cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Young Children’s Gender Development

Gender is one of the most salient influences on children’s social development. As infants, girls and boys are often difficult to distinguish, yet from birth onward gender matters and is defined within the child’s cultural context. Differential gender socialization determines children’s names, how they are dressed, the toys they are given, the playmates they interact with, as well as their chores, responsibilities, and education. Nevertheless, in many modern industrialized societies, gender differences have begun to blur with similarities in educational opportunities, occupations, and domestic activities. Cultural expectations about gender shape children’s gender identities, roles, stereotypes, social interactions, and other aspects of gender. These facets of gender development are the focus of the present chapter.
Scanning the Scanners: Sensing the Internet from a Massively Distributed Network Telescope

Scanning of hosts on the Internet to identify vulnerable devices and services is a key component in many of today's cyberattacks. Tracking this scanning activity, in turn, provides an excellent signal to assess the current state-of-affairs for many vulnerabilities and their exploitation. So far, studies tracking scanning activity have relied on unsolicited traffic captured in darknets, focusing on random scans of the address space. In this work, we track scanning activity through the lens of unsolicited traffic captured at the firewalls of some 89,000 hosts of a major Content Distribution Network (CDN). Our vantage point has two distinguishing features compared to darknets: (i) it is distributed across some 1,300 networks, and (ii) its servers are live, offering services and thus emitting traffic. While all servers receive a baseline level of probing from Internet-wide scans, i.e., scans targeting random subsets of or the entire IPv4 space, we show that some 30% of all logged scan traffic is the result of localized scans. We find that localized scanning campaigns often target narrow regions in the address space, and that their characteristics in terms of target selection strategy and scanned services differ vastly from the more widely known Internet-wide scans. Our observations imply that conventional darknets can only partially illuminate scanning activity, and may severely underestimate widespread attempts to scan and exploit individual services in specific prefixes or networks. Our methods can be adapted for individual network operators to assess if they are subjected to targeted scanning activity.
Sublacustrine geomorphology and modern sedimentation in a glacial scour basin, June Lake, eastern Sierra Nevada, U.S.A.

Abstract Small sub-alpine glacial lakes are often targeted as Holocene paleoclimate archives, but their evolution as landforms and depositional basins is understudied. At June Lake in the eastern Sierra Nevada of California (USA), bathymetry, surface sediment composition, and seismic stratigraphy are studied to assess the modern sedimentary system and gain insight into the basin's origins. A basin-wide seismic survey reveals sublacustrine morphological features that attest to the role of ice in scouring the June Lake basin, including a prominent abraded bedrock shoal and an adjacent overdeepened depression. The seismic survey reveals four acoustically distinct stratigraphic units that reflect the history of sedimentation following glacial scouring. The youngest of these is represented in the recovered lacustrine core records as hemipelagically deposited, organic-rich, laminated diatomaceous oozes alternating with coarse tephra beds. The organic-rich oozes are characterized by low carbon and nitrogen stable-isotope values and occur in profundal areas of the modern lake floor. These sediments suggest an algae-dominated productivity regime and preservation of organic matter at depth. With no perennial streams entering June Lake, surface-sediment grain-size distribution and geochemistry are controlled by water depth and basin morphology. Additional modern facies types include poorly sorted coarse detrital landslide deposits below steep basin walls and volcaniclastic sandy gravel in windward littoral areas. These data provide a modern facies model for sedimentation in ice-scoured, hydrologically closed sub-alpine lakes and a baseline for future paleoclimate studies using June Lake sediment cores.
Five minutes to midnight

A new crop of time-travel fiction has abandoned the genre´s old paradoxes in favour of seriously messing around with timelines and asking how much of the world we´re really responsible
Can short-term payments for ecosystem services deliver long-term tree cover change?

Abstract Payments for ecosystem services (PES) have been heralded as an effective strategy to increase tree cover in agricultural landscapes, but their efficacy beyond the payment period has rarely been evaluated. I compared land covers before and 13 years after implementation of a short-term PES project that promoted the adoption of silvopastoral systems (SPS) in a cattle ranching landscape in Colombia. I used satellite images to quantify on-farm changes and farm-to-landscape differences in land cover change. On average, treeless pasture area decreased by 7% more and areas with tree cover increased 8% more on silvopastoral farms relative to the surrounding landscape. Short-term payments facilitated the adoption of SPS leading to a significantly greater increase in tree cover, which is still visible on participant farms a decade later. The results highlight the potential of short-term PES as a tool to facilitate the permanent adoption of SPS and to support restoration efforts in pasture-dominated landscapes.
Injectable Cucurbit[8]uril-Based Supramolecular Gelatin Hydrogels for Cell Encapsulation.

