cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Electrocatalytic amperometric detection at polymeric cobalt phthalocyanine electrodes

Glassy carbon electrodes modified with a coating of a cobalt phthalocyanine containing polymer offer attractive features for applications as electrocatalytic amperometric sensors following liquid chromatography. These electrodes, which are formed by the anodic electropolymerization of Co-4,4′,4″,4‴-tetraaminophthalocyanine, exhibit electrocatalytic properties similar to those of earlier carbon paste electrodes containing Co phthalocyanine monomer added directly to the paste mixture. However, the polymer electrodes also offer increased stability and a compatibility with organic solvents not obtainable with the carbon paste version. The performance of the polymer electrodes is illustrated here for the detection of thiols following reversed-phase liquid chromatography. Determination of picomole quantities of various thiols is possible at low positive potentials in mobile phases composed of 50% methanol or acetonitrile. Furthermore, the response of the electrodes is extremely stable, with more than 80% of the initial activity retained after 40 hours of continuous use.
Academic Enablers and Student Achievement: Implications for Assessment and Intervention Services in the Schools.

Academic enablers have been defined as attitudes and behaviors that facilitate students' participation in, and benefit from, academic instruction in the classroom (J.C. DiPerna & S.N. Elliott, 2000). The purpose of this article is to provide practitioners with an overview of specific academic enablers (motivation, study skills, engagement, and social skills) and their relationships with academic achievement. In addition, a practical framework is provided for considering academic enablers within assessment and intervention practices in the schools. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 43: 7–17, 2006.
Nanomechanical properties of energetically treated polyethylene surfaces

The effects of energetic treatments, crosslinking, and plasma modification on the surface mechanical properties and deformation behavior of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) were examined in light of nanoindentation experiments performed with a surface force microscope. Samples of UHMWPE were subjected to relatively high-dose gamma irradiation, oxygen ion implantation, and argon ion beam treatment. A range of crosslinking was achieved by varying the radiation dose. In addition, low-temperature plasma treatment with hexamethyldisiloxane/O2 and C3F6 was investigated for comparison. The surface mechanical properties of the treated UHMWPE samples are compared with those of untreated UHMWPE samples used as controls. Surface adhesion measurements obtained from the nanoindentation material responses are also discussed in terms of important treatment parameters. Results demonstrate that high-dose oxygen ion implantation, argon ion beam treatment, and low-temperature C3F6 plasma modification are effective treatments for enhancing the surface mechanical properties of UHMWPE.
Placement of ONUs and Wireless Routers in Fiber-Wireless Access Network with Survivability Constraints

Survivability is one of the key issues in Fiber-Wireless (FiWi) access network since a single network component failure may cause enormous data loss. This paper focuses on survivability of citywide FiWi access network and proposes a scheme using Integer Linear Programming (ILP) to tolerate the failures of distribution fiber and WiFi routers considering coverage problem. Simulation shows good performance of this scheme. When WiFi routers and ONUs are places in suitable potential sites, the maximal coverage of uses and survivability of FiWi access network are realized.
Scaling analysis of deposition from turbidity currents

Many oil-bearing sedimentary deposits are formed by the settling of particles from turbidity currents. Modeling sedimentary processes that form these turbidites enables the calculation of properties such as extent, depth, porosity and permeability of hydrocarbon-bearing reservoirs. This paper estimates the extent and thickness of turbidites from the initial conditions of the turbidity flow. This is achieved by the application of scaling analysis of the partial differential equations that govern the dynamics of and deposition from turbidity currents. We apply the results of scaling analysis to five modern submarine fans. The predicted and actual values of the dimensions of the fan deposits match well. We then compare the derived results against tabulated sizes of ancient turbidites. The comparisons are good as long as we correctly identify the flow regimes in which the deposition took place. The good agreements observed in the two cases show that the estimates obtained using scaling analysis can provide useful first-guess values for the dimensions of the deposits.
The Angular Distribution and Flux of Atmospheric Neutrinos

Because of the variation in space of the geomagnetic cutoff of the primary cosmic ray spectrum, the flux of ≲ GeV secondary neutrinos is not isotropic. This has important consequences for neutrino physics with underground detectors and for calibration and background studies of nucleon decay experiments.
Applying Social Learning Theory to Childhood and Adolescent Firesetting: Can it Lead to Serial Murder?

