cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Geographic Variation in Spending Among Older American Households

This paper reports on a study of how spending in older American households (ages 50 and above) varies across different census regions and divisions. The study shows large variations in household spending across the country, suggesting that both individual households and financial firms might benefit from using state- or region-specific spending benchmarks, in addition to national spending benchmarks. There are significant differences in spending levels across different census regions, but the differences are much larger among census divisions, which are smaller geographic units. Among 65-to-74-year-olds living in different census regions, Northeastern households had the highest median annual spending ($41,860), compared with the lowest by Southern households ($32,836). Among the different census divisions, New England households (CT, RI, MA, VT, NH, and ME) ages 65 to 74 spent the most (median annual spending of $46,019), while households in that age group in the West South Central division (TX, OK, AR, and LA) spent the least ($28,540). Since housing and housing-related expenses form a large part of total household expenses, geographic differences in housing and housing-related expenses are consistent with total spending differences. For example, New England households between ages 50 and 64 spent more than 2.5 times more ($30,240 annually) on housing and housing-related expenses than those in the southern states of TX, OK, AR, and LA ($11,948). Geographic differences in health care spending do not follow the pattern of total spending or housing-related spending. For example, Midwestern states have much higher health care expenses than other regions for those ages 75 and above and non-institutionalized. Among those ages 85 and above, the median annual spending among Midwesterners was $3,480, which was 41.5 percent higher than the median ($2,460) in the next-highest spending region (the West). National spending benchmarks show that average household spending declined with age. In 2015, average total annual spending for households between ages 50 and 64 was $53,087, which declined to $34,982 for those ages 85 and above. Median spending levels for the same age groups were $42,235 and $26,497, respectively. Housing and housing-related expenses remained the largest spending category for all age groups above 50, varying between 44 percent and 48 percent of total household spending for different age groups.
The Entrepreneurial Decision: Economic Theory and Empirical Evidence:

This paper Integrates three major traditions of economic thought into a model of entrepreneurial decision making. Several testable hypotheses are formulated, and the model Is estimated using a 33-y...
Backpack ambassadors: how youth travel integrated Europe

In their works on the emergence of modern tourism, historians have focused, among other topics, on the role that the aristocrats of the Grand Tour, participants in Cook’s Tours, Americans travellin...
Willingness to trade-off: An intermediate factor in patient decision-making regarding escalating care:

This study aimed to evaluate treatment necessity, treatment concern, and willingness to engage in decisional trade-offs in the context of treatment escalation decision-making. Participants (n = 147) recruited online were randomized to read a vignette about escalating care in psoriasis in a 2 (high treatment concern vs moderate treatment concern) × 2 (high perceived treatment necessity vs moderate perceived treatment necessity) design. High treatment concern was associated with choosing to defer treatment escalation and being unwilling to engage in decisional trade-offs if disease risk changed. Results highlight the importance of treatment concern and willingness trade-off in treatment escalation decision-making.
Overcoming Inertia with a Nudge: How the AAIMS Program Increased Advanced Placement Participation in Arkansas

The Arkansas Advanced Initiative for Math and Science (AAIMS) is program with the goal to increase Advanced Placement (AP) participation and increase the passing rate of AP exams. The program offers monetary incentives and support to students and teachers for one year, effectively creating a natural experiment. This paper exploits the one year treatment to empirically show that the program is effective at increasing a school’s AP participation rate by nudging the schools to increase AP offerings and satisfying a latent student demand for AP classes.
Logic and Epistemology in Safety Cases

A safety case must resolve concerns of two different kinds: how complete and accurate is our knowledge about aspects of the system (e.g., its requirements, environment, implementation, hazards) and how accurate is our reasoning about the design of the system, given our knowledge. The first of these is a form of epistemology and requires human experience and insight, but the second can, in principle, be reduced to logic and then checked and automated using the technology of formal methods. We propose that reducing epistemic doubt is the main challenge in safety cases, and discuss ways in which this might be achieved.
U.S. Court Issues Concerning Ruling on Drug Patent Settlements (Loestrin)

In In re Loestrin 24 FE Antitrust Litigation, the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island issued a concerning ruling on drug patent settlements. The court misapplied the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in FTC v. Actavis, granting a motion to dismiss plaintiffs’ challenge to a settlement that had allegedly delayed generic entry.In this short article, I summarize the case and then discuss six concerns with the opinion: (1) an improper framework, (2) an excessively high bar confronting plaintiffs, (3) a restriction of Actavis to cash payments, (4) the neglect of Actavis holdings, (5) the casting of blame on the Supreme Court, and (6) a disregard of pleading standards. If this decision stands and is adopted by other courts, patent litigants will gladly accept the roadmap the court provided to “evade Sherman Act scrutiny.”
Wilse Bernard (Bernie) Webb (1920-2018)

