cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
X-Ray Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy of Intergranular Phases in β11 β’ Sialons

X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy in conjunction with scanning transmission electron microscopy was used to qualitatively and semi-quantitatively characterize retained noncrystalline phases in several compositions of β11 β′ sialons. Diffuse dark field imaging in conventional transmission mode was used to identify noncrystalline phases prior to x-ray microanalysis. Results show that partitioning of A1 and impurity atoms does not occur for these compositions except in isolated cases. In addition, Fe impurities appear to be readily incorporated into the matrix phase.
Retrospective analysis of the hemodynamic consequences of prehospital supplemental oxygen in acute stroke.

Abstract Objective Hyperoxia, the delivery of high levels of supplemental oxygen (sO2) despite normoxia, may increase cerebral oxygenation to penumbral tissue and improve stroke outcomes. However, it may also alter peripheral hemodynamic profiles with potential negative effects on cerebral blood flow (CBF). This study examines the hemodynamic consequences of prehospital sO2 in stroke. Methods A retrospective analysis of adult acute stroke patients (aged ≥18 years) presenting via EMS to an academic Comprehensive Stroke Center between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2017 was conducted using demographic and clinical characteristics obtained from Get with the Guidelines-Stroke registry and subjects' medical records. Outcomes were compared across three groups based on prehospital oxygen saturation and sO2 administration. Chi-square, ANOVA, and multivariable linear regression were used to determine if sO2 was associated with differences in peripheral hemodynamic profiles. Results All subjects had similar initial EMS vitals except for oxygen saturation. However, both univariate and multivariable analysis revealed that hyperoxia subjects had slightly lower average ED mean arterial pressures (MAP) compared to normoxia (Cohen's d = 0.313). Conclusions Prehospital-initiated hyperoxia for acute stroke is associated with a small, but significant decrease in average ED MAP, without changes in heart rate, compared to normoxia. While limited by the inability to link changes in peripheral hemodynamical profiles directly to changes in CBF, this study suggests that hyperoxia may result in a relative hypotension. Further studies are needed to determine if this small change in peripheral vascular resistance translates into a clinically significant reduced CBF.
Correlates of Strength and Balance Training Exercises in Older African American Adults.

Background and objectives This study investigated the behavioral and psychological correlates of strength and balance training (SBT) participation among older African Americans. Research design and methods A cross-sectional survey of 90 older African Americans (M = 66.7 ± 8.7 years; 70% female) was conducted to assess correlates of intention to undertake SBT exercises and the number of days that they currently engage in SBT. The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and the threat appraisal of the Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) were used as frameworks for the analyses. Results The intention to do SBT exercises was positively associated with favorable attitudes and subjective norm, knowledge about the benefits of SBT, and hours worked per week. The frequency of SBT participation was significantly correlated with behavioral intention, high fear of falling, and a low score on the kinesiophobia scale. Discussion and implications This study demonstrated the utility of the TPB and PMT's threat appraisal construct in modeling intention and number of days of SBT participation among African American older adults. The study affirmed the link between intention and behavior and between knowledge of the benefits of SBT and intention. Fear of falling's positive association with days of SBT suggests that respondents' saw SBT's efficacy in reducing falls. The unique contributions of this study are the inclusions of kinesiophobia as a correlate and multiple threat appraisals in the PMT. Health promotion interventions should consider the interrelationship among these constructs.
Working Their Way Up? Us ImmigrantsA Changing Labor Market Assimilation in the Age of Mass Migration

Whether immigrants advance in labor markets relative to natives is a fundamental question in immigration economics. It is difficult to answer this question for the Age of Mass Migration, when US immigration was at its peak. New datasets of linked census records show that immigrants experienced substantial "catching up" relative to natives' occupational status from 1850 to 1880, but not from 1900 to 1930. This change was not due to the shift in immigrant source countries. Instead, it was rooted in a sizable change in natives' occupations. The results revise the influential view that European immigrants "worked their way up".
Charon: A Framework for Microservice Overload Control

Overload control is an important feature of modern cloud applications. As these applications grow increasingly complex, designing efficient overload control schemes at scale is tedious. In this paper we argue part of the challenge is a lack of first principles mechanisms one can use to design scalable and verifiable policies. We present Charon, a market-based scheme for large scale service graphs. Unsurprisingly, Charon relies on tokens to negotiate the acquisition of compute resources. However, unlike existing receiver-driven systems, Charon decouples the mechanisms used to generate and value tokens and proposes efficient price propagation mechanisms. We motivate Charon with a set of representative system conditions that existing frameworks cannot handle well, detail an example policy one can build using the proposed mechanisms, and discuss open research challenges our framework exposes.
Reporting of Highly Individual Genetic Typing Results: A Practical Approach