Recent efforts to develop hydrogel biomaterials have focused on better recapitulating the dynamic properties of the native extracellular matrix. In hydrogel biomaterials, binding thermodynamics and...
The influence of firearms trafficking on gunshot injuries in a co-offending network

Individuals at the greatest risk of gunshot victimization are often prohibited from legally acquiring guns in the U.S. due to prior felony convictions or other disqualifications. Prohibited persons often rely on others - such as friends, family members, fellow gang members, and gun brokers - to acquire firearms. This study examines whether the sources of guns recovered from high-risk individuals differ relative to the sources of guns recovered more generally in a major U.S. city, and whether illegally-diverted guns are associated with increased gunshot victimization risk. Using official data, we recreate the co-offending network of individuals in Boston who were arrested or contacted by the police with at least one other person between 2007 and 2014. Firearms trace data are then used to develop measures of the shortest distance between individuals and firearms in their immediate network. Results suggest guns with markers of illegal diversion are more likely to be recovered in the highest risk sector of the network and that the probability of gunshot victimization increases with decreased distance to an individual linked to firearms with markers of illegal trafficking.
Dielectric Nonlocal Metasurfaces for Fully Solid-State Ultrathin Optical Systems

Most optical systems involve a combination of lenses separated by free-space regions where light acquires the required angle-dependent phase delay for a certain functionality. Very recently, flat-o...
The Effect of Patient Specific Factors on Occlusal Forces Generated: Best Evidence Consensus Statement.

Purpose The purpose of this Best Evidence Consensus Statement was to search the literature to determine if there is a relationship between patient specific factors and occlusal force. Materials and methods A literature review was conducted in the following databases: Evidence-Based Medicine Reviews (EMBR) - Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Embase, and Ovid MEDLINE(R) and Epub Ahead of Print. Articles on patient factors and occlusal force were compiled by using a combination of the key words: "bite force", "occlusal force", "partial and complete edentulism", "bruxism", and "orthognathic class". Inclusion criteria included meta-analyses, systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials, case series, and journal articles. Exclusion criteria were case reports, studies in children, animals, and bench studies. Results Of the 1,502 articles that met the initial search criteria, 97 related to patient-specific factors affecting occlusal forces. These articles were evaluated, rated, and organized into appropriate categories addressing questions of foci. Conclusions The range of occlusal force is highly variable among subjects correlated to patient specific factors such as age, gender, partial and complete edentulism, the presence of a maxillofacial defect, location of edentulous area, orthognathic profile, and magnitude of occlusal vertical dimension. Tooth replacement therapies targeted at increasing occlusal contact seem to have a positive effect on increasing occlusal force. Bruxism does not necessarily demonstrate higher occlusal powering but may have greater tooth contact time. Occlusal force is not clearly affected by the type of dental restoration or restorative material used. The clinical significance of the changes in occlusal forces is yet to be determined. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Quantification of vertical, lateral, and longitudinal fastener demand in broken spike track: Inputs to mechanistic-empirical design:

To address a recent challenge related to broken spikes in premium elastic fastening systems that have led to at least ten derailments and require manual walking inspections as well as build upon me...
Hyperlipidemia May Synergize with Hypomethylation in Establishing Trained Immunity and Promoting Inflammation in NASH and NAFLD

We performed a panoramic analysis on both human nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) microarray data and microarray/RNA-seq data from various mouse models of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease NASH/NAFLD with total 4249 genes examined and made the following findings: (i) human NASH and NAFLD mouse models upregulate both cytokines and chemokines; (ii) pathway analysis indicated that human NASH can be classified into metabolic and immune NASH; methionine- and choline-deficient (MCD)+high-fat diet (HFD), glycine N-methyltransferase deficient (GNMT-KO), methionine adenosyltransferase 1A deficient (MAT1A-KO), and HFCD (high-fat-cholesterol diet) can be classified into inflammatory, SAM accumulation, cholesterol/mevalonate, and LXR/RXR-fatty acid β-oxidation NAFLD, respectively; (iii) canonical and noncanonical inflammasomes play differential roles in the pathogenesis of NASH/NAFLD; (iv) trained immunity (TI) enzymes are significantly upregulated in NASH/NAFLD; HFCD upregulates TI enzymes more than cytokines, chemokines, and inflammasome regulators; (v) the MCD+HFD is a model with the upregulation of proinflammatory cytokines and canonical and noncanonical inflammasomes; however, the HFCD is a model with upregulation of TI enzymes and lipid peroxidation enzymes; and (vi) caspase-11 and caspase-1 act as upstream master regulators, which partially upregulate the expressions of cytokines, chemokines, canonical and noncanonical inflammasome pathway regulators, TI enzymes, and lipid peroxidation enzymes. Our findings provide novel insights on the synergies between hyperlipidemia and hypomethylation in establishing TI and promoting inflammation in NASH and NAFLD progression and novel targets for future therapeutic interventions for NASH and NAFLD, metabolic diseases, transplantation, and cancers.
Distributed reconfigurable avionics architectures