Presents an obituary of Wilse Bernard (Bernie) Webb (1920-2018). Webb was an effective researcher and administrator but also an overall colorful personality. His evolving research career was highlighted by work on learning mechanisms and studies of aircraft accidents. He became most widely known for his important early work on biological rhythms, individual difference, effects of sleep deprivation, and theories of sleep. In 1958 Bernie was appointed psychology chair at the University of Florida, which was developing as a research university. During his years as chair, the size and scope of the department increased, graduate research professorships were established, and plans were laid for a new psychology building. In addition to receiving various awards, he served as president of the Southern Society for Philosophy and Psychology, the Southeastern Psychological Association, the American Psychological Association's (APA) Division of Teaching, as well as its Division of the History of Psychology. He also served two terms on the APA Board of Directors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).
Studying The Sensitivity Of Coronary Blood Flow Using Nondimensional Analysis

Nondimensional analysis was used to develop a novel model of coronary blood flow. In addition to general hemodynamics, the model was used to study the sensitivity of the arterial flow to variations in characteristic lumped parameters. Experimental hemodynamic data obtained from four normal healthy pigs were used in the current study. The results suggest that the mean coronary arterial flow is primarily sensitive to the flow and elasticity parameters of the coronary vasculature. Other flow features were also studied, and it was shown that the sensitivities of the general flow waveforms are influenced to different extents by the perturbations of these parameters. More specifically, the flow coefficient affects the systolic inflow more than the diastolic portion; conversely, the elasticity coefficient has more impact on the diastolic period.
Bolster the Strength of States in Housing Policy

George Galster’s article in this issue, “Neighborhoods and National Housing Policy: Toward Circumscribed, Neighborhood-Sensitive Reforms” (2019) is a very useful synthesis of the literature on hous...
Controller-Hardware-in-the-Loop Testbed for Fast-Switching SiC-Based 50-kW PV Inverter

The recent advent of wide bandgap power semiconductor devices will lay the path for future power converters. These devices provide the advantage of high switching speed and lower losses. The high cost and high switching speeds of these devices provide a challenge in the development and validation of the fast-switching inverter controls with accuracy comparable to that of a hardware setup. In this paper, a field programmable gate array (FPGA) real-time simulator-based controller-hardware-in-the-loop (CHIL) testbed is used to verify the low-level and advanced inverter controls for fast-switching wide bandgap-based photovoltaic string inverter. The paper also includes development of the CHIL testbed, which is run at a time step of 500 ns in order to implement 20-kHz switching frequency. The developed CHIL testbed is validated through experimental results from a three-phase, 50-kW, 480-V LLrms SiC device-based inverter.
An SDE model for deterioration of rock surfaces

AbstractA stochastic differential equation (SDE) is derived and examined for approximately modeling the breaking down of rock surfaces through random processes. The rock surfaces include, for examp...
Neurorehabilitation for an individual with bilateral thalamic stroke and preexisting visual impairment presenting with impaired use of sensory cues: a case report.

Introduction: Impaired balance is one of the primary causes of functional limitations. Related to sensory deficits specifically, balance disorder in stroke may be caused by decreased central integr...
Optimal nonlinear control using Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman viscosity solutions on unstructured grids

The optimal control of nonlinear systems is traditionally obtained by the application of the Pontryagin minimum principle. Despite the success of this methodology in finding the optimal control for...
The SQL File Evaluation (SQLFE) Tool: A Flexible and Extendible System for Evaluation of SQL Queries

The SQL File Evaluation (SQLFE) tool is a GUI-based, flexible, and extendible software system for evaluating the correctness of files of student SQL queries as compared to specified SQL query answers. SQLFE can be configured per question to weight any of over 30 different tests in judging correctness of a submitted answer for a particular question. These tests include successful DBMS interpretation of the query, same result set (as specified answer), the use count of particular keywords, simple formatting style, and partial credit based on simple structural format. SQLFE currently works for databases constructed under Oracle and MySQL database management systems (DBMSs), and can be extended to more DBMSs. SQLFE is available from GitHub.
Paraganglioma‐like medullary thyroid carcinoma: A case report and literature review

Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) accounts for 3%-5% of all thyroid malignancies. Most MTC can be diagnosed by their typical cytologic and histologic morphology and immunohistochemical features. However, some rare variants of MTC may pose diagnostic difficulties on both cytology and histology. Paraganglioma-like MTC (PLMTC) is a rare, but widely recognized variant of MTC. PLMTC is known to share morphological and architectural similarities with paraganglioma, hyalinizing trabecular tumor, and carcinomas of thyroid follicular cell origin, such as follicular carcinoma and follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma. The combination of clinicopathologic features and a battery of immunohistochemical markers is essential for making a correct diagnosis. Herein, we report one case of PLMTC with both cytologic and histologic features and review the clinicopathologic features of previously reported cases.
High Field RF Breakdown of Pressurized SF 6

