cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Association between trajectories of personal growth initiative and post-traumatic stress after Hurricane Harvey: A latent growth mixture modeling approach

Studies examining the association between personal growth initiative (PGI) and post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) have often utilized cross-sectional research designs, and as a result, the changes in the levels of PGI and its association with the trajectory of PTSS remain unclear. The current study aimed to (1) explore the different trajectories in both PGI and PTSS and (2) examine the associations of the identified trajectories between PGI and PTSS among individuals. The final sample were 419 adults who were physically residing in the area when Hurricane Harvey made landfall on 26 August 2017. The initial data collection occurred approximately 16 months after the Hurricane, and participants were asked to participate again after 1- and 3-month later. A result from the latent growth mixture modeling revealed that for PGI, the 4-class model was the best-fitting model, and for PTSS, the 3-class model was the best-fitting model. When examining the association between the trajectories of PGI and PSS, individuals classified to higher PGI subgroups were more likely to be associated with the Recovery PTSS subgroup. The current study suggests that disaster survivors with higher PGI were more likely to recover from PTSS, raising an importance of incorporating PGI to alleviate future PTSS.
Exploratory experiments on pre-activated freezing nucleation on mercuric iodide

Abstract. Pre-activation of freezing nucleation (PFN) with mercuric iodide was first reported by Edwards, Evans, and Zipper (Edwards et al., 1970). They found that freezing, followed by melting just a few degrees Celsius above the melting point, leads to subsequent freezing of the sample more than 10 ∘ C above the temperature of the initial nucleation temperature. Results presented in this paper are from laboratory experiments that followed the procedure designed by Edwards, Evans, and Zipper (1970) but employed multiple sample drops and many repetitions of the pre-activation cycle. The results obtained confirm the basic findings of the earlier work and refine them. It is shown that the pre-activation effect is lost gradually as the sample is heated above the melting point and that some effect is still seen with heating above +5 ∘ C. Instrumental limitation in these experiments precluded detection of pre-activated freezing above −2 ∘ C, but that possibility is not excluded. Some PFN was noted down to at least −6 ∘ C. By also drawing on the results of Seeley and Seidler (2001), PFN is analyzed in search of constraints that help define the process responsible for it. No firm conclusions are reached, but the accumulated evidence points quite clearly to the role of surface sites in leading to PFN. Thus, sites are seen to play the same role as they do in heterogeneous freezing nucleation in general. PFN differs from pore condensation and freezing described by Marcolli (2020) and David et al. (2020), in that PFN is observed in liquid water while that process takes place in the vapor phase. Further explorations of the process leading to PFN can help in understanding ice nucleation and its practical manifestations at a basic level. The results call attention to an ice nucleation pathway hitherto barely explored that can be expected to have consequences in how ice nucleation occurs in atmospheric clouds and in other systems. PFN is also a potential tool for deliberate initiation of freezing in clouds and other systems.
Privacy-Preserving Network Analytics

Using financial networks as a backdrop, we develop a new framework for privacy-preserving network analytics. Adopting the debt and equity models of Eisenberg and Noe (2001) and Elliott et al. (2014) as proof of concept, we show how aggregate-level statistics required for stress testing and stability assessment can be derived on real network data, without any individual node revealing its private information to any third party, be it other nodes in the network, or even a central agent. Our work helps bridge the gap between the theoretical models of financial networks that assume agents have full information, and the real world, where information sharing is hindered by privacy and security concerns.
Pembrolizumab-Induced Lichenoid Dermatitis in a Patient With Metastatic Cancer of Unknown Primary.

Pembrolizumab is an immune checkpoint inhibitor approved for use in many cancer types such as non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), metastatic melanoma, head and neck cancers, hepatocellular carcinoma, and renal cell carcinoma. There are many reported cases of patients on immunotherapy who have discontinued treatment due to the development of immune-related adverse effects (irAE). Recognition of the histopathologic patterns of dermatologic toxicities due to immunotherapy will become increasingly important for ensuring appropriate management and optimal patient care. Here, we present a case of a 72-year-old man with metastatic carcinoma of unknown primary origin treated with pembrolizumab who developed an immune-related cutaneous adverse event (ircAE) in the form of lichenoid dermatitis.
Análisis de redes egocéntricas con R (III). Egoredes múltiples

This text is the third in a series of four that together constitute a workshop on ego-network (and/or personal network) analysis with R. The text is accompanied by data files and the R language scripts needed to perform the proposed activities.
What Should We Be Teaching Students about the Economics of Climate Change: Is There a Consensus?