Despite the fact that serial murder has existed for centuries, it has been given little academic attention in the social science literature. Existing studies have primarily examined the motivational factors involved in the commission of serial murder. However, research examining the childhood and adolescent backgrounds of serial murderers is scant. Based on three case studies of serial murderers, this study contributes to the existing literature by exploring the possible link between childhood and/or adolescent fire setting and adult serial murder by applying social learning theory.
Bedside Monitoring of Spinal Cord Injuries

Scenario: This is a single lead I rhythm strip from the central monitor of a trauma intensive care unit. It was a level one alarm (life-threatening arrhythmia) with the computer interpretation of ventricular tachycardia. The patient is a 20-year-old white woman who sustained a high level (C4) spinal cord injury as an unbelted driver of a motor vehicle accident. ECG PUZZLER A regular feature of the American Journal of Critical Care, the ECG Puzzler addresses ECG interpretation for clinical practice. We welcome letters to the Editors regarding this feature.
Application of nonlinear viscoelastic models to describe ligament behavior

Recent experiments in rat medial collateral ligament revealed that the rate of stress relaxation is strain dependent and the rate of creep is stress dependent. This nonlinear behavior requires a more general description than the separable quasilinear viscoelasticity theory commonly used in tissue biomechanics. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the nonlinear theory of Schapery or the modified superposition method could adequately model the strain-dependent stress-relaxation behavior of ligaments. It is shown herein that both theories describe available nonlinear experimental ligament data well and hence can account for both elastic and viscous nonlinearities. However, modified superposition allows for a more direct interpretation of the relationship between model parameters and physical behavior, such as elastic and viscous nonlinearities, than does Schapery's theory. Hence, the modified superposition model is suggested to describe ligament data demonstrating both elastic nonlinearity and strain-dependent relaxation rate behavior. The behavior of the modified superposition model under a sinusoidal strain history is also examined. The model predicts that both elastic and viscous behaviors are dependent on strain amplitude and frequency.
Cytoplasmic dynein heavy chain 1b is required for flagellar assembly in Chlamydomonas.

A second cytoplasmic dynein heavy chain (cDhc) has recently been identified in several organisms, and its expression pattern is consistent with a possible role in axoneme assembly. We have used a genetic approach to ask whether cDhc1b is involved in flagellar assembly in Chlamydomonas. Using a modified PCR protocol, we recovered two cDhc sequences distinct from the axonemal Dhc sequences identified previously. cDhc1a is closely related to the major cytoplasmic Dhc, whereas cDhc1b is closely related to the minor cDhc isoform identified in sea urchins, Caenorhabditis elegans, and Tetrahymena. The Chlamydomonas cDhc1b transcript is a low-abundance mRNA whose expression is enhanced by deflagellation. To determine its role in flagellar assembly, we screened a collection of stumpy flagellar (stf) mutants generated by insertional mutagenesis and identified two strains in which portions of the cDhc1b gene have been deleted. The two mutants assemble short flagellar stumps (,1‐2 mm) filled with aberrant microtubules, raft-like particles, and other amorphous material. The results indicate that cDhc1b is involved in the transport of components required for flagellar assembly in Chlamydomonas.
Active optical lattice filters

Optical lattice filter structures including gains are introduced and analyzed. The photonic realization of the active, adaptive lattice filter is described. The algorithms which map between gains space and filter coefficients space are presented and studied. The sensitivities of filter parameters with respect to gains are derived and calculated. An example which is relevant to adaptive signal processing is also provided.
Y‐family DNA polymerases respond to DNA damage‐independent inhibition of replication fork progression

In Escherichia coli, the Y-family DNA polymerases Pol IV (DinB) and Pol V (UmuD2′C) enhance cell survival upon DNA damage by bypassing replication-blocking DNA lesions. We report a unique function for these polymerases when DNA replication fork progression is arrested not by exogenous DNA damage, but with hydroxyurea (HU), thereby inhibiting ribonucleotide reductase, and bringing about damage-independent DNA replication stalling. Remarkably, the umuC122∷Tn5 allele of umuC, dinB, and certain forms of umuD gene products endow E. coli with the ability to withstand HU treatment (HUR). The catalytic activities of the UmuC122 and DinB proteins are both required for HUR. Moreover, the lethality brought about by such stalled replication forks in the wild-type derivatives appears to proceed through the toxin/antitoxin pairs mazEF and relBE. This novel function reveals a role for Y-family polymerases in enhancing cell survival under conditions of nucleotide starvation, in addition to their established functions in response to DNA damage.
TRAVELER: a mobile agent based infrastructure for wide area parallel computing

The paper proposes a Java-based mobile agent infrastructure, TRAVELER, to support wide area parallel applications. Unlike other meta-computing systems, TRAVELER allows users to dispatch their compute-intensive jobs as mobile agents via a resource broker. The broker forms a parallel virtual machine atop servers to execute the agents. Since the agents can be programmed to satisfy their goals, even if they move and lose contact with their creators, they can survive intermittent or unreliable network connection. During their lifetime, the agents can also move themselves autonomously from one machine to another for load balancing, enhancing data locality, and tolerating faults. TRAVELER relies on an integrated distributed shared array runtime system in support of agent communications on clusters of servers. We demonstrated the feasibility of the TRAVELER in LU factorization problems.
Patterns of β-blocker initiation in patients undergoing intermediate to high-risk noncardiac surgery

