school district. Gendered harassment includes any behaviour that polices and reinforces traditional heterosexual gender norms such as (hetero)sexual harassment, homophobic harassment, and harassment for gender non‐conformity. This study shows that educators experience a combination of external and internal influences that act as either barriers or motivators for intervention. Some of the external barriers include: lack of institutional support from administrators; lack of formal education on the issue; inconsistent response from colleagues; fear of parent backlash; and negative community response. By gaining a better understanding of the complex factors that shape how teachers view and respond to gendered harassment, we can work towards more effective solutions to reduce these behaviours in schools.
Emotion in Organizations: The Case of English University Business School Academics

It is an open secret that one's place of work can be, and indeed often is, a hotbed of intrigue, loyalty, betrayal, back-scratching, back-stabbing, pain, and laughter. In short, work is a home away from home. The article uses aspects of the scientific method to reveal the submerged variable of emotion in an organization. It does not put forward suggestions of how emotion should or could be investigated more fruitfully, nor does it pretend to have produced knowledge of theoretical significance. It does not even tell academics anything that they might not otherwise have noticed about the emotional aspects of their academic lives. Nevertheless, the results of this semiscientific (or pseudoscientific) investigation may strike a cord in its academic readers, who will smile or even chuckle as they recognize themselves in what they read. The finest comedy works because it is serious at its core. This article may amuse, but the kernel of what it has to say is in no way amusing.
The generalized estimating equation approach when data are not missing completely at random

Abstract We propose two methods for handling missing data in generalized estimating equation (GEE) analyses: mean imputation and multiple imputation. Each provides valid GEE estimates when data are missing at random. Missing outcomes are imputed sequentially starting from the outcome nearest in time to the observed outcome. The estimators from the two kinds of imputation are compared with the weighting method of Robins et al. We show that multiple imputation with an infinite number of replications is asymptotically equivalent to mean imputation. The methods are applied to a stroke study in which neurological outcomes are measured over time after stroke but some outcomes are missing due to death or loss to follow up.
A critique of earthworm molecular phylogenetics

Abstract 2012 is the 10th anniversary of the publication of the first molecular phylogenetic study of earthworms by Jamieson and colleagues in 2002. Since then, a total of 29 papers on earthworm molecular phylogenetics have been published in peer-reviewed journals. However, only five of these focused on intergeneric or higher level systematics; moreover, no systematic revisions have been made. On the other hand, studies related to DNA barcoding and population genetics are flourishing, comprising more than half of published papers. In this review, we present a synthesis based on published papers of earthworm molecular phylogenetic studies, and discuss the evolutionary history and sequence characteristics that have caused the contrasting results found in the literature. We argue that multiple levels of rapid divergence in the evolutionary history of earthworms make phylogenetic reconstruction difficult. Many previous studies also suffered from using sequences that were too short and choosing genes that evolve too slowly. In response to this challenge, we recommend a strategy that involves analyzing long sequences (>2000 bp) by combining several genes with different evolutionary rates to provide enough information for different taxonomic levels, and we point out three genes (28S, 16S, and 12S rRNAs) suitable for intergeneric (within-family) analyses. Furthermore, the studies on closely related species demonstrate how molecular systematic and phylogeographic analyses have improved our understanding of earthworm speciation and intraspecific genetic variation. This knowledge about intra- and inter-specific genetic variations among closely related species provides information that can be further used for species delimitation in other earthworm groups. The numerous DNA barcoding studies have highlighted the usefulness of this technique in earthworm taxonomy, its possible applications in ecological studies, and an ongoing integrative taxonomic approach that combines morphology, DNA barcoding, and other independent data sources in species identification, discrimination and delimitation, plus new species description. Altogether, we believe that molecular phylogenetics is now on the verge of revolutionizing earthworm systematics.
Induction by ethylene of cyanide-resistant respiration

Ethylene and cyanide induce an increase in respiration in a variety of plant tissues, whereas ethylene has no effect on tissues whose respiration is strongly inhibited by cyanide. It is suggested that the existence of a cyanide-insensitive electron transport path is a prerequisite for stimulation of respiration by ethylene.
How Many Patients Have Third Molars and How Many Have One or More Asymptomatic, Disease-Free Third Molars?

