cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
In lung cancer patients, age, race-ethnicity, gender and smoking predict adverse comorbidity, which in turn predicts treatment and survival.

Abstract Objective This study evaluates the relationship between sociodemographic/exposure factors and comorbidity, and their impact on lung cancer treatment and survival. Study and design setting Data for 1,155 patients were abstracted from the Josephine Ford Cancer Center Tumor Registry and medical records. Associations were analyzed by linear, logistic, and Cox regression. Results Approximately 88% of patients had ⩾1 of 56 comorbidities assessed. In multivariate analysis, comorbidity count was associated with older age, pack-years smoked, heavy alcohol use, lower socioeconomic status (SES), and female gender. Approximately 63% of patients had ⩾1 of 18 adverse prognostic comorbidities (AC), and significant independent predictors of AC were age, pack-years, African–American race/ethnicity, and gender. In multivariate analysis, comorbidity count and AC predicted nonreceipt of surgery in localized disease (OR ⩾1 vs. 0 AC =0.38, 95% 0.18, 0.81) and chemotherapy in advanced disease (OR ⩾1 vs. 0 AC =0.72, 95% 0.51, 1.00). In adjusted analysis, comorbidity predicted survival in localized (hazard ratio (HR) ⩾2 vs. 0 AC =2.99, 95% CI 1.75, 5.10) and advanced lung cancer (HR ⩾2 vs. 0 AC =1.56, 95% CI 1.25, 1.94). Conclusion Comorbidity has important deleterious effects on lung cancer outcomes and significant predictors of comorbidity included age, smoking, race/ethnicity, SES, alcohol, and gender.
The clustered protocadherins Pcdhα and Pcdhγ form a heteromeric complex in zebrafish

The clustered protocadherin genes encode a diverse collection of neuronal cell surface receptors. These genes have been proposed to play roles in axon targeting, synaptic development and neuronal survival, although their specific cellular roles remain poorly defined. In zebrafish there are four clustered protocadherin genes, two pcdhα clusters and two pcdhγ clusters, that give rise to over 100 distinct proteins, each with a distinct ectodomain (EC). The zebrafish is an excellent model in which to address the function of protocadherins during neural development, as the embryos are transparent, develop rapidly, and are amenable to experimental manipulation. As a first step to investigating the clustered protocadherins during zebrafish development, we have generated antibodies against the common cytodomains of zebrafish Pcdhγ. We compare the distribution of Pcdhγ with Pcdhα and find a similar pan-neuronal pattern, with strong labeling of neurons within all major regions of the central nervous system. Pcdhα and Pcdhγ are particularly enriched in the developing visual system, with strong labeling found in the synaptic layers of the retina, as well as the optic tectum. Consistent with studies in mouse, we find that Pcdhα and Pcdhγ are present in a complex, as they can be co-immunoprecipitated from zebrafish larval extracts. This interaction is direct and occurs through the ECs of these proteins. Using standard bead aggregation assays, we find no evidence for intrinsic adhesive ability by either Pcdhγ or Pcdhα, suggesting that they do not function as cell adhesion molecules.
Recent advances in legume-microbe interactions : Recognition, defense response, and symbiosis from a genomic perspective

The ability of legumes to form symbiotic mutualistic relationships with certain bacteria in the Rhizobiales (collectively called rhizobia) and harness the ability of the bacteria to fix atmospheric N2 into ammonia has a tremendous impact on natural and agricultural ecosystems. The interaction
The United States and Europe's Strife, 1908–1913

During the four years of the William Howard Taft administration the situation in Europe was critical. The Balkan and Moroccan powder kegs threatened to rock all Europe by their explosions. The Bosnian Crisis of 1908 and of 1909 1 was followed in rapid succession by the Agadir Crisis, the Turco-Italian War, and the two Balkan Wars.2 The danger of a general European conflict was ever present. Theodore Roosevelt had taken a hand in the RussoJapanese War, in the First Moroccan Crisis, and in the second peace conference at The Hague; 3 but he seems to have revealed only mild interest in the Bosnian Crisis and the declaration of Bulgarian independence from Turkish rule. Both Roosevelt and Secretary of State Elihu Root displayed some uneasiness regarding the possibility of war between Bulgaria and Turkey, but both received news of the Austrian decree annexing Bosnia and Herzegovina with approval. Roosevelt is said to have told the Austrian ambassador in Washington on more than one occasion that he considered Austria the chosen country to displace the Turks and carry the banner of civilization in the Balkans. Root, while maintaining his customary reserve, was reported to
Biological and Distributional Observations on North American Cerambycidae (Coleoptera)