What Should We Be Teaching Students about the Economics of Climate Change: Is There a Consensus?
A patatin-like phospholipase mediates Rickettsia parkeri escape from host membranes

Spotted fever group Rickettsia species are arthropod-borne obligate intracellular bacteria that can cause mild to severe human disease. These bacteria invade host cells, replicate in the cell cytosol, and then spread from cell to cell. To access the host cytosol and avoid detection by immune surveillance mechanisms, these pathogens must have evolved efficient ways to escape membrane-bound vacuoles. Although Rickettsia are predicted to express factors that disrupt host membranes, little is known about how and when these proteins function during infection. Here, we investigated the role of a Rickettsia patatin-like phospholipase A2 enzyme (Pat1) during host cell infection by characterizing a Rickettsia parkeri mutant with a transposon insertion in the pat1 gene. We show that Pat1 is important for infection in a mouse model and in host cells. We further show that Pat1 is critical for efficiently escaping from the single and double membrane-bound vacuoles into the host cytosol, and for avoiding host galectins that mark damaged membranes. In the host cytosol, Pat1 is important for avoiding host polyubiquitin, preventing recruitment of autophagy receptor p62, and promoting actin-based motility and cell-cell spread. Our results show that Pat1 plays critical roles in escaping host membranes and promoting cell-cell spread during R. parkeri infection and suggest diverse roles for patatin-like phospholipases in facilitating microbial infection. ImportanceSpotted fever group Rickettsia are bacteria that reside in ticks and can be transmitted to mammalian hosts, including humans. Severe disease is characterized by high fever, headache, and rash, and results in occasional mortality despite available treatment. Rickettsia interact with host cell membranes while invading cells, escaping into the cytosol, and evading cellular defenses. Bacterial phospholipase enzymes have been proposed as critical factors for targeting host cell membranes, however the specific roles of rickettsial phospholipases are not well defined. We investigated the contribution of one conserved patatin-like phospholipase, Pat1, in Rickettsia parkeri. We observed that Pat1 is important for virulence in an animal model. Moreover, Pat1 plays critical roles in host cells by facilitating access to the cell cytosol, inhibiting detection by host defense pathways, and promoting cell-cell spread. Our study indicates that Pat1 performs several critical functions, suggesting a broad role for phospholipases throughout the Rickettsia lifecycle.
Robust verification of stochastic simulation codes

Abstract We introduce a robust verification tool for computational codes, which we call Stochastic Robust Extrapolation based Error Quantification (StREEQ). Unlike the prevalent Grid Convergence Index (GCI) [1] method, our approach is suitable for both stochastic and deterministic computational codes and is generalizable to any number of discretization variables. Building on ideas introduced in the Robust Verification [2] approach, we estimate the converged solution and orders of convergence with uncertainty using multiple fits of a discretization error model. In contrast to Robust Verification, we perform these fits to many bootstrap samples yielding a larger set of predictions with smoother statistics. Here, bootstrap resampling is performed on the lack-of-fit errors for deterministic code responses, and directly on the noisy data set for stochastic responses. This approach lends a degree of robustness to the overall results, capable of yielding precise verification results for sufficiently resolved data sets, and appropriately expanding the uncertainty when the data set does not support a precise result. For stochastic responses, a credibility assessment is also performed to give the analyst an indication of the trustworthiness of the results. This approach is suitable for both code and solution verification, and is particularly useful for solution verification of high-consequence simulations.
Human Resource Management Ethics and Professionals’ Dilemmas: A Review and Research Agenda

The global nature of competition, new and ever changing employee expectations, changing societal values and constant revisions of employment law have propelled human resource management (HRM) as one of the critical business function for continued organisational competitiveness in contemporary times. This increased importance of HRM has arguably added new set of responsibilities with wide-ranging implications for HR professionals. In specific terms, the emergence of HRM as a panacea for integrating business strategy and people management has exposed personnel practitioners to a new set of role demands, professional challenges and management expectations. The ethical implications of these demands and expectations are significant and needs to be critically analysed. But whilst there has been an increasing interest generally in business ethics amongst scholars and practitioners, the employment of people in contemporary times, gives rise to unique and critical ethical dilemmas on the part of HR practitioners which have been largely ignored. This is a significant gap in the literature which needs to be addressed. This paper makes a contribution towards addressing this gap. Synthesising literatures in HRM, philosophy and management studies, the paper critically examines frameworks, contemporary debates and emerging themes around HR ethics, raising a number of fundamental issues that should be addressed by scholars, in line with the changing realities of contemporary business environment, particularly the management of people. The main aim of this analysis is to highlight some of the emerging or sometimes ignored aspects of HR ethics with a view of situating a future research agenda to help identify appropriate conceptual lenses and realistic strategies for addressing issues of practitioner dilemmas in contemporary people management.
A Petri-net Based Approach for Evaluating Energy Flexibility of Production Machines