Current and upcoming avionics systems must be able to accommodate expected growing application software volume and capability. The software domain has struggled to meet increasing demands while retaining the necessary level of confidence in its appropriate operation. Meanwhile, although computing components are becoming less expensive, the fixed and operational costs of hardening them to their potential environments are not progressing with the same speed. We introduce a flexible architecture based on distribution of function and assured reconfiguration that can react to failures in both hardware and software. Reconfiguration, when its safety properties are assured, can enhance analysis capabilities for critical safety properties and reduce certification costs for much of the system. This work outlines an architecture for assured reconfiguration, the principles of reconfiguration assurance, and the accompanying cost and safety arguments.
Full-wave nonlinear analysis of microwave superconductor devices: application to filters

A full-wave three-dimensional nonlinear HTS finite-difference time-domain electromagnetic simulator is developed. The HTS nonlinear model, based on the Ginzburg-Landau theory, is blended with Maxwell's equations. The analysis is performed in time domain, which is necessary for modeling the nonlinear aspects of microwave superconductor devices. The fields in the superconducting device are calculated. Interesting aspects of the nonlinearity in a superconducting material are observed. Applications to microstrip line and filters are presented. >
Nature and origin of organic molecules in comets

The organic molecules sublimating from the cometary nucleus either represent the “frost” of interstellar molecules that condensed onto those interstellar grains that have later accreted into comets, or they represent the “snows” that condensed onto silicate grains during the cooling phase of the presolar nebula. Even if one does not accept the speculations of Hoyle and Wickramashinghe (1977), the fact that prebiotic chemistry could have been brought from the interstellar space or from the solar nebula to the Earth by comets is an intriguing possibility that cannot be ruled out at this stage.
Outcomes of an osteoporosis disease-management program managed by nurse practitioners.

Purpose: To detail the outcomes of an osteoporosis disease-management program where nurse practitioners (NPs) have taken a leadership role in screening, diagnosing, and treating patients at risk for osteoporosis. Data sources: An electronic medical record (EMR) was used to collect demographic, pharmacy, dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan, and fracture data from a population of over 625,000 patients with one or more risk factors for osteoporosis. Monthly reports were generated and distributed to the NPs to assist them in identifying patients that required screening or treatment. Conclusions: Over a 6-year period there was a 263% increase in the number of screening DXA scans done each year, a 153% increase in the number of patients on anti-osteoporosis medications each year, and a 38.1% decrease in the expected hip fracture rate. Implications for practice: NPs play an important leadership role in managing osteoporosis within a large health maintenance organization. The screening and interventions used can be applied by any NP in any practice setting on an individual basis to reduce hip fracture rates in the United States.
“I Became Proud of Being Gay and Proud of Being Christian”: The Spiritual Journeys of Queer Christian Women

Many Christian leaders have asserted that queer and Christian are two mutually exclusive identities. Several studies have explored how gay men navigate conflicting spiritual and sexual identities. The same research does not exist for queer women. This study included 8 qualitative interviews of lesbian and bisexual women who grew up in nonaffirming Christian environments, and currently describe their spiritual practice as meaningful and affirming. Participants all shared negative experiences with Christianity, and a spiritual journey that resulted in profoundly meaningful spiritual lives. Implications suggest that social workers can offer a safe place for LGBTQ clients to address their spiritual issues.
Nonlinear filters in joint source channel coding of images

We address the problem of data compression and transmission applied to images. We present a differential pulse coded modulation (DPCM) scheme whose prediction filter is the Ll filter. We also present an ECC decoder which takes advantage of information to selectively filter reconstructed prediction difference sequence, using the weighted median filter. We apply our schemes to some test images, and we compare their performance to the appropriate baseline schemes. Our techniques exhibit a lot of resilience to noise, even for very noisy channels.
Operations Research Decision Making

The sections in this article are 1 Multiattribute Decision Making: A General Overview 2 Classification of MCDM Methods 3 Some MCDM Application Areas 4 Multicriteria Decision Making Methods 5 Sensitivity Analysis in MCDM Methods 6 Data Estimation for MCDM Problems 7 Concluding Remarks Keywords: decision making; optimization; pairwise comparisons; sensitivity analysis; operations research
Automation in the pesticide analytical laboratory

Hundreds of thousands of samples are routinely analyzed for pesticide residues annually in the United States alone. The result has been an acute shortage of analytical personnel adequately trained in this exacting area (Gunther 1962). One solution which was suggested (Gunther and Ott 1966 a and b) to help alleviate this problem was to automate the major and basic routine residue screening methods to the point where less well-trained personnel can operate the required instrumentation. The available skilled analysts can then be partially freed to devote more of their time to those incisive analytical efforts always associated with aberrant samples and also to the ever-increasing evaluative residue programs required under current legislative restrictions imposed to maintain quality in our air, food, fiber, and water supplies. For example, the problem of establishing realistic values of “acceptable daily intakes” for man for pesticide residues and food additives, often necessitating total diet studies which involve residue investigation of large numbers of samples, has been reviewed by Lu (1973) of the World Health Organization; these values must be established for each presently used and each new pesticide chemical “to protect the health of the consumer and to facilitate international trade” (Lu 1973).
Determining dilute-limit solvus boundaries in multi-component systems using defect energetics: Na in PbTe and PbS