Pure N 2 and SF 6 , as well as their mixtures, are evaluated for high electric field breakdown tested at pressures ranging from 750 torr to 1650 torr at 2.85 GHz. Previous research concerning the breakdown characteristics of pressurized SF 6 and SF 6 mixtures at S-Band frequencies is limited, likely due to the high electric fields required to breakdown pressurized SF 6 . A stepped impedance transformer is used in conjunction with a traveling wave resonator to obtain the high electric field amplitudes necessary to break down the gases. Starting with the output from a 3.5 MW coaxial magnetron the electric field amplitude in the test piece at the center of the stepped impedance transformer yielded a maximum of about 150 kV/cm RMS field. Using Pure SF 6 as a baseline, the measured breakdown field shows a mostly linear dependence upon pressure in a range from 750 torr to 1350 torr, while some leveling out tendency is observed at pressures greater than 1350 torr. Since pure N2 exhibits a much lower breakdown threshold, ~ 60%, compared to pure SF 6 , mixing the two gases also results in a lower effective breakdown threshold; however, the reduction in the electric field breakdown threshold is not strictly proportional. For example, a 60/40 SF 6 to N2 mixture resulted in a 90% breakdown field while a 20/80 mixture still yielded about 80% in the high-pressure regime.
Immigrant Incorporation in East Asian Democracies

Despite labour shortages and rapidly shrinking working-age populations, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan shared restrictive immigration policies and exclusionary practices toward immigrants until the early 2000s. While Taiwan maintained this trajectory, Japan took incremental steps to expand immigrant services at the grassroots level, and South Korea enacted sweeping immigration reforms. How did convergent policies generate these divergent patterns of immigrant incorporation? Departing from the dominant scholarship that focuses on culture, domestic political elites, and international norms, this book shows the important role of civil society actors - including immigrants themselves - in giving voice to immigrant interests, mobilizing immigrant actors, and shaping public debate and policy on immigration. Based on more than 150 in-depth interviews and focus groups with over twenty immigrant communities, Immigrant Incorporation in East Asian Democracies examines how the civic legacies of past struggles for democracy shape current movements for immigrant rights and recognition.
Variable Stiffness Springs for Energy Storage Applications

Theory suggests an inverse relation between the stiffness and the energy storage capacity for linear helical springs: reducing the active length of the spring by 50% increases its stiffness by 100%, but reduces its energy storage capacity by 50%. State-of-the-art variable stiffness actuators used to drive robots are characterized by a similar inverse relation, implying reduced energy storage capacity for increased spring stiffness. This relation limits the potential of the variable stiffness actuation technology when it comes to human performance augmentation in natural tasks, e.g., jumping, weight-bearing and running, which may necessitate a spring exoskeleton with large stiffness range and high energy storage capacity. In this paper, we theoretically show that the trade-off between stiffness range and energy storage capacity is not fundamental; it is possible to develop variable stiffness springs with simultaneously increasing stiffness and energy storage capacity. Consistent with the theory, we experimentally show that a controllable volume air spring, has a direct relation between its stiffness range and energy storage capacity. The mathematical conditions presented in this paper may be used to develop actuators that could bypass the limited energy storage capacity of current variable stiffness spring technology.
Field evaluation of a compact, polarizing topo‐bathymetric lidar across a range of river conditions

This paper summarizes field trials to evaluate the performance of a prototype compact topo‐bathymetric lidar sensor for surveying rivers. The sensor uses a novel polarization technique to distinguish between laser returns from the water surface and streambed and its size and weight permit deployment from a small unmanned aerial system (sUAS) or a boat. Field testing was designed to identify the range of operational conditions under which the sensor can provide accurate information on river depths. For accuracy assessment, conventional, field‐based depth measurements were collected by wading and sonar. Additionally, optical properties of the rivers were measured in situ. Wading and lidar bathymetry comparisons in relatively shallow channels yielded observed versus predicted (OP) regression R² values ranging from 0.60 to 0.97. A comparison between sonar and lidar bathymetry in a deeper river resulted in an OP R² of 0.72. Absorption and attenuation coefficients at the 532 nm wavelength of the lidar were recorded in the field and the highest values of these inherent optical properties were at sites with the highest turbidity and highest concentrations of colored dissolved organic matter, chlorophyll, and suspended sediment. At these sites, which included both sand and gravel/cobble beds, the point density of riverbed returns was not uniform, with areas of sparse coverage occurring primarily in deeper water. However, submerged objects and slopes could be resolved in the lidar point clouds.
Prognostic Communication Between Oncologists and Parents of Children With Advanced Cancer