Nowadays production systems are faced with new turbulences in energy-markets due to the increasing use of renewable energy sources. Therefore, production systems and their machines have to be energy flexible. This paper provides an approach for evaluating energy flexibility of production machines based on a Petri-net modelling of machine behaviour. Furthermore, an application of the evaluation on two different machines is given.
Abstract 2435A: Identification and treatment data of xenografts representing TCGA-defined glioblastoma subtypes

The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Network recently catalogued recurrent genomic abnormalities in glioblastoma (GBM). This genomic profiling led to the molecular classification of GBMs into four subtypes: Proneural, Neural, Classical and Mesenchymal. The importance of identifying these subtypes stands to help researchers and clinicians to better understand GBMs with the potential to personalize treatment options and explore different therapeutic approaches that each subtype may require. As such, the development of patient derived xenograft models that represent each TCGA subtype serves to expedite the testing of targeted molecular therapeutic strategies for the treatment of GBMs. For this project, we established xenografts using patient derived tissue and passaged these xenografts until reliable growth characteristics were obtained. Established GBM xenografts were classified into TCGA-defined subtypes first by obtaining global gene expression data using the GeneChip Human Genome U133A 2.0 array from Affymetrix. Microarray data was then quantile normalized and probes were summarized as gene expression levels using RMA. Then data was log2 transformed and genes median centered. Xenografts were subsequently classified into one of four previously defined subtypes as described using Classification to the Nearest Centroid (ClaNC) with the TCGA GBM data as the training dataset. Using established xenografts from each subtype, a panel of standard of care treatment agents was assessed by delay in tumor growth and by tumor regression in athymic mice bearing subcutaneous tumors. Statistical analysis was performed using a personalized SAS statistical analysis program, the Wilcoxon rank order test for growth delay, and Fisher9s exact test for tumor regression. To date we have identified at least 2 patient derived xenografts for each TCGA-defined subtype. These xenografts lines have realiable growth patterns with a tumor take of 80+%. Drug testing has been completed and includes tumor growth responses to the following single agents: temozolomide, bevacizumab, BCNU, cytoxan, irinotecan, carboplatin, erlotinib, CCNU, procabazine and vincristine. The identification of these valid xenograft models represents an important contribution toward the ability of studying GBM subtypes, in particular for modeling and predicting therapeutic response. We have currently completed the first round of drug testing within each subtype and look to expand testing to include additional agents as well as select combinations. Citation Format: Stephen T. Keir, B. Ahmed Rasheed, Katherine A. Hoadley, Martin A. Roskoski, Danuta Gasinski, Madan M. Kwatra, Henry S. Friedman, Darell D. Bigner. Identification and treatment data of xenografts representing TCGA-defined glioblastoma subtypes. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 2435A. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-2435A
Meta-Analysis of Crash Risk Factors Among Older Drivers: Application to a Model Program of Driver Screening

In the absence of disease or impairment, there is no empirical evidence that subtle, age-related changes in sensory or cognitive function affect older drivers' abilities to safely operate a motor vehicle. However, impairments that do affect driving occur with a higher prevalence in the older population. This paper describes a meta-analysis of risk factors for automobile crash. Risks associated with compromises in visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, visual fields, useful field of view, and mental status are examined. Risks associated with medical conditions, medications, and physical limitations also are discussed. Results demonstrate that visual acuity and contrast sensitivity are only weakly associated with crash risk, while cognitive variables and mental status measures are moderately associated with crash risk. A specific measure of The Useful Field of View, UFOV, is strongly associated with crash risk. These results suggest that driver evaluations aimed at detecting unsafe drivers can be significantly improved. Specifically, evaluations can be improved by including a broader assessment of visual function, an assessment of cognitive function including the UFOV, an assessment of mental status, and an assessment of physical status. An evaluation incorporating these components might facilitate driver qualification or referral for appropriate intervention. A driver screening evaluation program incorporating these components is currently underway. With over 2,000 older adult participants, results from this model program indicate that cognitive function, rather than visual or physical function, is most strongly associated with mobility outcomes. Thus, interventions to maintain or improve cognitive function may also help to sustain mobility. For the covering abstract see ITRD E113119.
Data Compression Transformations for Dynamically Allocated Data Structures

We introduce a class of transformations which modify the representation of dynamic data structures used in programs with the objective of compressing their sizes. We have developed the commonprefix and narrow-data transformations that respectively compress a 32 bit address pointer and a 32 bit integer field into 15 bit entities. A pair of fields which have been compressed by the above compression transformations are packed together into a single 32 bit word. The above transformations are designed to apply to data structures that are partially compressible, that is, they compress portions of data structures to which transformations apply and provide a mechanism to handle the data that is not compressible. The accesses to compressed data are efficiently implemented by designing data compression extensions (DCX) to the processor's instruction set. We have observed average reductions in heap allocated storage of 25% and average reductions in execution time and power consumption of 30%. If DCX support is not provided the reductions in execution times fall from 30% to 12.5%.
Postnatal construction of neural circuitry in the mouse olfactory bulb