Defect calculations are standard practice for understanding the electronic structure of dopants and alloying elements in semiconductors and insulators. However, these calculations have untapped potential to quantitatively determine thermodynamic properties of doped semiconductor systems. We present a methodology which couples defect energetics and compound formation energies to determine defect concentrations in a host material as functions of temperature and chemical equilibrium. From these defect concentrations we find the solvus boundaries of the host phase in a multi-dimensional composition space. As an example, we present first-principles calculations of the solvus boundaries of PbTe and PbS in Na–Pb–Te and Na–Pb–S. We calculate the formation energies of compounds in Na–Pb–S–Te and the defect energetics of a large number of intrinsic and Na-containing defects in PbTe and PbS. With these, we obtain equilibrium defect concentrations and solvus boundaries for PbTe and PbS. We find vacancies are the lowest-energy intrinsic defects in PbTe and PbS. We also find Na substituted for Pb is the lowest-energy Na defect in both PbTe and PbS. We find that the PbTe solvus boundary in Na–Pb–Te is a sharply peaked function of composition. We find negative defect formation energies for Na on Pb in PbS, suggesting the existence of a ternary compound in the Na–Pb–S system. The methodology presented herein is a general and straightforward way to extend the use of defect calculations from making inferences about the electronic structure of dopants to calculating solvus boundaries in multicomponent systems.
Strategic and Tactical Transboundary Water Allocation under Climatic Uncertainty: Case of Upper Rio Grande Basin, USA

The purpose of this paper is to examine how a multiple objective decision making technique may be used as an aid in analyzing the past developments of the Rio Grande management system and the present water use strategies employed by the decision makers. Then, by assuming that these developments of the past will propagate into the future, the most preferable operational strategies that could be used by these decision makers under climate fluctuation coupled with future population growth scenarios are derived. As pointed out in Duckstein et al. (1982), Szidarovszky et al. (1986) and Bardossy and Duckstein (1992), common problems in formulating a multiple objective model within a crisp (non-fuzzy) framework include the following: 1./ diversity of objectives, 2./ different importance and compensation among objectives, 3./ undefined numerical scales for some objectives.
POSTCRANIAL ANATOMY OF VIVERRAVUS (MAMMALIA, CARNIVORA) AND IMPLICATIONS FOR SUBSTRATE USE IN BASAL CARNIVORA

Abstract A postcranial skeleton of the viverravid carnivoran, Viverravus acutus from the early Eocene of Wyoming, is described and compared to contemporary carnivorans (the viverravid Didymictis, and the miacids Miacis and Vulpavus), and to extant taxa belonging to the families Mustelidae, Procyonidae, Canidae, Viverridae, and Herpestidae. Based on humeral and femoral midshaft diameters, body mass for this animal is estimated to have been about 250 g, less than all but a few living species of Carnivora. Shoulder and hip morphology indicate a considerable range of motion and the structure of the humeroulnar joint suggests habitually flexed postures, characteristics typical of extant carnivorans that are excellent climbers. These similarities are also shared with miacids, supporting the hypothesis that basal members of the order Carnivora were well adapted for exploiting arboreal habitats. An astragalus tentatively attributed to the middle Eocene species Viverravus gracilis, however, is similar to that of D...
Packing Corrosion in Bridge Structures

Abstract Packing corrosion encountered in coastal area bridges in the state of Louisiana is analyzed in this paper. The pack rust obtained from an old carbon steel bridge structure was found to be ...
Prescribing patterns for antihypertensive drugs after the Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart Attack Trial: report of experience in a health maintenance organization.

Background The Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart Attack Trial (ALLHAT) reported that primary cardiovascular outcomes were the same in hypertensive patients treated with thiazide-type diuretics as in those treated with calcium channel bockers or angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors. The aim of this study was to assess prescribing patterns of antihypertensive agents in a health maintenance organization (HMO) before and after the publications of ALLHAT results. Methods Our analysis used computer-stored information from the pharmacy system of the HMO for the period between January 1, 1996, and December 31, 2003. The study assessed prescribing patterns for antihypertensive drugs in six classes: thiazide-type diuretics, other-type antihypertensive diuretics, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers, calcium channel blockers, β-blockers, and α-blockers. The monthly total number and relative percentage of dispensed prescriptions for each class of antihypertensive agent, including new prescriptions and refills, were calculated. Results The use of α-blockers for all prescriptions began to decrease after the closure of the α-blocker (doxazosin) arm of ALLHAT in January 2000. Prescriptions for the thiazide-type diuretics immediately increased after the ALLHAT publication in December 2002. During the first 6 months of 2003, the percentages of thiazide-type diuretics were statistically significantly higher compared with the predicted values. This pattern held for all as well as for new antihypertensive prescriptions. Conclusions The ALLHAT publications had large effects on the antihypertensive prescribing patterns in our population. Prescription of thiazide-type diuretics significantly increased after the ALLHAT publication. Our findings establish that the response of physicians to new clinical evidence can be very rapid.
Opportunities, restrictions, and challenges for Web TV in China

