cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Resisting the lure of the paycheck: Freedom and dependence in financial self-help

Based on two years of fieldwork with fans of financial success best-sellers, this article analyzes the idea of financial freedom, which is the cornerstone of popular financial self-help resources. Fans of the genre train themselves and engage in business and investing with the main goal of reaching something that is at once mathematical and a condition of the self. Financial freedom is a specific equation between income and expenses that makes it possible to quit one’s job while maintaining an income. But it is also a condition by which one has freed oneself from one’s own fears and limitations in regards to money and investing and the need for security. Therefore, all practices directed at increasing one’s wealth are also practices of the self that are directed at combating external and internal forms of dependence. The intellectual roots of the problematization of internal and external dependence are explored. The tension between freedom and security is illustrated through the example of the examination of one’s family upbringing.
’Sack the bastard!’ – ‘David Kent, (the now vilest man alive)’

David Kent recalls the outrage elicited by his comments on C. E. W. Bean's The Anzac Book and the Australian Legend in 1984.
Towards mixed analog/digital design automation: a review

The state of the art in design automation for analog and mixed analog-digital circuits is reviewed. Emphasis is given to the areas of physical assembly, synthesis, and silicon compilation. Several notable aspects of the problem, such as mixed mode or multilevel simulation, modeling, and testability, albeit important, are beyond the scope of this paper and are not reviewed. The approaches are examined separately for the cases of analog circuits and mixed signal circuits. For each of these categories, the CAD tools are discussed first, followed by synthesis and compilation activities. >
Avoidance behavior and perceived arousal

Previous investigations of the effects of bogus arousal feedback on approach toward an aversive stimulus have failed to separate two conceptual issues: (1) the influence of perceived anxiety on approach behavior, and (2) the degree to which perceptions of decreased anxiety are central to systematic desensitization. The present research deals with only the first of these issues. The procedure required each subject to attach a microphone to his or her chest and approach a snake. Bogus heartbeat feedback was presented concurrently with the subject's approach. In Experiments 1 and 2, self-reported snake phobics approached more with a constant than with an accelerating heartbeat. Nonphobics in Experiment 2 were not systematically influenced by the feedback. In Experiment 3, subjects with moderate fear, but who had stated that they could pick up a snake, behaved like the previously tested nonphobics; moderate fear subjects who had stated uncertainty about their ability to handle a snake behaved like previously tested phobics. In no case did postexperimental self-rated fear of snakes yield a difference between feedback conditions. The results are discussed in terms of the attributional analysis of emotional behavior.
Avaliação dos benefícios da coleta de lixo em Palmas, Tocantins: uma aplicação do método de avaliação contingente

O acesso aos servicos de saneamento ambiental, em especial, a coleta e a disposicao final dos residuos solidos, e fundamental para a saude publica e a preservacao do meio ambiente, pois com a reducao da ma disposicao do lixo, ocorre uma diminuicao das endemias e da contaminacao do solo. O investimento em saneamento ambiental e um dos grandes desafios para os gestores publicos, devido a sua ampla relacao entre meio ambiente, saude publica e desenvolvimento local. O presente trabalho visou estimar a maxima disposicao a pagar pelo servico de coleta de lixo para o municipio de Palmas, em Tocantins, por meio do metodo de avaliacao contingente. Os resultados obtidos indicam que os principais fatores determinantes da disposicao a pagar sao: o nivel de renda e a escolaridade.
The fate of the forgotten: Chamberlain's work reconsidered.

This article discusses the early psychological traditions developed at Clark University under the guidance of G. Stanley Hall. Anthropology and cultural psychology are both rooted in the notion that humans are social beings. That idea constituted a brief moment of theoretical unity between psychology and anthropology in the study of human language in its psychological functions. In that context, the work of Alexander Chamberlain is explored as a major contribution. Chamberlain—if viewed in the jargon of our contemporary social scientists—was deeply “interdisciplinary” in his work. Despite the positive meaning of the term “interdisciplinary” in contemporary discourse about the social sciences, the realities of social organization of any science entail separation rather than integration. Chamberlain’s work took place in parallel in anthropology and in developmental psychology under the interdisciplinary emphasis of “child study” as set up by G. Stanley Hall. Hall made child study the distinctive feature of the “Clark tradition” of psychology. Chamberlain’s work constituted both the beginning and the end of the (miniscule) “Clark tradition” in anthropology.
An alternative model for professional development: investigations into effective collaboration

Abstract Historically, teacher professional development has taken place in isolation and has been dependent upon input from outside “experts” (Sandholtz, A companion of direct and indirect professional development activities, Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Montreal, Canada, 1999). As an alternative, collaborative action research actively involves teachers in professional reflection, validates educators as producers of knowledge, and recognizes their role in professional development and decision making. The value of teacher research is well documented (Cochran–Smith & Lytle, Inside outside: teacher research and knowledge, Teachers College Press, New York, 1993) but unless deliberate attempts to share findings are established, the products of teacher research often remain within individual classrooms. Strategies to develop collaborative research capabilities are needed. While teacher collaboration may take many forms, action research teaming has become the centerpiece of one urban teacher preparation program. This paper presents quantitative and qualitative data from a study involving a university, school districts, and teacher candidates. Preservice–inservice dyads were taught how to use action research to examine, analyze, and reflect upon their teaching. Results indicate general acceptance by both new and experienced teachers, with developmental differences influencing the process.
Reducing unplanned extubations in the NICU.