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Parents of children with cancer perceive deficits in quality of prognostic communication. How oncologists disclose information about disease progression and incurability and how prognostic communication impacts parental understanding of prognosis are poorly understood. In this study, we aimed to (1) characterize communication strategies used by pediatric oncologists to share prognostic information across a child’s advancing illness course and (2) explore relationships between different communication approaches and concordance of oncologist-parent prognostic understanding. METHODS: In this prospective, longitudinal, mixed-methods study, serial disease reevaluation conversations were audio recorded across an advancing illness course for children with cancer and their families. Surveys and interviews also were conducted with oncologists and caregivers at specific time points targeting disease progression. RESULTS: Seventeen children experienced advancing illness on study, resulting in 141 recordings (40 hours). Fewer than 4% of recorded dialogue constituted prognostic communication, with most codes (77%) occurring during discussions about frank disease progression. Most recordings at study entry contained little or no prognosis communication dialogue, and oncologists rated curability lower than parents across all dyads. Parent-oncologist discordance typically was preceded by conversations without incurability statements; ultimately, concordance was achieved in most cases after the oncologist made direct statements about incurability. Content analysis revealed 3 distinct patterns (absent, deferred, and seed planting) describing the provision of prognostic communication across an advancing pediatric cancer course. CONCLUSIONS: When oncologists provided direct statements about incurability, prognostic understanding appeared to improve. Further research is needed to determine optimal timing for prognostic disclosure in alignment with patient and family preferences.
A unique case of unilateral pulmonary edema from partial anomalous pulmonary venous return in conjunction with superior vena cava stenosis

While PAPVR is most commonly an incidental finding on chest CT, a unique case is presented where PAPVR in conjunction with SVC stenosis resulted in chronic symptomatic asymmetric pulmonary edema. The case reflects an unusual anatomic cause of unilateral edema, as a combination of both congenital and subsequently acquired anatomic anomalies.
Individualized management of cytomegalovirus in solid organ transplant recipients

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is an opportunistic infection that affects immunocompromised solid organ transplant patients. Defining the imbalance between host and virus factors that predispose to its occu...
It's time to deconstruct treatment-failure: A randomized controlled trial of nonoperative management of uncomplicated pediatric appendicitis with antibiotics alone.

Abstract Background Published data demonstrate that management of uncomplicated pediatric appendicitis with antibiotics-alone is safe and frequently successful. Randomized controlled trials (RCT) comparing antibiotics-alone to appendectomy are lacking, alongside insight into drivers of failure. We sought to validate the antibiotics-alone approach and identify barriers to success using an RCT design. Methods Patients aged 6–17 years with uncomplicated appendicitis were randomized to appendectomy or intravenous piperacillin/tazobactam for 24–48 h followed by 10 days of oral ciprofloxacin/metronidazole. Enrollment required symptoms Results Among 39 children enrolled over 31 months, 20 were randomized to antibiotics-alone and 19 to surgery. At 1 year, 6 nonoperative patients underwent appendectomy (70% success). Four cases were not true antibiotic failures but instead reflected “pragmatic” challenges to executing nonoperative algorithms. Only 2 cases represented recurrent/refractory appendicitis, suggesting a 90% adjusted 1-year success rate. Parental PedsQL™ scores were similar between treatment cohorts (91.3 vs 90.2, P = 0.32). Children treated with antibiotics-alone had faster return to activity (2.0 vs 12 days, P = 0.001) and fewer parental missed work days (0.0 vs 2.5, P = 0.03). Conclusions These data corroborate findings from non-randomized studies suggesting 70–90% of uncomplicated pediatric appendicitis can be treated with antibiotics-alone, with fewer disability days. Failures appear multifactorial, often reflecting practical hurdles and not antibiotic limitations. As surgeons consider nonoperative protocols for uncomplicated appendicitis, these data further inform the variability of treatment success. Level of evidence 1; randomized controlled trial.
The Social Construction of Ages and the Ideology of Stages

It is the thesis of this paper that the images and beliefs about any age group in a society indicate the kind of social order prevailing in a particular time and place. This paper critically analyses the developmental life cycle model from a sociology of knowledge perspective. It is argued that life's major activities and individuals' basic needs have increasingly become compartmentalized according to chronological age in modern Western society. This separation of basic activities and needs into specialized age roles is explained and legitimated by a popular belief in a model of inherent progressive life "stages", a model largely created by social scientists. I argue that this model has gained widespread popular acceptance and serves to blind us to similarities of needs among human beings of all ages, and also to each person's unique developmental process. Social science in creating a model that rationalizes age differences and age constraints as normal and healthy has intensified the problems created by rigid age grading, and an alternative model of the life course is offered in its place.
HOW ARE GEOMETRIC PROOF PROBLEMS PRESENTED? CONCEPTUALIZING AND MEASURING TEACHERS’ RECOGNITION OF THE DIAGRAMMATIC REGISTER