The purpose of this report was to summarize the frequencies of third molars (M3s) in general and asymptomatic, disease-free M3s specifically. Estimates of M3 prevalence range so widely (ie, 6.0% to 96%) as to be of little use. The estimates vary depending on definitions, age, clinical versus radiographic assessment, and patient versus population samples. For patient management, it may be more valuable to estimate the prevalence of M3s grouped by clinical rather than anatomic status. Many times, however, M3s are categorized simply as asymptomatic. In many pathologic processes, from cancer to cardiovascular disease, the term asymptomatic does not equal an absence of disease. As such, M3s should be categorized based on symptom and disease status. Subjects with all M3s asymptomatic and absent of disease ranged from 12% in a sample of patients referred for M3 evaluation to 29% in a nonpatient volunteer sample. In the patient sample, 37% of the M3s evaluated were asymptomatic and free of disease.
MODULATION OF INSULIN SECRETION AND GLYCEMIA BY SELECTIVE INHIBITION OF CYCLIC AMP PHOSPHODIESTERASE III

The effects of selective inhibition of cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase type III on insulin and glucose levels during an oral glucose challenge were evaluated in obese, diabeticob/obmice and in lean, non-diabetic littermates using the selective inhibitor, milrinone. Oral administration of milrinone increased plasma insulin levels both inob/oband in lean mice. Glucose tolerance was improved in lean, but not inob/obmice, where glucose levels were increased by milrinone treatment. In isolated hepatocytes from normal rats incubation with 200μM milrinone caused a 30% increase in glucose release with a corresponding depletion of glycogen stores. Stimulation of isolated rat adipocytes with 200μM milrinone increased glycerol release 7-fold. We conclude that selective inhibitors of cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase III are effective insulin secretagogues, but their therapeutic utility may be limited by their concurrent stimulation of lipolysis and hepatic glucose output.
Risk Adjustment for Neonatal Surgery: A Method for Comparison of In-Hospital Mortality

OBJECTIVE: To develop a risk-adjustment method for evaluation of in-hospital mortality after noncardiac neonatal surgery regardless of gestational age. METHODS: Infants ≤30 days old undergoing noncardiac surgical procedures were identified by using the Kids’ Inpatient Database (KID) 2000 + 2003. Neonates were included regardless of gestational age. International Classification of Disease, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes were used to assign procedures to 1 of 4 previously derived risk categories. Prematurity and other clinical variables were assessed in logistic regression analysis. The final multivariable model was validated in 3 independent data sets: KID 2006, Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS) 2001–2003, and PHIS 2006–2008. The model was applied to generate standardized mortality ratios for institutions within PHIS 2006–2008. RESULTS: Among 18 437 eligible cases in KID 2000 + 2003, 15 278 (83%) had 1 of 66 procedure codes assigned to a risk category and were eligible for analysis. In-hospital mortality for premature infants was 10.5% compared with 2.0% for full-term neonates. In addition to risk category, the clinical variables improving prediction of in-hospital death were prematurity, serious respiratory conditions, necrotizing enterocolitis, neonatal sepsis, and congenital heart disease. Area under the receiver-operator characteristic curve for the final model was 0.90. The model also showed excellent discrimination in the 3 validation data sets (0.90, 0.89, and 0.89). Within 41 institutions in PHIS, standardized mortality ratios ranged from 0.37 to 1.91. CONCLUSIONS: This validated method provides a tool for risk adjustment of neonates undergoing noncardiac surgery to allow comparative analyses of in-hospital mortality.
A bleached-kraft mill effluent fraction causing induction of a fish mixed-function oxygenase enzyme

