cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Palliative care: Progress, needs, and challenges

Palliative care is increasingly available and the importance of its role increasingly recognized. International work toward making palliative care a basic human right underscores the growing need to ensure comfort and pain relief for the terminally ill. The organizational structures in place for providing such care vary greatly within and across countries; even definition of the term is not uniform. The World Health Organization (WHO) definition includes the statement that palliative care "... intends neither to hasten nor postpone death...", thus illustrating varying socio-cultural perceptions. In addition to cultural differences, other challenges include clinical, economic, and varying institutionalized systems and practices in patient care.
Microfabrication and mechanical properties of nanoporous gold at the nanoscale

The mechanical properties of nanowires consisting of nanoporous gold are studied experimentally. The nanoporous gold is synthesized from dealloyed “white gold” leaf (Au37.4 and Ag62.6 in at.%) into a free-standing dog-bone-shaped specimen with a gauge section 7 μm long, 300 nm wide, and 100 nm thick. The elastic modulus, residual stress, and yield stress are measured by deflective tensile testing and nanoindentation, and are about 9 GPa, 65 MPa, and 110 MPa, respectively.
Anterior segment complications associated with scleral buckling

This article discusses the early and late postoperative complications of scleral buckling involving the anterior segment of the eye. Emphasis is placed on the incidence, pathogenesis, clinical presentation, and treatment of each complication. Preventive measures are also discussed.
Does progesterone potentiate the in vitro effect of cocaine on papillary myocardium in Long-Evans rats?

Cocaine's cardiotoxicity was reported in our laboratory to be augmented by progesterone. This study was designed to replicate these findings and determine the mechanism. Rats were pretreated with progesterone (study) or vehicle (control). Papillary muscles were attached to transducers in Krebs' baths. Paced contractility parameters were measured while increasing concentrations of cocaine, norepinephrine, or tetrodotoxin were added. In nine baths, yohimbine was added before the cocaine. Twelve rats were pretreated with reserpine, and cocaine added to the baths. In muscles from nonreserpinized control rats, there was a small positive inotropic effect (8.6% above baseline) at 10−6 M cocaine, not seen in study muscles. There were no differences between study and control muscles in cocaine concentrations at which muscles became acontractile, nor in responses to norepinephrine, tetrodotoxin, or to cocaine after the addition of yohimbine or following reserpine pretreatment. We could not replicate cocaine's previously reported increased negative inotropic effect in progesterone-treated rats, nor was there evidence supporting possible mechanisms for this reported effect.
A realistic multistress screening/ranking test for high voltage outdoor polymeric insulators

IEC 1109 specifies a 1000 h salt fog test to evaluate the tracking and erosion of polymeric insulators. A high conductivity of 16000 /spl mu/S/cm is specified for this purpose. However, in the real world, insulators are exposed to more than one stress and the pollution severity is not always this severe. This necessitates the need for a more meaningful test than the existing one to evaluate various polymeric insulation systems. This work presents the results of 800 h screening/ranking multistress tests. The various stresses applied include UV-A radiation, salt fog and temperature. 28 kV thermoplastic elastomeric (TPE) and silicone rubber (SiR) distribution class, dead-end insulators were used for this purpose. From the series of results it was realized that this kind of multistress testing could effectively be used for screening or ranking various insulators and/or materials used for high voltage outdoor insulators. A reduced period of 500 h or 600 h also seems to suffice to achieve this purpose.
Uncertainty Management in Medical Applications

This chapter contains sections titled: Introduction Imperfect Knowledge Fuzzy Set Theory Possibility Theory Approximate Reasoning Examples of Applications of Numerical Methods in Biology Conclusion This chapter contains sections titled: References
Auditory Processes in Stutterers

Publisher Summary This chapter presents the studies carried out to investigate the functioning of the auditory system in stutterers. Additionally, relates auditory processes to motor control factors in stutterers. Speculations about the masking effect in ameliorating stuttering, the impact of delayed auditory feedback (DAF) on normal speech, and the way in which DAF affects the speech of stutterers has led to much research focusing on the functional integrity of peripheral and central auditory feedback processes in stutterers and nonstutterers. The chapter discusses the evoked response audiometry (ERA) to evaluate the integrity of the auditory system at various levels and describes the measurement of averaged electroencephalographic response (AER). It is expected that a steady increase in the use of AER techniques in the study of auditory processes related to speech and language and speech and language disorders including stuttering. With patience and care, these techniques can be used with children in cases where it may not be possible to utilize procedures requiring behavioral responses; the conscious control of the subject is not required. Although a bit uncomfortable, this technique is not invasive
Measurements of Tumor Tissue Oxygen Tension Using a Time-Resolved Luminescence-Based Optical OxyLite Probe: Comparison with a Paired Survival Assay