Work reported in this paper was done with the support of National Science Foundation grant DRL-0918425 to P. Herbst and D. Chazan. All opinions are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Foundation.
Long term tillage, cover crop, and fertilization effects on microbial community structure, activity: Implications for soil quality

Abstract Conservation agriculture practices, such as reduced tillage, cover crops and fertilization, are often associated with greater microbial biomass and activity that are linked to improvements in soil quality. This study characterized the impact of long term (31 years) tillage (till and no-till), cover crops (Hairy vetch - Vicia villosa and winter wheat- Triticum aestivum , and a no cover control), and N-rates (0, 34, 67 and 101 kg N ha −1 ) on soil microbial community structure, activity and resultant soil quality calculated using the soil management assessment framework (SMAF) scoring index under continuous cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum) production on a Lexington silt loam in West Tennessee. No-till treatments were characterized by a significantly greater (P Consequently, the total organic carbon (TOC) and β-glucosidase SMAF quality scores were significantly greater under no-till compared to till and under the vetch compared to wheat and no cover treatments, resulting in a significantly greater overall soil quality index (SQI). Our results demonstrate that long-term no-till and use of cover crops under a low biomass monoculture crop production system like cotton results in significant shifts in the microbial community structure, activity, and conditions that favor C, N and P cycling compared to those under conventional tillage practices. These practices also led to increased yields and improved soil quality with no-till having 13% greater yields than till and treatments under vetch having 5% increase in soil quality compared to no cover and wheat.
Stormwater-Combined Sewage Pollution Abatement

The mission of the USEPA’s Storm and Combined Sewer Pollution Control Research and Development Program is to quantify the urban storm and combined sewer overflow pollution problems and develop countermeasure controls. As a result of the Program’s efforts an advanced technology or state-of-the-art has been developed, demonstrated, and disseminated. This paper addresses the problem and characterization of stormwater and combined sewage impacts upon our Nation’s receiving waters while presenting various levels of pollution control technology. Efforts of urban runoff management examined deal with source control, collection system control, storage and treatment, and integrated (complex) systems.
Imagery and Emotions in Healing

In this example the body used dream images to communicate to the dreamer a potentially serious disturbance in a part of its functioning.
Predicting Inflation Without Running Predictive Regressions

Inflation rates are highly persistent and extremely difficult to predict. Most statistical predictions based on predictive regressions fail to outperform the simple assumption of random walk in out-of-sample testing. The poor out-of-sample performance is a common feature of predictive regressions on highly persistent time series. This paper proposes a new approach for inflation forecasting that does not specify or estimate any predictive regressions, but rather starts by estimating a contemporaneous relation between inflation rate and a short-term interest rate, and then relies on the forward interest rate curve to predict future interest rates and accordingly inflation rates over both short and long horizons. Historical analysis with the US inflation series shows that this approach can outperform random walk, out-of-sample, by 30-50% over horizons as far as three to five years.
Investigating Multilevel Relationships in Virtual Teams: an Illustration Using Hierarchical Linear Modeling

Virtual teams are inherently hierarchical entities involving individual team members within teams. Previous work has yet to fully engage their multilevel theoretical nature. In this article we introduce Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) as a statistical tool that can appropriately test cross-level relationships and model the multilevel nature of virtual team phenomena. Using data from a study involving 51 virtual teams, we illustrate the advantages of HIM over alternative approaches. Our results show that significant variance in individual satisfaction with a virtual team experience exists both within and between groups and that the individual perception of communication effectiveness is a significant predictor of satisfaction. Our results also demonstrate a significant main effect of team coordination, a team-level construct, on individual satisfaction.
Net effect of oral contraceptive use on the risk of cancer in women in the United States.

Objective: To estimate by meta-analysis the risk of developing cancer of the breast, uterine cervix, endometrium, ovary, and liver from age 20-54 years in the United States in women using oral contraceptives (OCs) for 4, 8, or 12 years. Data Sources: Using pairs of terms (such as oral contraception and breast neoplasms), I searched for English-language literature on OC use and cancer published since 1980 and cited through July 1994 in the MEDLINE data base. Methods of Study Selection: I analyzed all epidemiologic studies reporting estimates of relative risk (RR) by duration and recency of OC use (79 independent studies in total). Data Extraction and Synthesis: Reported duration-specific and recency-specific estimates of RR, with the corresponding numbers of cases and controls or person-time at risk for cohort studies, were abstracted from each article. Relative risk of cancer as a function of both duration and recency of OC use was then estimated by weighted regression and applied, using life-table methods, to United States population-based data on age-specific mortality and cancer incidence. Conclusions: For every 100,000 women in the United States who never use DCs, the number developing cancer from age 20–54 years is estimated to be 2782 (breast), 425 (cervix), 438 (endometrium), 369 (ovary), and 20 (liver). For women using OCs for 8 years, the estimated number of additional or fewer cases per 100,000 users is +151 (breast), +125 (cervix), −197 (endometrium), −193 (ovary), and +41 (liver). Therefore, from a population perspective, there are only small cancerrelated risks and benefits associated with OC use and, on balance, the net effect is negligible.
The Impact of Psoriasis on Quality of Life: Results of a 1998 National Psoriasis Foundation Patient-Membership Survey

