cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Instrumentation considerations for measurement of early arriving photons in diffuse optical tomography

Time-resolved measurement of early-arriving photons has been shown by a number of groups to effectively reduce photon scatter and improve resolution in diffuse optical tomography (DOT) and fluorescence mediated tomography (FMT). Recently, we experimentally showed that measurement of early-arriving photons resulted in the reduction of the instrument photon density sensitivity function (PDSF) width by a factor of 2 to 2.5 over a wide range of relevant small-animal imaging conditions using a picosecond pulsed laser and time-resolved photon counting combination. However, we also showed that this experimental improvement was less than predicted from time-resolved Monte Carlo simulations. Specifically, a reduction by a factor of 4 or better was predicted, but this could not be achieved with our system. To better understand this, in this work we have experimentally tested the effect of a series instrumentation (hardware) parameters on the experimentally measured time-dependant PDSFs including, i) source and detector geometry, ii) detector sensitivity, iii) laser illumination intensity, and iv) instrument temporal impulse response function. Our ongoing research indicates that all of these parameters affected the relative PDSF width by as much as 10-25%, particularly at early time points. The results of this work are significant because they show in a number of cases that significant disagreement between experimental PDSFs and theoretical models exist as a result of minor changes in experimental configuration. We also anticipate that these results will be useful in the design of future time-resolved DOT and DFT imaging systems.
Comparative Effectiveness of Dynamic Abdominal Sonography for Hernia vs Computed Tomography in the Diagnosis of Incisional Hernia

Background Diagnosis and characterization of incisional hernia are often established by CT, which incurs radiation exposure and substantial cost in clinical practice. The purpose of this study was to determine the comparative effectiveness of surgeon-performed Dynamic Abdominal Sonography for Hernia (DASH) vs CT for incisional hernia evaluation. Study Design Patients with previous abdominal operations and recent CT imaging were enrolled prospectively; patients with stomas, fistula, or soft tissue infection were excluded. In the clinic setting, DASH was performed with prerequisite training of the American College of Surgeons Ultrasound for Surgeons Basic Course. Clinical evidence of hernia, results of DASH examination, and radiologist documentation of incisional hernia were compared with the gold standard of surgeon-interpreted CT. Testing characteristics of sensitivity and specificity were compared and predictive values were calculated. Inter-rater reliability was performed by comparing DASH results in a subgroup of patients with 3 different evaluators. Results There were 181 patients enrolled, with a mean age of 54 years, and 68% were women. In patients in whom hernias were identified, the mean hernia size was 44.6 cm 2 (range 0.2 to 468.3 cm 2 ). The DASH examination showed high sensitivity (98%) and specificity (88%). Hernia prevalence was 55% in this population, resulting in positive and negative predictive values of 91% and 97%, respectively. Four patients had clinically detectable hernias that were not seen on CT but were discovered with DASH. Inter-rater reliability for DASH was high, with an observed intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.79. Conclusions The DASH examination is an accurate alternative to CT scan for diagnosing abdominal wall hernias, with additional benefits of no radiation exposure and instant bedside interpretation. The use of DASH to detect hernia recurrence can greatly facilitate long-term follow-up of hernia patients.
The Tale of Two Noras: How a Yup'ik Middle Schooler Was Differently Constructed as a Math Learner.

This case study seeks to explain why a Yup'ik middle schooler, Nora, from a remote Alaskan village, was differently constructed as a math learner by her 6th- and 7th-grade math teachers. When a culturally relevant curriculum was used in 6th grade, Nora had a greater opportunity for leadership, ownership of knowledge, collaborative problem solving, conceptual learning, and participation in decolonized, culturally sustainable knowledge than when in a Western-style classroom based on the No Child Left Behind Act-motivated reforms 1 year later.
The significance of Temminck's work on biogeography: early nineteenth century natural history in Leiden, The Netherlands.