Biological and distributional observations are presented for 166 species/subspecies of North American Cerambycidae representing 100 genera/subgenera in four subfamilies. New or confirmed records include 245 larval hosts, 39 distributions, 66 flower hosts, and 18 adult hosts. The male of Gaurotes thoracica (Haldeman) is described, the holotype deposition of Purpuricenus linsleyi Chemsak is clarified, and comments or corrections to previous literature records for several species are made. In the information that follows, taxa are arranged alphabetically within subfamily, with newly reported or confirmed host plants and distributions indicated in bold. Available data are reported telegraphically as: state, county, location, geographical coordinates, date(s) (month in lowercase Roman numerals), number of specimens in parentheses, host association or collection method, original collector (first author if none indicated), and deposition of specimen(s) in [brackets] (Evenhuis and Samuelson 2004, or as listed in the acknowledgments) if other than the original collector. Data from individual records are separated by a semicolon. When more than one county per state or location per county is documented, the state/county is listed only once an di s followed alphabetically by its inclusive counties/locations. Abbreviations used are: CA 5 Conservation Area; coll. 5 collected; collr(s). 5 collector(s); Cpgd. 5 Campground; dia. 5 diameter; elev. 5 elevation; em. 5 emerged; ex 5 out of; Hwy 5 Highway; Jct 5 junction; Mts. 5 Mountains; MV 5 mercury vapor; NA 5 Natural Area; NF 5 National Forest; NP 5 National Park; nr. 5 near; NSR 5 National Scenic Riverway; NWR 5 National Wildlife Refuge; PA 5 Primitive Area; RA 5 Recreation Area; SP 5 State Park; SRA 5 State Recreation Area; UTM 5 Universal Transverse Mercator; UV 5 ultraviolet; and vic. 5 vicinity. Fermenting bait traps are sensu Champlain and Knull (1932). The terms ‘‘larval host,’’ ‘‘adult host,’’ and ‘‘flower host’’ are used to indicate plants from which adults were reared or extricated, plants on which adults were collected but for which a larval association was not established, and plants on which adult flower feeding was observed, respectively. Adult hosts may or may not be an indicator of potential larval hosts—their inclusion in ‘‘Host Plant’’ lists
The Prejudiced Personality, Racism, and Anti-Semitism: The PR Scale Forty Years Later

The relationship of prejudiced personality traits with racism and anti-Semitism was examined with 150 Asian American and White university students. The Prejudice (PR) scale, composed of 32 items from the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, was administered along with the McConahay racism scale and the Selznick and Steinberg Anti-Semitism scale. Results indicated that for Whites, the PR scale was significantly correlated with old-fashioned and modern racism and anti-Semitism, replicating Gough's 1951 study (Gough, 1951b) with the PR scale. However, no such relationship was observed for the Asian American group. This suggests that personality traits of prejudicial attitudes may be relatively stable for Whites but may not be related to outgroup bias for other racial or ethnic groups.
High-Pressure Cryogenic Seals for Pressure Vessels

Large high-pressure vessels designed for ambient or high temperatures are not presently capable of containing gaseous helium at equivalent pressures when at cryogenic temperatures. Problems associated with achieving and maintaining high pressures at cryogenic temperatures as they involve seal designs were studied. The purposes of this study were (1) to identify suitable materials and develop a seal for cryogenic applications at pressures to 4080 bars (60,000 psi)* and (2) to identify some factors that affect seal performance and reliability for cryogenic pressure vessels. To accomplish this, the seal study was divided into three phases; 51 seal configurations were tested.
Evaluation of phylogenetic relationships in Lemnaceae using nuclear ribosomal data

Nuclear DNA sequence data are essential for obtaining a complete understanding of plant species relationships, yet these data have been conspicuously absent from phylogenetic analyses of Lemnaceae (duckweeds). Using a modified Sanger sequencing protocol, we obtained DNA sequences of duckweed nuclear ribosomal regions, including 18S and 26S rDNA genes, the external transcribed spacer (ETS) and the frequently used internal transcribed spacer (ITS). After obtaining sequence data for all Lemnaceae species, we ascertained that prior difficulty in sequencing the ITS regions likely resulted from extremely rigid secondary structures, precipitated by a high proportion of G/C nucleotides. In phylogenetic analyses, nuclear ribosomal data largely supported relationships that had been inferred using chloroplast DNA sequence data.
Go Play in Traffic Skating, Gender, and Urban Context

In this article the author uses rollerblading through an urban environment as a lens to examine issues surrounding the movement of the body in public space. She uses the autobiographical vis-a-vis political cultural studies to explore gender politics, the regulation of bodies, and the reinscription of public spaces. Using the narrative of a single form traveling through a single day, she addresses notions of exclusionary gender roles and practices, play versus sport, recreation versus transportation, space versus place, and the ways in which consumption and pleasure are played out in the organic flow of time and space. The author argues for the continuing need to raise questions about the exclusionary effects of regulation of the urban body and to explore possibilities for resistance.
Resolution-Aware fitting of active appearance models to low resolution images