Background and objectives Unplanned extubation can be a significant event that places the patient at risk for adverse events. Our goal was to reduce unplanned extubations to Methods All unplanned extubations in the NICU beginning in October 2009 were audited. Data collected included time of day, patient weight, and patient care activity at the time of the event. Bundles of potentially better practices were implemented in sequential Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles. Rates of unplanned extubation (number per patient-intubated day) for each month were analyzed by using control charts, and causes of unplanned extubation were analyzed by using Pareto charts. Results We found a significant decrease in the unplanned extubation rate after implementation of the first bundle of potentially better practices in May 2010 (2.38 to 0.41 per 100 patient-intubated days). Several more Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles were conducted to sustain this improvement. A persistent reduction in the unplanned extubation rate (0.58 per 100 patient-intubated days) began in February 2013. Causes included dislodgement during care and procedures and variation in the fixation of the endotracheal tube. The majority of events occurred in very low birth weight infants during the daytime shift. Conclusions Unplanned extubations in the NICU can be reduced by education of staff and by implementing standard practices of care. Sustainability of any practice change to improve quality is critically dependent on culture change within the NICU. We suggest that the benchmark for unplanned extubation should be a rate
Prolactin-induced Jak2 phosphorylation of RUSH: a key element in Jak/RUSH signaling.

Jak2/Stat-mediated prolactin signaling culminates in Stat5a-DNA-binding. However, not all Jak2-dependent genes have Stat5 sites. Western analysis with inhibitors showed Jak2 is a proximal intermediate in prolactin-induced RUSH phosphorylation. Transfection assays with HRE-H9 cells showed the RUSH-binding site mediated the ability of prolactin to augment progesterone-dependent transcription of the RUSH gene. Jak2 inhibitors or targeted RUSH-site mutation blocked the prolactin effect. RUSH co-immunoprecipitated with phospho-Jak2 from nuclear extracts. Jak2 inhibitors abolished the nuclear pool of phospho-RUSH not the nuclear content of RUSH in HRE-H9 cells. Nucleolar-affiliated partners, e.g. nucleolin, were identified by μLC/MS/MS analysis of nuclear proteins that co-immunoprecipitated with RUSH/GST-RING. RUSH did not exclusively co-localize with fibrillarin to the nucleolus. MG-132 (proteasomal inhibitor) failed to block Tyrene CR4-mediated decrease in phospho-RUSH, and did not promote RUSH accumulation in the nucleolus. These studies authenticate prolactin-dependent Jak2 phosphorylation of RUSH, and provide functional implications on the RUSH network of nuclear interactions.
Inelastic Scattering from a Diatomic Molecule: Rotational Excitation upon Collision between He and H 2 and H 2 and H 2

The formalism developed by Arthurs and Dalgarno has been used in the distorted wave approximation to calculate the inelastic scattering cross section for rotational excitation from the $j=0$ to the $j=2$ rotational state in collisions between a helium atom and a hydrogen molecule or two hydrogen molecules. All necessary computations were done with a digital computer, thus, allowing the Arthurs-Dalgarno formalism to be applied with no added approximations. The interaction energy between He and ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ obtained in the preceding paper was used for the He-${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ calculation while the interaction energy given by Takayanagi was used for the ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$-${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ problem. Values for the total inelastic cross sections are given as well as graphs for the He-${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ differential scattering cross section. Incident kinetic energies up to only 0.25 eV in the center-of-mass system were considered; for these low energies, vibrational or electronic excitation is impossible so that change in rotational quantum number is the only inelastic process possible. The results obtained for the ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$-${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ cross section do not agree with the rate of de-excitation from the $j=2$ rotational level in ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ gas as measured by dispersion experiments with ultrasonic waves. The disagreement may be due to an incorrect ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$-${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ interaction potential or failure to consider all important de-excitation mechanisms.
A simple and fast atmospheric correction for spaceborne remote sensing of surface temperature

Abstract Accurate surface temperature retrieval using thermal infrared observations from satellites is important for surface energy balance modeling; however it is difficult to achieve without proper correction for atmospheric effects. Typically the atmospheric correction is obtained from radiosonde profiles and a radiative transfer model (RTM). But rigorous RTM processing is impractical for routine continental scale modeling because of long computational times. An alternative, simpler, and faster approach for correcting observations in the 10–12.5 μm band is developed from a previously published water vapor continuum absorption function. Using the RTM program MODTRAN as a reference, the function is calibrated against 159 radiosondes, and then validated against the TIGR radiosonde (1761 profiles) data set. Implementation of the calibrated absorption function usually produced larger temperature corrections than without calibration, an effect due to water vapor band type absorption and to non-water vapor constituents. The resulting surface temperature estimates, within 0.8 °C of MODTRAN estimates, were achieved at 15× less processing time than MODTRAN.
CYCLING CHAOS IN ONE-DIMENSIONAL COUPLED ITERATED MAPS