This paper considers the interpretation of serological typing data as a problem in forensic science, as opposed to a problem in population genetics or statistics. Controversies arising in this area are partly due to an overly narrow perspective that ignores basic forensic science principles. After an initial discussion of the special problem that deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) blood typing poses to forensic science, the three difficulties common to all the proposed interpretive methods are discussed. These are: predicting genotype incidence from allele frequencies, predicting frequencies for the joint occurrence of genotypes in a number of different genetic marker systems, and determining the appropriate population to use to measure the frequencies. The inability to test assumptions that are inherent in our routine methods is noted. This is a procedural weakness that unnecessarily limits the admissibility of DNA typing evidence in court. A practical solution to this problem is offered that begins with minimal assumptions. Initially a statement is made based on (1) how many reference samples the laboratory has typed and (2) how many of these samples show genotypes corresponding to the case samples. The second stage of the presentation begins with a statement that additional assumptions are necessary to fully interpret the evidence and that although these assumptions are scientifically very reasonable, they cannot be absolutely proven. The presentation can then proceed, if desired, to consideration of the specific assumptions and frequency estimates of any of the methods that have been proposed to date. To follow this approach population data must be kept in a form that allows the simple first-stage statement to be made. This means that each individual's record would include typing results in each genetic marker system. Although this method of data storage differs from that used in most forensic science laboratories, it is exceptionally versatile, and allows great flexibility in data analysis.
Automobile Catalytic Converters

Catalysts have been widely used to lower the emissions of carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbons (HC) in the exhaust of automobiles in the United States since the introduction of 1975 models in the fall of 1974. These catalysts, contained in so-called catalytic converters in the exhaust system of automobiles, promote the oxidation of CO and HC to CO2 and H2O under net oxidizing conditions (e.g. A/F > 14.61): Until 1978, emission control requirements for nitrogen oxide (NO x ) emissions were met through noncatalyst technology, primarily exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) [1, 2]. Starting with some vehicles sold in California in 1977, NO x emissions from gasoline engines have been subject to catalytic control. The catalyst here has the additional function to promote the reduction of NO to N2 via reaction of NO with hydrogen or CO. Catalyst systems designed to reduce NO x are considerably more complex than the earlier control systems. For example, the control system introduced by General Motors on some 1978 model year cars has closed-loop air-fuel ratio control (closed-loop fuel metering system, exhaust gas oxygen sensor, and an electronic control unit) as well as a three-way catalyst which simultaneously promotes the conversion of HC, CO, and NO x [3]. Stringent federally mandated emission control requirements of 1 gram per mile (g mi−1) for NO x have led to the further application of three-way catalysts. This review will emphasize the state-of-the-art of catalytic control of automobile exhaust emissions since 1978, specifically three-way catalysts. A recent review by J. Kummer covers part of this period and earlier years [4]. Other reviews of this subject are listed in the reference section [5–14].
A graph-theoretic approach to clock skew optimization

This paper addresses the problem of minimizing the clock period of a circuit by optimizing the clock skews. We incorporate uncertainty factors and present a formulation that ensures that the optimization will be safe. In a paper by J.P. Fishburn (see IEEE Trans. on Computers, vol. 39, no. 7, p. 945-951, 1990) the problem of clock period optimization is formulated as a linear program. We first propose an efficient graph-based solution that takes advantage of the structure of the problem. We also show that the results obtained by Fishburn may result in exceedingly large skews, and propose a method to reduce these skews without sacrificing the optimality of the clock period. Experimental results on several ISCAS89 benchmark circuits are provided. >
B0 field inhomogeneity considerations in pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling (pCASL): effects on tagging efficiency and correction strategy.

Pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling (pCASL) is a very powerful technique to measure cerebral perfusion, which circumvents the problems affecting other continuous arterial spin labeling schemes, such as magnetization transfer and duty cycle. However, some variability in the tagging efficiency of the pCASL technique has been reported. This article investigates the effect of B0 field inhomogeneity on the tagging efficiency of the pCASL pulse sequence as a possible cause of this variability. Both theory and simulated data predict that the efficiency of pseudo-continuous labeling pulses can be degraded in the presence of off-resonance effects. These findings are corroborated by human in vivo measurements of tagging efficiency. On the basis of this theoretical framework, a method utilizing B0 field map information is proposed to correct for the possible loss in tagging efficiency of the pCASL pulse sequence. The efficiency of the proposed correction method is evaluated using numerical simulations and in vivo implementation. The data show that the proposed method can effectively recover the lost tagging efficiency and signal-to-noise ratio of pCASL caused by off-resonance effects. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Expandindo o conceito de letramento

Este artigo apresenta e discute quatro argumentos para expandir a definicao de letramento, a saber: (1) a linguagem multimidiatica da tela se transformou no vernaculo corrente; (2) a linguagem multimidiatica da tela e capaz de construir significados complexos independentemente do texto; (3) a linguagem multimidiatica da tela permite modos de pensamento, formas de comunicar e produzir pesquisa, e metodos de publicacao e de ensino que sao essencialmente diferentes daqueles relacionados ao texto; (4) serao realmente letrados no seculo 21 aqueles que aprenderem a ler e escrever a linguagem multimidiatica da tela.
Cockpit Displayed Traffic Information and Distributed Management in Air Traffic Control