Background Psoriasis can have a profound impact on a patient's quality of life. Objectives To assess patients' perspectives on the impact of psoriasis on their lifestyle and emotional well-being and the social ramifications of living with the disease; to determine the range of therapies available; and to ascertain patients' satisfaction with the management of their disease. Design A 4-page, self-administered questionnaire was mailed on July 13 and 14, 1998, to the entire membership of the National Psoriasis Foundation (N = 40 350), and followed by a telephone survey of responders with severe psoriasis. Main Outcome Measures Patients' perspectives on the psychosocial impact of psoriasis and the effectiveness of the management of their disease. Results Of the 40 350 questionnaires mailed out, a response rate of 43% was realized. The most frequent symptoms experienced by the mail-survey respondents were scaling (94%), itching (79%), and skin redness (71%); 39% reported that psoriasis covered 10% or more of their bodies. A total of 6194 patients with severe psoriasis were entered into the database for the telephone survey. Of these, 79% reported that psoriasis had a negative impact on their lives, 40% felt frustrated with the ineffectiveness of their current therapies, and 32% reported that treatment was not aggressive enough. Conclusions The unprecedented response to the survey provides compelling evidence that individuals with psoriasis believe that the disease has a profound emotional and social as well as physical impact on their quality of life. Many patients with psoriasis, particularly those with severe disease, are frustrated with the management of their disease and by the perceived ineffectiveness of their therapies. Physicians may need to improve communication with their patients and should reevaluate their management of psoriasis.
Representation of canopy snow interception, unloading and melt in a parsimonious snowmelt model

Recent improvements in the Utah Energy Balance (UEB) snowmelt model are focused on snow–vegetation–atmosphere interactions to understand how different types of vegetation affect snow processes in the mountains of Western USA. This work presents field work carried out in the Rocky Mountains of Northern Utah to evaluate new UEB model algorithms that represent the processes of canopy snow interception, sublimation, mass unloading and melt. Four years' continuous field observations showed generally smaller accumulations of snow beneath the forest canopies in comparison with open (sage and grass) areas, a difference that is attributed to interception and subsequent sublimation and redistribution of intercepted snow by wind, much of it into surrounding open areas. Accumulations beneath the denser forest (conifer) canopies were found to be less than the accumulation beneath the less dense forest (deciduous) canopies. The model was able to represent the accumulation of snow water equivalent in the open and beneath the deciduous forest quite well but without accounting for redistribution tended to overestimate the snow water equivalent beneath the conifer forest. Evidence of redistribution of the intercepted snow from the dense forest (i.e. conifer forest) to the adjacent area was inferred from observations. Including a simple representation of redistribution in the model gave satisfactory prediction of snow water equivalent beneath the coniferous forest. The simulated values of interception, sublimation and unloading were also compared with previous studies and found in agreement. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Review of Lost in Translation , written and directed by Sofia Coppola

Lost in Translation was big in the States, but less so in Japan, where its racism deterred critics. While clearly trafficking in stereotypes, the film does depart from Hollywood’s tradition of Orientalism by indicating that its Tokyo is actually a fantasy version projected by Americans abroad. Still, the film lacks the complexity of its European predecessors.
Isolation of human NK cells and generation of LAK activity.

This unit describes the preparation of natural killer (NK) cells from normal human peripheral blood and their incubation in vitro in the presence of interleukin 2 (IL-2) to yield lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells. A protocol is presented for isolating highly purified NK cell populations from PBMC, and another method presents steps for generating LAK cells from these purified NK cells via IL-2 stimulation. An alternate protocol describes the generation of LAK cells directly from whole, unseparated PBMC preparations instead of purified NK populations. The caveat with the alternate protocol is that LAK activity generated in this manner represents the total cytotoxic potential of all LAK precursor cells--i.e., all those PBMC that are capable of responding to IL-2 by up-regulation of cytotoxicity against NK-resistant targets. In PBMC, LAK precursor cells are found among subpopulations of both NK cells and T lymphocytes.
When Adaptations Go Awry: Functional and Dysfunctional Aspects of Social Anxiety