C.J. Temminck, director of the Rijksmuseum van Natuurlijke Historie (now the National Museum of Natural History in Leiden) and a renowned ornithologist, gained his contemporary’s respect thanks to the description of many new species and to his detailed monographs on birds. He also published a small number of works on biogeography describing the fauna of the Dutch colonies in South East Asia and Japan. These works are remarkable for two reasons. First, in them Temminck accurately described the species composition of poorly explored regions, like the Sunda Islands and Japan. Secondly, he formulated a new law on the geographical distribution of animals around the globe, based on the parallels he observed between the fauna from Europe, Asia and Japan. The underlying ideas that lead Temminck to this law were the type-concept, which he understood as the ideal morphological plan behind animal form, the unchanging character of the species and a strong belief in nature’s divine design. During the first half of the nineteenth century, the type- and the species-concept, the origin and fixity of the species and the meaning of variations aroused heated discussions. When put in the context of his time, Temminck emerges as a scientist whose work was driven by the dominating scientific philosophy of the time in which he lived, under the influence of late eighteenth century natural history and of French empiricists, in particular, the great zoologist and paleontologist Georges Cuvier. Temminck’s detailed descriptions of the Dutch East Indian fauna helped the great naturalists after him to understand nature’s patterns and to propose comprehensive theories that explain its diversity.
The Importance of Mesoscale Circulations Generated by Subgrid-Scale Landscape Heterogeneities in General Circulation Models

A mesoscale atmospheric model was used to evaluate the impact of subgrid-scale landscape discontinuities on the vertical profiles of resolved temperature, moisture, and moist static energy in the planetary boundary layer (PBL) of general circulation models (GCMs). These profiles were produced with a 3D version of the model (using a horizontal grid resolution of 7.5 km and 13 vertical layers in the PBL) by averaging horizontally the various atmospheric variables over a 180 x 180 sq km domain-about the size of the horizontal domain represented by a single grid element in a GCM. They were compared to corresponding vertical profiles produced with a 1D version of the model, which simulates the PBL, as in a GCM, over a single horizontal grid element. Differences obtained between the horizontally averaged atmospheric variables produced with the 3D simulations and the 1D simulations emphasize the impact of subgrid-scale landscape discontinuities on GCM-resolved variables. Various types of landscape discontinuities, characterized by horizontal contrasts of surface wetness and size of land patches, were simulated under various background-wind conditions. Differences of temperature, specific humidity, and moist static energy as large as 4 K, 6 g/kg, and 10 kJ/kg were obtained in some cases. These differences were not affected significantly by moderate winds but were sensitive to the spatial distribution of surface wetness. These results emphasize the need to parameterize mesoscale processes induced by landscape discontinuities in GCMss.
Simulating an agile, synchronized manufacturing system

Abstract Retail customers are demanding more variety, more features and quicker order response times from manufacturers. Furniture production systems have had to become more flexible to respond to the variety of styles, fabrics and patterns offered by retailers. In this make-to-order environment, the orders received must be grouped into specific, logical batches whose short-cycle operations require close coordination and monitoring throughout the facility. For upholstered furniture, each batch may be unique because it consolidates orders having fabrics of different colors, texture or style. In recliner chair and similar production systems, the parallel component subassembly lines must maintain synchronization within each line and between the lines for components to simultaneously reach final assembly. The simulation developed represents an existing production system. It generates expected outputs under conditions of operation variability, queue lengths (buffers) and batch changeover (set-up) times over a range of 3 uniform and feasible batch sizes. Thus, the real-time status and location of components and subassemblies consigned to a specific production batch is essential for maintaining and improving quality and utilization of personnel, space, material and other resources.
Social implications of computer/telecoms systems

Abstract The usual approaches to technological forecasting and technology assessment are rejected. The author argues that the social implications of technology should be assessed from the perspective of important social aims and problems. He chooses the definition of oppurtunities and problems in the emerging Information Society as his focus for this approach. The fundamental economic shift to the Information Society raises new questions concerning the approach to traditional economic issues, as well as a series of social considerations. In conclusion, the policy problems suggested by the analysis are outlined.
Integrated thermal analysis of the production dipole magnets for the superconducting super collider