We have undertaken a quantitative analysis of the mouse olfactory bulb to address several major questions concerning the development of neural circuitry in the postnatal mammalian brain. These are: (1) To what degree are new elements and circuits added during maturation? (2) How long do such processes go on? and (3) Does postnatal development involve a net addition of circuits and their constituent elements, or is there elimination of some portion of an initial surfeit? Using male mice of known age, weight, and length, we measured the overall size of the bulb, the numbers of processing units (glomeruli) within the bulb, the extent and complexity of postsynaptic dendrites within the glomeruli, and the number of synapses in different regions of the bulb. Between birth and the time mice reach sexual maturity at 6-7 weeks of age, the bulb increases in size by a factor of 8, the number of glomeruli by a factor of 4-5, the length of mitral cell dendritic branches by a factor of 11, and the number of glomerular and extraglomerular synapses by factors of 90 and 170, respectively. Each of these parameters increases steadily from birth, in concert with the enlargement of the olfactory mucosa, the overall growth of the brain, and indeed, of the entire animal. We found no evidence of an initial surfeit of processing units, dendritic branches, or synapses. Further elaboration of neural circuitry by each of these measures is also apparent from the time of sexual maturity until the animals reach their full adult size at about 10-12 weeks of age. The developmental strategy in this part of the mouse brain evidently involves prolonged construction that persists until the growth of the body is complete. This ongoing elaboration of neural circuitry in the postnatal mammalian brain may be relevant to understanding a number of unexplained developmental phenomena, including critical periods, the ability of the juvenile brain to recover from injuries that would cause severe and permanent deficits in older animals, and the special ability of the maturing brain to encode large amounts of new information.
Ecology and conservation biology of avian malaria

Avian malaria is a worldwide mosquito-borne disease caused by Plasmodium parasites. These parasites occur in many avian species but primarily affect passerine birds that have not evolved with the parasite. Host pathogenicity, fitness, and population impacts are poorly understood. In contrast to continental species, introduced avian malaria poses a substantial threat to naive birds on Hawaii, the Galapagos, and other archipelagoes. In Hawaii, transmission is maintained by susceptible native birds, competence and abundance of mosquitoes, and a disease reservoir of chronically infected native birds. Although vector habitat and avian communities determine the geographic distribution of disease, climate drives transmission patterns ranging from continuous high infection in warm lowland forests, seasonal infection in midelevation forests, and disease-free refugia in cool high-elevation forests. Global warming is expected to increase the occurrence, distribution, and intensity of avian malaria across this elevational gradient and threaten high-elevation refugia, which is the key to survival of many susceptible Hawaiian birds. Increased temperatures may have already increased global avian malaria prevalence and contributed to an emergence of disease in New Zealand.
The impact of dispositional cynicism on job‐specific affect and work intentions

Working from the Employee Work Passion Appraisal (EWPA) model, this article examines the relationship between employee dispositional cynicism, job-specific affect (i.e. positive and negative) and work intentions including intent to use discretionary effort, intent to perform, intent to endorse, intent to stay and intent to be an organisational citizen. An online survey generated participation from 747 current and potential clients of an international consulting company. To evaluate the fit of the data in accordance with the EWPA framework, structural equation modeling was conducted to test the overall fit of the proposed model and to examine the hypothesised relationships between constructs. Analyses confirmed correlations between dispositional cynicism and job-specific affect, supported notable relationships between positive job-specific affect and all work intentions, provided evidence for job-specific affect's mediation of cynicism and work intentions and uncovered a direct negative relationship between cynicism and intent to use organisational citizenship behaviour. Results suggest that state-specific workplace emotions are important for understanding the degree to which employee dispositional cynicism will ultimately influence most performance-related work intentions. However, independent of affect, employee cynicism may directly result in somewhat lower intentions to help others at work. Study limitations and practical implications for employee selection and training are considered.
Differences in Beliefs About the Causes of Health Disparities in Black and White Nurses

Purpose To determine whether Black and White nurses' beliefs about causes of health disparities differ. Conclusions Analyses reveal that overall Black nurses perceived external factors to contribute significantly more to health disparities than White nurses. Black nurses considered four specific causes dealing with physician and societal factors, such as "discrimination in society," to be more significant contributors to health disparities than White nurses, whereas White nurses considered genetic factors to be a greater contributor. Practice implications Different views of the causes of health disparities are discussed, particularly in light of cultural competency training and other efforts to ameliorate health disparities.
Hierarchical Bayesian modeling of multisite daily rainfall occurrence: Rainy season onset, peak, and end