Cycling behavior involving steady-states and periodic solutions is known to be a generic feature of continuous dynamical systems with symmetry. Using Chua's circuit equations and Lorenz equations, Dellnitz et al. [1995] showed that "cycling chaos", in which solution trajectories cycle around symmetrically related chaotic sets, can also be found generically in coupled cell systems of differential equations with symmetry. In this work, we use numerical simulations to demonstrate that cycling chaos also occurs in discrete dynamical systems modeled by one-dimensional maps. Using the cubic map f (x, λ) = λx - x3 and the standard logistic map, we show that coupled iterated maps can exhibit cycles connecting fixed points with fixed points and periodic orbits with periodic orbits, where the period can be arbitrarily high. As in the case of coupled cell systems of differential equations, we show that cycling behavior can also be a feature of the global dynamics of coupled iterated maps, which exists independently of the internal dynamics of each map.
Approximate Analytic Solutions to 3D Unconfined Groundwater Flow Within Regional 2D Models

Abstract We present methods for finding approximate analytic solutions to three-dimensional (3D) unconfined steady state groundwater flow near partially penetrating and horizontal wells, and for combining those solutions with regional two-dimensional (2D) models. The 3D solutions use distributed singularities (analytic elements) to enforce boundary conditions on the phreatic surface and seepage faces at vertical wells, and to maintain fixed-head boundary conditions, obtained from the 2D model, at the perimeter of the 3D model. The approximate 3D solutions are analytic (continuous and differentiable) everywhere, including on the phreatic surface itself. While continuity of flow is satisfied exactly in the infinite 3D flow domain, water balance errors can occur across the phreatic surface.
Recruiting Strategies for Changing Times

Changes in the capabilities and composition of the American workforce which will occur within the next ten years will create some of the most encompassing challenges ever faced by the United States. The main challenge for companies is to rethink and restructure their recruiting activities in order to attract competent employees vis‐a‐vis decreasing educational credentials and dramatic demographic changes in the workforce entrants. Such a challenge broadens the scope of recruiting and requires multifaceted recruitment strategies. Aims to reveal how nontraditional (corporate involvement in public education) and improved traditional recruiting strategies can enable businesses to continue to attract and retain capable employees from different genders, marital statuses and ethnic backgrounds. Strategies which proved effective in the past will continue to work in the future as long as companies are willing to adapt their messages and their workplaces to meet the needs and demands of this changing workforce.
Biodegradable Poly(lactic acid) Blends with Chemically Modified Polyhydroxyoctanoate Through Chain Extension

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) was blended with chemically modified Polyhydroxyoctanoate (mPHO) using a Haake twin-screw mixer. Due to the melt viscosity disparity between the two components, PHO was reacted with Hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) used as a chain extender to produce high molecular weight for improving compatibility and processability with PLA. The number average and weight average molecular weight of the PHO, reacted with 0.55 wt% HDI, were increased 314 and 275%, respectively, compared with those of the unmodified PHO. The blends were characterized for rheological, thermal, and mechanical properties. Infrared spectra confirmed the formation of the urethane linkages in mPHO. The shear viscosity, as a function of shear rate or shear stress, decreased with an increase in mPHO content, indicating that the PLA/mPHO blends show shear-thinning behavior along with the power-law model. DSC thermograms showed that the two components in the blends were found with two crystalline phases and two amorphous phases confirming the coexistence of two immiscible components. Tensile results indicated that tensile strength for blends decreased with increasing mPHO content up to 80%. A decrease in elastic modulus, as well as an increase in elongation at break, was seen as a function of mPHO content. Results of aging tests showed that the mechanical properties of the blends also dropped more at a higher PLA level when compared with those of the unaged samples.
Effect of Computerized Physician Order Entry on Imaging Study Indication

Abstract Purpose The effect of computerized physician order entry (CPOE) on imaging indication quality had only been measured in one institution's emergency department using a homegrown electronic health record with faculty physicians, and only with one instrument. To better understand how many US hospitals' recent CPOE implementations had affected indication quality, we measured its effect in a generalizable inpatient setting, using one existing and one novel instrument. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the indications for 100 randomly selected inpatient abdominal CT studies during 2 calendar months immediately prior to a 3/3/2012 CPOE implementation (1/1/2012-2/29/2012) and during 2 subsequent calendar months (5/1/2012-6/30/2012). We excluded 2 intervening months to avoid behaviors associated with adoption. We measured indication quality using a published 8-point explicit scoring scale and our own, novel, implicit 7-point Likert scale. Results Explicit scores increased 93% from a pre-CPOE mean ± 95% confidence interval of 1.4 ± 0.2 to a CPOE mean of 2.7 ± 0.3 ( P P Conclusions In an inpatient setting with strong external validity to other US hospitals, CPOE implementation increased indication quality, as measured by 2 independent scoring systems (one pre-existing explicit system and one novel, intuitive implicit system). CPOE thus appears to enhance communication from ordering clinicians to radiologists.
Second-Harmonic Generation in Metallic Nanoparticles: Clarification of the Role of the Surface