Background Based on 2 small randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from the 1990s, β-blockers were promoted to prevent perioperative cardiac events in patients undergoing noncardiac surgery. In 2008, a large RCT (POISE trial) showed an increased mortality risk associated with perioperative β-blockade, raising concerns about an extensive β-Blocker use. Objectives The objective of the study is to examine patterns of β-Blocker initiation among patients undergoing noncardiac elective surgery in the US. Methods From a large, nationwide US health care insurer, we identified patients ≥18 years old who underwent moderate- to high-risk noncardiac elective surgery between 2003 and 2012 and initiated a β-Blocker within 30 days before surgery. We evaluated temporal trends and assessed the impact of the POISE trial on perioperative β-Blocker initiation. We also evaluated patient characteristics and examined the effect of temporal proximity to surgery on the likelihood of β-Blocker initiation. Results Of 499,752 patients undergoing surgery, 9,014 (18 per 1,000 patients) initiated a β-Blocker. β-Blocker initiation increased from 12 per 1,000 patients in 2003 to 23 before POISE, after which it decreased to 14 by December 2012 ( P = .0001). β-Blocker initiation remained relatively high among patients undergoing vascular surgery or with Revised Cardiac Risk Index score ≥ 2. Proximity to surgery was highly predictive of β-Blocker initiation (odds ratio 3.34, 95% CI 3.17-3.51). Conclusions After a period of a rapidly increasing trend, perioperative β-Blocker initiation decreased sharply in the second half of 2008 and continued to decrease afterwards. β-Blocker initiation remained relatively high in patients with Revised Cardiac Risk Index score ≥2 and in those undergoing major vascular surgery.
Stability and Convergence of TCP with Faster Congestion Feedback

TCP's ability to adjust to network conditions heavily depends on congestion feedback from the network. Historically, timeout, packet loss detection and Explicit Congestion Notification have been used to deliver the feedback. However, it has been discovered that TCP using ECN and RED is not stable in high-speed networks or in long round-trip time connections, and can lead to large oscillations, packet losses and timeout. In this paper, we prove that TCP with faster congestion feedback, such as with the Mark-Front Strategy, has larger stability region and therefore is more suitable for high-speed and long round-trip time connections. With numerical calculations we also show that TCP with faster congestion feedback converges quicker to its steady state. Simulation results validate the benefits of better stability and quicker convergence.
Calculations of electron inelastic mean free paths for 31 materials

We present new calculations of electron inelastic mean free paths (IMFPs) for 200–2000 eV electrons in 27 elements (C, Mg, Al, Si, Ti, V, Cr, Fe, Ni, Cu, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Hf, Ta, W, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, Au and Bi) and four compounds (LiF, SiO2, ZnS and Al2O3). These calculations are based on an algorithm due to Penn which makes use of experimental optical data (to represent the dependence of the inelastic scattering probability on energy loss) and the theoretical Lindhard dielectric function (to represent the dependence of the scattering probability on momentum transfer). Our calculated IMFPs were fitted to the Bethe equation for inelastic electron scattering in matter; the two parameters in the Bethe equation were then empirically related to several material constants. The resulting general IMFP formula is believed to be useful for predicting the IMFP dependence on electron energy for a given material and the material-dependence for a given energy. The new formula also appears to be a reasonable but more approximate guide to electron attenuation lengths.
Two-point joint probability-density function for the intensities of the sum of partially developed speckle patterns

The probability-density function and the correlation function for intensities at two points in a laser speckle pattern that is a sum of several uncorrelated, partially developed speckle patterns are derived. The special cases of the newly derived results are found to agree with all the previously known results. These results are useful for applications in which techniques of speckle reduction by aperture averaging are employed.
Market Efficiency of US Grain Markets: Application of Cointegration Tests

This study examines the market efficiency hypothesis of US major grain markets. Cointegration among grain spot prices is argued to violate the weak form of the efficient market hypothesis (EMH). Bivariate and multivariate Johansen cointegration analyses are conducted and prove no presence of cointegrated grain prices. The finding lends support to the EMH in US grain markets. It suggests that little possibility exists to make speculative profits across US grain markets in the long run and that the unsystematic risk across the grain markets can be reduced by the diversified investment portfolios. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
A New Species And Three Generic Transfers In The Fern Genus Notholaena (pteridaceae)

Three species of farinose ferns traditionally included in the large, polymorphic genus Cheilanthes Swartz are transferred to the genus Notholaena R. Brown as N. aureolina Yatskievych & Arbelaez, N. jaliscana Yatskievych & Arbelaez, and N. ochracea (Hooker) Yatskievych & Arbelaez. Additionally, a Central American novelty is described as a new species, N. montielae Yatskievych & Arbelaez, with a type from Nicaragua.
Asymptomatic and electrically silent myocardial ischemia during upright leg cycle ergometry and treadmill exercise (clandestine myocardial ischemia)