Active Appearance Models (AAM) are compact representations of the shape and appearance of objects. Fitting AAMs to images is a difficult, non-linear optimization task. Traditional approaches minimize the L2 norm error between the model instance and the input image warped onto the model coordinate frame. While this works well for high resolution data, the fitting accuracy degrades quickly at lower resolutions. In this paper, we show that a careful design of the fitting criterion can overcome many of the low resolution challenges. In our resolution-aware formulation (RAF), we explicitly account for the finite size sensing elements of digital cameras, and simultaneously model the processes of object appearance variation, geometric deformation, and image formation. As such, our Gauss-Newton gradient descent algorithm not only synthesizes model instances as a function of estimated parameters, but also simulates the formation of low resolution images in a digital camera. We compare the RAF algorithm against a state-of-the-art tracker across a variety of resolution and model complexity levels. Experimental results show that RAF considerably improves the estimation accuracy of both shape and appearance parameters when fitting to low resolution data.
Fast restoration with edge-preserving regularization

The regularization of the least-squares criterion has been established as an effective approach in image restoration. By, assuming a constant regularization term over the image, restoration based on 2-D FFT's provides a fast implementation. Unfortunately, this assumption creates significant ringing artifacts on edges as well as blurrier edges in the restored image. On the other hand, shift-variant regularization reduces edge artifacts and provides better quality. However it destroys the structure that makes the use of the 2-D FFT possible, thus no longer allowing the computational efficiency of the FFT. In this paper, we use a new restoration method for the shift-variant regularization approach that can be implemented in a fast and flexible manner. We use a threshold on the regularization terms. In other words, we decompose the blurred image into two independent images. A shift-invariant method is applied to one of them, and a shift-variant method to the other. The shift-variant method is only used on edge pixels, and the shift-invariant method is used on smoother areas. Thus computation is reduced and edge details are preserved. The Sherman-Morrison matrix inversion lemma is used to invert the matrix. Experiments show restored image with sharper edges. Given that edge features are one-dimensional in a two-dimensional image, the computational requirements are also significantly reduced.
Serine phosphorylation of FcγRI cytoplasmic domain directs lipid raft localization and interaction with protein 4.1G

The high-affinity IgG receptor (CD64, FcγRI) has several special capacities, including the receptor-stimulated cleavage of the cell surface B cell-activating factor of the TNF superfamily (TNFSF13B). With the use of the yeast two-hybrid system, we and others have shown that FcγRI interacts with protein 4.1G (EPB41L2). Our mutational analyses identified two required 4.1G-interacting regions in the FcγRI CY and one FcγRI-interacting site in the C-terminus of protein 4.1G. Herein, we explore mechanism(s) that may regulate the interaction between protein 4.1G and FcγRI CY and influence FcγRI membrane mobility and function. We show that FcγRI CY interacts with protein 4.1G in vitro and that FcγRI coimmunoprecipitates protein 4.1G in freshly isolated human PBMC. With the use of immunostaining, we show that FcγRI colocalizes with protein 4.1G in unstimulated U937 cells, in which the FcγRI CY is constitutively serine-phosphorylated, but significant uncoupling occurs following FcγRI cross-linking, suggesting phosphoserine-regulated interaction. In vitro, protein 4.1G interacted preferentially with CK2-phosphorylated FcγRI CY, and compared with WT FcγRI, a nonphosphorylatable FcγRI mutant receptor was excluded from lipid rafts, suggesting a key role for protein 4.1G in targeting phosphorylated FcγRI to rafts. These data are consistent with a phosphoserine-dependent tethering role for protein 4.1G in maintaining FcγRI in lipid rafts and provide insight into the unique phosphoserine-based regulation of receptor signaling by FcγRI CY.
Organ specificity of lymphocyte migration: mediation by highly selective lymphocyte interaction with organ‐specific determinants on high endothelial venules

Evidence is presented that the organ specificity of lymphocyte migration is determined by selective interaction of lymphocytes with specialized endothelial cells. Mouse Peyer's patch and lymph node lymphocytes bind preferentially to high endothelial venules (HEV) in frozen sections of Peyer's patches and peripheral nodes, respectively, and this in vitro binding preference accurately predicts their differential segregation in vivo 30 min after i.v. injection. Both in vivo and in vitro, about 1.4 times as many as many Peyer's patch as lymph node lymphocytes bind HEV in Peyer's patches, and, conversely, twice as many lymph node cells interact with HEV in nonmesenteric lymph nodes. Even greater specificity is shown by certain homogeneous lymphocyte populations, i.e. thymic lymphomas. Some lymphomas bind with remarkable selectivity to HEV in Peyer's patches, and others interact almost exclusively with those in lymph nodes indicating that the mechanisms mediating selective recognition of HEV are capable of nearly absolute discrimination. Mesenteric node HEV are unique in that they allow both Peyer's patch- and lymph node-specific cells to bind. It is proposed that lymphocyte surface receptors specific for organ-restricted endothelial cell determinants mediate the antigen-independent organ specificity of lymphocyte migration. According to this model, there are at least 2 sets of complementary lymphocyte and endothelial cell receptors, one mediating lymphocyte-HEV adherence in Peyer's patches, the other in lymph nodes.
A numerical approach for designing unitary space time codes with large diversity product and diversity sum