A graphical display of information (such as surrounding aircraft and navigation routes) in the cockpit on a cathode ray tube has been proposed for improving the safety, orderliness, and expeditiousness of the air traffic control system. An investigation of this method at NASA-Ames indicated a large reduction in controller verbal work load without increasing pilot verbal load; the visual work may be increased. The cockpit displayed traffic and navigation information system reduced response delays permitting pilots to maintain their spacing more closely and precisely than when depending entirely on controller-issued radar vectors and speed command.
The influence of adjacent level disc disease on discectomy outcomes

Purpose The state of adjacent level discs and its impact on surgical outcomes following single-level lumbar discectomy have not been previously investigated. The purpose of the present study was to determine if a significant relationship exists between the degree of preoperative adjacent level disc degeneration and post-operative clinical outcomes following lumbar discectomy.
Structural defect induced peak splitting in gold–copper bimetallic nanorods during growth by single particle spectroscopy

A single particle level study of bimetallic nanoparticle growth provides valuable information that is usually hidden in ensemble measurements, helping to improve the understanding of a reaction mechanism and overcome the synthetic challenges. In this study, we use single particle spectroscopy to monitor the changes in the scattering spectra of Au-Cu alloy nanorods during growth. We found that the unique features of the single particle scattering spectra were due to atomic level geometric defects in the nanorods. Electrodynamics simulations have demonstrated that small structural defects of a few atomic layers split the scattering peaks, giving rise to higher order modes, which do not exist in defect-free rods of similar geometry. The study shows that single particle scattering technique is as sensitive as high-resolution electron microscopy in revealing atomic level structural defects.
Overview of recruitment for the osteoporotic fractures in men study (MrOS)

Large, long term research studies present recruitment challenges that can be met with collaborative approaches to identify and enroll participants. The Osteoporotic Fractures in Men Study (MrOS), a multi-center observational study designed to determine risk factors for osteoporosis, fractures and prostate cancer in older men, recruited 5995 participants over a 25-month period. Enrolling a cohort that represented the race and age distribution of each community, and developing interest in an older male cohort about a condition commonly thought of as a "women's disease," were major recruitment challenges. During the start-up phase, recruitment challenges and strategies were analyzed and collective approaches were developed to address ways to motivate the target population. Key methods included mailings using community and provider contact lists; regional and senior newspaper advertisements; and presentations targeted to seniors. Sites used a centrally developed recruitment brochure. Response to mass mailings at some sites surpassed 10-15% and appointment show rates averaged above 85%. The final number enrolled in MrOS was 5% more than the original recruitment goal of 5700. Minority recruitment was enhanced through the use of the Health Care Financing Administration and other databases that allowed for targeted recruitment. Overall, minority enrollment was approximately 10.56% of the cohort (244 African American, 191 Asian). Men age>80 were enthusiastic and represent about 18% of enrollees. Through a coordinated approach of developing and refining recruitment strategies and materials, sites were able to adapt their original strategies and complete recruitment ahead of schedule.
Security awareness training for students at virginia commonwealth university

The Academic Technology group at Virginia Commonwealth University was given the task of raising the security awareness of incoming students. The group created several humorous in-house videos using student actors. These videos were published to the university website, and students were instructed to view them and then take a short security awareness quiz based on the points illustrated in the videos. These videos and accompanying quizzes will be displayed in the poster session along with the procedures used by the Academic Technology staff to organize the creation of the training program.
A Survey of Parents' Satisfaction With Their Children's Hospitalization on a Psychiatric Unit

A 38-item survey, the Inpatient Discharge Questionnaire (IDQ), was developed by the nursing staff of an inpatient psychiatric unit to sample parents' satisfaction with their children's hospitalization. The results for the 1st year showed very high levels of satisfaction on the Admission, Assessment, Treatment, and Discharge subscales. Examination of the ratings across quarters revealed that 2 of the subscales, Admission and Assessment, fell below 80% satisfaction during the year. Specific areas of dissatisfaction were identified. The IDQ is a useful instrument for surveying parent satisfaction and identifying areas for program improvement.
Sufficiency and invariance

Abstract Suppose that a statistical decision problem is invariant under a group of transformations g ϵ G. T (X) is equivariant if there exists g ∗ ϵ G ∗ such that T(g(X)) = g ∗ (T((X)) . We show that the minimal sufficient statistic is equivalent and that if T(X) is an equivariant sufficient statistics and d(X) is invariant under G, then d ∗ (T) = Ed(X)∥T is invariant under G ∗ .
Ab initio simulation in extreme conditions