Abstract The frequency of “clandestine” (electrically silent and asymptomatic, but scintigraphically evident) myocardial ischemia during treadmill and upright leg cycle ergometric studies was compared in 38 patients with coronary artery disease and reversible ischemia on both thallium-201 scintigraphy and exercise radionuclide angiograptiy. A similar peak double product was attained in both studies. Angina pectoris was significantly more frequent with treadmill exercise than with leg cycling (29 vs 5%, p = 0.0079). An interpretable and positive exercise electrocardiogram occurred in 53% of treadmill tests, but in only 19% of leg cycle tests (p = 0.0025); in a group of 22 patients without scintigraphic ischemia, leg cycle testing had greater specificity (95 vs 64%, p = 0.0248). Ischemia was manifest by symptoms or an abnormal electrocardiogram in 59% of treadmill tests, but in only 18% of leg cycle tests (p = 0.0003). There were no differences between the exercise variables or the degree of scintigraphic abnormalities of the 22 patients with manifest ischemia and the 16 with clandestine ischemia. However, patients with previous coronary artery bypass surgery experienced clandestine ischemia more frequently than did those without bypass surgery (80 vs 33%, p = 0.0103). Thus, clandestine ischemia occurs more frequently during symptom-limited upright leg cycle ergometry (82%) than during treadmill exercise (42%). The symptomatic and electrical manifestations of exercise-induced ischemia have a critical dependence on the type of exercise used.
THE “MUSICAL” SOUND EMITTED BY A TORNADO

Abstract This paper attempts to explain the “whining” or “hissing” sound reported from tornadoes. The leading hypothesis is that the air masses involved in the tornado circulation execute some free vibrations. It is found that these vibrations may be in the audible range for a small vortex whose radius is of the order of 10 m. or less. A formula is obtained which relates the frequency of the tone to the inner radius of the vortex. This formula is amenable to experimental verification.
Occurrence and Activity of Bats at Three National Monuments in Central Arizona

Abstract Mist-netting and acoustic monitoring was used to determine occurrence, activity, and use of habitats by bats at Montezuma Castle (i.e., Montezuma Castle Unit and Montezuma Well Unit), Tonto, and Tuzigoot national monuments, Arizona. All calls were visualized by generating sonograms and identified to species except for Myotis, because of similarity between calls within this genus. We used discriminate analysis to identify calls of Myotis to species. Riparian and marsh vegetational associations had the highest overall activity, except at Montezuma Castle Unit where desert, riparian, and transition vegetational associations had similar overall activity. Use of acoustic monitoring and mist-netting enabled us to detect one to eight more species, depending on site, than if only one technique had been used.
Effect of Short-Term Saccadic Adaptation on Saccades Evoked by Electrical Stimulation in the Primate Superior Colliculus

The brain maintains the accuracy of visually guided movements by using visual feedback to correct for changes in the nervous system and musculature that would otherwise result in dysmetria. In monkeys, evidence suggests that an adaptive mechanism can compensate for weakness in an extraocular muscle by changing the gain of the neural signal to the weakened muscle. The visual effects of such neuromuscular changes have been simulated using a short-term saccade adaptation paradigm, in which the target spot jumps to a new location during the initial saccade. Under these circumstances, over several hundred trials, monkeys gradually change the amplitude of their saccades so that the eye lands closer to the final location of the target spot. There is considerable evidence from lesion and single-unit recording studies that the locus of such saccade adaptation is downstream of the superior colliculus in the cerebellum. Paradoxically, previous research has indicated that saccades evoked by electrical stimulation in the superior colliculus are not modified by short-term saccade adaptation, suggesting that adaptation occurs in the oculomotor system upstream of the superior colliculus or else in a pathway that bypasses the superior colliculus. We tested whether this result was due to using suprathreshold stimulation currents. Stimulating at 44 low-threshold sites in the superior colliculi of three monkeys revealed that using low current levels evoked saccades that were modified by adaptation. Adaptation for visually guided and electrically evoked saccades had similar time courses and tended to be accomplished by a reduction in saccade velocity rather than a decrease in duration. Moreover, the more similar the velocity of electrically evoked and visually guided saccades prior to the start of saccadic adaptation the greater the effect of adaptation on electrically evoked saccades. These results suggest that the superior colliculus is indeed upstream of the locus of adaptation, corroborating previous lesion and single-cell recording studies, but that the mechanism mediating saccade adaptation is sensitive to the parameters of electrical stimulation.
From Stock Selection to Portfolio Alpha Generation: The Role of Fundamental Analysis

In this roundtable sponsored by Columbia Business School's Center for Excellence in Accounting Research and Security Analysis, a group of successful investors discuss their approaches and methods. A common saying among financial economists is that stock prices are set not by the average investor, but at the margin by the most sophisticated and influential investors. The intent of this roundtable is to furnish a portrait of such marginal investors, one that turns out to be quite different from the quarterly earnings-driven, momentum traders often depicted by the media and deplored by corporate executives. In response to the common charge of short termism leveled by corporate managers, most of the investors at the table claimed to take large, multi-year positions in companies they believed to be well-managed, but temporarily undervalued. Instead of being attracted to earnings momentum, and rather than simply capitalizing current earnings at industry-wide multiples to arrive at price targets, the analysis of these investors begins with a deep dive into a company's financials, which is often reinforced by primary research - visits with management, customers, suppliers. The aim of such research is to identify, well before the broad market does, companies that promise to earn consistently high and sustainable returns on invested capital.
CXCL13 promotes isotype-switched B cell accumulation to the central nervous system during viral encephalomyelitis.