We define the diversity function and analyze its limiting behavior which results in two important design criteria: the diversity product and the diversity sum. Numerical methods are derived which allows one to construct codes with excellent diversity function and excellent diversity product and sum.
Hydrophobic surfaces for control and enhancement of water phase transitions

Surface wettability has emerged as a powerful tool to influence phase change phenomena such as ice formation and steam condensation. Ice mitigation using passive coatings offers tremendous promise; however, there remain several fundamental, durability- and manufacturing-related challenges that need to be addressed to harness the benefits of these coatings. Challenges limiting industrial utilization of such coatings can be classified into three categories: fundamental (frost buildup, non-zero ice adhesion, bulk ice nucleation, variable icing conditions), durability-related (harsh environment resistance, liquid impact resistance, erosion, fatigue), and manufacturing-related (scalability, coating economics). The role of passive surfaces in enhancing condensation heat transfer is a potential game changer in power plant efficiency enhancement; however, the benefits of such coatings will only be realized when durability and manufacturing challenges have been fully addressed.
The cis-effect of a nascent peptide on its translating ribosome: influence of the cat-86 leader pentapeptide on translation termination at leader codon 6

Inducible cat genes from Gram-positive bacteria are regulated by translation attenuation. The inducer chloramphenicol stalls a ribosome at a specific site in the leader of cat transcripts; this destabilizes a downstream stem-loop structure that normally sequesters the ribosome-binding site for the cat structural gene. The five-amino-acid peptide MVKTD that is synthesized when a ribosome has translated to the leader induction site is an inhibitor of peptidyl transferase in vitro. Thus, the peptide may be the in vivo determinant of the site of ribosome stalling. Here we provide evidence that the leader pentapeptide can exert a cis-effect on its translating ribosome in vivo. Converting leader codon 6 to the ochre codon results in expression of cat-86 in the absence of inducer. We term this autoinduction. Autoinduction is abolished by mutations that change the amino-acid sequence of the leader peptide but have no, or little, effect on the sequence of nucleotides at the leader stall site. In contrast, four nucleotide changes within the leader site occupied by the stalled ribosome that result in synonymous codon replacements do not diminish autoinduction. Our evidence indicates that the cat-86 leader pentapeptide can alter the function of its translating ribosome.
The limits of hegemonic stability theory

Hegemonic stability theory has been advanced as an explanation of successful cooperation in the international system. The basis of this “hegemonic cooperation” is the leadership of the hegemonic state; its appeal rests on attractive implications about distribution. However, two distinct strands of the theory (“coercive” and “benevolent”) must be distinguished. These strands have different conceptions of hegemony and the role of hegemonic leaders and so have different implications. Both require us to assume that the underlying international issues are public goods and that the international system does not allow for collective action. The former assumption limits the theory's range of application while the likely failure of the latter means that the theory may be wrong even within this more limited range. Simple formal models demonstrate a conclusion completely at odds with hegemonic stability theory: the decline of a hegemonic power may actually lead to an outcome both collectively superior and distributively preferable than when the hegemon was at the apogee of its power. Thus hegemonic stability is, in fact, only a special case of international cooperation. Understanding cooperation in general requires less restrictive assumptions.
Construction of Lyapunov function that maximizes the parameter uncertainty that can be handled by output feedback stabilized discrete-time dynamic systems

It has been shown that if the uncertainties of a discrete-time dynamic system can be modeled by cone bounded functions of the states, that such a system can be asymptotically stabilized, depending on the size of the uncertainties, via either deterministic Lyapunov based state or output feedback. Unlike continuous-time dynamic systems, the size of the uncertainties of discrete-time dynamic systems that can be handled can not be arbitrarily large. In this paper, we present an algorithm that enables the designer to construct a Lyapunov function such that the output feedback controller derived from it is capable of handling the largest possible uncertainty, Our approach relies on the construction of a matrix Q that has a structure which facilitates the computation of the maximum uncertainty through the maximization of a judiciously chosen cost function. >
Ultra-Shallow Imaging Using 2D & 3D Seismic Reflection Methods