China has the most active Web TV business in the world. This study concerns Web TV based on peer-to-peer (P2P) streaming technology in China. Adopting the tripartite model of accessibility, content strategies, and revenue sources (ACR), we analyzed the business model of China's Web TV business. In the process of analysis, we surveyed the current situation of Web TV and the leading players. We also touched upon the policy environment, the behavior of Chinese consumers, and challenges from other media. The major findings of this study included: (a) in terms of accessibility, P2P technology was an advantage. However, given the variety of content and the increasing number of Web TV suppliers, P2P technology probably could lead to problems. (b) With regard to content strategies, although having diverse and rich content resources, every Web TV player in China has to face the challenge of content overlap and uniformity in the industry, and private players without their own branded content also need to solve the ...
Septal projections to the dorsomedial thalamic nucleus in the cat

Abstract 1. 1. Stimulation of the septal region situated dorsal to the anterior commissure evoked responses in the medial portion of the thalamic dorsomedial nucleus. Evoked responses were usually seen to turn over in polarity in the region of the vertical center of the dorsomedial nucleus. 2. 2. Stimulation of the medial and lateral preoptic region and nucleus of the diagonal band of Broca ventral to the anterior commissure failed to evoke dorsomedial responses. It was from this region that degenerating fibers have been traced to the dorsomedial nucleus by other investigators. 3. 3. Previously placed lesions in the preoptic region blocked septo-dorsomedial evoked responses. As discussed in the text, this observation together with other studies, suggests that a synaptic relay in the septo-dorsomedial pathway may occur in the region ventral to the anterior commissure. 4. 4. Criteria for the identification of the source of evoked potentials are discussed.
Response Measurement Accuracy for Off-Resonance Excitation in Atomic Force Microscopy

Displacement measurement in atomic force microscopy (AFM) is most commonly obtained indirectly by measuring the slope of the AFM probe and applying a calibration factor. Static calibration techniques operate on the assumption that the probe response approximates single mode behavior. For off-resonance excitation or different operating conditions the contribution of higher modes may become significant. In this paper, changes to the calibrated slope-displacement relationship and the corresponding implications on measurement accuracy are investigated. A model is developed and numerical simulations are performed to examine the effect of laser spot position, tip mass, quality factor and excitation frequency on measurement accuracy. Free response conditions and operation under nonlinear tip-sample forces are considered. Results are verified experimentally using a representative macroscale system. A laser spot positioned at a nominal position between x = 0.5 and 0.6 is determined to minimize optical lever measurement error under conditions where the response is dominated by contributions from the first two modes, due to excitation as well as other factors.
Fever Management in Patients With Brain Injury

Abstract Elevated temperature in patients with brain injury has been linked to increased hospital and intensive care unit lengths of stay, increased morbidity, greater disability, and higher mortality. The prevailing medical opinion is that maintaining normothermia in patients with acute brain injury is beneficial. However, little evidence exists to support this recommendation. Nurses are responsible for diagnosing and treating fever, but evidence-based guidelines that would govern fever management for these patients do not exist. This article discusses what evidence is available to support the management of fever in patients with brain injury and in what areas evidence is lacking.
Lipidic supramolecular assemblies for gene transfer

AbstractIntensive work in the last 6 years has demonstrated that first generation non-viral vectors (cationic liposomes and polylysine conjugates) are effective in gene transfer. However, these vectors are not suitable for intravenous administration; only poorly reproducible results were obtained. We discuss here all identified problems with these vectors and show that at least some of the problems can be solved by using polycation condensed DNA together with lipids. These novel supramolecular assemblies, LPD's, are about 50–100 fold more active in gene transfection than the first generation vectors. The structure and mode of action of the LPD's are also discussed.
A Fubini theorem

Abstract Let I 0 be the σ -ideal of subsets of a Polish group generated by Borel sets which have perfectly many pairwise disjoint translates. We prove that a Fubini-type theorem holds between I 0 and the σ -ideals of Haar measure zero sets and of meager sets. We use this result to give a simple proof of a generalization of a theorem of Balcerzak–Roslanowski–Shelah stating that I 0 on 2 N strongly violates the countable chain condition.
An efficient low-complexity approach to color trapping

CMYK color separation is a technique commonly used in printing to reproduce mutli-color images. However, the color planes are generally not perfectly aligned with respect to each other when they are rendered by the imaging stations. This phenomenon, called color plane mis-registration, causes gap and halo artifacts. Trapping algorithms aim to reduce these artifacts by scanning through an image, determining the edges susceptible to mis-registration errors, and moving the edge boundaries of the lighter colorants underneath the edge boundaries of the darker colorants. In this paper, we propose a low-complexity approach to automatic color trapping which hides the effects of small color plane mis-registrations without negatively affecting the overall quality of the printed image.
Environmental testing of wireless sensor system for structural health monitoring of civil infrastructure