The study of materials properties under extreme conditions has made considerable progress over the past decade as a result of improvements in experimental techniques and advanced modeling methods. The availability of accurate models is crucial for analyzing results obtained in extreme conditions of pressure and temperature, where experimental data can be scarce. Among theoretical models, ab initio simulations are playing an increasingly important role because of their ability to predict materials properties without the need for any experimental input. Ab initio simulations also allow the exploration of materials properties in conditions that are unachievable using controlled experiments – such as, for example, the conditions prevailing in the cores of large planets. In that limit, they constitute the only quantitative model of condensed matter available today. We review the current status of ab initio simulations and discuss examples of recent applications in which numerical simulations have provided an essential complement to experimental data.
Youth Voices and Knowledges: Slam Poetry Speaks to Social Policies

Policies related to youth and their sexuality, health, and rights are rarely informed by youth voices and perspectives. We sought to understand youth voice and knowledges in their conceptions of youth rights expressed through slam poetry. We draw from theories of critical race, LatCrit, and asset-based approaches to adolescent sexual health to explore youth’s perspectives on sexuality, health, and rights. Using rhetorical and content analysis, we analyzed 50 poems from a local organization that supports youth poetry slam. Key themes that emerged in our analyses included youth (in 33 % of poems), sexuality (7 %), health (10 %), and rights (7 %). A smaller selection of poems (n = 9) that represented key themes were chosen for critical analysis. Youth consistently responded to regressive legislation in Arizona through slam poetry and expressed the desire for rights to knowledges and the need for supportive policies and practices that consider and reflect the complex realities of their lives. Youth made calls for action and community outreach, and they used poetry as an expression of social action and change. We conclude that youth voice may inform policies and practices that are comprehensive in support of sexual health and rights for youth.
Functional Role of the Sarcin-Ricin Loop of the 23S rRNA in the Elongation Cycle of Protein Synthesis

The sarcin-ricin loop (SRL) is one of the longest conserved sequences in the 23S rRNA. The SRL has been accepted as crucial for the activity of the ribosome because it is targeted by cytotoxins such as α-sarcin and ricin that completely abolish translation. Nevertheless, the precise functional role of the SRL in translation is not known. Recent biochemical and structural studies indicate that the SRL is critical for triggering GTP hydrolysis on elongation factors Tu and G (EF-Tu and EF-G). To determine the functional role of the SRL in the elongation stage of protein synthesis, we analyzed mutations in the SRL that are known to abolish protein synthesis and are lethal to cells. Here, we show that the SRL is not critical for GTP hydrolysis on EF-Tu and EF-G. The SRL also is not essential for peptide bond formation. Our results, instead, suggest that the SRL is crucial for anchoring EF-G on the ribosome during mRNA-tRNA translocation.
Neuropragmatism, knowledge, and pragmatic naturalism

Neuropragmatism is a research program taking sciences about cognitive development and learning methods most seriously, in order to reevaluate and reformulate philosophical issues. Knowledge, consciousness, and reason are among the crucial philosophical issues directly affected. Pragmatism in general has allied with the science-affirming philosophy of naturalism. Naturalism is perennially tested by challenges questioning its ability to accommodate and account for knowledge, consciousness, and reason. Neuropragmatism is in a good position to evaluate those challenges. Some ways to defuse them are suggested here, along with recommendations about the specific kind of naturalism, a pluralistic and perspectival naturalism, that neuropragmatism should endorse.
Abnormal vitamin D metabolism in patients with cirrhosis.

To assess the role of hepatic function and alcohol on vitamin D metabolism, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) levels were measured in 20 healthy nonalcoholic control subjects, 31 “inactive” cirrhotics whose alcoholism was in remission, 8 alcoholic cirrhotics, and 15 alcoholics with normal liver function. Cirrhosis, but not alcoholism, was associated with low serum 25-OHD levels. The aminopyrine breath test (ABT) was performed because aminopyrine, like vitamin D3, is metabolized by hepatic microsomes; the ABT correlated highly (r-0.74,P<0.01) with serum 25-OHD in the inactive cirrhotics. After an intravenous injection of 120 μg vitamin D3, serum 25-OHD rose significantly within 24 hr in 6 healthy controls and 2 patients with celiac disease but not in 6 inactive cirrhotics. The data suggest impaired 25-hydroxylation of vitamin-D impaired in patients with cirrhosis, related predominantly to the degree of hepatic dysfunction.
Myxedema ascites in the posttransplant setting: case report.

Ascites is a rare but important complication of hypothyroidism. Because of the rarity of the disease and the inconsistency of symptoms associated with hypothyroidism, patients often go undiagnosed for months. Institution of thyroid replacement hormone results in rapid and complete resolution of ascites. Here we present a case of myxedema ascites that presented in a 52-year-old man 4 months after allogeneic bone marrow transplant (BMT). Diagnoses initially considered in the differential included the common post-BMT complications, namely, hepatic veno-occlusive disease, graft vs. host disease, and infection. However, posttransplant patients are also at risk for illnesses unrelated to their underlying diagnosis or transplant procedure, including hypothyroidism. This case illustrates the importance of considering a broad differential diagnosis in posttransplant patients, especially those in whom the clinical course is atypical.
Role of intracellular interleukin-1 receptor antagonist in skin carcinogenesis.