Elevated CXCL13 within the central nervous system (CNS) correlates with humoral responses in several neuroinflammatory diseases, yet its role is controversial. During coronavirus encephalomyelitis CXCL13 deficiency impaired CNS accumulation of memory B cells and antibody-secreting cells (ASC) but not naive/early-activated B cells. However, despite diminished germinal center B cells and follicular helper T cells in draining lymph nodes, ASC in bone marrow and antiviral serum antibody were intact in the absence of CXCL13. The data demonstrate that CXCL13 is not essential in mounting effective peripheral humoral responses, but specifically promotes CNS accumulation of differentiated B cells.
Predicting Component Utilities for Linear-Weighted Hybrid Recommendation

An eective technique for recommendation in social media and other heterogeneous networks is the weighted hybrid of low-dimensional components (WHyLDR). Recent studies have shown this technique is comparable to other integrative approaches while being considerably more exible. One key issue for the implementation of a WHyLDR system is the choice of components to generate. Research has shown that the contribution of components based on dierent network paths varies in unexpected and domaindependent ways. This work examines an information theoretic technique for estimating component performance. Using a real-world social media dataset, we show that this technique is useful both for optimization (estimating component weights) and for determining which components to include in a hybrid.
Adsorption of ions onto nanosolids dispersed in liquid crystals: Towards understanding the ion trapping effect in nanocolloids

Abstract The ion capturing effect in liquid crystal nanocolloids was quantified by means of the ion trapping coefficient. The dependence of the ion trapping coefficient on the concentration of nano-dopants and their ionic purity was calculated for a variety of nanosolids dispersed in liquid crystals: carbon nanotubes, graphene nano-flakes, diamond nanoparticles, anatase nanoparticles, and ferroelectric nanoparticles. The proposed method perfectly fits existing experimental data and can be useful in the design of highly efficient ion capturing nanomaterials.
The Decomposition Products of JP-10

Establishment of an accurate kinetic mechanism for JP-10 pyrolysis and oxidation will require identification of the initial products of JP-10 thermal decomposition. Recently we have developed a new high-speed UV absorption kinetic spectrograph that can to be used with a shock tube to rapidly acquire spectra to measure and identify these products at combustion temperatures. Using this kinetic spectrograph, the high-temperature UV absorption spectra for a variety of hydrocarbon species related to the decomposition products of JP-10 have been measured. These species include: benzene, cyclopentene, propene, ethylene, acetylene, 1,3butadiene, cyclopentadiene and JP-10. Few of these spectra have been measured at high temperature before. By comparison of these spectra to the absorption spectrum of JP-10 decomposition products, evidence of cyclopentene as an initial decomposition product with near unity yield was found: JP-10 -* C5Hg+ other products Measured formation rates of cyclopentene were found to be consistent with an initial C-C bond-scission step. Several previously suggested pathways for JP-10 decomposition can be ruled out using the same methods.
Experimental field treatments with larvicides for control of Anopheles, Aedes, and Culex mosquitoes.

Grassy plots were treated with granular, wettable powder, and emulsifiable-concentrate formulations of 22 different insecticides to determine their residual life as larvicides. Larvae of Anopheles albimanus Wiedemann, Aedes taeniorhynchus Wiedemann, and Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus Say were used as test insects. Thirteen of the compounds gave satisfactory results for 6 or more weeks against at least one of the test species. Dursban® ( O, O -diethyl O -(3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridyl) phosphorothioate) at 1 lb/acre was the most effective compound; fenthion at 2 lb/acre and Abate® ( O, O -dimethyl phosphorothioate O, O -diester with 4,4′-thiodiphenol) and Mobam® (benzo[b]thien-4-yl methylcarbamate at 4 lb/acre gave comparable results. At 0.5 lb/acre Dursban gave 6 and >12 weeks of 90% kills of A. taeniorhynchus and A. albimanus . Carbamates, such as propoxur, carbaryl, and Mobam were effective against one or more of the 3 species for >12 weeks when applied at rates of 2 to 4 lb/acre. Residual activity varied markedly with the dosage rate and species tested.
Increased Bioelectric Potential Difference across Respiratory Epithelia in Cystic Fibrosis

To investigate respiratory epithelial function in cystic fibrosis, we measured the transepithelial electrical potential difference across the upper and lower respiratory mucosa in patients with cystic fibrosis and control subjects. The nasal potential difference in the 24 patients with cystic fibrosis exceeded by more than 3 standard deviations the mean voltage in healthy controls, subjects with other diseases, and subjects heterozygous for cystic fibrosis. Potential differences in lower airways were measured in four patients and were significantly greater than in controls (P less than 0.05). Superfusion of the luminal surface with amiloride, an inhibitor of active sodium absorption, induced greater reductions in both nasal and airway potential difference in patients than in controls. We conclude that the increased respiratory-epithelial potential differences appear to be a specific abnormality in homozygotes for cystic fibrosis. The greater reduction in potential difference in response to amiloride suggests that absorption of excess salt and perhaps liquid from respiratory epithelial surfaces contributes to the pathogenesis of lung disease in cystic fibrosis.
Planning and executing complex large-scale exercises.