We present a numerical investigation of the second-order nonlinear optical properties of metal-based metamaterial nanoresonators. The nonlinear optical response of the metal is described by a hydrodynamic model, with the effects of electron pressure in the electron gas also taken into account. We show that as the pressure term tends to zero the amount of converted second-harmonic field tends to an asymptotic value. In this limit it becomes possible to rewrite the nonlinear surface contributions as functions of the value of the polarization vector inside the bulk region. Nonlocality thus can be incorporated into numerical simulations without actually utilizing the nonlocal equation of motion or solving for the rapidly varying fields that occur near the metal surface. We use our model to investigate the second-harmonic generation process with three-dimensional gold nanoparticle arrays and show that nanocrescents can easily attain conversion efficiencies of $\ensuremath{\sim}$$6.0\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}8}$ for pumping peak intensities of a few tens of MW/cm${}^{2}$.
Maximizing What Gifted Students Can Learn: Recent Findings of Learning Strategy Research

Recent findings suggest that gifted learners spontaneously employ more elaborate and effective learning strategies than do their age peers. When presented with externally provided learning strategies, however, the learning of gifted students can dramatically increase. Of particular interest is the "keyword" mnemonic strategy which has recently been seen to provide substantial increases in learning for gifted learners. Implications for teaching and programming are presented.
Applying an oxygen-based respiratory assay to assess soil microbial responses to substrate and N availability

Abstract Documented approaches for measuring soil microbial activities and their controlling factors under field conditions are needed to advance understanding of soil microbial processes for numerous applications. We manipulated field plots with carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) additions to test the capability of a respiratory assay to: (1) measure respiration of endogenous soil C in comparison to field-measured CO 2 fluxes; (2) determine substrate-induced respiratory (SIR) activities that are consistent with substrate availability in the field; and, (3) report N availability in the field based on assay responses with and without added N. The respiratory assay utilizes a microplate containing an oxygen-sensitive fluorescent ruthenium dye. Respiratory activities measured with this approach have previously been shown to occur within short (6–8 h) incubation periods using low substrate concentrations that minimize enrichment during the assay. Field treatments were conducted in a randomized full-factorial design with C substrate (casamino acids, glucose, or none) and inorganic N (±) as the treatment factors. With one exception, we found that respiration of endogenous soil C in the assay responded to the field treatments in a similar manner to CO 2 fluxes measured in the field. Patterns of SIR with low concentrations of added amino acid or carbohydrate substrate (200 μg C g −1 soil) were consistent with field treatments. The ratio (N ratio ) of carbohydrate respiration with added N (25 μg N g −1 soil) to the same without N in the assay was significantly ( P ratio exhibited a logarithmic relationship ( r = 0.64, P in situ soil activities and examine factors that limit these activities.
Using conditional probability to identify trends in intra-day high-frequency equity pricing

Abstract By examining the conditional probabilities of price movements in a popular US stock over different high-frequency intra-day timespans, varying levels of trend predictability are identified. This study demonstrates the existence of predictable short-term trends in the market; understanding the probability of price movement can be useful to high-frequency traders. Price movement was examined in trade-by-trade (tick) data along with temporal timespans between 1 s to 30 min for 52 one-week periods for one highly-traded stock. We hypothesize that much of the initial predictability of trade-by-trade (tick) data is due to traditional market dynamics, or the bouncing of the price between the stock’s bid and ask. Only after timespans of between 5 to 10 s does this cease to explain the predictability; after this timespan, two consecutive movements in the same direction occur with higher probability than that of movements in the opposite direction. This pattern holds up to a one-minute interval, after which the strength of the pattern weakens.
Comparison of attachment site endoleak rates in Dacron versus native aorta landing zones after thoracic endovascular aortic repair.