Pulp mill effluents contain a myriad of chemicals that have the potential to cause deleterious effects on aquatic biota in receiving waters. Some of these chemicals evoke an acute lethal response of exposed biota while others evoke sublethal responses. One such sublethal response is the induction of mixed-function oxygenases (MFO) in fish, specifically the CYP1A1 enzyme ethoxy-resorufin-o-deethylase (EROD). Compounds causing MFO induction include congeners of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins, furans, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The authors followed the partitioning of the inducing chemicals in pulp mill effluent fractions by Toxicity Identification Evaluation (TIE), or bioassay-driven chemical analysis. This procedure was eventually modified to a more direct technique involving centrifugation, filtration, cleanup procedures, and C{sub 18} solid-phase adsorption. The extracts from the fractionation of two pulp mill effluents after secondary treatment were tested for EROD-inducing activity in a 4-d rainbow trout bioassay. The methanol extracts of particulates/colloids showed significant inducing capacity in Mill A effluent but not in Mill B effluent. The C{sub 18} methanol extracts induced activity from both effluents, with extracts from Mill A causing the greatest response. The particulate/colloidal extract (Mill A) was used as the source material for chemicals which caused EROD induction. The fraction wasmore » purified by solid-phase extraction techniques and reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. The majority of the EROD activity was found in the moderately nonpolar region of the chromatogram (K{sub ow} = 4.6 to 5.1).« less
Research: Culture and Best Practices

In this informal presentation, we will overview experiences related to research activities in terms of best practices. Fundamental and well-established strategies will be overviewed with an emphasis of motivation and significance of specific problems while keeping track of the bigger pictures. Culvation of the research as a culture will the primary theme of this discussion. Other aspects that will be overviewed include: student-advisor relationships, pursuing novel research, thinking outside the box, pursuing research careers, technical writing skills, effective presentations, collaborative research, industry-academic partnerships, short-term versus long-term goals, professional ethics, publications and proposal. In addition, other aspects will be discussed through active participation from the audience.
A herpes simplex virus type 1 mutant with a deletion immediately upstream of the LAT locus establishes latency and reactivates from latently infected mice with normal kinetics.

The latency associated transcripts (LATs) are the only abundant viral gene products detected during latent herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection of peripheral nerves in animals and people. A LAT promoter has been identified and mutant viruses with lesions removing the promoter and surrounding region have been observed to reactivate slowly from trigeminal ganglia (TG) explanted from latently infected mice. Previous work has shown that most mutants with lesions limited to regions downstream of the LAT promoter reactivate normally. Therefore, to help map the boundaries of the slow reactivation phenotype, a mutant virus with lesions located immediately upstream of the LAT promoter was constructed and called 17δS/N. 17δS/N contains a 437 nucleotide (nt) deletion 332 nts upstream of the TATAA box of the LAT promoter. In productively infected cells, 17AS/N failed to synthesize detectable amounts of the 1.1 and 1.8 kb transcripts which are produced during wild-type infections and are specified by a region just ups...
Progression of radiographic hip osteoarthritis over eight years in a community sample of elderly white women

Objective To describe progression over 8 years in a community-based sample of elderly women with radiographic findings of hip osteoarthritis (RHOA) with or without hip pain. Methods Baseline and followup anteroposterior pelvic radiographs were obtained at a mean ± SD 8.3 ± 0.4 years of followup in women age ≥65 years at the baseline examination of the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures. We evaluated progression in 936 hips of 745 women with one or more baseline findings of RHOA: summary OA grade ≥2, minimum joint space (MJS) ≤1.5 mm, definite femoral or acetabular osteophytes, definite superolateral joint space narrowing (JSN), or moderate or worse superomedial JSN. We separately examined progression in hips with an MJS between 1.5 mm and 2.5 mm. Hip pain and lower extremity disability were assessed by questionnaire and examination. Measures of progression included an increase in summary grade of radiographic findings, increase in total osteophyte score, decrease in MJS of ≥0.5 mm, total hip replacement (THR), and increase in lower extremity disability score. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for baseline radiographic predictors of progression were estimated using general estimating equations. Results During followup, 12.9% of women with baseline RHOA underwent THR, and 22.8% had substantial worsening of lower extremity disability, while 64.6% of hips with RHOA showed radiographic progression or were replaced. Progression was greater by all measures in the 37% of hips and 47% of women with both RHOA and hip pain at baseline. Of hips with pain, 23.6% progressed to THR compared with 2.7% of hips without pain (OR 8.1 [95% CI 4.2, 15.4], P 1.5 mm and ≤2.5 mm (n = 1,868) had primarily superomedial narrowing and comparatively low rates of progression that did not differ by hip pain. Femoral osteophytes, superolateral JSN, and subchondral bone changes were independent predictors of progression. Conclusion Among women recruited from the community, radiographic and clinical progression was greater in those with symptomatic RHOA, but still substantially less frequent than previously reported for hip OA patients in clinical settings. Asymptomatic RHOA and hips with an isolated finding of mild JSN (MJS of 1.5 mm to 2.5 mm) were unlikely to progress over 8 years.
Polarization of an atomic sodium beam by laser optical pumping