Three-dimensional ultra-shallow seismic reflection methods were used to image multiple reflectors less than 20 m deep, including the top of saturated zone, a paleo-channel feature and the top of bedrock at a field site located near Lawrence, Kansas. A small 3D demonstration survey was designed and acquired using source and receiver intervals of 0.5 m and source line and receiver line intervals of 2 m. The survey had a nominal fold of 48 and covered an area of ~15.5 m × 35.5 m. Large variations in velocity were present, ranging from ~300–600 m/s laterally in the shallowest layer and ~300–1600 m/s vertically, a degree of variability that is not uncommon in the ultra-shallow subsurface. Normal moveout corrections cannot account for intersecting reflection hyperbolae such as those caused by large vertical velocity gradients, so a novel processing scheme was applied by extracting offset-dependent subsets based on the optimum window for each reflection. The subsets were normal moveout corrected independently and then stacked together using conventional 3D processing techniques. Despite the large lateral and vertical velocity variations, we were successful in imaging the top of the saturated zone, paleo-channel features and the overburden-bedrock interface located at depths of ~5 m, 8 m and 14 m, respectively. Results of the 3D survey are in agreement with previous studies conducted at the site. The methods presented here could be applied to situations where 3D imaging of the ultra-shallow subsurface is necessary and may help to identify possible contaminant sinks or flowpaths.
Neighborhood experiences, community connection, and positive beliefs about adolescents among urban adults and youth

Adults have become increasingly isolated from adolescents in their communities, and this condition contributes to negative stereotypes about teens. Integrating research- and practice-based knowledge, a theoretical model was constructed to predict positive beliefs about adolescents, specifically the extent to which adults and adolescents believe that teens are motivated and competent to act on behalf of their neighborhoods. The model includes two pathways to positive beliefs about adolescents. It was hypothesized that the experience of volunteering, and residing in a neighborhood that is perceived as safe and having adequate resources, would be associated with positive beliefs about adolescents. It was further predicted that community connectedness, as assessed by individuals' sense of community and perceived norm of adult caring, would mediate these associations. The hypotheses were tested through analysis of phone interviews with adults and adolescents from a large northeastern city. The model received consistent, albeit not complete, support between both samples. Results indicate that an understanding of beliefs about teens lies, in significant part, in the neighborhood experiences of adults and adolescents and in their sense of connectedness with the places in which they live. Implications for further research in this emerging area of inquiry are identified. While community-driven research poses methodological challenges, this inquiry also illustrates the theoretical and practical utility of grounding study hypotheses, in part, on the causal relationships that have been observed by practitioners in neighborhood settings. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
RFInD: An RFID-Based System to Manage Virtual Spaces

We present RFInD, a cost-effective utilitarian system for locating objects using RFID technology. RFInD separates the notion of location from that of physical co-ordinates by using the abstraction of a virtual space. A virtual space is created by using RFID tags to label entities and locations in the physical space as references. RFInD manages the virtual space by using the references to create a spatial map, over which objects can be tracked and located. The target objects are labeled and embedded in a virtual space by associating them with proximate reference tags. RFInD creates the technology to automatically and efficiently manage these associations. In this work, we first characterize the capabilities of a commercially available RFID reader. We show how to use these capabilities for two tasks, namely proximity detection and tag association. RFInD uses these capabilities as primitives to create virtual spaces, embed objects in the virtual space, and navigate the space to track the embedded objects. Further, our experiments establish the effectiveness of our approach in managing virtual spaces
Gender and Beliefs About Work Force Discrimination in the United States and Australia

Beliefs about gender discrimination in the work force were investigated among a sample of American (n = 201) and Australian (n = 177) business students. Significant differences between genders in beliefs about the existence of gender discrimination were indicated, with women being more likely than men to affirm its existence, particularly in the area of salary discrimination. In addition, there were differences between genders and between countries in assessment of the factors that might lead to lower participation of women in management and in the assessment of avenues of advancement for women.
Fully-revealing equilibria of multiple-sender signaling and screening models

Models of incomplete information have played a major role in the fields of political science and political economy. The models have almost exclusively been signaling models, and their substantive focus is frequently on situations in which the extensive form is not dictated by institutional requirements or procedures. We explore the relation between multiple-sender signaling games and the corresponding screening or mechanism design games without transfers and establish an equivalence result. If there is a fully-revealing equilibrium in the signaling game there is also a full-information optimal mechanism that yields the principal’s optimal policy in every state. The converse, that fully-revealing equilibria exist in the signaling game if a full-information optimal mechanism exists, is true if and only if the mechanism involves only the selection of policies that are optimal for some belief about the state. We also present two straightforward sufficient conditions for the existence of full-information optimal mechanisms. When either holds, fully-revealing equilibria in the signaling and screening games exist. The perceived advantage of the signaling over the screening approach – that no commitment by the principal is assumed – may be over-stated as flexibility in specifying off the path beliefs can mimic commitment.
Wirelessly networked distributed controllers for real-time control of civil structures

Civil structures are often exposed to strong winds and seismic loads resulting in large structural deflections. These undesirable deflections can be reduced by installing a structural control system within the structure. To reduce the costs associated with structural control systems, the eradication of expensive wiring required to transmit sensor data to a centralized controller is proposed. Taking advantage of decentralized control and wireless sensor network paradigms, a new approach to the design of a structural control system is presented. In this study, the feasibility of employing a wireless sensor network to both collect state-response data from sensors and to determine control forces is explored in detail. Wireless active sensing units designed to collect data from sensors, execute embedded algorithms and command actuators are adopted to serve as sensor/controller nodes within the wireless structural control system. Provided the real-time demands of the control system, wireless networks present some technological challenges (limited bandwidth, delays and loss of data packets) that must be addressed during the design of the control system. A distributed estimator framework is proposed to limit the use of the wireless communication channel leading to large-scale structural control systems with enhanced reliability.
A psychometric assessment of the Children of Alcoholics Screening Test (CAST).