[1] A quantitative definition of and ability to predict the onset and duration of the dominant rainfall season in a region are important for agricultural and natural resources management. In this paper, a methodology based on an analysis of daily rainfall occurrence is proposed and applied to define the onset and end of the rainfall season in northeast Brazil. Multiple rainfall gauges are considered simultaneously, and a hierarchical Bayesian framework is used for parameter estimation. The proposed model can be used to identify the rainy season onset by finding the first day of year in which the estimated probability of rainfall is greater than a specified number, e.g., 0.5. The determination of the end of the rainy season follows a similar procedure. Thus, the rainfall season can be defined as a period during which rainfall is most likely to occur. Monotonic trends are identified for the maximum probability of daily rainfall across the region, suggesting evidence of climate change. However, only the southern stations in the region exhibit a trend in the corresponding date. An examination of the correlations of dates of maximum rainfall probability with leading climate indicators leads to a promising direction for 1–3 month ahead forecasts of onset, which will be very useful for effective planning. Particularly, El Nino events in December are found to be associated with delays in the oncoming rainy season onset over a large part of southern northeast Brazil. Negative anomalies in the tropical South Atlantic sea surface temperature between January and March can anticipate the rainy season onset in the northern region and along the eastern coast of northeast Brazil.
Correlation of phenylalanine hydroxylase activity with cell density in cultured hepatoma cells.

Abstract We have found that the specific activity of phenylalanine hydroxylase varies over at least a forty-fold range during the growth cycle of Reuber hepatoma (H4) cells growing in monolayer culture. The variation has three phases: (1) a very rapid drop in specific activity upon subculturing to a low cell density; (2) a region of low specific activity and (3) after confluency, a rise to a high specific activity. All the results indicate that the cell density in the culture dish is primarily responsible for this fall and rise in activity. Neither conditioning of the growth medium, the rate of cell division, nor enzyme leakage from the cells appear to play a major role in the changes observed. Lactic dehydrogenase specific activity was determined in all experiments; a much smaller, but still cell density-dependent variation was observed for this enzyme.
Contraceptive use and fertility in Panama 1984.

Data from the 1984 Panama Maternal and Child Health/Family Planning Survey show a total fertility rate of 4.0 children per woman. Approximately 10% of womens last pregnancies were unwanted. Among currently married women 15-44 years of age 58% are practicing contraception. 13% of all women aged 15-44 are considered to be in need of family planning services: the greatest need exists among the Indian population women 20-34 and those living in rural areas. A comparison with the 1979 Contraceptive Prevalence Survey indicates that contraceptive use did not increase in Panama during the 5 years between the surveys. A larger proportion of contraceptive users in the most recent survey however were women protected by sterilization. (authors modified) (Summaries in ENG SPA FRE)
Teaching gender-related material: The effect of group sex composition on perceptions of a female instructor

This study investigated how group sex composition affects female and male students' perceptions of female instructors who teach in the area of counseling women. Three components of person perception were assessed: cognitive, affective, and behavioral. The cognitive domain included evaluations of the instructor and the subject matter presented; the affective domain included emotional responses to the instructor and the subject matter; and the behavioral domain included actions in response to the instructor, operationalized as the number of questions asked by students. Students with some interest in a career in the helping professions viewed one of two videotapes either with a group of same-sex peers or in a group in which they were the only male or female. One tape described a gender-neutral topic (psychology and the law) and the other described a female gender-related topic (sex bias in counseling women). The same female instructor made both presentations. Students then completed the measures. As predicted, the sex composition of the student group affected person perception, especially in the affective and behavior domains. Recommendations are made for future research.
Assessment of potential aluminum chelators in an octanol/aqueous system and in the aluminum-loaded rabbit.

Aluminum (Al) solubilization from Al borate and its distribution in an octanol/aqueous system (Dow) were determined in the absence and presence of 12 potential Al chelators. Citrate, N,N′-bis-(2-hydroxybenzyl)ethylenediamine- N,N′-diacetic acid (HBED), cyclohexane-1,2-diaminotetraacetic acid (CDTA), diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA), nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), desferrioxamine, and ethylenediamine-N,N′-bis(2-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid) (EDDHA) were 55 to over 100% efficient in solubilizing equimolar amounts of Al. Tetracycline, EDTA, and 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHBA) were less than 20% efficient. 1,4-Dioxane and fluoride were ineffective. The Dow of Al averaged 0.005. The Dow of the Al·chelator complex was generally less than that of Al, except for HBED and tetracycline (0.04 and 0.96, respectively). The Dow of DHBA, desferrioxamine, EDDHA, and HBED were not influenced by Al, but tetracycline became more lipophilic. These compounds were tested for their ability to increase urinary Al excretion in Al-loaded rabbits. Chelators were given po weekly beginning 2 weeks after Al loading. Urine was obtained hourly from 3 hr prior to 6 hr after chelator administration and analyzed for Al. Fluoride and tetracycline (450 and 4500 μmol/kg) and citrate, NTA, EDTA, CDTA, DTPA, DHBA, HBED, and 1,4-dioxane (150 and 1500 μmol/kg) were ineffective. Following HBED administration, some of the Al-loaded rabbits died, presumably due to redistribution of Al within the rabbit. Following DTPA administration, some of the Al-loaded rabbits died, presumably due to DTPA. Oral EDDHA (1500 μmol/kg) significantly increased urinary Al excretion. EDDHA and desferrioxamine (150 μmol/kg) were administered by po, sc, and iv routes and were found to have comparable potency. The in vitro results may explain some of the in vivo findings. The in vitro methods may be useful to screen out compounds with no chelation potential. EDDHA-like compounds may have potential as alternatives to desferrioxamine in the prevention or treatment of Al accumulation and Al-induced toxicity.
Detailed Energy and Exergy Analysis for a Solar Lithium Bromide Absorption Chiller and a Conventional Electric Chiller (R134a)