INTRODUCTION Increasingly, public health departments are designing and engaging in complex operations-based full-scale exercises to test multiple public health preparedness response functions. The Department of Homeland Security's Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) supplies benchmark guidelines that provide a framework for both the design and the evaluation of drills and exercises; however, the HSEEP framework does not seem to have been designed to manage the development and evaluation of multiple, operations-based, parallel exercises combined into 1 complex large-scale event. METHODS Lessons learned from the planning of the Mississippi State Department of Health Emergency Support Function--8 involvement in National Level Exercise 2011 were used to develop an expanded exercise planning model that is HSEEP compliant but accounts for increased exercise complexity and is more functional for public health. RESULTS The Expanded HSEEP (E-HSEEP) model was developed through changes in the HSEEP exercise planning process in areas of Exercise Plan, Controller/Evaluator Handbook, Evaluation Plan, and After Action Report and Improvement Plan development. The E-HSEEP model was tested and refined during the planning and evaluation of Mississippi's State-level Emergency Support Function-8 exercises in 2012 and 2013. DISCUSSION As a result of using the E-HSEEP model, Mississippi State Department of Health was able to capture strengths, lessons learned, and areas for improvement, and identify microlevel issues that may have been missed using the traditional HSEEP framework. NEXT STEPS The South Central Preparedness and Emergency Response Learning Center is working to create an Excel-based E-HSEEP tool that will allow practice partners to build a database to track corrective actions and conduct many different types of analyses and comparisons.
Site Specific Risk Assessment Tools for Land Applied Biosolids

This project compiled information on the fate, transport, and risk presented by pathogens in land-applied biosolids into a spreadsheet based risk assessment model. The model was applied to an example field. This report describes the integration of knowledge to assess microbial risks from the land application of biosolids. This knowledge has been incorporated into an environmental dispersion, exposure, and risk model, known as the Spreadsheet Microbial Assessment of Risk: Tool for Biosolids (“SMART Biosolids”). The SMART Biosolids model includes a user's manual that enables wastewater utilities, land applicators, and regulators, to estimate microbial risk from biosolids land application under a variety of scenarios and thereby gain insight into effective management practices. In addition, this project conducted field monitoring to assess the fate and transport of microbes from land application during wet weather events. The field monitoring did not find detectable quantities of pathogens after transport through several feet of soil in the field. However, the study did quantify some desorption of pathogens and indicators into ponded surface water, suggesting that runoff from biosolids amended fields may have trace amounts of pathogens. The risk assessment model was applied to quantify the risks such runoff might pose to surface waterbodies on a site-specific basis. The example scenarios run suggest that microbial risk due to contamination of surface waters from land application runoff would be below existing risk standards for recreational surface waters. The risk modeling estimated that exposure due to the incidental ingestion of soil appears to be the pathway of most concern and adenovirus was found to be the organism presenting the highest risk over the different pathways considered. Adenovirus is a common pathogen that is not associated with life threatening illness. The results are based on extremely limited monitoring for adenovirus (N=5). An important goal of knowledge integration efforts such as this is to identify and help prioritize knowledge gaps. The need for better information on the occurrence and persistence of adenovirus in land-applied biosolids is a key research need identified by this study. This title belongs to WERF Research Report Series . ISBN: 9781843392590 (eBook)
The hunt for a selective 17,20 lyase inhibitor; learning lessons from nature