Interleukin 1 (IL-1) is a major mediator of inflammation and exerts pleiotropic effects on many systems. To elucidate the role of its endogenous inhibitor, intracellular IL-1 receptor antagonist (icIL-1Ra), in mouse skin, we produced an icIL-1Ra-overexpressing skin carcinoma cell line (icIL-1Ra-JWF2). Altered expression of icIL-1Ra did not change IL-1alpha mRNA levels in these transfected cells. In icIL-1Ra-JWF2 cells, however, cyclooxygenase-2 mRNA levels were dramatically reduced and shown to be transcriptionally regulated by icIL-1Ra. To determine the effect of icIL-1Ra on cell proliferation, cell counts were done 24 h after plating equal numbers of cells. Cells from three icIL-1Ra-JWF2 clones showed significantly reduced growth rates compared with parental JWF2 cells. We subcutaneously injected five independent clones of icIL-1Ra-JWF2 cells into nude mice and measured the tumor doubling time by weekly measurements of tumor volume. IcIL-1Ra appeared to significantly slow the growth of tumors in vivo. Collectively these observations suggest that IL-1Ra has antiproliferative effects in murine skin carcinoma cells.
1653 PHARMACOKINETICS OF SALIVARY THEOPHYLLINE IN ASTHMATIC CHILDREN

Although salivary theophylline concentrations have been used to monitor therapy and compliance, considerable variation has been noted. To determine whether the factor of time-dependency can account for this variability, we have measured simultaneous saliva (S) and plasma (P) samples between 2 and 6 hours post oral drug administration in a group of 7 asthmatic children aged 10-14 years. Comparison of the S/P ratios of theophylline revealed higher values during the absorption phase (mean 0.72) and lower values during the elimination phase (mean 0.49) (p<0.01). A comparison of free drug fractions in S and P indicated consistently higher levels in S compartment (mean Free S/Free P ratio of 1.79 with range of 1.0 - 2.85), indicating an active transport mechanism. Our data demonstrate a clear time-dependent relationship for theophylline in S corresponding with drug absorption and elimination. We conclude that: 1) salivary levels of theophylline may in part depend on an active transport mechanism; 2) salivary levels should be obtained at fixed time intervals when evaluating their usefulness in monitoring theophylline therapy.
Search for Deuterium in Orion and Detection of High-Velocity Features

Results of a search for D alpha emission near the bright H alpha line in Orion. The observations revealed a high-velocity H alpha feature near -60 km/sec, whose intensity varied across the nebula, ranging from 0.005 to 0.005 relative to H alpha; another much weaker feature, possibly also H alpha, was observed at about -100 km/sec. Because these high-velocity H alpha features partially overlap the expected position of D alpha, only an upper limit D/H less than .00013 for the number ratio in Orion can be derived.
"Sleep disparity" in the population: poor sleep quality is strongly associated with poverty and ethnicity.

Little is known about the social determinants of sleep attainment. This study examines the relationship of race/ethnicity, socio-economic status (SES) and other factors upon sleep quality. A cross-sectional survey of 9,714 randomly selected subjects was used to explore sleep quality obtained by self-report, in relation to socioeconomic factors including poverty, employment status, and education level. The primary outcome was poor sleep quality. Data were collected by the Philadelphia Health Management Corporation. Significant differences were observed in the outcome for race/ethnicity (African-American and Latino versus White: unadjusted OR = 1.59, 95% CI 1.24-2.05 and OR = 1.65, 95% CI 1.37-1.98, respectively) and income (below poverty threshold, unadjusted OR = 2.84, 95%CI 2.41-3.35). In multivariable modeling, health indicators significantly influenced sleep quality most prominently in poor individuals. After adjusting for socioeconomic factors (education, employment) and health indicators, the association of income and poor sleep quality diminished, but still persisted in poor Whites while it was no longer significant in poor African-Americans (adjusted OR = 1.95, 95% CI 1.47-2.58 versus OR = 1.16, 95% CI 0.87-1.54, respectively). Post-college education (adjusted OR = 0.47, 95% CI 0.31-0.71) protected against poor sleep. A "sleep disparity" exists in the study population: poor sleep quality is strongly associated with poverty and race. Factors such as employment, education and health status, amongst others, significantly mediated this effect only in poor subjects, suggesting a differential vulnerability to these factors in poor relative to non-poor individuals in the context of sleep quality. Consideration of this could help optimize targeted interventions in certain groups and subsequently reduce the adverse societal effects of poor sleep.
Geographically distributed audit work: Theoretical considerations and future directions