The Building Energy Data Book (2009) [1] shows that commercial and residential buildings in the U.S. consume 39.9% of the primary energy and contribute 39% of the total CO2 emissions. In the operation of buildings, 41.8% of building energy consumption is provided for building cooling, heating, domestic hot water, and ventilation for commercial buildings, while in residential buildings, this percentage increases to 58%. In energy system analysis, the energy approach is the traditional method of assessing the way energy is used in an operation. However, an energy balance provides no information on the degradation of energy or resources during a process. The concept of exergy combines the first law and second law of thermodynamics. The exergy analysis clearly quantifies the energy quality match between the supply and demand sides, and also addresses the exergy destruction (entropy generation) in each component. In this paper, a solar thermal driven absorption cooling system was analyzed for providing cooling to a building, the Intelligent Workplace South Zone at Carnegie Mellon University. The system includes a 52 m2 parabolic trough solar collector, and a 16 kW (4 tons) two-stage lithium bromide absorption chiller. The energy model and newly developed two-stage lithium bromide absorption chiller are programmed and integrated in Engineering Equation Solver (EES). The temperature, enthalpy, entropy, mass flow rate, and mass fraction of lithium bromide in the solar absorption system were presented in steady state operation. The exergy destruction in each component is calculated. The exergy destructions for the solar collector, generator, absorber, and heat exchangers were significantly higher than those in evaporator, condenser and expansion valves, the overall energy and exegetic efficiency were also calculated.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
A nonlinear inequality of Moser-Trudinger type

In this note, we will prove an inequality for almost plurisubharmonic functions on any Kahler-Einstein manifolds with positive scalar curvature. This inequality generalizes the stronger version of the so called Moser-Trudinger-Onofri inequality on \(S^2\), which was proved in [Au], and also refines a weaker inequality found by the first author in [T2].
Internal fluorescent probes for studying irregular and metastable DNA structures

Time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy decay measurements are useful for characterizing differences in the local structural environment of probes attached to DNA molecules. We synthesized oligonucleotides with dansyl probes covalently attached to uridine near the center of a 17 base oligonucleotide. The fluorescence properties of these DNAs hybridized to complementary DNA were examined using time-correlated single photon counting. We present preliminary data indicating changes in the probe anisotropy in the presence of trifluoroethanol, divalent zinc cations, and under conditions promoting the formation of a hairpin junction at the site of probe incorporation. The results of these perturbations indicate that this approach will be useful for investigating site-specific and global structural phenomena in DNA.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Societal Economic Costs and Benefits from Death: Another Look.

B. Yang and D. Lester (2007) have produced an innovative contribution to the relevant literature. Unlike previous studies, they incorporate estimates of cost savings from suicide. Their argument could be strengthened in 3 ways. First, they may have underestimated some of the cost savings by relying on inflated estimates of mental health usage by suicidal persons. The present analysis shows that only 20% of suicidal individuals see a mental health professional during the last year of life, much lower than previous estimates. Further, persons dying of cancer are 4 times more likely than suicides to report high usage of medical services. Second, our economy relies heavily on the health care sector for job creation, so that we need to exercise caution in interpreting savings in medical care; such savings may also represent costs in employment opportunities for nurses, doctors, and other medical personnel. Third, an anticipated criticism, the costs of the grieving of significant others, needs to be considered. Suicidal persons are shown to have less dense social networks, a sign of fewer potential grievers than in the case of natural deaths. Future work is needed to adjust lost earnings for the lower occupational status of suicides; this is another reason why Yang and Lester may be underestimating cost savings from suicide.
Creating False Memories

Researchers are showing how suggestion and imagination can be used to create "memories" of events that did not actually occur.
Towards the development of second-order closure models for nonequilibrium turbulent flows