Given prostate cancer is driven, in part, by its responsiveness to androgens, treatments historically employ methods for their removal from circulation. Approaches as crude as castration, and more recently blockade of androgen synthesis or receptor binding, are still of limited use long term, since other steroids of adrenal origin or tumor origin can supersede that role as the 'castration resistant' tumor re-emerges. Broader inhibition of steroidogenesis using relatively nonselective P450 inhibitors such as ketoconazole is not an alternative since a general disruption of steroid biosynthesis is neither safe nor effective. The recent emergence of drugs more selectively targeting CYP17 have been more effective, and yet extension of life has been on the scale of months rather than years. It is now becoming clear this shortcoming arises from the adaptive capabilities of many tumors to initiate local steroid synthesis and/or become responsive to novel early pathway adrenal steroids that are synthesized when lyase activity is not selectively blocked, and ACTH rises in the face of declining cortisol feedback. Abiraterone has been described as a lyase selective inhibitor, yet its use still requires co-administration of prednisone to suppress such a rise of ACTH and fall in cortisol. So is creation of a selective lyase inhibitor even possible? Can C19 steroid production be achieved without a prominent decline in cortisol and corresponding rise in ACTH? Decades of scientific study of CYP17 in humans and nonhuman primates, as well as nature's own experiments of gene mutations in humans, reveal 'true' or 'isolated' 17,20 lyase deficiency does quite selectively prevent C19 steroid biosynthesis whereas simple 17 hydroxylase deficiency also suppresses cortisol. We propose these known outcomes of natural mutations should be used to guide analysis of clinical trials and long term outcomes of CYP17 targeted drugs. In this review, we use that framework to re-evaluate the basic and clinical outcomes of many compounds being used or in development for treatment of castration resistant prostate cancer. Specifically, we include the nonselective drug ketoconazole, and then the CYP17 targeted drugs abiraterone, orteronel (TAK-700), galaterone (TOK-001), and seviteronel (VT-464). Using this framework, we can fully discriminate the clinical outcomes for ketoconazole, a drug with broad specificity, yet clinically ineffective, from that of abiraterone, the first CYP17 targeted therapy that is limited by its need for prednisone co-therapy. We also can identify potential next generation CYP17 targeted drugs now emerging that show signs of being far more 17,20 lyase selective. We conclude that a future for improved therapy without substantial cortisol decline, thus avoiding prednisone co-administration, seems possible at long last.
Toward an emphasis on evidence and explanation in K-5 science teaching

In this work, scientific explanations can be likened to Roth's description of science content ideas (Roth et al., 2009). They are the "big ideas" accepted within the scientific community, which also serve as the intended outcomes of student learning. Engaging students in the discourse and practices of science is a means by which explanations are socially negotiated in school science.
Recovery metabolism and thermoregulation of endurance trained and heat acclimatized men.

Comparaison des effets de l'exercice d'endurance a trois intensites submaximales, sur la consommation d'oxygene maximum post-exercice, sur le rythme cardiaque et sur la temperature rectale
Do Patient Characteristics Impact Decisions by Clinicians on Hemoglobin A1c Targets

In setting hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) targets, physicians must consider individualized risks and benefits of tight glycemic control (1,2) by recognizing that the risk-benefit ratio may become unfavorable in certain patients, including the elderly and/or those with multiple comorbidities (3,4). Customization of treatment goals based on patient characteristics is poorly understood, partly due to insufficient data on physicians’ decisions in setting targets. We used the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) to analyze patient-reported HbA1c targets set by physicians and to test whether targets are correlated with patient characteristics. Data from the NHANES waves 2005–2006, 2007–2008, 2011–2012, and 2013–2014 (the 2009–2010 wave lacked HbA1c data) comprised 2,641 individuals with self-reported diabetes, of which 1,782 responded to the question, “What does [your doctor] say [your] ‘A1C’ level should be?” On the basis of the distribution of responses, we analyzed the following targets: <6%, <7%, and higher cutoffs (<8%, 9%, and 10%) combined. Using ordered logistic regression, we assessed the influence of age; sex; race; diabetes duration; comorbidities; BMI; variables on physical, mental, and biological health; and health care utilization. We used NHANES sample weights to calculate population rates of target HbA …
Compound soft power: the BRICS and the multilateralization of soft power

This article offers a complementary analysis to the prevailing literature on soft power by addressing the issue of multilateral soft power. While the prevailing literature on soft power tends to look at how soft power manifests itself within individual nations, this article attempts to analyze the manifestations of collective soft power in the vehicle of a multilateral organization. This can be referred to this as compound soft power. Such an analysis looks at a macro-level class of soft power. In doing so, it looks more broadly at the configuration of the forest, in contradistinction to the prevailing research on soft power, which looks predominantly at individual trees (i.e. individual country analysis). While this analysis of compound soft power is undertaken specifically within the context of the BRICS, it is intended to be generalized to the study of all international organizations.
Palliative Care, Hospice Care, Advance Care Planning, and Advance Directives

This chapter discusses palliative care, hospice care, and advance care planning (ACP) and advance directives (ADs) in the oncology setting. The background and definitions are outlined for each of these three topics. The palliative care and hospice sections then go on to discuss guidelines for their respective disciplines followed by a description of the services provided, the setting(s) they are provided in, barriers to enrollment and evidence-based outcomes. The ACP and ADs section outlines the utilization of such planning at the end of life by patients with advanced cancer, the effectiveness of ACP and ADs, and the required documents. Resources are provided at the conclusion of each of the three discussion topics.
Using Vision for Pre- and Post-grasping Object Localization for Soft Hands

In this paper, we present soft hands guided by an RGB-D object perception algorithm which is capable of localizing the pose of an object before and after grasping. The soft hands can perform manipulation operations such as grasping and connecting two parts. The flexible soft grippers grasp objects reliably under high uncertainty but the poses of the objects after grasping are subject to high uncertainty. Visual sensing ameliorates the increased uncertainty by means of in-hand object localization. The combination of soft hands and visual object perception enables our Baxter robot, augmented with soft hands, to perform object assembly tasks which require high precision. The effectiveness of our approach is validated by comparing it to the Baxter’s original hard hands with and without the in-hand object localization.
A new method for detection of fatigue cracking in steel bridge girders using self-powered wireless sensors