Abstract Urano, M., Chen, Y., Humm, J., Koutcher, J., Zanzonico, P. and Ling, C. Measurements of Tumor Tissue Oxygen Tension Using a Time-Resolved Luminescence-Based Optical OxyLite Probe: Comparison with a Paired Survival Assay. Radiat. Res. 158, 167–173 (2002). Recently, a system that measures tissue oxygen tension using time-resolved luminescence-based optical sensors has become available commercially (Oxford Optronix, Oxford, England). Two experiments were conducted using this system. First, the oxygen tension distribution was measured in two tumor lines: a spontaneous mouse fibrosarcoma, FSa-II, and a human squamous cell carcinoma xenograft, FaDu. The area in which the pO2 was equal to or lower than 2.5 mmHg was defined as the hypoxic lesion, and the hypoxic cell fraction was taken as the fraction of these measurements in a tumor. The measured hypoxic cell fractions were compared with those determined by the paired cell survival assay for tumors of various sizes. Second, the tumor tissue pO2 was meas...
Synthesis and Characterisation of B-Site Doped Cu2Ta4O12

We investigated synthesis, structure, composition as well as electric and magnetic properties of copper tantalum oxide single crystals and powder samples. It was possible to flux-grow single crystals of undoped Cu2Ta4O12. To modify the copper content in this structure, tetravalent and hexavalent ions like titanium and tungsten have been incorporated. Rietveld refinement data as well as magnetic and dielectric properties are presented.
Dennis Paustenbach: I Never Thought of it as Work

Suitable for graduate level and executive education programs, this undisguised case describes the life of Dennis Paustenbach, president and CEO of ChemRisk, and what, to his mind, is the typical life of a senior executive: many demands on one’s time, multiple projects, and serious consequences for inattention, both personally and professionally. This case can be used to teach students about individual behavior, Type A behavior, time and priority management, balancing work and family life, managing performance, managing energy in professional life styles, organizational behavior, and leadership.
Determination of bifenthrin and fenpropathrin in vegetables by gas chromatography

Objective:To explore the elution efficiency of bifenthrin and fenpropathrin in vegetables,eluted with miscible liquids of acetonitrile and methylbenzene with different volume ratio and different elution volume,cleaned up by PestiCarb/NH2 solid phase extraction column(SPE column) with gas chromatography(GC)ECD detector.Methods:The sample was extracted with acetonitril.After concentration,the extract was purified by PestiCarb/NH2SPE column and miscible liquids of acetonitrile:methylbenzene=3:1,separated with OV-1701 capillary column and determined by GC ECD.Results:The detectable concentration of bifenthrin by this method was 0.3 μg/kg.The limit of quantification was 0.8 μg/kg.The relative standard deviations(RSDs) were in the range of 6.1%～3.8%.The detectable concentration of fenpropathrin by this method was 1.0 μg/kg.The limit of quantification was 3.3 μg/kg.The RSDs were in the range of 6.4%～3.4%.The average recoveries were in the range of 95%～105%.Conclusion:With the clean-up condition,the method with satisfactory recoveries and repeatability is suitable for determination of bifenthrin and fenpropathrin in vegetables.
Executive Function and Measures of Fall Risk Among People With Obesity

This study investigated the relationship between obesity and executive function, and between executive function and fall risk (as estimated from select gait parameters). Of the 39 young adults (age = 21.3 ± 2.6 years) recruited from the local university population via email announcement, 19 were in the obese group (based upon BMI and body fat percentage) and 20 were in the nonobese comparison group. Executive function was assessed using standardized tests including the Stroop test for selective attention; Trail Making test for divided attention, visuomotor tracking, and cognitive flexibility; the Verbal Fluency test for semantic memory; and the Digit-span test for working memory. Participants performed single- and dual-task walking (walking while talking) to evaluate fall risk during gait as measured by minimum toe clearance, required coefficient of friction, stance time, and stance-time variability. The obese group had lower scores for selective attention, semantic memory, and working memory. All participants had gait changes suggestive of a higher fall risk, for example, lower minimum toe clearance, longer stance time, and increased stance variability, during dual-task walking compared with single-task walking, and executive function scores (selective attention) were associated with gait (stance-time variability) during dual-task walking. RESULTS indicate obesity was negatively associated with executive function among young adults and could increase fall risk.© The Author(s) 2016. Language: en
A high-resolution pre-operational forecast model of circulation on the Texas-Louisiana continental shelf and slope

A new pre-operational model of circulation over the Texas-Louisiana continental shelf and slope, based on the Regional Ocean Modelling System (ROMS) is presented. The model is designed with a numbe...
Paramagnetism and Diamagnetism