Objective Type I attachment site endoleaks are the most common cause for reintervention after thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) and represent treatment failures. Deployment of endografts in segments of the aorta previously replaced with Dacron grafts may be associated with reduced type I endoleak due to mechanical stability and decreased potential for aortic remodeling. However, no study has rigorously examined endoleak rates in Dacron landing zones vs native aorta. Methods A retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained database was performed to identify all patients undergoing TEVAR at a single referral institution between May 2002 and June 2012. Overall, 319 patients undergoing 345 procedures had at least one follow-up contrast-enhanced computed tomography scan to assess for postoperative type I endoleak. Attachment site landing zones were classified as native aorta, Dacron, or endograft if landed in a previously placed endograft. Patient characteristics and type I endoleak rates were compared among the three groups. Results Identified were 697 proximal or distal landing zones (native aorta, 599; Dacron, 79; and endograft, 19). Patients with at least one Dacron landing zone had higher rates of hypertension ( P P = .04), and prior aortic surgery ( P P P = .44). Two type I endoleaks occurred with Dacron landing zones in the first tertile of TEVAR experience and with Dacron landing zone lengths of P = .03) after a policy of using >4 to 5 cm (twice the device instructions for use) of Dacron overlap was initiated. Conclusions Endograft deployment within long-segment (landing zone length of >4-5 cm) Dacron represents a durable option for aortic repair and was associated with a 0% rate of type I endoleak. In cases of a borderline native aortic landing zone, a hybrid procedure to create an adequate Dacron landing zone may be warranted to decrease the risk of type I endoleak and treatment failure.
The movement of single cells within solid tissue masses.

Abstract Individual heart and liver cells isolated from chick embryos labelled in ovo with 3H-thymidine were seeded, in culture, onto the surfaces of unlabelled, embryonic heart and liver tissue masses (both tissue fragments and cellular reaggregates). Single, labelled cells, as observed in autoradiographs, infiltrated the interiors of the tissue masses in most cases. These results might be unexpected in light of previous experiments and current notions of ‘contact inhibition of cell movement’.
Adjoint sensitivities of time-periodic nonlinear structural dynamics via model reduction

This work details a comparative analysis of six methods for computing the transient system response and adjoint design derivatives of a nonlinear structure under a periodic external actuation. Time marching via implicit integration, a time-periodic spectral element method, and a time-periodic finite difference method are all considered, each with or without POD-based model reduction of the system of equations. Details of each method, and the concomitant adjoint sensitivities, are provided in terms of accuracy, stability, and Jacobian sparsity patterns. Each method is used for a gradient-based optimization of a nonlinear planar beam, periodically actuated at its root, subject to a large number of structural design parameters. The method with the lowest computational design cost is found to be a strong function of the harmonic content and the nonlinearity of the transient response.
Time-resolved spectroscopic studies of B12 coenzymes: The photolysis and geminate recombination of adenosylcobalamin

Femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy has been used to investigate the photolysis of coenzyme B12 (5‘-deoxyadenosylcobalamin). Transient kinetic measurements obtained at wavelengths between 400 and 633 nm were analyzed globally to obtain time constants. Transient spectral data obtained for time delays between 5 ps and 9 ns were analyzed by matrix decomposition to identify distinct spectral components present in the data. Photoexcitation results in homolysis of the carbon−cobalt bond forming a singlet radical pair on a picosecond time scale. The subsequent spectral changes probe conformational relaxation and geminate recombination. Analysis of the spectral data suggests that 76 ± 4% of the geminate radical pairs recombine, resulting in a quantum yield of 0.24 ± 0.04 for the formation of solvent separated radicals, in good agreement with literature values of 0.20 ± 0.03 and 0.23 ± 0.04 [Chen, E.; Chance, M. R. Biochemistry 1993, 32, 1480−1487]. The geminate recombination of the adenosyl radical with...
Relation of parental support and control to adolescents' externalizing symptomatology and substance use: A longitudinal examination of curvilinear effects

Past research has generated inconsistent findings regarding the relation of parental control and support to adolescent problem behaviors. Using two waves of data collected 1 year apart, the current study examined the influence of parental control and support on adolescents' externalizing symptoms, alcohol use, and illicit substance use. A sample of adolescents and their parents (@#@ N =454) was studied, within which approximately half of the adolescents were at high risk because of parental alcoholism. Multipleregression analyses of crosssectional data showed a negative quadratic relation between parental control and adolescent externalizing symptomatology, and between parental control and adolescent illicit substance use. Parental control had a negative linear relation to adolescent alcohol use. Parental support showed a negative quadratic relation to adolescent illicit substance use, and negative linear relations to adolescent alcohol use and externalizing symptoms. Although longitudinally adjusted contemporaneous results were consistent with crosssectional findings, parental support and control were prospectively related only to adolescent alcohol use. The quadratic relations suggest that adolescents who receive either extreme of parental support or control are at risk for problem behaviors.
Correlates of high perceived stress among pregnant Hispanic women in Western Massachusetts.