Presented in this paper is the environmental testing of Wireless Intelligent Sensor and Actuator Network (WISAN) currently under development at Clarkson University for the use of long-term structural health monitoring of civil infrastructure. The wireless sensor nodes will undergo controlled mechanical vibration and environmental testing in the laboratory. A temperature chamber will be used to perform temperature cycle tests on the sensor nodes. The temperature chamber will also houses a small shaker capable of introducing mechanical loading under the controlled temperature cycle tests. At low temperatures, the resistance of the electronics processing and storage characteristics will be studied. Also, the testing will look at volume expansion and degradation of characteristics due to freezing, degradation of functions and performance, and mechanical characteristics caused by contraction. At high temperatures, temperature-related changes in sensor nodes due to excessively high temperatures will be investigated. Also studied will be the effects of temperature cycles, including the thermal stresses induced in the nodes and housing and the distortion caused due to expansion and contraction, fatigue, cracks, and changes in electrical characteristics due to mechanical displacement. And finally, mechanical vibration loading will be introduced to the WISAN sensor nodes. Mechanical looseness, fatigue destruction, wire disconnection, damage due to harmonic vibration, defective socket contact, joint wear, destruction due to harmonics, lead breakage, occurrence of noise and abnormal vibration, cracking will be monitored. The eventual goal of the tests is to verify WISAN's performance under anticipated field conditions in which the sensors will be deployed.
Childbirth Belief and Practice in a Garifuna (Black Carib) Village on the North Coast of Honduras

This study describes the beliefs and practices related to pregnancy delivery postpartum and immediate infant care among a population of Garifuna in Rio Tinto 1 of 43 Carib settlements located on the north coast of Honduras. This represents the 1st description of childbirth practices in Rio Tinto as well as the 1st such account of any Carib group. The research was based on fieldwork conducted in Rio Tinto from January to July 1978. Unscheduled interviews were used in Rio Tinto. Interviews with the local midwives and other women in the village were conducted in Spanish. A survey was conducted of 83 women who had been pregnant to elicit information on pregnancies and live births and infant and maternal mortality. Participant observation was a key data gathering method. The black Caribs are descendants of African slaves who escaped from 2 Spanish ships in the 17th century and found refuge on the island of St. Vincent in the Caribbean. The population of Rio Tinto is estimated at 515 persons. The village has a schoolhouse and a church. Although the Garifuna are nominally Roman Catholic belief in spirits remains strong. With a single exception every Garifuna baby in Rio Tinto was delivered by a "partera" (midwife). 2 of the 3 attendants were Garifuna; the 3rd was an elderly "Ladina" woman. A midwife visited a pregnant woman several times during the 3 or 4 weeks prior to the expected delivery date. The midwives were well regarded by their neighbors and their services were considered indispensable. The midwives were capable practitioners who inspired confidence in their patients. Some of their practices were questionable but their skills appeared adequate for most birthing events in that setting. They expressed confidence in their abilities but they were also aware that certain complicated delivery episodes could be managed best by medical doctors. Failure to use aseptic techniques and materials in delivery and the care of the newborn may prove to be potentially harmful e.g. dirty hands blowing water from their mouth into the mouth and nose of the newborn. Garifuna practices differ from the North American in several important respects. Unlike obstetrical expectations in the U.S. the Carib mother is encouraged to walk during the entire course of labor. She generally delivers in a squatting position at home with friends and family nearby during labor and parturition. Forceps are not used to assist delivery nor chemicals to ease labor. Episiotomies are not performed in Rio Tinto. Symptoms which might be related to postpartum psychosis in the U.S. were attributed in Rio Tinto only in 1 instance. Informants could recall only a single case of maternal mortality. Improved maternal and child care could result from modification of certain aspects of Carib practice e.g. the application of aseptic principles.
Limited-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer : A Case Report

Because small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is very responsive to chemotherapy, an attempt at treatment is warranted even in poor-prognosis patients with limited-stage disease. Concurrent thoracic radiotherapy and prophylactic cranial irradiation should be considered in such cases. A case report of an elderly, debilitated patient with limited-stage SCLC is presented, and his management is discussed.
SU-GG-T-153: Scaling the Prescription Dose: How Accurate Is the Varian Delivery System?