In his article entitled “On the Physical Character of the Lines of Magnetic Force,” Faraday argues that magnetic fields are not mere mathematical constructions. Rather, like beams of light, they have a real physical existence. The curvature of these lines of force, in Faraday’s estimation, is evidence of their physical existence. After all, things that do not physically exist cannot be bent. As we now continue to study Faraday’s article in the present chapter, we will consider the configuration and intensity of the magnetic field lines in the vicinity of magnets of various shapes and sizes. For example, which is more powerful: a tall, thin bar magnet or a short, fat one? More generally, is it the volume or the surface of a magnet that is the seat of its power? Perhaps most interesting is Faraday’s analysis of how the type of substance placed in the vicinity of a permanent magnet affects the configuration of the lines of magnetic force. Such considerations inspire Faraday to develop a general rule governing the attraction and repulsion of magnets.
The influence of earnings management conducted through the use of accretive stock repurchases on audit fees

Abstract This study investigates whether auditor perceptions of risk are affected by accretive stock repurchases, which prior research has suggested is a form of earnings management. We argue that auditors are likely to view earnings management conducted through the use of accretive stock repurchases as a signal of increased risk, leading to higher audit fees. Consistent with our hypothesis, we find evidence of a positive and significant association between the use of accretive stock repurchases as an earnings management technique and audit fees. The results suggest that audit fees are 6.0% higher when accretive stock repurchases are used to manage earnings, which corresponds to an audit fee that is approximately $107,000 higher for the average firm-year observation in our sample.
MRI in Pseudotumor Cerebri

The MRI has been used to clarify the pathophysiology of pseudotumor cerebri in seven children, aged between six months and 13 years, reported from British Columbia’s Children’s Hospital, Vancouver.
Incorporation of Partially Observable Evidence Into an Evidence Accrual Data Fusion Technique

In many sensor fusion problems, such as level 1 (object refinement), level 2 (situational assessment), or level 3 (impact assessment), observations frequently provide indirect, rather than direct, evidence. In such cases, the measurements affect the evidence or level of interest through a functional relationship. Often, these observations can be considered partially observable, such as the relationship between a bearings-only measurement and target position. A general evidence accrual system that incorporates these partially- observable indirect observations into the evidence generation is developed. The technique, based on the concepts of first- order and reduced-order observer theory, can incorporate both observation quality and level of doctrine understanding into the uncertainty measure of the evidence. Unlike a Bayesian taxonomy, the proposed method does not rely upon the strict probabilistic underpinnings, but instead uses a network structure with links and propagation of evidence. In this work, proof of capability is demonstrated by applying the technique to a Level 1 classification fusion problem where the observations are target attributes. The technique, based upon an existing evidence accrual algorithm, uses a fuzzy Kalman filter to inject new evidence into the nodes of interest to modify the level of evidence. The fuzzy Kalman filter allows for the level of evidence to incorporate an uncertainty or quality measure into the report.
Individual party donors True allies or free agents

Habitual party donors represent an important revenue source for American political parties. What remains unclear is whether the party committees can also count on these donors to support the congre...
Why and How Governments Support R&D

This article has three main objectives. First, it establishes the economic rationale for governments to assist research and development (R&D) by briefly reviewing the economic theories that link R&D and economic growth, identifying the market failure that would otherwise lead to underinvestment in R&D, and reporting literature estimates of the size of that market failure. Second, the article considers ways in which governments assist R&D. In particular, it focuses on describing the income tax incentives for R&D available in the G7 countries and Australia, and provides a ranking of the relative attractiveness of those tax-based support mechanisms. Third, the article comments briefly on how well tax-based R&D incentives have been found to perform in stimulating additional R&D spending per dollar of tax revenue forgone and in enhancing real income.
A construal-level perspective of climate change images in US newspapers

This study presents an initial exploration of newspapers’ visual representations of climate change using a construal-level perspective. We measured the level of abstraction of 635 news images from widely circulated US newspapers using a novel and replicable coding scheme which we derived from existing construal level literature and communication research. The results show, contrary to expectations, that climate change has been visually portrayed as a relatively concrete rather than abstract issue and has been mostly portrayed with a high level of specificity. In particular, USA Today visually covered the issue as most concrete, followed by the New York Times and Wall Street Journal. Human-themed images were the most concrete images as compared to nature-themed and industry-themed images. Findings regarding the level of abstraction of news images, though not necessarily representing audiences’ perceptions, clearly indicate that construal level aspects in the news images provide another novel way of understanding and interpreting climate change imagery in the US media.
A processing route for bulk, high coercivity, rare-earth free, nanocomposite magnets based on metastable iron oxide

High coercivity magnets are crucial in technology today, but dependence on rare earth elements and/or precious metals limits the application of the state of the art magnets. Here we introduce a method for producing large sized nanocomposite magnets comprised primarily of a metastable material. They have a very high coercivity (∼12 kOe) and are based on three of the most earth abundant elements—Fe, Si and O. The key is leveraging length scale and kinetic control to stabilize a large volume content of the metastable e-Fe2O3 nanophase in a thin silica matrix to obtain a high density of magnetic phase. X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy and magnetic measurements confirm densely packed nanorods consisting primarily of e-Fe2O3. These nanocomposites have some of the highest coercivities reported in dense millimeter-sized magnets that do not contain rare earths or precious metals.
Types of strain among family members of individuals with autism spectrum disorder across the lifespan.