Objective: Children of alcoholics have been identified as an at-risk population for a number of physical, emotional and behavioral problems. Therefore, accurate identification of this potential client group is important for both prevention and intervention programming. The current study investigated the psychometric properties of the Children of Alcoholics Screening Test (CAST), which was developed as an assessment tool for identifying latency-age, adolescent and adult children of alcoholics. Method: Respondents were recruited through the use of nominational sampling methods for participation in this cross-sectional study. The study sample was composed of 65 male and 149 female respondents, including both adult children of alcoholics (ACOAs) and adults reared in non-substance-abusing homes (non-ACOAs). Both ACOA (n = 140) and non-ACOA (n = 74) groups included clinical and nonclinical subjects. Respondents completed a mailed, self-report survey that included the CAST, five other standardized instruments me...
Reinforcement neural learning with application to gas sensors

Neural net reinforcement learning algorithm and its application to gas (chemicals) classification and quantification are considered in this paper. The approach does not require memory and has simplified reward/punishment computations. The advantages and disadvantages of the reinforcement algorithm are contrasted against other competing neural algorithms. The reinforcement learning has been found practical, when each gas (chemical) is distinguished by several features and characteristics with possible overlap. The paper also gives an account of integrated circuit digital chip implementation for typical four gases with temperature, pressure, and flow quantity features. The number of required iterations has been found to depend on reward and penalty parameters, as well as the threshold governing the learning. It is believed that our implementation approach has potential uses in auto industry safety and emission control, as well in automated semiconductor manufacturing process.
Yeast DNA Polymerase ζ Is an Efficient Extender of Primer Ends Opposite from 7,8-Dihydro-8-Oxoguanine and O6-Methylguanine

Genetic studies in Saccharomyces cerevisiae have indicated the requirement of DNA polymerase (Pol) ζ for mutagenesis induced by UV light and by other DNA damaging agents. However, on its own, Polζ is highly inefficient at replicating through DNA lesions; rather, it promotes their mutagenic bypass by extending from the nucleotide inserted opposite the lesion by another DNA polymerase. So far, such a role for Polζ has been established for cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers, (6-4) dipyrimidine photoproducts, and abasic sites. Here, we examine whether Polζ can replicate through the 7,8-dihydro-8-oxoguanine (8-oxoG) and O6-methylguanine (m6G) lesions. We chose these two lesions for this study because the replicative polymerase, Polδ, can replicate through them, albeit weakly. We found that Polζ is very inefficient at inserting nucleotides opposite both these lesions, but it can efficiently extend from the nucleotides inserted opposite them by Polδ. Also, the most efficient bypass of 8-oxoG and m6G lesions occurs when Polδ is combined with Polζ, indicating a role for Polζ in extending from the nucleotides inserted opposite these lesions by Polδ. Thus, Polζ is a highly specialized polymerase that can proficiently extend from the primer ends opposite DNA lesions, irrespective of their degree of geometric distortion. Polζ, however, is unusually sensitive to geometric distortion of the templating residue, as it is highly inefficient at incorporating nucleotides even opposite the moderately distorting 8-oxoG and m6G lesions.
The State of Intimate Partner Violence Intervention: Progress and Continuing Challenges

Over the past 40 years, intimate partner violence (IPV) has evolved from an emerging social problem to a socially unacceptable crime. The Violence Against Women Act of 1994 encourages state policies that focus on criminal justice intervention, including mandatory arrest and prosecution. Services offered to victim-survivors of IPV are often tied to criminal justice intervention, or otherwise encourage separation. These interventions have been seen as effectively using the authority of the state to enhance women's power relative to that of abusive men. However, these interventions do not serve the needs of women who, for cultural or personal reasons, want to remain in their relationship, or marginalized women who fear the power of the state due to institutionalized violence, heterosexism, and racism. The one-size-fits-all approach that encourages prosecution and batterer intervention programs for offenders and shelter and advocacy for victim-survivors fails to adhere to the social work value of client self-determination and the practice principle of meeting clients where they are. It is imperative that social workers in all areas of practice are aware of IPV policies, services, and laws. Social workers' challenge moving forward is to develop innovative and evidence-based interventions that serve all victim-survivors of IPV Language: en
Relational abstractions for continuous and hybrid systems