Purpose: The prescribed dose of an IMRT treatment plan may need to be scaled without changing any other parameters of the plan (e.g. relative fluence‐maps). Examples include changing the prescription as ordered by the physician, or rescaling the dose to avoid overexposure of a dosimeter. In these instances, it may be advantageous and most efficient to rescale the dose without recalculating fluence maps and leaf‐sequencing, as is possible with the Varian delivery system. This work investigates the dosimetric consequences of such dose‐scaling. Method and Materials: A complex 9‐field IMRT treatment plan was created in the Eclipse planning system to meet the RPC head‐and‐neck IMRT credentialing test, which prescribes a dose of 6.6Gy to the primary PTV. A modified RPC head phantom incorporating a PRESAGE 3D dosimeter required a maximum dose of 4Gy to the PTV to avoid over exposure. The prescription dose was correspondingly scaled in the Eclipse system without changing any other aspects of the plan. Other plans were also created scaling the prescription dose to deliver 10 Gy, 4 Gy, 3 Gy, 2 Gy and 1 Gy to the primary PTV. These plans were delivered to the MapCHECK QA device to determine dosimetric errors. DynaLog files were collected to investigate changes in leaf positioning errors and beam hold‐offs. Results: As the prescription dose was decreased, the number of beam hold‐offs and the error in leaf position increased. Reducing the prescription dose by a factor of 6.6 resulted in an average leaf position error of 0.5 mm and caused 17.5% of MapCHECK diodes to fail a relative dose difference threshold of 0.3% with a maximum relative dose difference of 2.2%. Conclusion: These results indicate that scaling the dose prescription by 40% can introduce significant errors to measurements.
Comparison of dolomite decomposition kinetics with related carbonates and the effect of procedural variables on its kinetic parameters

The three naturally occurring available carbonates in northwest Ohio are magnesite, calcite and dolomite. Dolomite is a double carbonate containing calcium and magnesium carbonate in equimolar concentrations. All three carbonates decompose via a single stage process in an atmosphere of nitrogen. The thermal behavior and the kinetics of decomposition were studied using the Arrhenius equation applied to solid-state reactions. It was found that calcite and dolomite supposedly decompose via a zero order mechanism while magnesite decomposes via a first order process. The energy of activation for the decomposition of magnesite, calcite and dolomite were 226.34, 192.50 and 175.05 kJ/mol, respectively. Similarly the ln A-values for magnesite, calcite and dolomite decomposition were 30.70, 20.73 and 18.76, respectively. Finally, the effect of procedural variables on the kinetic parameters of dolomite decomposition was investigated. The three procedural variables studied included flow rate, heating rate and sample size. The kinetic parameters and mechanism remain unaffected by a change in these variables. # 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
ω-Agatoxins differentially block calcium channels in locust, chick and rat synaptosomes

Abstract Three toxins (ω-Agatoxins IA, IIA and IIIA) isolated from the venom of the funnel web spider, Agelenopsis aperta, differentially block depolarization-induced calcium influx in chick, rat and locust synaptosomes. In chick, this block of calcium influx is observed with ω-Agatoxins IIA and IIIA but not with ω-Agatoxin IA. Block by ω-Agatoxin IIA and IIIA is maximal at 70 and 82% respectively of the total depolarization-induced calcium influx; maximal suppression of calcium influx by ω-Conotoxin GVIA (ω-CgTx) is 100%. The IC50 block with ω-Agatoxin IIA is ca 3 nM as compared with an IC50 of 38 nM for ω-CgTx. Incomplete block of calcium influx at saturating concentrations of ω-Agatoxins IIA and IIIA (above 100 nM) suggests that both ω-Agatoxin-sensitive and -insensitive calcium channels occur in chick brain synaptosomes. In rat cerebrocortical synaptosomes, ω-Agatoxins IA and IIA are only partially effective at blocking depolarization-induced calcium influx, as is ω-CgTx, whilst IIIA blocks 47% of this influx. In synaptosomes prepared from the CNS of adult locusts, ω-Agatoxins IA and IIA are most effective at blocking depolarization-induced calcium influx; ω-CgTx and ω-Agatoxin IIIA are ineffective. Block of depolarization-induced calcium influx in chick brain synaptosomes by ω-Agatoxins IIA, IIIA and ω-CgTx suggests that the spider toxin interacts directly with the voltage-dependent calcium channel. The ω-Agatoxins are able to define functionally distinct subclasses of calcium channel based on their ability to interact with novel binding sites on neuronal, voltage-dependent calcium channels in the insect, avian and mammalian central nervous sytems. These calcium channel subtypes do not fall into the classifically defined L-, T- and N-type channels.
Qualitative Principles of Ecology and Their Implications in Quantitative Engineering Systems

In this paper, we briefly review some fundamental qualitative features of ecological sign stability and transform these principles of ecology to a set of mathematical results in matrix theory with quantitative information, which is usually encountered in engineering sciences. This type of cross fertilization of ideas of life sciences and engineering sciences is deemed to be highly beneficial to both fields. In particular, we show in this paper what effect the signs of elements of a matrix have on the matrix properties such as eigenvalues and condition number. Similarly, it is also shown that under some assumptions on the magnitudes of the elements, predator-prey phenomenon in ecology renders some special properties like ‘normality’ to matrices. It is also shown that these predator-prey models have better robustness properties when compared to other matrices. The results presented in this paper can assist in the use of ecological system principles to build highly robust engineering systems.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Secreted β-amyloid precursor protein activates microglia via JNK and p38-MAPK