Abstract Background Although increased caregiver strain is often found among family caregivers of individuals with autism spectrum disorder, it is still unclear as to how different types of strain relate to amount and types of caregiving across the lifespan. Aims The present study examined different types of strain (i.e. subjective internalized strain, subjective externalized strain, and objective strain) and how such strain relates to the amount of caregiving responsibilities. Methods Data was collected via online survey from a sample of 193 family caregivers of individuals with ASD from the United States, Canada, and the Republic of Ireland. Participants completed measures of strain and caregiving responsibilities, as well as coping, demographics, and services needed and received by the individual with ASD. Results Caregivers reported higher levels of objective strain than subjective, and caregiving responsibility was related to objective and subjective internalized strain. Coping style was strongly correlated with all types of strain, and unmet service needs were significantly related to objective and subjective internalized strain. Caregiving behaviors were only related to objective strain. Conclusion The present results indicate that, although caregiving responsibility is related to objective and subjective internalized strain, the relationship is perhaps not as strong as the relationship between coping mechanisms and strain. Future research is needed to understand different types of strain and develop strategies to help caregivers.
The Impact of Quality of Work Life on Job Involvement of Auto Mechanic Employees.

The present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the Impact of Quality of Work Life on Job Involvement of Auto Mechanic Employees in Batticaloa District. The Quality of Work Life refers to improvement in organizational culture that causes growth and excellence of the employees in organization (Shabhazi, Vaezi & Sanaei Poor, 2009). Rise in quality of work life would help employees’ well-being there by the well-being of the whole organization. The quantitative method was used and data were collected through questionnaires. Most popular Auto Mechanic organizations such as; New Jerad Motors, Central Motors and Ameledhas Motors in Batticaloa District, Sri Lanka were selected among the population and 52 questionnaires were distributed to the employees who are working in those selected organizations.. The data were analyzed using Mean score, Standard deviation, Pearson correlation and Simple regression analysis. The results indicated that there is a significant impact of quality of working life and its dimensions including Fair and appropriate Salary, Working condition, Opportunity at work and Capacity at work on job involvement of selected Auto mechanic employee. It is observed that quality of work life is related to employees’ job involvement. This shows that employers need to develop working conditions and greater organizational efficiency to enhance high Job involvement among the employees.
Emotional Awareness and Responsible Agency

This paper aims to further examine the relationship between self-awareness and agency by focusing on the role that emotional awareness plays in prominent conceptions of responsibility. One promising way of approaching this task is by focusing on individuals who display impairments in emotional awareness and then examining the effects (if any) that these impairments have on their apparent responsibility for the actions that they perform. Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as well as other clinical groups who evince high degrees of the personality construct known as alexithymia, I will argue, do, in fact, display impairments in emotional self-awareness, and, so, may provide some insight into the relationship between this awareness and the capacity for responsible agency. More specifically, individuals with ASD may provide us with evidence that robust emotional self-awareness is not a necessary condition for responsible agency or that lacking such a capacity could undermine some otherwise plausible sufficient conditions for responsibility. The aim of the paper, then, is twofold. First, it will aim to show that ASD ought to be understood, in part, as a disorder of emotional self-awareness. Section 2 presents evidence relating to the emotional profile characteristic of individuals with ASD and argues that the most striking feature of this profile is the way in which the individual seems to be separated from his or her emotions in an important sense. Second, the paper aims to show that this distinctive feature of the emotions in ASD casts serious doubt on some prominent accounts of moral responsibility. To this end, section 3.1 presents a challenge to some widely accepted “subjective conditions” for responsibility, namely those articulated by John Martin Fischer and Ravizza (1998) and makes a case, based on the empirical data regarding autism, that these conditions actually are not necessary for one’s being a responsible agent. Section 3.2 then presents a challenge for theories of responsible agency which assign primary importance to the connection between an agent’s actions and her judgment-sensitive attitudes. I argue there that the evidence from autism suggests that these theories fail in their efforts to provide sufficient conditions for responsibility.
Methoxymethane C–O Bond Strengths: Do Their Changes Result From Hyperconjugation Or Polar Effects?