A thermal model of a 16.6-m-long Superconducting Super Collider dipole cryostat was developed to evaluate the system thermal behavior of the dipoles. The model incorporates in detail all the heat flow paths in the cryostat with the capacity to model all steady-state and transient thermal boundary conditions to which the cryostat is subjected during normal and upset conditions. The model predicts heat leaks to the cryogenics of 25.4 W per dipole to 80 K, 2.64 W per dipole to 20 K, and 0.174 W per dipole to 4.35 K during normal operation, which compare favorably to the established heat leak budgets. The model shows that the synchrotron radiation does not raise the temperature of the winding more than 0.2 K relative to the inlet temperature of the helium. Cooldown from room temperature to 55 K is shown to take from 1.5 to 3 h with flow rates of the order of 100-200 g/s. Warmup to room temperature from steady-state operating conditions takes approximately 17.5 h using 5-kW heaters. Recooling of the winding following a quench takes about 3.5 min from 70 K and 9 min from 300 K. >
Structure and spectroscopic properties of [(2,6-Ph2C6H3O)2Ti(μ-Cl)2Ti(OC6H3Ph2-2,6)2]: Evidence for a strong metal-metal interaction

Abstract The compound [(2,6-Ph 2 C 6 H 3 O) 2 Ti(μ-Cl) 2 Ti(OC 6 H 3 Ph 2 -2,6) 2 ] which is formed by sodium amalgam reduction of Ti(OC 6 H 3 Ph 2 -2,6) 2 Cl 2 (OC 6 H 3 Ph 2 -2,6 = 2,6-diphenylphenoxide) contains a relatively short TiTi distance of 2.9827(7) A and acute Ti(μ-Cl)Ti angles of 77.79(3) and 78.05(3)°. Crystal data at −130°C: space group P 1 ; a = 13.342(4), b = 13.808(4), c = 16.057(3) A, α = 97.35(2), β = 104.63(2), γ = 91.64(2)°, Z = 2; ϱ calc = 1.346 g cm −3 .
Trends in motor vehicle traffic fatalities among Hispanics, non-Hispanic whites and American Indians in New Mexico, 1958-1990.

OBJECTIVE: New Mexico has had the highest motor vehicle fatality rate in the nation for many years. Our objective was to examine ethnic differences and trends in motor vehicle fatality rates. DESIGN: Using death certificate data from the New Mexico Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics, we compiled age-adjusted motor vehicle-related mortality rates from 1958-1990 among the three major ethnic groups in New Mexico--Hispanics, white non-Hispanics and American Indians. RESULTS: Over the 33-year study period, American Indians of both sexes had two to three times higher mortality rates than white non-Hispanics. Hispanic males also had higher motor vehicle death rates than white non-Hispanic males. During the 1970s fatality rates peaked, with age-adjusted death rates of 233/100,000 for American Indian males, 74.7 for Hispanic males and 49.3 for white non-Hispanics for the period 1973-1977. Evaluation of successive 5-year birth cohorts showed highest mortality rates for ages 15-29 years for each ethnic group and both sexes, and a dramatic decline in most ethnic, sex and age-specific rates during the last eight years of the study period. CONCLUSION: Although the recent trends indicate favorable changes in motor vehicle fatality rates, our data highlight the need for ethnic and age-specific interventions to further reduce rates of motor vehicle-related mortality in this state. Language: en
Achieving understandable results in a formal design verification

An approach is presented for clarifying the process and the results of formal design specification and its verification. The approach is validated via a simple illustrative experiment. A further validation of the approach by its application to an internet system (the USAF Multinet Gateway System) is described. As a consequence of the approach, the verification results are made more understandable, and thus the credibility of the assurance demonstration of a system is increased. >
Protein Hpn: cloning and characterization of a histidine-rich metal-binding polypeptide in Helicobacter pylori and Helicobacter mustelae