Abstract A new approach for the development of second-order closure models suitable for nonequilibrium turbulent shear flows is presented. The central idea is based on the implementation of a relaxation time approximation to the nonequilibrium extension of an explicit algebraic stress model. Here, the algebraic stress model is systematically derived from the full Speziale et al. 1991 (SSG) second-order closure in the equilibrium limit of homogeneous turbulence. It is then extended to nonequilibrium turbulent flows by means of a Pade approximation, whereby approximate consistency with the rapid distortion theory (RDT) solution for homogeneous shear flow is established. The resulting model is tested in homogeneous shear flow turbulence under a wide range of shear rates. Substantially improved results are obtained in comparison to conventional second-order closure models that are based on the direct modeling of terms in the Reynolds stress transport equation.
Increased efficacy of photodynamic therapy via sequential targeting

Photokilling depends on the generation of death signals after photosensitized cells are irradiated. A variety of intracellular organelles can be targeted for photodamage, often with a high degree of specificity. We have discovered that a low level of photodamage directed against lysosomes can sensitize both a murine hepatoma cell line (in 2D culture) and an inflammatory breast cancer line of human origin (in a 3D model) to subsequent photodamage directed at mitochondria. Additional studies were carried out with hepatoma cells to explore possible mechanisms. The phototoxic effect of the ‘sequential targeting’ approach was associated with an increased apoptotic response. The low level of lysosomal photodamage did not lead to any detectable migration of Fe ++ from lysosomes to mitochondria or increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation after subsequent mitochondrial photodamage. Instead, there appears to be a signal generated that can amplify the pro-apoptotic effect of subsequent mitochondrial photodamage.
The NewYork-Presbyterian Regional Health Collaborative: A Three-Year Progress Report

The Washington Heights–Inwood section of Manhattan is a predominantly poor Hispanic community with disproportionately high rates of chronic disease, including asthma, diabetes, and congestive heart failure. In October 2010, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, in association with the Columbia University Medical Center, launched an integrated network of patient-centered medical homes that were linked to other providers and community-based resources and formed a “medical village.” Three years later, a study of 5,852 patients who had some combination of diabetes, asthma, and congestive heart failure found that emergency department visits and hospitalizations had been reduced by 29.7 percent and 28.5 percent, respectively, compared to the year before implementation of the network. Thirty-day readmissions and average length-of-stay declined by 36.7 percent and 4.9 percent, respectively. Patient satisfaction scores improved across all measures. Financially, NewYork-Presbyterian experienced a short-term return on inve...
A Benzannulation Protocol To Prepare Substituted Aryl Amines Using a Michael-Aldol Reaction of β-Keto Sulfones

A practical benzannulation method to prepare variously substituted aryl amines and sulfides was developed. The approach involves a Michael-aldol reaction of β-keto sulfones with enones followed by a subsequent condensation of the initial adduct with various amines. The base-induced Michael-aldol cascade proceeds smoothly with a number of different β-keto sulfones, affording the adducts as single diastereomers. Heating the resulting Michael-aldol product with an amine in toluene at 120 °C results in the formation of a transient enamine, which then undergoes loss of phenyl sulfenic acid to furnish the aromatized amine in good yield. A related reaction also occurred when the Michael-aldol product was heated with thiols or alcohols, giving rise to aryl-substituted sulfides or ethers.
Assessing Risk in Operational Decisions Using Great Lakes Probabilistic Water Level Forecasts

/ A method adapted from the National Weather Service's Extended Streamflow Prediction technique is applied retrospectively to three Great Lakes case studies to show how risk assessment using probabilistic monthly water level forecasts could have contributed to the decision-mak-ing process. The first case study examines the 1985 International Joint Commission (IJC) decision to store water in Lake Superior to reduce high levels on the downstream lakes. Probabilistic forecasts are generated for Lake Superior and Lakes Michigan-Huron and used with riparian inundation value functions to assess the relative impacts of the IJC's decision on riparian interests for both lakes. The second case study evaluates the risk of flooding at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and the need to implement flood-control projects if Lake Michigan levels were to continue to rise above the October 1986 record. The third case study quantifies the risks of impaired municipal water works operation during the 1964-1965 period of extreme low water levels on Lakes Huron, St. Clair, Erie, and Ontario. Further refinements and other potential applications of the probabilistic forecast technique are discussed.KEY WORDS: Great Lakes; Water levels; Forecasting; Risk; Decision making
Comparison of cathepsin D determinations in human carcinomas by enzyme immunoassay and immunoradiometric assay.