The methoxymethanes have been studied and compared with the fluoromethanes. The energies and atomic charges were calculated using MP2/aug-cc-pVTZ, and the group separation energies and bond dissociation enthalpies were calculated using CBS-QB3. The group separation energies are endothermic and the BDE increases with additional substitution as a result of the increase in charge at the central carbon. The greater charge leads to a stronger bond to the new substituent as well as to the original substituents. With the methoxymethanes, there is a linear relationship between the BDE and the atomic charge at C. The energies of the several methoxymethane conformers were calculated, and their energies usually increase with increasing values of the electronic spatial extent in accord with a proposal by Gillespie. The role of hyperconjugation in these cases is not settled.
The Quantum Frobenius Homomorphism

35.1.1. In this chapter we fix an integer I ≥ 1. Then the integers l i ≥ 1, the new Cartan datum (I, o) and the new root datum (Y*,X*,…) of type (I, o) are defined in terms of l, (I, ·), (Y, X,…) as in 2.2.4, 2.2.5.
Recent Advances in Breeding For Drought and Salt Stress Tolerance in Soybean

Drought and salinity are two important abiotic factors limiting soybean production worldwide and drought alone accounts for about 40% crop loss. Irrigation and soil reclamation are not economically viable options for soybean production under drought and salinity. Hence, genetic improvement for drought and salt tolerance are cost effective. Conventional breeding has made a significant contribution to soybean improvement in the last 50 years. Through conventional breeding, it is easy to manipulate simply inherited qualitative traits which are less sensitive to environmental variation, but quantitative traits like yield or tolerance to abiotic stress are significantly influenced by environment. Most agronomically important traits are quantitatively inherited and are difficult to improve through conventional breeding. Molecular marker technologies can dissect quantitative traits into individual components, known as quantitative trait loci enabling marker assisted selection of desired traits in much shorter time avoiding labor intensive, conventional, phenotypic selection. A molecular breeding approach can supplement the conventional breeding system. Well developed molecular genetic maps, functional genomic resources, and other molecular tools are available for soybean. Effective use of these resources will allow a greater understanding of basic mechanisms of tolerance to abiotic stress. Integration of these genomic tools coupled with well-designed breeding strategies will help to develop soybean varieties with higher tolerance to drought and salt
Evaluating Perineural Spread to the Intratemporal Facial Nerve on Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

ObjectivesTo determine the sensitivity and specificity of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the detection of perineural spread (PNS) along the intratemporal facial nerve (ITFN) in patients with ...
Pregnancy Outcomes in US Prisons, 2016–2017

Objectives. To collect national data on pregnancy frequencies and outcomes among women in US state and federal prisons.Methods. From 2016 to 2017, we prospectively collected 12 months of pregnancy ...
On the Proof-Making Task.

WE begin with a question that concerns mathematics teachers today even as it has for many years: How does a secondary school mathematics student become a proof-maker? "Proof-making" refers to the activities undertaken to create a sequence of statements, each one follow ing inescapably from the preceding ones, with the final statement asserting that which was to be proved. The terms de ductive thinking or necessary inference signify the proof-making task. Almost every one of us has memorized proofs of mathematical theorems. Since proof-making obviously is distinct from proof-memorizing, the time spent memo rizing the products of someone else's proof making would seem to be off target if the desired outcome was the development of a proof-maker. And yet, is it not possible that a person who "knows" a large number of proofs and who has thought about the strategies others have employed to create these proofs may have a richer seedbed in which to cultivate the talent required to create an original proof? In a sense, meaningfully memorized proofs may con tribute to the nurture of proof-making in much the same way that a knowledge of musicology may contribute to the de velopment of a composer. A repertoire of proofs, then, may be useful to a student seeking to become a proof-maker, but surely it is not sufficient. Another activity in which all of us have engaged was to face a theorem to be proved head-on. Our task was to search for a likely-looking statement to serve as "step one" and follow it with successive steps until the proof was completed. The number of clues given ranged from several to none. Who among us cannot remember the late-night quiet of a study room as we struggled for some glimmer of an idea as to "how to get started," an idea that continued to elude us? ... or the feeling of envy the next day as a classmate dis played his neat proof on the chalkboard? These experiences viewed as a teaching strategy might be called the "sink or swim" approach to proof-making. The analogy to hard-nosed swimming instruc tion breaks down, however, because the sinking swimming student is ordinarily pulled out of the water before he drowns; the floundering neophyte prover of theo rems is often left to his own resources. In a way, this solves the problem for the mathematical community. Students, being human beings, tend to employ a variety of adjustment mechanisms to maintain ade quate standards of personal mental hy giene. A common one among mathematics students is to drop out of mathematics when the deduction becomes too thick. No doubt all of us employ the sink-or swim strategy to some degree. Perhaps we have created that catch-all phase, lack
Smoking Across the Menopausal Transition in a 10-Year Longitudinal Sample: The Role of Sex Hormones and Depressive Symptoms