Adaptations are psychological and behavioral mechanisms designed through evolution to serve specific purposes ultimately related to reproductive success. Although adaptations are inherently functional, in some cases their operation can nevertheless cause personal and social dysfunction. We describe a theoretical framework for understanding, predicting, and reducing the dysfunctional consequences of psychological adaptations. We discuss three general sources of dysfunction: a) the existence of adaptive tradeoffs, b) mismatches between current environments and ancestral environments, and c) individual differences. The paper applies this framework primarily to the topic of social anxiety, a psychological phenomenon marked by concerns pertaining to social rejection and embarrassment. Although social anxiety can serve useful functions, it can also involve excessive worry, negative affect, and avoidance of social situations, leading to significant distress and social impairment. We consider sources of dysfunction in social anxiety and discuss implications for policy, including recommendations for psychological, situational, and biological interventions. We also discuss broader applications of this theoretical framework to other areas of social life.
Exosomes Isolated from Mycobacteria-Infected Mice or Cultured Macrophages Can Recruit and Activate Immune Cells In Vitro and In Vivo

More than 2 billion people are infected with Mycobacterium. tuberculosis; however, only 5-10% of those infected will develop active disease. Recent data suggest that containment is controlled locally at the level of the granuloma and that granuloma architecture may differ even within a single infected individual. Formation of a granuloma likely requires exposure to mycobacterial components released from infected macrophages, but the mechanism of their release is still unclear. We hypothesize that exosomes, which are small membrane vesicles containing mycobacterial components released from infected macrophages, could promote cellular recruitment during granuloma formation. In support of this hypothesis, we found that C57BL/6 mouse-derived bone marrow macrophages treated with exosomes released from M. tuberculosis-infected RAW264.7 cells secrete significant levels of chemokines and can induce migration of CFSE-labeled macrophages and splenocytes. Exosomes isolated from the serum of M. bovis bacillus Calmette-Guerin-infected mice could also stimulate macrophage production of chemokines and cytokines ex vivo, but the level and type differed during the course of a 60-d infection. Of interest, the exosome concentration in serum correlated strongly with mouse bacterial load, suggesting some role in immune regulation. Finally, hollow fiber-based experiments indicated that macrophages treated with exosomes released from M. tuberculosis-infected cells could promote macrophage recruitment in vivo. Exosomes injected intranasally could also recruit CD11b(+) cells into the lung. Overall, our study suggests that exosomes may play an important role in recruiting and regulating host cells during an M. tuberculosis infection.
A diagnostic advisor

An expert system is being developed at Federal Express Corporation to assist the staff to diagnose problems and help customers recover from errors. The development schedule for the expert system diagnostic advisor, called the Hotline Help Desk, was divided into three phases. The first phase was developing a demonstration system. The second phase, a field test system, was an expanded demonstration system. Two months were allotted for adding as much new diagnostic knowledge as the time allowed. The third phase, the delivery system, is currently in progress. The first production implementation of the diagnostic advisor was completed in November, 1987. Characteristics of the diagnostic advisor are presented. >
New modeling results for non-linear differential amplifier behavior, including two-tone TOI response

Previously, the author described a system that provides true differential and common-mode stimulus for CW and modulated RF signals, and presented results of non-linear operation of devices driven with such signals, which were compared with the same devices driven at the same levels using single-ended drive and calculating the differential response. Some devices showed no difference in the differential gain terms whether measured with true-mode or single ended measurements, and some showed substantial change in the differential gain compression when measured using true differential mode drive. A theoretical model was proposed which considers circuit topology differences to predict which devices will have non-linear characteristics that change depending upon the test methods. A new modeling approach is presented here which confirms these predictions, clearly identifies the underlying causes for the non-linear differential behavior and extends the results to modulated measurements such as TOI. Using these models, new effects of non-ideal measurements are discovered, pointing to yet more complex requirements for true-mode non-linear test.
Receptor Specificities of Variant Gal(α1–4)Gal-Binding PapG Adhesins of Uropathogenic Escherichia coli as Assessed by Hemagglutination Phenotypes

Receptor specificities of the three recognized variants of PapG, the major adhesin of uropathogenic Escherichia coli, have been deduced in part from the distinctive hemagglutination (HA) patterns these adhesins ostensibly exhibit with different erythrocytes. A comprehensive reevaluation of these HA patterns using sheep, rabbit, and diverse human erythrocytes revealed that the erythrocyte binding ranges of the three PapG variants are broader and more overlapping than generally recognized, suggestive of receptor specificities beyond those posited in the prevailing model. Experiments involving guinea pig erythrocytes artificially labeled with defined Gal(alpha1-4)Gal-containing glycolipids supported this hypothesis and further suggested that HA patterns with naturally occurring erythrocytes cannot be used to determine reliably an adhesin's glycolipid binding specificities. Finally, slide HA assays exhibited considerable interexperiment, interobserver, and intraobserver irreproducibility, limiting their usefulness for assessing either the receptor specificities of PapG variants or the PapG repertoire of wild-type E. coli strains.
Business Communication as Strategy