A highly polarized $^{23}\mathrm{Na}$ atomic beam is produced by optical pumping with the use of either a multimode cw dye laser or a single-mode ring dye laser followed by a double-passed acousto-optic modulator. Electron-spin polarizations of 0.72 to 0.90 are obtained.
Variation in strain and strain rate during underthrusting of trench deposits

Both convergence velocity and the thickness of sediment entering a subduction zone affect the dynamics of deformation in this environment. Specifically, the steady-state trench model implies that at constant sediment influx and convergence angle, the strain of underthrust trench deposits varies as the first power of convergence rate for a given distance of underthrusting and as the square of convergence rate for a given duration of underthrusting. Trench deposits are probably disrupted during high-strain and high-strain-rate convergent regimes, whereas they may be more coherently deformed in relatively low-strain and low-strain-rate regimes. Variations from coherent to tectonically disrupted terranes may be interpreted in terms of changes in both convergence rate and influx of trench sediments.
Synthesis of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone containing tritium-labelled pyroglutamic acid

Abstract A method of preparing luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH) pGlu-His-Trp-Ser-Tyr-Gly-Leu-Arg-Pro-Gly-NH 2 , by a combination of solid-phase and classical reactions was employed to conveniently synthesize a tritium-labelled hormone by incorporation of 4-[ 3 H]-pyroglutamic acid into position I of the peptide chain. The tritiated LH-RH possessed a specific radioactivity of 18.3 Ci/mmole and a maximal biological potency.
Arbitrage pricing with information

Abstract The Arbitrage Pricing Theory is extended to a setting where investors possess information about future asset returns. A no-arbitrage pricing restriction is obtained with arbitrage conditioned on an investor's information. The pricing restriction contains unconditional factor loadings and either conditional or unconditional expected returns. Thus, tests of the theory can be based solely on time-series estimates of unconditional moments. Additional tests based on conditional expected returns are also appropriate.
Aggression in adult female mice: Chronic testosterone treatment induces attack against olfactory bulbectomized male and lactating female mice

Ovariectomized adult female CFW mice were given a series of tests for fighting behavior against olfactory bulbectomized male and lactating female mice prior to (for 2 weeks), and during (for 4 weeks) chronic treatment with testosterone propionate. While ovariectomized, 40% attacked the lactating female and 13.3% attacked the olfactory bulbectomized male. While ovariectomized and testosterone-treated, 73.3% attacked the lactating female and 60% attacked the olfactory bulbectomized male. However, during the initial 2 weeks of testosterone treatment there was an inhibition of attack against the lactating female. This was followed by a facilitation of attack against the olfactory bulbectomized male and the lactating female during the third and fourth weeks of testosterone treatment. When compared with a previous experiment showing that male mice, gonadally-intact or castrated and testosterone-treated, discriminate between these two stimuli (only the bulbectomized male is attacked), the present data do not support the notion that sexual differentiation of mouse aggression is due solely to the development of a limited sensitivity to testosterone in females.
CDK5 serves as a major control point in neurotransmitter release