Helicobacter pylori is a human gastrointestinal pathogen involved in gastritis, duodenal ulcers, and gastric neoplasia. This microorganism produces large amounts of a urease which, like all known ureases, has nickel in the active site. We have identified a protein in clinical isolates of H. pylori and an identical protein in the ferret pathogen Helicobacter mustelae that strongly binds Ni2+ and Zn2+. This protein has been named Hpn to emphasize its origins in H. pylori and its affinity for nickel. The encoding hpn gene, cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli ER1793, has an open reading frame (180 bp) that specifies a protein with a calculated molecular mass of 7,077 Da and with the same amino-terminal sequence as that of wild-type Hpn. The deduced sequence of Hpn consists of 60 amino acids, of which 28 (47%) are histidines. The hpn gene does not map with the urease gene cluster on the H. pylori chromosome. An Hpn-negative, isogenic H. pylori strain, generated by hpn gene deletion and grown on blood agar, had the same urease activity that wild-type cells did. Thus, the role of Hpn in helicobacters is unknown.
Data-mining-aided mapping of structure-property relationships for combinatorially generated Co-doped ZnO thin films

We demonstrate the use of multivariate analysis and high-dimensional visualization to uncover and exploit non-obvious quantitative structure-property relationships or processing-property-performance relationships in vast arrays of multidimensional photovoltaic (PV) datasets. Under the research framework of PV informatics, the critical role of these mapping techniques, for design of transparent conducting oxides in particular, is discussed in the context of combinatorially generated Co-doped ZnO thin films. Multidimensional maps are generated using principal component analysis, a dimensional reduction technique in data mining. We present high-dimensional information visualization techniques such as parallel coordinates for mapping relationships that exist in the huge amounts of heterogeneous high-throughput data of thin films.
An electrostatic technique for revealing internal structure in diamonds

Using a simple technique based on electrostatic charging (essentially xerography of crystals), it has been found possible to reveal internal structure which appears to be directly related to that seen by other methods. It is necessary to expose the interior of the crystal in order to see the internal growth structure — i.e. to intersect the external growth surfaces since the latter are essentially homogeneous with respect to the electrostatic technique. If there are heterogeneities or discontinuities in the growth history of a crystal, we have found that the table, crown and pavilion facets of a cut stone are adequate intersecting planes for revealing patterns by the electrostatic technique. This technique might be the basis for a simple fingerprinting method for some gemstones.
Asymptotic average redundancy of Huffman (and Shannon-Fano) block codes

A Huffman code is an iterative algorithm built over the associated Huffman tree, in which the two nodes with lowest weights are combined into a new node with a weight that is the sum of the weights of its two children. Such a construction is not unique but fortunately with a simple modification to the Huffman algorithm, it is possible to construct a unique Huffman code so that the longest codewords are as short as possible. Here we deal with such modified Huffman codes and present precise asymptotic results on the average redundancy of such codes for memoryless sources.
Wildlife species associated with non-coniferous vegetation in Pacific Northwest conifer forests: A review

Non-coniferous vegetation, including herbs, shrubs, and broad-leaved trees, makes a vital contribution to ecosystem function and diversity in Pacific Northwest conifer forests. However, forest management has largely been indifferent or detrimental to shrubs and trees that have low commercial value, in spite of a paradigm shift towards more holistic management in recent decades. Forest management practices that are detrimental to broad-leaved trees and shrubs are likely to decrease habitat diversity for wildlife, but the number of species that may be affected has not previously been enumerated. I reviewed life history accounts for forest-dwelling vertebrate wildlife species and derived a list of 78 species in Oregon and Washington that are associated with non-coniferous vegetation. The diversity of direct and indirect food resources provided was the primary functional basis for associations of most species with non-coniferous vegetation. Thus, a diversity of herbs and broad-leaved trees and shrubs provides the foundation for food webs that contribute to diversity at multiple trophic levels in Pacific Northwest conifer forests. Given the number of species associated with non-coniferous vegetation in conifer-dominated forests, maintaining habitats that support diverse plant communities, particularly broad-leaved trees and shrubs, will be an important component of management strategies intended to foster biodiversity. Silvicultural practices such as modified planting densities, and pre-commercial and commercial thinning, can be used to control stand density in order to favor the development of understory herbs, shrubs, and a diversity of tree species within managed stands. Allowing shrubs and hardwood trees to develop and persist in early seral stands by curtailing vegetation control also would benefit many species associated with non-coniferous vegetation.
Evaluating the potential biases in carnivore capture–recapture studies associated with the use of lure and varying density estimation techniques using photographic-sampling data of the Malagasy civet