Abstract The introductory business communication course is expanding its focus beyond a traditional emphasis on letters and reports. This article suggests an integrating theme, business communication as strategy, that rationalizes a range of topics as appropriate for the course, provides guidance for selection and emphasis of materials, and clarifies the relationship of business communication to other courses. To illustrate the strategic approach, the article explores corporate advocacy and issues management as modules that allow for integration of both theory and content.
Treatment of Vocal Hyperfunction in Adolescents

The treatment of adolescent clients with hyperfunctional voice disorders is discussed from a developmental perspective. Facilitating techniques, treatment strategies, and materials are provided. Th...
The Mobility of Electrons in Pure Nitrogen

Mobility of electrons in pure nitrogen was determined, using the Rutherford alternating potential method, for pressures ranging from $75 \mathrm{to} 600$ mm., for frequencies ranging from $7,000 \mathrm{to} 150,000$ cycles (obtained from an audion oscillating circuit), and with electric fields of from 10 to 100 volts/cm. Reduced to atmospheric pressure the mobility found is of the order of 10,000\ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{} cm. sec.,/many times the highest value previously obtained, and it was observed to vary with pressure and electric field according to the equation $K=\frac{571,000}{(21+760 \frac{V}{\mathrm{pd}})}$, where $\frac{V}{d}$ is in volts/cm. and $p$ in mm. of Hg. A discussion of the possible sources of error shows that none can be responsible for this variation with $\frac{V}{\mathrm{pd}}$, and the form of the mobility curves confirms this variation. A theoretical interpretation of these results on the basis of the Townsend equation for electron mobility leads to the conclusions: that if the Townsend theory is correct (1) either the energy lost at each impact of an electron with a nitrogen molecule or the mean free path must be a function of $\frac{V}{\mathrm{pd}}$, and (2) in either case the mean free path for velocities of the normal agitation must be about 22 times the mean free path of the gas molecules instead of $4 \sqrt{2}$ times, as given by the kinetic theory.
Reflecting on the 5th World Environmental Education Congress, Montreal, 2009

This article traces the development of the World Environmental Congress movement and its establishment as an important international forum. Reflecting on the 5th Congress, it notes the particular c...
Biomedical devices and systems security

Medical devices have been changing in revolutionary ways in recent years. One is in their form-factor. Increasing miniaturization of medical devices has made them wearable, light-weight, and ubiquitous; they are available for continuous care and not restricted to clinical settings. Further, devices are increasingly becoming connected to external entities through both wired and wireless channels. These two developments have tremendous potential to make healthcare accessible to everyone and reduce costs. However, they also provide increased opportunity for technology savvy criminals to exploit them for fun and profit. Consequently, it is essential to consider medical device security issues. In this paper, we focused on the challenges involved in securing networked medical devices. We provide an overview of a generic networked medical device system model, a comprehensive attack and adversary model, and describe some of the challenges present in building security solutions to manage the attacks. Finally, we provide an overview of two areas of research that we believe will be crucial for making medical device system security solutions more viable in the long run: forensic data logging, and building security assurance cases.
The domestic context of Brazilian maritime policy

Abstract The domestic context of Brazil's emerging maritime policy is discussed from three perspectives. Basic national policy guidelines are examined first, with particular attention given to their, influence in shaping maritime policy. Bureaucratic politics has shaped, and been shaped by, these guidelines, and is examined in a subsequent section. International politics, too, has played an important role in shaping Brazilian maritime policy, and its relationship to the domestic context is explored in a final section. The crucial decision to extend the territorial sea to 200 mi in 1970, including its historical background and aftermath, illustrates these forces shaping maritime policy. Other maritime issues are analyzed to illustrate these forces when relevant. It is acknowledged that Brazil's prominent position in the South Atlantic has not led it to become a maritime‐oriented state. Increasing efforts have nevertheless been made during the past decade to utilize ocean space and the resources of the sea ...
WorkflowSim: A toolkit for simulating scientific workflows in distributed environments

Simulation is one of the most popular evaluation methods in scientific workflow studies. However, existing workflow simulators fail to provide a framework that takes into consideration heterogeneous system overheads and failures. They also lack the support for widely used workflow optimization techniques such as task clustering. In this paper, we introduce WorkflowSim, which extends the existing CloudSim simulator by providing a higher layer of workflow management. We also indicate that to ignore system overheads and failures in simulating scientific workflows could cause significant inaccuracies in the predicted workflow runtime. To further validate its value in promoting other research work, we introduce two promising research areas for which WorkflowSim provides a unique and effective evaluation platform.