Development of fatigue cracking is affecting the structural performance of many of welded steel bridges in the United States. This paper presents a support vector machine (SVM) method for the detection of distortion-induced fatigue cracking in steel bridge girders based on the data provided by self-powered wireless sensors (SWS). The sensors have a series of memory gates that can cumulatively record the duration of the applied strain at a specific threshold level. Each sensor output has been characterized by a Gaussian cumulative density function. For the analysis, extensive finite element simulations were carried out to obtain the structural response of an existing highway steel bridge girder (I-96/M- 52) in Webberville, Michigan. The damage states were defined based on the length of the crack. Initial damage indicator features were extracted from the sensor output distribution at different data acquisition nodes. Subsequently, the SVM classifier was developed to identify multiple damage states. A data fusion model was proposed to increase the classification performance. The results indicate that the models have acceptable detection performance, specific ally for cracks larger than 10 mm. The best classification performance was obtained using the information from a group of sensors located near the damage zone.
Does Renewable Energy Development Decouple Economic Growth from CO2 Emissions

We assess how renewable electricity production interacts with GDP per capita to influence CO2 emissions per capita, analyzing cross-national data from 1960 to 2012. We find an interaction effect be...
The Epidemiology and Genetics of Vascular Dementia: Current Knowledge and Next Steps

Vascular dementia (VaD) is dementia resulting from vascular defects such as occlusions or malformations in the brain, typically arising from stroke. Although it is the second most common cause of dementia after Alzheimer's disease, it has a considerably more ambiguous and heterogeneous pathology, complicating the identification of causal genetic risk factors. Successful genetic studies of VaD have included candidate genes studies that have focused on genes contributing to cerebrovascular disease and genes contributing to vascular risk factors upstream of stroke, such as genes related to renin–angiotensin system like angiotension converting enzyme influencing hypertension. Studies of subtypes of VaD with distinct pathologies, such as cerebral amyloid angiopathy, have also succeeded in identifying genes that may contribute to the presentation of VaD even among those without monogenic forms of disease. Finally, genome-wide association studies using high-density genotyping arrays and next-generation sequencing are beginning to identify high penetrance common genetic variants increasing the risk of the disease, and with future studies may identify rare variants driving VaD. Although genetic studies of VaD remain challenging due to varying diagnostic criteria and heterogeneity in disease pathology, studies with larger sample sizes and highly refined phenotypic characterizations of dementia may provide opportunities for the identification of novel genetic contributors to VaD.
Does Missed Care in Isolated Rural Hospitals Matter

Missed care is associated with adverse outcomes such as patient falls and decreased nurse job satisfaction. Although studied in populations of interest such as neonates, children, and heart failure patients, there are no studies about missed care in rural hospitals. Reducing care omissions in rural hospitals might help improve rural patient outcomes and ensure that rural hospitals can remain open in an era of hospital reimbursement dependent on care outcomes, such as through value-based purchasing. Understanding the extent of missed nursing care and its implications for rural populations might provide crucial information to alert rural hospital administrators and nurses about the incidence and influence of missed care on health outcomes. Focusing on missed care within rural hospitals and other rural health care settings is important to address the specific health needs of aging rural U.S. residents who are isolated from high-volume, urban health care facilities.
Newer Approaches to Preventing Vascular Catheter-Related Sepsis

Despite our enhanced understanding of the pathogenesis and risk factors predisposing to infection of vascular catheters, bloodstream infection remains the most common serious complication of such intravascular devices. Most nosocomial cases of bloodstream infection are associated with the use of intravascular devices, which account for at least 200,000 such cases each year in the U.S. (1,2). The contribution of vascular catheters to sepsis is particularly prominent in the intensive care unit (ICU) setting where, for instance, patients with indwelling intravascular devices have substantially higher rates of bloodstream infection than those without such devices (3). Although ICU patients may require the insertion of different types of intravascular catheters, including peripheral arterial catheters, pulmonary artery catheters, peripheral venous catheters, and central venous catheters, the latter account for most cases of catheter-related bloodstream infection. The mortality attributable to catheter-related bloodstream infection in ICU patients approaches 25%, and patients who survive such an infection are hospitalized for a mean of 6.5 days longer than those who do not develop such an infection (4). The management of catheter-related bloodstream infections can be very expensive as it reportedly costs an additional mean of $29,000 to treat one such episode in ICU patients (4).
Forgiveness and Reconciliation: Essential to Sustaining Human Development

This chapter highlights the inextricably interwoven benefits to personal, interpersonal, communal, and societal development of reconciliation and forgiveness, two interrelated processes which help to restore trust, reinstate integrity, and foster security within the individual, dyad, family, community, and larger interpersonal and social systems. Together they help to make continuing interaction with others a safe-enough affair so that a couple or family can support the development of individual members and so that a community or larger group can function adequately to nurture the persons, families, and ethnic and other identity groups that compose it.