CDK5 is an important kinase in nervous system function, controlling neural development and postsynaptic signal integration. Here we show that CDK5 plays a major role in controlling neurotransmitter release. Inhibition of CDK5 activity, by either acute or genetic means, leads to profound potentiation of presynaptic function, including unmasking of previously "silent" synapses. Removal of CDK5 activity additionally unlocks access to the resting synaptic vesicle pool, which normally remains recalcitrant to exocytosis and recycling even following prolonged action potential stimuli. Presynaptic CDK5 levels are additionally severely depleted by chronic neuronal silencing, a treatment that is functionally similar to CDK5 knockdown with regard to presynaptic potentiation. Thus CDK5 appears to be an integral element in presynaptic homeostatic scaling, and the resting vesicle pool appears to provide a potent functional presynaptic homeostatic control parameter. These studies thus pinpoint CDK5 as a major control point for modulation of neurotransmitter release in mammalian neurons.
Multiplexed space-time maps for time series data visualization: application to 4D cardiac imaging

Introduction: 4D data (time-series images) inundate the viewer, so conventional 2D slice image review for decision making verges on impracticality. A multiplexed composite presentation was developed to facilitate review of the 4D cardiac data for diagnostics. Methods: Data were collected by MRI as time-series: 4D data (beating volume), and bolus transit contrast studies. Space-time maps were produced by extracting heart muscle in short axis views, remapping it from polar to Cartesian, so that the annular muscle formed a vertical strip, tiled into a 2D image in which vertical distance represents distance around the myocardium, and horizontal distance represents time. Results: Space-time maps enabled instant recognition and rapid measurement of size and timing of abnormalities, validated by microsphere distributions (r equals 0.86), ex vivo CT imaging (r equals 0.95), and correspondence to treatment effect (p less than 0.01). Multiplexed space-time maps enabled rapid recognition and rapid measurement of both the spatial extent and timing of transient changes. These maps summarize a massive amount of time-varying data in static images. Conclusion: Multiplexing obviates the need for accurate edge detection, and facilitates observer evaluation of data confidence and error propagation. Diagnostic information extraction and quantification is accelerated markedly with improved reproducibility and accuracy. The method is very noise tolerant.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Effects of stereoscopic displays and interaction devices on human motor behavior

The goal of this research is to compare the performance of different stereoscopic displays and tracking/interaction devices in the context of motor behavior and interaction quality within various Virtual Reality (VR) environments. Participants were given a series of VR tasks requiring motor behaviors with different degrees of freedom. The VR tasks were performed using a monoscopic display and two stereoscopic displays (shutter glasses and autostereoscopic display) and two tracking devices (optical and magnetic). The two 3D tracking/ interaction devices were used to capture continuous 3D spatial hand position with time stamps. Participants completed questionnaires evaluating display comfort and simulation fidelity among the three displays and the efficiency of the two interaction devices. The trajectory of motion was reconstructed from the tracking data to investigate the user's motor behavior. Results provide information on how stereoscopic displays can affect human motor behavior and interaction modes during VR tasks. These preliminary results suggest that the use of shutter glasses provides a more immersive and user-friendly display than autostereoscopic displays. Results also suggest that the optical tracking device, available at a fraction of the cost of the magnetic tracker, provides similar results for users in terms of functionality and usability features.
Two‐step photodegradation process of poly(ethylene terephthalate)

After investigating kinetics of the UV photodegradation of PET film samples having a thickness of 4.4 μm, we found that the photodegradation process takes place in two steps: a very rapid initial step followed by a normal step. This phenomenon is explained by using a concept of weak links. We have obtained the rate constants of degradation of the normal links k N = 9.0 × 10 -7 h -1 and weak links k W = 0.46 h - 1 and the number of scissions of weak links per molecules P W = 0.22. For the samples treated by a UV stabilizer, we found k N = 2.0 × 10 -7 h -1 , k W = 0.11 h -1 , and P W = 0.27. The ratios of the rate constants of the untreated to treated samples are 4.2 for k W and 4.5 for k N . These results indicate that the UV stabilizer slows down the photodegradation rate of each step to the same extent, but hardly affects the number of scissions of weak links. Importantly, it is an implication that the lifetime of the PET thin film can be prolonged by a factor of 4.2 to 4.5 in the irradiation conditions used after being treated by the UV stabilizer.
A Brief History of the Human Science Research Conference