This paper synthesizes the extant geographically distributed work literature, focusing on how geographic distribution affects coordination and communication, knowledge sharing, work design, and social identity. Geographically distributed audit arrangements, such as group audits and offshoring, are becoming increasingly prevalent in audit practice. However, little empirically is known about how working across cities, countries, and continents affects auditors, the audit process, or audit quality. To this end, the synthesis seeks to stimulate research investigating the implications of geographically distributed work arrangements in auditing, by surveying the extant literature within the management and social psychology disciplines and developing eighteen research questions for future audit research to consider. The synthesis reveals that geographically distributed audit work is likely to be very different from work performed in more traditional arrangements and therefore cannot be treated by audit researchers, practitioners, or standard setters as replications of domestic processes abroad. As a result, the synthesis focuses on building a greater understanding of the changes in day-to-day auditing, the consequences of such changes, and interventions that may moderate the challenges encountered in geographically distributed audit arrangements.
Inflation Persistence, the NAIRU, and the Great Recession

The rate of inflation fell far less over the period 2007-2013 than in the period 1979-1985 despite similar large increases in the unemployment rate. This paper asks why. Possible explanations include a change in the persistence of inflation, changes in NAIRU, and other shocks. A change in the persistence of inflation, with inflation more anchored in the period 2007-2013 than in the period 1979-1985, is found to be important. The level and change in the NAIRU cannot be precisely estimated, but the data suggest an increase of nearly 1 percentage point since 2007.
Channel structure and divalent cation regulation of phototransduction

The identification of additional subunits of the cGMP-gated cation channel suggests exciting questions about their regulatory roles and about structure/functional relationships. How do the different subunits interact? How is the complex assembled into the plasma membrane? Divalent cations have been implicated in the regulation of adaptation. One often overlooked cation is magnesium. Could this ion play a role in phototransduction?
A Statewide Analysis of Bicycling in New Jersey

A statewide survey of bicycling behavior was conducted for the State of New Jersey. Our primary objective was to analyze factors associated with bicycling behavior. Most people who bicycle in the state do so for recreational purposes, thus our analysis provides information primarily on recreational bicycling. We find from our logit and ordered probit models that the propensity to bicycle and the frequency of bicycling are driven primarily by demographic and socioeconomic factors. We also analyze various place-based factors and find that in general most have no statistical effect. Exceptions include areas with higher population density and areas with parks and playgrounds, both being associated with more bicycling. Results provide useful information for planners seeking to provide facilities that may increase the level of recreational bicycling, which is known to improve public health.
ortho-Hydroxylation of benzoic acids with hydrogen peroxide at a non-heme iron center

The iron-assisted hydroxylation of benzoic acid to salicylic acid by 1/H2O2 has been achieved in good yield under mild conditions (where 1 is [Fe(II)(BPMEN)(CH3CN)2](ClO4)2 and BPMEN = N,N′-dimethyl-N,N′-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)ethane-1,2-diamine); the product of this reaction is a novel mononuclear iron(III) complex with a chelating salicylate.
Methylphenidate Treatment of Minor Depression in Very Old Patients.

Seven patients age 80–106 who presented with signs and symptoms of depression were successfully treated with 1.25–10 mg of methylphenidate per day without evidence of toxicity or tolerance. Treatment was continued for up to 24 months with sustained benefits.
Military Nursing Research: Translation to Disaster Response and Day-to-Day Critical Care Nursing

Where to begin? How do you identify nursing care requirements for military operations, disaster, and humanitarian response, and how do you modify care under these unique conditions? This article presents a framework for identifying areas of critical care nursing that are performed on a day-to-day basis that may also be provided during a contingency operation, and discusses how that care may be changed by the austere conditions associated with a contingency response. Examples from various disasters, military operations, and military nursing research are used to illustrate the use of this framework. Examples are presented of how the results of this military nursing research inform disaster nursing and day-to-day critical care nursing practice.
Ineffectiveness of Arginine in Overcoming Soybean Growth Inhibitor in the Chick

Abstract Ham, Sandstedt and Mussehl (1945) have demonstrated the presence of a definite growth inhibitor in raw soybeans. Borchers and Ackerson (1951) found that the growth retardation of rats fed raw soybeans could be overcome by feeding trypsin powder. Since trypsin powder overcame the growth retardation after the proteolytic activity of the trypsin powder had been destroyed, these workers concluded that trypsin powder contained a non-enzymatic substance which overcomes the growth retardation due to unheated soybeans. Almquist and Merritt (1952 a, b) presented evidence that trypsin powder overcomes chick growth retardation due to unheated soybeans. In an earlier report Almquist and Merritt (1951) found that a dietary level of 1.26% arginine completely counteracted the chick growth retardation due to unheated soybeans when all other essential amino acids were present in adequate amounts. Since the protein content of the trypsin powder used by Borchers and Ackerson, and Almquist and Merritt is approximately . . .
Unloading reflex of a hand muscle.