Introduction Current cigarette smoking rates among older women remain problematic, especially given that this population experiences increased smoking-related health consequences. Despite these increased health concerns, little research to date has explored smoking patterns across the menopausal transition (pre-, early-peri-, late-peri-, and postmenopausal) or the effect of unique factors such as sex hormones and depression during this transition. Methods This study used 10 yearly waves of data from the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation, a longitudinal dataset. Data included 1397 women endorsing ever smoking regularly at baseline. Random-effects logistic regression models were used to examine smoking transitions. Results Although there were no associations between menopausal transition stage and smoking behavior, increased estradiol was associated with an increased likelihood of quitting regular smoking (eg, transitioning from regular smoking to non-regular or no smoking; odds ratio [OR] = 1.28), whereas increased testosterone was associated with an increased likelihood of relapsing to regular smoking (eg, transitioning from former or nonregular smoking to regular smoking OR = 2.56). Depression was associated with increased likelihood of continued smoking (OR = 0.97) and relapse (OR = 1.03). Conclusions The results emphasize the need to develop interventions to target initiated or continued smoking among women across the menopausal transition and specifically highlight the importance of developing treatments that target depressive symptoms in this population. In addition, although singular hormone measures were associated with smoking behavior, there is a need for future study of dynamic changes in hormones, as well as the impact of progesterone on smoking behaviors across the menopausal transition. Implications To date, no studies have examined smoking behaviors across the menopausal transition. In this study, although menopausal transition status was not significantly related to transitions in smoking behavior, important relationships between sex hormones and depression were observed. Increased estradiol was associated with an increased likelihood of quitting regular smoking, whereas increased testosterone was associated with an increased likelihood of relapsing to regular smoking behavior. Higher depression scores were related to continued smoking and relapse to regular smoking behavior. These results highlight the need to develop interventions to target smoking cessation among women across the menopausal transition.
Exploratory behavior of Argentine Ants ( Linepithema humile ) encountering novel areas

When ants encounter a previously unexplored area, a variety of search patterns are possible. Previous studies have found that subsequent individuals tend to follow those that have gone before. This suggests that ants leave signature marks as they walk, independent of having encountered food, and that others recognize these and follow. This experiment tested if Argentine ants (Linepithema humile) also exhibit this pattern of behavior. Series of workers individually navigated through a grid consisting of two consecutive right-versus-left decisions. The resulting pattern does not significantly differ from random choice, as workers are neither more nor less likely to choose the path taken by a previous ant. The time between decisions also does not predict the path chosen. Either L. humile does not mark as they walk or workers do not use such marks in guiding their exploratory behavior. Under natural conditions, this suggests that L. humile is more expansive in initially distributing its workers across novel ground and less likely to have them clump together than species that do follow each other. This has implications for how the relative effectiveness in finding versus exploiting and defending food sites might vary across species.
Transnational organizing, the boosting effect, and women’s legislative caucuses in Africa

The share of women holding legislative office in Africa more than doubled between 1998 and 2019, reaching almost 24%. Despite this increase in women's descriptive representation, women members of p...
Lifestyle modifications alone or combined with hormonal contraceptives improve sexual dysfunction in women with polycystic ovary syndrome

Objective To describe the prevalence of female sexual dysfunction in a well-defined polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) population, and to assess the impact of common PCOS treatments on sexual function. Design Secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial, oral contraceptive pills and weight loss in PCOS. Setting Two academic medical centers. Patients Women with PCOS (N = 114) defined by the Rotterdam criteria. Interventions Continuous oral contraceptive pill (OCP) or intensive lifestyle modification (Lifestyle) or the combination (Combined) for 16 weeks. Main Outcome Measures Change in Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and Female Sexual Distress Scale−Revised (FSDS-R) scores after 16 weeks. Results There was no change in total FSFI or FSDS-R score in any treatment group; however, an increase in the FSFI desire domain subscore was observed in the Lifestyle and Combined treatments, indicating improved sexual desire over the 16-week period. Overall, 33 participants (28.9%) met criteria for sexual dysfunction by FSFI criteria (baseline score ≤26.55). Among this group, FSFI score improved after 16 weeks of Lifestyle and Combined treatments. There was no change in prevalence of sexual dysfunction in treatment groups at 16 weeks. Use of OCPs did not alter FSFI scores. Conclusion(s) Female sexual dysfunction is highly prevalent among women with PCOS. Our findings suggest that common treatments for PCOS, including intensive lifestyle modification and the combination of intensive lifestyle modification and OCPs, have the potential to improve sexual function in these women; the mechanism for these improvements is likely multifactorial. Clinical Trial Registration Number NCT00704912.
Alternative method for the synthesis of triazenes from aryl diazonium salts