The International Human Science Research Conference has now met annually since 1982, and its 10th meeting is already being planned for next year. This decade of activity on behalf of human science research has reached the point of meriting serious reflection on its significance. In this article, the history of those meetings is reviewed and their future prospects are examined. Lastly, a brief analysis is offered of the place of this gathering within the broad domain of human studies.
More Work for Mother Chemical Body Burdens as a Maternal Responsibility

Environmental chemicals (e.g., lead, pesticides, flame retardants) accumulate in all human bodies and have the potential to affect the health of men and women, adults, and children. This article advances “precautionary consumption”—the effort to mediate personal exposure to environmental chemicals through vigilant consumption—as a new empirical site for understanding the intersections between maternal embodiment and contemporary motherhood as a consumer project. Using in-depth interviews, I explore how a group of 25 mothers employ precautionary consumption to mediate their children’s exposure to chemicals found in food, consumer products, and the home. Most of the mothers in the study situate their children’s chemical “burdens” within their own bodies and undertake the labor of precautionary consumption as part of a larger and commodity-based motherhood project. In actively expanding the sphere of responsible motherhood to include managing children’s body burdens, these mothers navigate multiple and overl...
Environmental and Genetic Control of Dormancy in Picea abies

The effects of temperature, photoperiod and chilling on the leafing-out of Norway spruce, Picea abies (L.) Karst. were studied. High temperature promotes breakage of post-dormancy, long photoperiods having no such effect. Photoperiod and chilling cause the breakage of true dormancy. However, under field conditions, photoperiod will have no effect on leafing-out date in the spring. By use of clonal material it was possible to show substantial genetic differences between individuals in response to temperature and photoperiod. When the effect of clones was accounted for, treatments could be compared more precisely. Differences between clones were apparent in heat-sum required for leafing-out, in rapidity of response to favorable post chilling conditions, and in chilling requirement This latter quantity was given a new definition, applicable when both chilling and post chilling temperatures are controlled and specified. This is that period beyond which a further 10 days of chilling accelerates leafing-out by less than one day, i.e. the point at which the slope of the line relating days till leafing-out to chilling period, is equal to minus 0.10. Differences in leafing-out date were shown between provenances taken from throughout the range of Picea abies. These differences were related to latitude with provenances of high latitude leafing-out first.
Settlement of Dredged and Contaminated Material Placement Areas. I: Theory and Use of Primary Consolidation, Secondary Compression, and Desiccation of Dredged Fill

A 1D nonlinear numerical model, Primary Consolidation, Secondary Compression, and Desiccation of Dredged Fill (PSDDF), is presented to predict the settlement of fine-grained dredged material and/or underlying compressible foundation materials that may be over-, under-, or normally consolidated. The three most important natural processes affecting the long-term settlement and thus service life of dredged material placement areas are primary consolidation, secondary compression, and desiccation. Nonlinear finite-strain consolidation theory is used to predict the settlement due to self-weight and surcharge-induced consolidation. The Cα ∕ Cc concept is used to predict the settlement from secondary compression, and an empirical desiccation model is used to describe the settlement from removal of water from confined dredged material by surface drying. This paper describes the modifications and improvements of PSDDF that present new functions and enhanced numerical efficiency. A companion paper describes the inp...
Quantitative comparison of radiolabeled antibody therapy and external beam radiotherapy in the treatment of human glioma xenografts.

Abstract Using 90 Yttrium radiolabeled antibodies, radioimmunotherapy was compared to fractionated external beam radiotherapy in the treatment of human glioma xenografts. Antibody treatments required administration of an approximately threefold greater total dose compared to external beam treatments to achieve the same tumor regrowth delay. Following multi-fraction external beam radiation treatments, tumor regrowth delay demonstrated a large fractionation effect ( α / β = 2.3 Gy, 95% confidence limits 0.4 – 4.2 Gy), suggesting that much of the ineffectiveness of the antibody treatments could be caused by a large dose-rate effect in this system. Despite the large fractionation effect, the regrowth delay was small for a large single-fraction external beam irradiation, possibly because of tumor hypoxia. When compared to external beam radiation, radiolabeled antibody treatments resulted in a comparatively diminished tumor bed effect, suggesting radioimmunotherapy spares normal tissue surrounding the tumor.
Cost-based workload balancing for ray tracing on multi-GPU systems