Overexpression of cathepsin D in several types of carcinoma in women appears to be associated with a poor clinical course. In this prospective investigation, cathepsin D levels in 170 specimens of normal and neoplastic human tissues were determined simultaneously by enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and immunoradiometric assay (IRMA) to allow comparisons in multicentric studies, such as cooperative clinical trials. Nonmalignant uteri and specially prepared reference powders were also evaluated. Linear regression analysis between the two assays for all specimens [EIA = 0.87(IRMA) – 3.18] demonstrated a correlation coefficient (r) of 0.99 (P <0.001). When malignancies were categorized by the tissue origin (i.e., breast, uterus, ovary, lymph node, and colon), highly significant correlations were also observed (regressions slopes ranged from 0.58 to 1.02). Intra- and interassay controls conducted for the new EIA procedure gave CV% ranging from 4.4 to 10.2, which was similar to the IRMA test for cathepsin D. The results of both assays correlated well and were highly reproducible. Either assay may be used with confidence that comparable cathepsin D values will be obtained in a wide range of tissue biopsies.
Predictable Generalization in Academic Learning as a Result of Preskills and Strategy Training

The effects of Preskills and Strategy Training were assessed on acquisi- tion of basic multiplication and division skills. In Experiment 1, four boys were first taught preskills for a set of multiplication facts. Preskills alone did not enable children to perform multiplication tasks correctly. When subjects were taught a strategy for using the preskills, they were able to solve problems for which they received the Strategy Training; correct performance generalized to problems for which the preskills but not the strategy had been taught. A multiple-baseline (across subjects) design showed that these effects were reliable. Following Strategy Training each child was given partial Preskill Training for those multiplication facts for which neither Preskills nor Strategy Training had been pro- vided. The children used the preskills to solve the problems correctly. Experiment 2 replicated and extended the findings of Experiment 1 to division and provided a more fine-grained analysis of Strategy Training effects. A novel multiple-baseline design (across subjects) was used in which Strategy Training was introduced suc- cessively to three children within a single instructional session lasting 110 minutes, with probes (multiplication and division facts) administered about every nine minutes providing the dependent variables. None of the children completed the division problems correctly during baseline probes. However, they all acquired division skills when taught a strategy. The results of both experiments demonstrate the importance of Preskills Training and the effectiveness of Strategy Training. The results of Experiment 1 showed that generalization across tasks can be predicted when preskills and a strategy are provided; the results of Experiment 2 showed that rapid acquisition of related learning can be obtained by teaching a related strategy.
Real-time conditional reliability prediction from on-line tool performance data

Abstract This paper presents results from research aimed at developing a real-time, ‘look ahead’ reliability measure of risk relative to tool wear or breakage. The objective is to present results of a successful research effort which has developed a real-time based conditional reliability (of individual tool survival) output from two inputs; (1) real-time thrust data from an individual tool, and (2) an expected thrust performance population model. The resulting conditional tool reliability measure developed is compatible with real-time tool management. It is used to estimate the conditional probability of toot survival in a drilling operation.
Electric field modulated Raman scattering in CdS

Abstract We have observed electric field modulated Raman scattering by A 1 LO phonons in CdS. The field induced scattering is observed with a geometry in which Raman scattering by A 1 LO phonons is normally allowed. The interference of the field induced and allowed terms in the transition susceptibility leads to a modulated Raman scattering intensity proportional to the applied field. This is contrasted with data previously reported on field induced Raman scattering by E 1 LO phonons in a configuration in which the Raman scattering is normally forbidden and in which there is no interference between linear wavevector dependent and field induced terms in the transition susceptibility. Electric field effects on Raman scattering by TO phonons and by 2 LO phonons is also discussed.
Evaluation of the Visual Demands of Digital Billboards Using a Hybrid Driving Simulator

Digital billboards (DBBs) are designed to present a virtually limitless stream of information intended to acquire the attention of passing motorists. Unfortunately, very little published research has been conducted to examine how much information drivers can extract during these epochs, or how the acquisition of this information impacts driving performance. Large-format signs are difficult to study using conventional driving simulators because their displays lack the spatial resolution needed to adequately render signs at distances greater than 100-ft. The current study used a hybrid video/mechanical driving simulator to overcome such limitations. Lane keeping, eye gaze position and reading performance were monitored while participants read digital billboards displaying 4, 8 and 12 words while traveling at 25 and 50 MPH. RESULTS indicated that drivers gradually drift away from the centerline during the DBB inspection interval, and then execute large / sudden compensatory steering inputs to re-establish their position in the center of the lane after the billboard had been overtaken. Conditions leading to visual processing overload are iden-tified and some preliminary guidelines for the design and placement of roadside DBBs are proposed. Language: en
Simple Infrared Cell for Corrosive Gases

Abstract A simple infrared cell that can be used for corrosive gases is described. The cell consists of a Kel-F tube with silver chloride windows sealed on with Kel-F wax. Evacuation of the cell to 10−5 mm is possible.