Abstract An alternative mild method for access to 1-aryl-3,3-dimethyl alkyl triazenes is described. This protocol employs the dropwise addition of a methanolic solution of a carboxylate (RCO2M) or carbonate (CO32−) to a gently heated DMF solution containing an aryl diazonium salt (ArN2+), that had been previously isolated. Presumably homolysis of the weak N–O bond of diazo ether adducts formed in this operation initiates radical pathways that lead to the generation of triazene product. DMF serves as not only a one-electron donor to the diazonium salts employed in this process, but also as a source of dimethylamine radicals that act as a nucleophilic coupling partner. The reaction provides modest yields (ca. 20–40%) across an array of aryl diazonium salts that contain various substitution. Furthermore this unique approach to triazenes contrasts with traditional methods that employ dimethyl amine in reagent form which directly couples with diazonium salts. Seemingly, only one other example employing somewhat similar reaction conditions to this current investigation en route to triazenes has been reported, albeit with lower yields and for one representative example furnished as a side-product. The current work here improves upon the efficiency of this reported result, and further expands the reaction scope.
On the Choquet Integrals Associated to Bessel Capacities

We characterize the Choquet integrals associated to Bessel capacities in terms of the preduals of the Sobolev multiplier spaces. We make use of the boundedness of local Hardy-Littlewood maximal function on the preduals of the Sobolev multiplier spaces and the minimax theorem as the main tools for the characterizations.
Disclosures of Sexual and Physical Abuse across Repeated Interviews.

This study examined the recorded interviews of 132 children between 3 and 16-years of age who were involved in a forensic investigation evaluating allegations of sexual and/or physical abuse. As pa...
Nonenzymatic deiodination of thyroid hormones by flavin mononucleotide and light.

Abstract The deiodination of labeled l-thyroxine and l-triiodothyronine (T3) in the presence of flavin mononucleotide, light, oxygen, and phosphate buffer, pH 7.4, was followed by measuring the iodide released. Under standardized conditions the amount of deiodination was found to be proportional to light intensity. At any T3 concentration, the reaction is first order with respect to T3, whereas FMN acts catalytically. No evidence was found for the existence of an FMN-l-thyroxine or FMN-iodine complex. The reaction velocity of the deiodination of T3 was found to be proportional to the concentrations of FMN and T3 up to a concentration of FMN of 2 x 10-5 m. The activation energy for the deiodination of l-thyroxine is 8900 cal. Iodide and increasing ionic strength inhibited the reaction. Amino acids, amines, proteins, and some metal chelators were found to accelerate the FMN-induced deiodination. The stimulatory effect of aliphatic amino acids, ribonuclease, and ethylenediaminetetraacetate disappeared when the system was made metal-free by means of Dowex A-1 and by extraction with dithizone in heptane. Fe2+, Zn2+, Cu2+, and Ca2+, in concentrations of 5 x 10-8 m, added to the purified system restored the stimulatory activity of these agents. Different metal ions and different concentrations were found necessary for optimal effects depending on the amino acid or proteins employed. Fe2+ plus EDTA, on the other hand, was inhibitory at concentrations where Fe2+ and EDTA alone did not influence deiodination. Cupferron, quinoline-8-carboxylic acid, and 8-hydroxyquinoline inhibited deiodination in the ordinary system. Tryptophan, histidine, and tyrosine showed no metal requirement. The accelerated deiodination of l-thyroxine by aliphatic amino acid and proteins, as well as inhibited deiodination by chelators plus metal ions, is considered to be due to chelation with bivalent metal ions.
Proline metabolism in Escherichia coli: III. The proline catabolic pathway☆

Abstract Proline was oxidized by a proline auxotroph to glutamate via the intermediate, Δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate (PCA). The reactions, like those in animal tissues, involve the successive action of an oxidase and a pyridine nucleotide dehydrogenase. Proline oxidase and the bioxynthetic PCA reductase were unrelated, as shown by imposing a second mutational loss in the auxotroph which removed PCA reductase but not proline oxidase activity.
Unpacking Inequality and Class: Family, Gender and the Reconstruction of Class Barriers