Ray tracing is at the core of most techniques for creating realistic imagery. Parallel implementations of ray tracing handle the irregular workload through task systems. The strengths of static and dynamic scheduling strategies are complementary to each other. Static strategies do not incur in synchronization overhead while dynamic strategies generally provide computational times closer to the optimal scheduling. Hybrid strategies combining good static initialization and dynamic task assignation have been shown to be a better alternative than pure static and dynamic strategies [Heirich and Arvo 1998]. We experiment with a novel strategy for load balancing on multi-GPU systems. We obtain a quick estimate of the cost of traversing batches of rays over bounding volume hierarchies. The estimated costs are used to achieve a tighter assignation of tasks to processing units. Results suggest that cost-based initialization can enhance common balancing strategies and reduce rendering times.
Automated synthesis of multitolerance

We concentrate on automated synthesis of multitolerant programs, i.e., programs that tolerate multiple classes of faults and provide a (possibly) different level of fault-tolerance to each class. We consider three levels of fault-tolerance: (1) failsafe, where in the presence of faults, the synthesized program guarantees safety, (2) nonmasking, where in the presence of faults, the synthesized program recovers to states from where its safety and liveness are satisfied, and (3) masking where in the presence of faults the synthesized program satisfies safety and recovers to states from where its safety and liveness are satisfied. We focus on the automated synthesis of finite-state multitolerant programs in high atomicity model where the program can read and write all its variables in an atomic step. We show that if one needs to add failsafe (respectively, nonmasking) fault-tolerance to one class of faults and masking fault-tolerance to another class of faults then such addition can be done in polynomial time in the state space of the fault-intolerant program. However, if one needs to add failsafe fault-tolerance to one class of faults and nonmasking fault-tolerance to another class of faults then the resulting problem is NP-complete. We find this result to be counterintuitive since adding failsafe and nonmasking fault-tolerance to the same class of faults (which is equivalent to adding masking fault-tolerance to that class of faults) can be done in polynomial time, whereas adding failsafe fault-tolerance to one class of faults and nonmasking fault-tolerance to a different class of faults is NP-complete.
Stochastic semistability with application to agreement problems over random networks

In this paper, we consider the agreement problem of a group of agents with nonlinear stochastic dynamics and each agent applies a local (distributed) nonlinear consensus protocol over random networks. We relate the almost sure consensus of agents under nonlinear consensus protocols to the stochastic semistability of nonlinear stochastic systems. We have proposed the notion of almost sure semistability for nonlinear systems with a continuum of equilibrium solutions, and have derived a set of Lyapunov sufficient conditions for almost sure semistability of nonlinear stochastic systems. The almost sure semistability results are then applied to the multi-agent nonlinear consensus problems over random networks.
Electrochemical Detection of Steroid Hormones Using a Nickel‐Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode

This paper demonstrates the development of an analytical method for detecting steroid hormones by coupling HPLC to electrochemical detection, using a nickel-modified glassy carbon electrode. The method was evaluated in terms of sensitivity, linear dynamic range, limit of detection, and response stability. The developed method exhibited good figures of merit for the steroid hormones studied with no evidence of electrode fouling. As an example, the limit of detection (S/N=3) for E3 was 0.10 µM and the response precision (n=5) was 0.6 %. The application of the method for the analysis of a real river water sample is demonstrated.
E-CSMA: Supporting Enhanced CSMA Performance in Experimental Sensor Networks Using Per-Neighbor Transmission Probability Thresholds

A transmitter in a wireless network that uses CSMA, a simple carrier sensing-based MAC protocol, to determine the likelihood of successful packet reception at the intended receiver can easily be misled. At the same time, CSMA variants and hybrid MAC protocols based at least in part on carrier sensing have become the de facto standard in wireless sensor networks, underscoring a need to improve its performance. We propose to enhance the de facto state of carrier sensing-based MACs in wireless sensor networks by using low cost channel feedback combined with a learning approach to try to better predict the probability of a successful reception, on a per-receiver basis. We show results from an experimental wireless sensor network testbed, where our proposal E-CSMA (Enhanced CSMA) provides up to a 55% improvement in network performance.
The Life Course Perspective: A Promising Approach for Bridging the Micro and Macro Worlds for Social Workers.