Prenatal psychosocial stress has been associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, even after controlling for known risk factors. This paper aims to evaluate correlates of high perceived stress among Hispanic women, a group with elevated rates of stress during pregnancy. We conducted this analysis among 1,426 pregnant Hispanic women using data from Proyecto Buena Salud, a prospective cohort study conducted in Western Massachusetts. Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-14) validated in English and Spanish was administered in early (mean = 12.4 weeks gestation), mid (mean = 21.3 weeks gestation) and late (mean = 30.8 weeks gestation) pregnancy at which time bilingual interviewers collected data on socio-demographic, acculturation, behavioral, and psychosocial factors. High perceived stress was defined as a PSS score >30. Young maternal age (odds ratio (OR) = 0.6; 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.4–0.9 for 12 drinks/month vs. none) and smoking (OR = 2.2; 95 % CI 1.3–3.7 for >10 cigarettes/day vs. none) were associated with high perceived stress during early pregnancy. Furthermore, higher annual household income (OR = 0.4; 95 % CI 0.1–0.9 for >$30,000 vs. <$15,000), greater number of adults in the household (OR = 1.8; 95 % CI 1.1–3.0 for ≥3 vs. 1) and language preference (OR = 0.6; 95 % CI 0.4–0.9 for Spanish vs. English) were associated with high stress during mid-pregnancy. Likewise, annual household income was inversely associated with high stress during late pregnancy. Our results have important implications for incorporation of routine screening for psychosocial stress during prenatal visits and implementation of psychosocial counseling services for women at high risk.
Factors and outcomes associated with longer latency in preterm premature rupture of membranes.

Objective. To examine factors and outcomes associated with latency in preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM).Methods. A retrospective cohort study was conducted of all deliveries with a diagnosis of PPROM at 24–34 weeks of gestation at an academic medical center for the period 1980–2001. Gestational age at PPROM was examined as the primary independent variable. Primary outcome was duration from rupture of membranes until delivery. The association with neonatal and maternal perinatal morbidity was examined with duration of latency. Dichotomous outcomes were compared using the Chi-square test. Multivariable regression analyses were performed to control for potential confounding variables.Results. One thousand one hundred and sixty-eight patients were identified. Latency duration was inversely associated with gestational age at time of PPROM (p < 0.001). These findings persisted when potential confounders were controlled for in multivariable models. Neonatal sepsis and chorioamnionitis were not assoc...
Guiding blind transmitters: Relay-aided interference alignment for the X channel

This paper investigates the impact of half-duplex relays on the degrees of freedom (DoF) of the K-user X channel when the transmitters are blind in the sense that no channel state information (CSI) at the transmitter (CSIT) is available. It is shown that adding relay nodes with CSI to the communication model is sufficient to recover the optimal DoF with CSIT. In particular, the relay nodes help steer the directions of the transmitted signals to facilitate interference alignment to achieve optimal DoF. It is shown that one relay node with K−1 antennas is sufficient to achieve the optimal DoF. When relays do not have multiple antennas, it is sufficient to have (K − 1)2 relays to achieve the optimal DoF. The achievability is established using partial interference alignment and joint beamforming. DoF for the case when relays only have delayed CSI is also investigated.
Mineralogy of Weathered Flue Gas Desulfurization Sludges

Samples of flue gas desulfurization sludge were characterized chemically and mineralogically. X-ray diffraction analysis indicated that the major crystalline components in the sludge samples were calcite, hannebachite, gypsum, and quartz. Identification of major compounds was confirmed through morphological and chemical analyses using scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray analysis. In a related study, equilibrium solubility measurements of these samples corresponded with known solubilities of calcite, hannebachite, and gypsum.
DDAVP (l-Desamino-8-D-arginine-vasopressin) Treatment of Central Diabetes Insipidus—Mechanism of Prolonged Antidiuresis

DDAVP, 1-desamino-8-D-arginine-vasopressin, is a synthetic analog of arginine vasopressin which produces prolonged antidiuresis after intranasal administration to patients with complete central diabetes insipidus. We have studied the mechanism of the prolonged antidiuretic effect by specific radioimmunossay of DDAVP in plasma of patients and by in vitro studies on the adenylate cyclase-cylic AMP system of the rat outer renal medulla. When DDAVP was administredd to patients, all responded, but the duration of response among patients varied from 5-21 h. The peak level of DDAVP in plasma was achieved up to 4 h after administration indicating a slow absorption from the nasal mucosa. The disappearance time of DDAVP from plasma correlated significantly with the duration of antidiuresis, P less than 0.001. On a molar basis DDAVP was 3-fold greater than AVP in its stimulation of outer medullary adenylate cyclase activity and 10-fold greater than AVP in its stimulation of cyclic AMP content. The prolonged antidiuresis of intranasally administered DDAVP is due to slow absorption, presistence in plasma, and enchanced effect on the kidney.
Mode discrimination in the negative branch confocal unstable resonator

Mode discrimination in a negative branch confocal unstable resonator with a round aperture and spherical mirrors was studied by numerically computing the lowest loss modes and their losses. Selected intensity and phase profiles of the modes are shown. The mode discrimination ratio (DR), the ratio of the fractional feedback powers of the lowest loss mode to the second lowest loss mode, is simply the geometric resonator magnification squared. To study the effects of aberrations on the mode discrimination, an astigmatic and a random phase distortion were introduced in the resonator. In the range of parameters where the far field Strehl ratio exceeded 0.4, the DR remained significantly greater than unity indicating that the resonator maintains good mode discrimination in the presence of these aberrations.
Ajīb and Gharīb Artistic Perception in Medieval Arabic Sources

In the prodigious medieval Arabic historical output the mention of specific art objects reveals unfamiliarity with elementary aesthetic vocabulary. The authors usually refrain from judging the quality of art, unlike their expert discussion of literary works. This article uses a famous, relatively long and oft-quoted text from al-Maqrīzī's Khiṭaṭ describing three examples of Fatimid painting to explore how the Arab historians saw the visual arts, and why. It explores the linguistic roots of the most frequently used terms, such as ‘ajīb and gharīb, in twelfth- to fifteenth-century texts and how they were transposed from their semantic fields to the description of art objects. It then examines the sources’ reticence vis-a-vis the description of art and seeks an explanation in the intellectual formation of the historians and class distinction between historians and artists.
First report of Nectria haematococca stem girdling of greenhouse peppers in Florida.