Abstract The unloading reflex of abductor hallucis brevis was elicited by removal of the external load during voluntary contraction. The duration of the unloading pulse was varied experimentally from 1 to 32 msec. With all stimulus durations, the response was a measurable decrease in the level of EMG activity. Expressed as a percentage change from baseline, the mean size of the unloading reflex was a logarithmic function of the unloading pulse duration. The results demonstrate that the hand muscles are sensitive to very brief mechanical stimuli. Although the motoneurons of the intrinsic hand muscles receive strong projections from the cerebral cortex, they exhibit reflex behavior similar to that of the large, postural muscles.
Modern psychometric methods for estimating physician performance on the Clinician and Group CAHPS ® survey

Modern psychometric methods for scoring the Clinician & Group Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CG-CAHPS®) instrument can improve the precision of patient scores. The extent to which these methods can improve the reliable estimation and comparison of individual physician performance, however, remains unclear. Using CG-CAHPS® data from 12,244 unique patients of 448 primary care physicians in southern California, four methods were used to calculate composite scores: (1) standard scoring, (2) a single factor confirmatory factor analysis model, (3) a bifactor model, and (4) a correlated factor model. We extracted factor scores for physicians from each model and adjusted the scores for respondent characteristics, including age, education, self-rated physical health, and race/ethnicity. Physician-level reliability and physician rankings were examined across the four methods. The bifactor and correlated factor models achieved the best fit for the core CG-CAHPS® questions from the three core composite measures. Compared to standard adjusted scoring, the bifactor model scores resulted in a 25 % reduction in required sample sizes per physician. The correlation of physician rankings between scoring methods ranged from 0.58 to 0.86. The discordance of physician rankings across scoring methods was most pronounced in the middle of the performance distribution. Using modern psychometric methods to score physician performance on the core CG-CAHPS® questions may improve the reliability of physician performance estimates on patient experience measures, thereby reducing the required respondent sample sizes per physician compared to standard scoring. To assess the predictive validity of the CG-CAHPS® scores generated by modern psychometric methods, future research should examine the relative association of different scoring methods and important patient-centered outcomes of care.
Nonlinear dynamics of a semiconductor laser with delayed negative optoelectronic feedback

Nonlinear dynamics of a semiconductor laser with delayed negative optoelectronic feedback are studied both numerically and experimentally. Mappings of the dynamic states and bifurcation diagrams are compared between a delayed negative optoelectronic feedback system and a delayed positive optoelectronic feedback system. Both systems follow a quasiperiodic route to chaos, where regular pulsing, quasiperiodic pulsing, and chaotic pulsing states are observed. Frequency-locked pulsing states are also found in a delayed negative optoelectronic feedback system, but not in a delayed positive optoelectronic feedback system. These frequency-locked pulsing states are experimentally observed to exhibit a harmonic frequency-locking phenomenon, where the pulsing frequency is locked to a harmonic of the delay loop frequency instead of the delay loop frequency itself. The rotation numbers of these frequency-locked pulsing states show a Devil's staircase structure.
Basic fibroblast growth factor regulates the ability of astrocytes to support hypothalamic neuronal survival in vitro

The putative neurotrophic effects of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) were tested on embryonic hypothalamic neurons in dissociated cell culture. Basic FGF dramatically increased the survival of embryonic hypothalamic astrocytes plated on a poly-L-lysine (PLL) substrate. Basic FGF treatment also increased the number of hypothalamic neurons surviving in vitro; however, no neurotrophic effects were observed when astrocyte proliferation was prevented by using serum-free N2 medium or by using the mitotic inhibitor cytosine arabinoside. In contrast to effects when PLL was used as a substrate, bFGF reduced the survival of hypothalamic neurons plated on a confluent, contact-inhibited monolayer of astrocytes. This effect appears to be due to the direct actions of bFGF on astrocytes: treatment of confluent astrocytes with 5 ng/ml bFGF caused the protoplasmic astrocytes to develop a fibrillar morphology and reduced the ability of the astrocyte monolayer to promote neuronal survival after a further 24 hr in bFGF-free medium. It is concluded that in addition to its mitogenic effects, bFGF acts as a differentiation factor for protoplasmic astrocytes in vitro, and these morphological and functional changes may reflect the process of normal astrocytic development and response to brain injury in vivo.
Stem extension and subsequent flowering of seedlings grown under a film creating a far-red deficient environment

Abstract Photoselective plastic filters that reduce the transmission of far-red light (FR, 700–800 nm) have been developed to potentially reduce stem extension and thus plant height. However, an FR-deficient (FR d ) environment can also delay flowering, particularly in long-day plants (LDP). Our objective was to determine if seedlings could be grown under an FR d environment to reduce extension growth without subsequently delaying flowering upon removal from filter treatments. Pansy ( Viola × wittrockiana Gams.), petunia ( Petunia × hybrida Vilm.-Andr.), impatiens ( Impatiens walleriana Hook.), snapdragon ( Antirrhinum majus L.), and tomato [ Solanum lycopersicon L. (syn.: Lycopersicon esculentum )] were placed under the FR-intercepting (FR-i) filter or a neutral density (N) filter that transmitted a similar photosynthetic daily light integral. A third treatment consisted of transferring plants from the N to the FR-i filter when leaves of each species began to touch (after 18 or 24 days under the N filter). After 25–35 treatment days with a 16-hour photoperiod at 20 °C, seedlings were measured and then grown under natural photoperiods (≥14.5 h) at 20 °C in a glass greenhouse with no filter treatments until flowering. Compared with that of seedlings continually under the N filter, stem or petiole length in the FR d environment was significantly reduced in impatiens (by 10%), pansy (by 18%), petunia (by 34%), snapdragon (by 5%), and tomato (by 24%). Extension growth in plants held continually under the FR-i filter was similar to that of plants transferred from the N to the FR-i filter when leaves first touched. Flowering of plants from plugs in the FR d environment was delayed by 2–3 days in snapdragon, petunia, and pansy. At flowering, flower number and plant height of all species were similar among treatments. Therefore, the FR-i filter presents an attractive method of controlling seedling height with minimal impact on flowering when plants are subsequently removed from filter treatments.
Using Focus Groups, Expert Advice, and Cognitive Interviews to Establish the Validity of a College Student Survey.