The life course perspective, an emerging interdisciplinary perspective, has potential for helping social workers bridge their micro and macro worlds. This article provides an overview of the empirical and theoretical roots of the life course perspective and its basic concepts and major themes. Five basic concepts are defined and discussed: cohorts, transitions, trajectories, life events, and turning points. Six major themes that are emerging from interdisciplinary research are examined: interplay of human lives and historical time, timing of lives, linked or interdependent lives, human agency in making choices, diversity in life course trajectories, and developmental risk and protection. Strengths and limitations of the perspective for use by social workers are discussed and connections are made to narrative approaches to practice.
Repeat EMS transports among elderly emergency department patients.

Objectives. Previous studies of repeat care of the elderly have focused on trauma cases only. The purposes of this study were to identify repeat transports of elderly patients to the authors' emergency department (ED) by emergency medical services (EMS), to identify demographics, and to compare chief complaints. Methods. A population-based, retrospective cohort study was conducted. Data for this study were obtained from computerized registration files in an urban, university-affiliated ED with an annual census of approximately 60,000 visits. Patients were included if they were 65 years of age or older and they were transported by EMS in 1997. The repeater group included patients who had one or more EMS transports within the following 12 months. The comparison group was composed of all patients with no further EMS transport within the 12 months after the index visit. Demographics extracted from the database were gender, chief complaint, total number of visits, and time since previous visits. Repeats were c...
Understanding Libertarian Morality: The Psychological Roots of an Individualist Ideology

Libertarians are an increasingly vocal ideological group in U.S. politics, yet they are understudied compared to liberals and conservatives. Much of what is known about libertarians is based on the writing of libertarian intellectuals and political leaders, rather than surveying libertarians in the general population. Across three studies, 15 measures, and a large web-based sample (N = 152,239), we sought to understand the morality of selfdescribed libertarians. Based on an intuitionist view of moral judgment, we focused on the underlying affective and cognitive dispositions that accompany this unique worldview. We found that, compared to liberals and conservatives, libertarians show 1) stronger endorsement of individual liberty as their foremost guiding principle and correspondingly weaker endorsement of other moral principles, 2) a relatively cerebral as opposed to emotional intellectual style, and 3) lower interdependence and social relatedness. Our findings add to a growing recognition of the role of psychological predispositions in the organization of political attitudes.
Nightmares, Demons and Slaves Exploring the Painful Metaphors of Workplace Bullying

Although considerable research has linked workplace bullying with psychosocial and physical costs, the stories and conceptualizations of mistreatment by those targeted are largely untold. This study uses metaphor analysis to articulate and explore the emotional pain of workplace bullying and, in doing so, helps to translate its devastation and encourage change. Based on qualitative data gathered from focus groups, narrative interviews, and target drawings, the analysis describes how bullying can feel like a battle, water torture, nightmare, or noxious substance. Abused workers frame bullies as narcissistic dictators, two-faced actors, and devil figures. Employees targeted with workplace bullying liken themselves to vulnerable children, slaves, prisoners, animals, and heartbroken lovers. These metaphors highlight and delimit possibilities for agency and action. Furthermore, they may serve as diagnostic cues, providing shorthand necessary for early intervention.
A modified Taguchi method for the design of broadband spiral cavity absorbers

The goal of the work described was to replace the more common multilayer flat stack absorber with a single piece tapered (SPT) absorber. The SPT absorber has been shown to increase spiral antenna gain, reduce the absorber complexity, and improve the absorber reliability. The design of the SPT absorber (in a spiral antenna) was optimized to yield maximum gain improvement over a 'baseline' spiral antenna that contained a multilayer flat stack cavity absorber. The design optimization was accomplished with Taguchi's fractional factorial method. The Taguchi method was modified in this work with the development of a frequency dependent level graph, which allows for the accurate prediction and design of a particular frequency response for the spiral cavity absorber. >