In this paper, we define relational abstractions of hybrid systems. A relational abstraction is obtained by replacing the continuous dynamics in each mode by a binary transition relation that relates a state of the system to any state that can potentially be reached at some future time instant using the continuous dynamics. We construct relational abstractions by reusing template-based invariant generation techniques for continuous systems described by Ordinary Differential Equations (ODE). As a result, we abstract a given hybrid system as a purely discrete, infinite-state system. We apply k-induction to this abstraction to prove safety properties, and use bounded model-checking to find potential falsifications. We present the basic underpinnings of our approach and demonstrate its use on many benchmark systems to derive simple and usable abstractions.
Probing Ultrashort Electrical Pulses by Optical Second Harmonic Generation

We report the first application of surface second harmonic generation to the measurement of picosecond electrical pulses. The technique is demonstrated using a coplanar waveguide transmission line fabricated on silicon.
Diversity and seasonality of Leiodid beetles (Coleoptera : Leiodidae) in an old-growth and a 40-year-old forest in New Hampshire

The seasonality and diversity of members of the beetle family Leiodidae were determined for an old-growth and a 40-yr-old forest in New Hampshire. Thirty-four species were found at each site for a combined total of 39 species. Diversity was calculated using log series index α, Shannon-Wiener index, coefficient of community, and percent similarity. Seasonality is lengthily unimodal for the Cholevinae, which feed on carrion and fungi. The Leiodinae feed on slime molds and fungi and are more narrowly unimodal. Anisotoma spp. exhibit broadly overlapping abundance peaks, whereas some members of Agathidium and Leiodes have abundance peaks at different times, indicating the possibility of resource partitioning. The greater leaf litter depilis and amount of woody debris at the old-growth site are presumed to lead to the production of more food resources for the leiodids. The difference in forest ages and the disturbance by selective cutting has not lowered species richness, but the diversity indices used reflect a difference between the sites based on greater abundance in the old-growth forest. The dispersal ability of leiodids is presumed to lead to rapid recolonization of the younger forest as food sources become available. Anisotoma inops Brown is a potential indicator species for old-growth forests in northeastern North America.
Pharmacologic Control of Fetal Lung Development

Several pharmacologic agents with demonstrated effects on the synthesis and release of surfactant are discussed. Clinically the most important of these are glucocorticoids, since they have been administered to pregnant women to accelerate fetal lung maturation and reduce the risk of respiratory distress syndrome associated with premature birth.
The Juvenile Wellness and Health Survey (JWHS-76): a school based screening instrument for general and mental health in high school students.

Existing screening instruments address adolescent health from a pediatric / public health perspective. We developed a school based screening instrument (the JWHS-76) for high schools measuring multiple health related domains from a child psychiatric viewpoint. We studied 1769 students in two suburban high schools (48% girls, mean age 16, predominantly white). Factor analyses revealed five coherent factors: general risk taking, mental health problems, sex related risks, eating and dietary problems, and general health problems. Analyses by gender, age and coping style revealed significant and consistent associations. The JWHS-76 is supported by preliminary evidence as a valid screening instrument in high school.
A randomized controlled trial of a videoconferencing smoking cessation intervention for Korean American women: preliminary findings

INTRODUCTION Korean women are reluctant to pursue in-person smoking cessation treatment due to stigma attached to women smokers and prefer treatment such as telephone and online smoking cessation programs that they can access secretively at home. However, there is some evidence that face-to-face interaction is the most helpful intervention component for them to quit smoking. METHODS This study is a pilot clinical trial that examined the acceptability and feasibility of a videoconferencing smoking cessation intervention for Korean American women and compared its preliminary efficacy with a telephone-based intervention. Women of Korean ethnicity were recruited nationwide in the United States and randomly assigned at a ratio of 1:1 to either a video arm or a telephone arm. Both arms received eight 30-minute weekly individualized counseling sessions of a deep cultural smoking cessation intervention and nicotine patches for 8 weeks. Participants were followed over 3 months from the quit day. RESULTS The videoconferencing intervention was acceptable and feasible for Korean women aged <50 years, whereas it was not for older women. Self-reported abstinence was high at 67% and 48% for the video and telephone arm at 1 month post-quit, respectively. The rates declined to 33% for the video arm and 28% for the telephone arm at 3 months post-quit when salivary cotinine test was performed. CONCLUSION Findings support that both videoconferencing and telephone counseling can be effective, and personal preference is likely an important factor in treatment matching. The deep cultural smoking cessation intervention may account for the outcomes of telephone counseling being better than prior studies in the literature for Korean women.
A case management report: a collaborative perioperative surgical home paradigm and the reduction of total joint arthroplasty readmissions