This study focused on how the design of a national student survey instrument was informed and improved through the combined use of student focus groups, cognitive interviews, and expert survey design advice. We were specifically interested in determining (a) how students interpret the items and response options, (b) the frequency of behaviors or activities associated with the response options, (c) if the items are clearly worded and specific enough to produce reliable and valid results, and (d) if the items and response categories accurately represent students' behaviors and perceptions. We collected focus group data from 8 colleges and universities as part of a nationally funded research project on student engagement. The findings provide additional insight into the importance of using focus groups and cognitive interviews to learn how students interpret various items and what different responses really mean.
Privacy as a Concept and a Social Issue: A Multidimensional Developmental Theory

If we are to understand privacy as a future as well as a contemporary social issue, we must understand privacy as a concept. Individuals' concepts of privacy are tied to concrete situations in everyday life. These situations are described in terms of three dimensions: self-ego, environmental, and interpersonal. In combination with the dynamic of time, both developmental and sociohistorical, this situational analysis helps us to understand individual perceptions of privacy and privacy invasion, to predict potential privacy or invasion experiences, and to see the potential effects of the absence of certain privacy-related experiences.
Insider Trading in Continuous Time

The continuous-time version of A. Kyle's (1985) model of asset pricing with asymmetric information is studied. It is shown that there is a unique equilibrium pricing rule within a certain class. This pricing rule is obtained in closed form for general distributions of the asset value. A particular example is a lognormal distribution, for which the equilibrium price process is a geometric Brownian motion. General trading strategies are allowed. In equilibrium, the informed agent, who is risk neutral, has many optima, but he does not correlate his trades locally with the noise trades nor does he submit discrete orders. Article published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Financial Studies in its journal, The Review of Financial Studies.
Processes on annealed and quenched power-law small-world networks

We considered diffusion driven processes on power-law small-world networks: random walk on randomly folded polymers and surface growth related to synchronization problems. We found a rich phase diagram, with different transient and recurrent phases. The calculations were done in two limiting cases: the annealed case, when the rearrangement of the random links is fast (the configuration of the polymer changes fast) and the quenched case, when the link rearrangement is slow (the polymer configuration is static) compared to the motion of the random walker. In the quenched case, the random links introduced in small-world networks often lead to mean-filed coupling (i.e., the random links can be treated in an annealed fashion) but in some systems mean-field predictions break down, such as for diffusion in one dimension. This break-down can be understood treating the random links perturbatively where the mean field prediction appears as the lowest order term of a naive perturbation expansion. Our results were obtained using self-consisten perturbation theory. Numerical results will also be shown as a confirmation of the theory.© (2005) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
SU-FF-J-46: A Probabilistic Method for Online Treatment Plan Modification

Purpose: To develop an IMRT treatment planning method that accounts for increased knowledge of tumor and normal tissue location gained from inter- or intra-fractional imaging. Method and Materials: Knowledge of tumor location in each fraction or sub-fraction is represented by a probability density function (pdf), p(n,n′,t), that describes the probability that a voxel at index n in the planning image will be located at voxel n′ at a later time t. The pdf is changing as the new information becomes available. A set of beam profiles for each fraction or sub-fraction is then obtained by minimizing the quadratic objective function by accounting for probabilistic nature of the beamlet dose distribution: 〈d〉n,t=∑n,dn,p(n,n′,t). in each fraction. This optimization problem is set with the intention that the beamlets that have the highest risk of missing the tumor will not be delivered until adequate knowledge of tumor location becomes available. We apply this method to a case of a disk-shaped tumor inside a disk-shaped phantom with a tomotherapy beam geometry. Results: The method proved to deliver more conservative dose distributions at the beginning of treatment than at the end for both inter- and intra-fractional cases. For early fractions and sub-fractions, low-risk doses were delivered to regions where the probability was high that the tumor would be present during the treatment. As knowledge of tumor location improved, the remaining dose at the periphery of the tumor was filled-in. Conclusion: We showed that incorporating increased knowledge about tumor and normal tissue location, obtained by repeatitive on-line imaging leads to superior treatment plans.