Reactive microglia are thought to play a role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and are localized to the senile plaques that are associated with cognitive decline. The beta-amyloid precursor protein (betaAPP) is over-expressed in the dystrophic neurites near such plaques, and secreted forms of betaAPP (sAPPalpha) activate inflammatory responses in microglia. To characterize the mechanisms by which sAPPalpha activates microglia, we assayed its effects on MAP kinases, including c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK), extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases (ERK), and p38-MAPK. sAPPalpha was found to rapidly activate JNKs, ERKs and p38-MAPK in a dose-dependent manner. The JNK inhibitor SP600125 and the p38 inhibitor SB203580 independently reduced both nitrite accumulation and induction of inflammatory nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). By contrast, inhibition of the ERK pathway with U0126 did not appreciably affect either outcome measure. These findings suggest that sAPP activates the ERK, JNK and p38 classes of MAP kinases but that only JNK and p38-MAPK are critical for activation of microglia by sAPPalpha, a process that compromises neuronal function and survival.
A generalized mathematical model for wafer cooling with gas

Abstract Gas cooling of wafers during ion implantation is a proven technique for wafer temperature control. Application of this technique in the implanter industry has prompted a basic study of the underlying principles involved. Models were initially formulated on well-founded engineering principles. Experiments were performed to test the model and deduce any unknown variables. The resulting mathematical models are presented here, with experimental data that shows good agreement with the models. Analysis of other heating factors affecting successful ion implantation are also discussed.
The Syracuse strains, selectively bred for differences in active avoidance learning, may be models of genetic differences in trait and state anxiety.

The derivation of the Syracuse high- and low-avoidance strains is described. The behavioral characterization of the high- and low-avoidance phenotypes is summarized and it is concluded that the SLA/Bru strain is best described as having higher state and trait anxiety than their SHA/Bru counterparts. Although the behavioral covariates of the high- and low avoidance phenotypes are consistent, the covariation of the endocrine system normally thought to be involved in stress, is anomalous. The SLA/Bru rats, which are behaviorally more anxious than the SHA/Bru animals, show hypertrophy of the adrenal glands but reduced synthesis and release of the stress-related corticosterone than the SHA/Bru animals. This dissociation of the behavioral and endocrine measures of anxiety appears to be genetic, since a selective genetic analysis, involving F 2 and high and low backcross segregating generations, indicates that both the behavioral and endocrine covariates cosegregate with the avoidance phenotypes. These data suggest that the expected association of behavioral and endocrine measures of anxiety is correlational, not causal.
Victim‐Blaming and Society‐Blaming Scales for Social Problems

Until now, no general scales have been available for measuring victim or society blaming. This constraint has been an impediment to policymaking with regard to those who are affected by social problems. Four scales were constructed: stable victim-blaming scale, unstable victim-blaming scale, stable society-blaming scale, and unstable society-blaming scale. Based on the results of the preliminary exploratory factor analysis and the reliability coefficients, the unstable society-blaming scale was deleted from further analysis. Then, a confirmatory factor analysis using the LISREL 7 program was conducted to evaluate the parameter estimates of the scale items and examine the construct validity of the 3 scales. The scales were judged to have construct validity with satisfactory reliability.
Utilization of evidence‐based practice by registered occupational therapists

Although the use of evidence-based practice (EBP) is presently on the rise, there have been limited studies examining its use by occupational therapists within the US. The purpose of this study was to examine the use of EBP among registered occupational therapists in the occupational therapy intervention planning process. This descriptive study surveyed 500 members of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), of which 131 participants responded (26%). The results of the study supported the hypothesis that, within the sample studied, a minority of registered occupational therapists in the US utilize EBP in the intervention planning process. Other results included: (1) As level of academic education increased, the view of the importance of research to occupational therapy decreased. (2) As the years of practice increased, the use of research evidence in making clinical decisions decreased. As the occupational therapy profession moves towards utilization of EBP as a professional standard, it is imperative that the profession examines specific strategies to promote the adoption of such practice by its members, including the promotion of competency in evidence utilization, and the valuing of the established clinical reasoning skills of the practitioner while integrating research evidence into intervention planning to support professional practice. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
On the Partitioning of Squared Euclidean Distance and Its Applications in Cluster Analysis.

The partitioning of squared Eucliean distance between two vectors in M-dimensional space into the sum of squared lengths of vectors in mutually orthogonal subspaces is discussed and applications given to specific cluster analysis problems. Examples of how the partitioning idea can be used to help describe and interpret derived clusters, derive similarity measures for use in cluster analysis, and to design Monte Carlo studies with carefully specified types and magnitudes of differences between the underlying population mean vectors are presented. Most of the example applications presented in this paper involve the clustering of longitudinal data, but their use in cluster analysis need not be limited to this arena.