The changing economy and evolution of political ideas have led to a resurgence of the idea of class in American discourse. Relatively little of that discourse, however, acknowledges the role of greater inequality as a critical force remaking the family along class lines. The political right exploits class resentments in championing "family values" but disavows any effort to link family changes to greater economic inequality rather than individual moral failings. The political left acknowledges economic exploitation but insists on addressing it only within identity categories such as race, gender, or sexual orientation rather than its own force. There is now irrefutable data that the tendency to raise children within two-parent families is a potent marker of class, reinforcing class barriers and dramatically affecting America's human-capital acquisition. Renewed attention to "class" as a category is accordingly long overdue. "Class" refers to categories of social construction more fluid than race, ethnicity, or caste and more fixed than occupation, religion, or party. Class is a product of the allocation of resources, which depends on the family organization to channel investment in children. This Article examines the social construction of class through the lens of gender and family. It examines the growing economic inequality that has rejuvenated interest in the relationship between the economy, gender, divorce, and non-marital births. It concludes that dismantling class barriers will turn on better employment prospects for men, more flexible attitudes toward gender, greater investment in children, and more effective support for families.
Simulation uses of the exponential distribution

Abstract : This paper indicates how exponential random variables can be effeciently used in a variety of simulation problems. One of the problems is the simulation of order statistics from a normal population. The authors discuss the general problem of simulating order statistics and then consider the normal case. They start by showing how the Von-Neumann rejection approach via the exponential can be modified to become an efficient algorithm for generating a normal and then present a method for generating normal order statistics. They show how to use the exponential to efficiently simulate random permutations with weights. They consider the problem of simulating a 2-dimensional Poissin process both for a homogeneous and nonhomogeneous Poisson process. (Author)
ENHANCEMENT OF DIII–D NEUTRAL BEAM SYSTEM FOR HIGHER PERFORMANCE

The DIII-D tokamak employs eight neutral beam systems for plasma heating and current drive experiments. These positive ion source neutral beam systems have gone through several improvements in operational technique and in system hardware since the start of conditioning of the first long pulse ion source in December 1986. These improvements have led to the routine operation in deuterium at beam power levels of 20 MW. The improvements in operational technique include filament power supply operating mode, accelerator grid voltage holding capability, mid changes in grid potential gradients. The hardware improvements include installation of arc notching, arc discharge density regulation, and control of neutralizer gas puffing. Each of these improvements are discussed in this paper. Successful testing and operation of the ion source at 93 kV deuterium beam energy, well above the design value of 80 kV, also led to the possibility of enhancing system capability to 28 MW power level, nearly twice the original design value. Upgrading of the beam system to 60 second pulse duration at the currently achieved power level is under consideration. Studies have shown that this pulse length extension can be achieved with improvements in beamline heat handling components and auxiliary systems, especially the powermore » supply system. The drift duct (the section between neutral beam beamline and tokamak) upgrade and protection for the long pulse duration present the greatest challenges, and are crucial to achieving long pulse beam injection into the tokamak plasma.« less
Fourier Transform Spectrophotometry and Its Application to the Study of K-Giants

A Fourier Transform Spectrometer has been employed to obtain low and medium resolution spectrophotometry in the range 700 to 10000 cm-1. The method is described briefly and typical data are shown. The technique is applied to a study of 15 K giants, and spectra of 4 and 16 cm-1 resolution in the range 4000 to 6500 cm-1 are discussed briefly. CN strong stars are found to be CO strong as well. Five K giants are found to have a relative 13C enhancement over probable primordial abundances.
Structural housing elements associated with home injuries in children

Objective To quantify unintentional injuries associated with housing elements among children less than 18 years old treated in US hospital emergency departments. Methods The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) coding manual was reviewed, and all product codes that identified products permanently affixed to a home (housing elements) were identified. A query of the 2008 NEISS data for children under 18 determined the numbers of cases by severity code for each identified housing element. Housing elements were then tabulated by the number of cases for each severity code. The top 10 cases by severity code, (1) hospitalised or (2) treated in emergency departments, were included in a case review. Ten per cent of all cases or a minimum of 100 cases were randomly selected for review for each of the identified housing elements to assess if the case description could inform prevention efforts. Results Twelve housing elements (bathtub, cabinet, carpet, ceiling/wall, counter, door, fence, floor, nail, porch, stairs and window) were identified as the leading causes of injuries resulting in hospitalisations or emergency department visits. A list of potential interventions was generated based on the review of the case histories. Suggested changes for NEISS coding are also offered to enhance future prevention research. Conclusions NEISS is a valuable tool to identify home injury risks and inform design decisions for housing elements. Improved understanding of housing elements associated with injuries has the potential to enhance home inspection forms. However, interpretation of NEISS results is limited by lack of clarity about how the housing element was involved in the injury event.
Sorting — II. Quicksort:

In this chapter we present an important sorting algorithm of moderate complexity called “QUICKSORT”. Once again, your main goal should be to gain additional problem solving experience by converting the conceptual description of this algorithm into a functioning computer program.
Leisure Concepts in a Changing Society

(1981). Leisure Concepts in a Changing Society. Journal of Physical Education and Recreation: Vol. 52, Including Leisure Today, pp. 40-41.