Efforts to mitigate costs while improving surgical care quality have received much scrutiny. This includes the challenging issue of readmission subsequent to hospital discharge. Initiatives attempting to preclude readmission after surgery require planned and unified efforts extending throughout the perioperative continuum. Patient optimization prior to discharge, enhanced disease monitoring, and seamless coordination of care between hospitals and community providers is integral to this process. The perioperative surgical home (PSH) has been proposed as a model to improve the delivery of perioperative healthcare via patient-centered risk stratification strategies that emphasize value and evidence-based processes. This case report seeks to specifically describe implementation of readmission reduction strategies via a PSH paradigm during total joint arthroplasty (TJA) procedures at the University of California Irvine (UCI) Health. An orthopedic surgeon open to collaborate within a PSH paradigm for TJA procedures was recruited to UCI Health in October of 2012. Institution specific data was then prospectively collected for 2 years post implementation of the novel program. A total of 328 unilateral, elective primary TJA (120 hip, 208 knee) procedures were collectively performed. Demographic analysis reveals the following: mean age of 64 ± 12; BMI of 28.5 ± 6.2; ASA Score distribution of 0.3 % class 1, 23 % class 2, 72 % class 3, and 4.3 % class 4; and 62.5 % female patients. In all, a 30-day unplanned readmission rate of 2.1 % (95 % CI 0.4–3.8) was observed during the study period. As a limitation of this case report, this reported rate does not reflect readmissions that may have occurred at facilities outside UCI Health. As healthcare evolves to emphasize value over volume, it is integral to invest efforts in longitudinal patient outcomes including patient disposition subsequent to hospital discharge. As outlined by this case management report, the PSH provides an institution-led means to implement a series of care initiatives that optimize the important metric of readmission following TJA, potentially adding further value to patients, surgical colleagues, and health systems.
Cost-effectiveness of acupuncture in an employee population: A retrospective analysis.

Abstract Objectives To determine whether acupuncture is a cost-effective adjunct to usual care for Mayo Clinic employees and their dependents experiencing pain symptoms. Design Retrospective review of the medical and billing records of 466 employee-patients and their dependents who had received acupuncture as part of their care and 466 propensity score–matched control patients. Interventions Usual care in combination with acupuncture compared with usual care alone. Main outcome measures The primary outcome measure was the total costs of care for all medical care and pharmacy services incurred from 1year before the index visit to 14 months after the index date. Secondary outcomes included the number of hospital visits, total inpatient days, emergency department visits, primary care or general medicine office visits, specialty office visits, and physical therapy services. Pain scores (patient-rated scores from 0 to 10) were extracted from the medical record, if available. Results Costs of care were similar between the 2 groups. No cost savings were noted for the acupuncture group. Conclusions Several limitations to the study may have precluded a finding of cost-effectiveness. Future studies should include prospective evaluation of costs and other outcomes in a comparison between acupuncture and usual care in a randomized control trial.
Fast Self‐Healing of Polyelectrolyte Multilayer Nanocoating and Restoration of Super Oxygen Barrier

A self-healable gas barrier nanocoating, which is fabricated by alternate deposition of polyethyleneimine (PEI) and polyacrylic acid (PAA) polyelectrolytes, is demonstrated in this study. This multilayer film, with high elastic modulus, high glass transition temperature, and small free volume, has been shown to be a super oxygen gas barrier. An 8-bilayer PEI/PAA multilayer assembly (≈700 nm thick) exhibits an oxygen transmission rate (OTR) undetectable to commercial instrumentation (<0.005 cc (m−2 d−1 atm−1)). The barrier property of PEI/PAA nanocoating is lost after a moderate amount of stretching due to its rigidity, which is then completely restored after high humidity exposure, therefore achieving a healing efficiency of 100%. The OTR of the multilayer nanocoating remains below the detection limit after ten stretching-healing cycles, which proves this healing process to be highly robust. The high oxygen barrier and self-healing behavior of this polymer multilayer nanocoating makes it ideal for packaging (food, electronics, and pharmaceutical) and gas separation applications.
A Cluster Analytic Critique of the Multifactor Racial Attitude Inventory

The Multifactor Racial Attitude Inventory (MRAI), a major 10-factor measurement of Whites’ attitude toward Blacks, was reanalyzed by using a new hierarchical cluster technique to locate factors with greater unidimensionality. 4 clusters emerged (Public, Private, Black Superiority, and Gradualism) with reliabilities between .90 and .66. The mean intercorrelation between the 4 new clusters was .23, contrasted to .54 for the 10 MRAI factors. All 4 of the new clusters met a 39% or less overlap criterion, whereas only 3 of the original 10 factors met this criterion. The 4-scale solution produced subscales with markedly greater independence than existed for the subscales in the 10-factor solution.
The Nature of Continuing Education

Today as never before, education in general—and professional education in particular—is being held accountable for expenditures of public and private treasure as well as for the heavy investments of manpower made in its behalf. Parents, benefactors, and legislators ask what they are getting for their money. Employers question the value of a higher degree, and Ph.D. graduate engineers are scratching for jobs. What does this situation mean for continuing education in engineering and science? Once these educational deficiencies—real or imagined—are identified, curriculum planners can go ahead and reform the educational program for future generations; workers in continuing education must commence immediately to reform the people who are the innocent victims or products of the recent past system.