Nectria haematococca Berk. & Broome causing stem girdling of three cultivars of greenhouse pepper, Capsicum annuum (cvs. Kelvin, Cubico, and Grizzly), was found for the first time in a single greenhouse in south Florida in March 1999. Approximately 10% of the plants were affected at first report increasing to over 40% within 3 months. Black lesions occurred at nodes where the plant was pruned or where fruit had been harvested. No mycelium or perithecia were noted in association with the lesions. All tissue above a lesion appeared normal until the lesion girdled the stem, causing the tissue above the lesion to wilt and die. The plant appeared unaffected below the lesion. The pathogen was isolated on half-strength Difco potato-dextrose agar (½ DPDA). Reddish perithecia developed readily in culture. Two single spore isolates of the pathogen obtained from two naturally infected plants (cultivar Kelvin) were used to satisfy Koch's postulates. Five plants of Kelvin were inoculated with each isolate by inserting a 4-mm agar block of the pathogen grown for 5 days on ½ DPDA into the stem. Five plants of the same cultivar were similarly treated with fungus-free ½ DPDA. Plants were grown under greenhouse conditions after inoculation. In four plants, black lesions similar to those seen in the commercial greenhouse developed within 1 week. In one plant, the portions of the plants above the point of inoculation wilted after 5 days. The upper parts of the plants appeared healthy until lesions girdled the stems. The plants treated with fungus-free agar remained healthy. The fungus was re-isolated from the margins of lesions on the inoculated plants. The pathogen has been reported to cause stem lesions and fruit rot of pepper in greenhouses in England (1) and Canada (2). Fruit symptoms were not observed in the Florida greenhouse. Stem symptoms were again reported from the same greenhouse in the following season. References: (1) J. T. Fletcher. Plant Pathol. 43:225-222, 1994. (2) W. R. Jarvis. Can. Plant Dis. Surv. 74:131-134, 1994.
Galileo Spacecraft High Gain Antenna Offset Calibration

A mathematical model for the estimation of the dual-spin Galileo spacecraft high gain antenna misalignment is developed. The feasibility of the proposed technique is investigated by means of a simulation study. In-flight parameter estimation requires the development of a stochastic model of the spacecraft rotational biases and the earth-received signal strength measurements. The signal strength measurements for X-band frequency are used as observations to estimate the rotational biases and their corresponding uncertainties. The simulation study shows that the initial ground measured uncertainties of .6 mrad can be reduced by a factor of ten.
Waves and Currents in Hawaiian Waters Induced by the Dispersive 2011 Tohoku Tsunami

This study focuses on the effects of frequency dispersion on tsunami-induced coastal water waves and currents, exemplified by the 2011 Tohoku tsunami event. The investigation relies on numerical simulations. We start from a tsunami source constrained through the inversion algorithm of NOAA’s tsunami inundation forecast system. The trans-Pacific propagation and the hydrodynamic processes in the Hawaiian Islands region are simulated with a weakly dispersive Boussinesq model and a shallow-water model that neglects dispersion effects. From these modeling results, boundary conditions are derived to force the high-resolution simulations in the coastal waters in the Hawaiian Islands region through MOST, a tsunami simulating code based on the shallow-water theory. We note that the dispersion effects generally lower the amplitudes of leading waves. Trailing waves of short wavelengths and high amplitudes can develop in coastal waters. A model neglecting dispersion effects could under-predict the wave heights and current speeds at the trailing waves.
The Role of Academic Psychiatry Faculty in the Treatment and Subsequent Evaluation and Promotion of Medical Students: An Ethical Conundrum

Objectives This article explores ethical and practical issues associated with the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) provision that states health professionals who provide psychiatric/psychological care to medical students must have no involvement in the academic evaluation or promotion of students receiving those services.
The Effect of a Domestic Violence Policy Change on Police Officers' Schemata:

Schemata are used to organize knowledge, helping people interpret their environment and decide on courses of action. The current study examined the schemata of police officers socialized before and after the department changed its domestic violence policy to mandate arrests when probable cause exists in domestic disturbances. It was hypothesized that officers socialized before the policy change would have schemata that discouraged them from making arrests and rating victims cooperative and likely to prosecute their cases, whereas the opposite was predicted for officers socialized during the pro-arrest era. The relationship of officers' schemata to their arrest decisions at domestic calls and their attitudes toward the victims at these calls were analyzed using logistic regression. Results indicated more similarity than difference between the two groups of officers, although the schema variable did predict officers' belief in the likelihood of victims prosecuting their cases, pointing to the utility of sch...
A contribution to the study of the seismicity of Missouri

The status of Missouri as a State which contains active seismic areas has been a subject of discussion ever since the New Madrid earthquakes of 1811 and 1812. Local seismic research, however, was slow in starting due principally to the lack of available instruments to supply sufficiently accurate data for detailed work. Two events which gave great impetus to the program of Missouri earthquake-study were: (1) The installation of the seismograph at Saint Louis University in 1909, and (2) the inauguration of the regional study-plan which was proposed by Reverend James B. Macelwane, S.J., in 1925.
Simulation of snow and soil water content as a basis for satellite retrievals

It is not yet possible to determine whether global snow mass has changed over time despite collection of passive microwave data for more than thirty years. Physically-based, but computationally fast snow and soil models have been coupled to form the basis of a data assimilation system for retrievals of snow mass and soil moisture from existing and future satellite observations. The model has been evaluated against observations of snow mass and soil temperature and moisture profiles from Reynolds Creek Experimental Watershed, Idaho. Simulation of snow mass was improved early in the season due to more realistic representation of soil heat flux, but led to an overestimation of snow mass later in the season. Soil temperatures were generally simulated well; freezing of the surface layers was not observed but was simulated, which affected soil water transport. Limited knowledge of the soil lower boundary conditions is acceptable for snow mass and surface soil moisture retrievals, although improvements are required for more accurate simulations of deeper soil moisture at this site. Development of a data assimilation framework to retrieve snow mass and near-surface soil moisture is discussed.
Glycosylated ectodomain of the human thyrotropin receptor induces antibodies capable of reacting with multiple blocking antibody epitopes

Recently, we showed that the glycosylated ectodomain of the human thyrotropin receptor (hET-gp) reacts with autoantibodies from autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) patients' sera. To better understand the effects of glycosylation of thyrotropin receptor (TSHR) in antibody induction, we immunized rabbits with hET-gp protein. The rabbits developed relatively high titers of antibodies with highly potent TSH binding inhibitory immunoglobulin (TBII) and thyroid stimulatory blocking antibody (TSBAb) activities. Both the hET-gp and a nonglycosylated ectodomain of the human TSHR (hETSHR) protein significantly reversed the TBII as well as TSBAb activity. Based on the ability of synthetic peptides to significantly reverse the functional activity of these rabbit antisera, we identified three discrete regions of the TSHR, represented by amino acids 202–221, 292–311 and 367–386, as TBII epitopes and four regions represented by amino acids 352–371, 367–386, 382–401 and 392–415 as TSBAb epitopes. These data demonstrate th...
Fleroxacin in complicated urinary tract infections.

The clinical evaluation of antimicrobial agents for the treatment of urinary tract infections (UTIs) requires clinically useful categorization of patients plus concurrent laboratory diagnosis. Appropriate diagnostics include (1) proper collection techniques, (2) quantitative urine culture, (3) urinalysis to determine pyuria, and (4) radiological, urological and gynecological evaluation. Categorization of patients suffering from UTIs should take into consideration (1) the site of infection, (2) the clinical presentation, (3) the frequency of infections, and (4) the coexistence of complicating factors. UTIs in men and older women are mostly complicated. The characterization of a UTI as complicated or uncomplicated is important since in the former condition, multiresistant nosocomial microorganisms are frequently encountered. Experience with fleroxacin 200 or 400 mg once daily (o.d.) in > 1,000 patients with complicated UTIs in noncomparative and comparative trials with other quinolones and cephalosporins has been very promising, with overall clinical and bacteriological cure rates of 86-95 and 89-95%, respectively. As with other quinolones, relapses and superinfections were mostly attributed to Enterococcus, Staphylococcus and Pseudomonas spp. The reported results make oral o.d. fleroxacin appropriate as an alternative to parenteral antimicrobials or for intravenous-to-oral switch therapy in complicated UTIs.
Modified null field method for elastic wave scattering from a partially debonded fiber-SH-waves

Debonded fibers influence the macro-mechanical behavior of fiber-reinforced composite materials. Debonded fibers contribute to the initiation and growth of cracks at the fiber/matrix interface. To examine such problems, the scattering of elastic SH-waves (problem of anti-plane strain) from debonded fibers is studied with a numerical method which can handle the mixed boundary conditions on the partially bonded fiber. A modification of the null field of T-matrix method is developed for this purpose. The modification is achieved by the introduction of a mathematical surface. The simultaneous solution of the integral representations of the field scattered by the mathematical surface and the actual fiber surface give rise to sufficient equations that permit solution of the debonded fiber problem. The scattering cross-section and the far field amplitude are calculated as a function of frequency, fiber properties and debonding area. This will be of interest in structural applications where such cross-sections ca...