Estimating density of elusive carnivores with capture–recapture analyses is increasingly common. However, providing unbiased and precise estimates is still a challenge due to uncertainties arising from the use of (1) bait or lure to attract animals to the detection device and (2) ad hoc boundary-strip methods to compensate for edge effects in area estimation. We used photographic-sampling data of the Malagasy civet Fossa fossana collected with and without lure to assess the effects of lure and to compare the use of four density estimators which varied in methods of area estimation. The use of lure did not affect permanent immigration or emigration, abundance and density estimation, maximum movement distances, or temporal activity patterns of Malagasy civets, but did provide more precise population estimates by increasing the number of recaptures. The spatially-explicit capture–recapture (SECR) model density estimates ±SE were the least precise as they incorporate spatial variation, but consistent with each other (Maximum likelihood-SECR = 1.38 ± 0.18, Bayesian-SECR = 1.24 ± 0.17 civets/km2), whereas estimates relying on boundary-strip methods to estimate effective trapping area did not incorporate spatial variation, varied greatly and were generally larger than SECR model estimates. Estimating carnivore density with ad hoc boundary-strip methods can lead to overestimation and/or increased uncertainty as they do not incorporate spatial variation. This may lead to inaction or poor management decisions which may jeopardize at-risk populations. In contrast, SECR models free researchers from making subjective decisions associated with boundary-strip methods and they estimate density directly, providing more comparable and valuable population estimates.
A catenary analysis of the maxillary dental arch during human embryogenesis.

Human embryos aged six and one-half through 1 weeks were studied to determine the morphological changes in shape of the maxillary dental arch during this early developmental period. Age was determined by crown-rump lengths using the table of Patten ('53). When compared to a reference catenary curve, the embryonic dental arch exhibited several time-linked and directional changes in shape. First, 6.5 to 8 week embryos characteristically had upper dental arches which were wide and anteroposteriorly flattened and did not conform to the catenary curve. At 7.5 to 9 weeks, the C-shaped dental arch showed more elongation and increasing depth. It was not until weeks 9.5 to 12 that the embryonic dental arch grew enough to conform to the catenary curve. It is suggested that the catenary curvature of the postnatal upper dental arch can be first recognized as early as 9.5 weeks of development.
Rapid Detection of Subtype-Selective Nuclear Hormone Receptor Binding with Bacterial Genetic Selection

Subtype-selective nuclear hormone receptor modulators could potentially allow the development of valuable tissue-specific therapeutics. A simple biosensor that allows subtype-specific nuclear hormone receptor binding to be reflected by the growth phenotype of Escherichia coli cells has been constructed. This system will potentially enable the facile detection or evolution of subtype-selective hormone analogues.
The cytoplasmic maturation of a ribosomal precursor ribonucleic acid in yeast.

Abstract A method has been developed which separates nuclear and cytoplasmic fractions of spheroplasts of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Using this method it has been shown that newly formed ribosomal RNA is found in native cytoplasmic subunits before passing to the polysomes. Furthermore, the final cleavage step which converts 20 S ribosomal precursor RNA to the mature 18 S ribosomal RNA takes place in the cytoplasm.
Nonlinear optics of three-level, inhomogeneously-broadened atoms in an optical cavity

We study theoretically and experimentally the strongly-coupled, nonlinear regime of a hot vapor of three-level atoms in an optical cavity. Interesting effects include lasing without inversion and polariton peak splittings.
REGIONAL TRENDS IN ELECTORAL SUPPORT IN BRITAIN, 1950–1983*

Analyses of the geography of British elections have typically stressed the continuity in patterns of party support. This paper challenges that conclusion. Employing an alternative method of analysis, it identifies significant regional trends in the Conservative and Labour vote between 1950 and 1983. Pro-Labour trends in Scotland and Northwest England are contrasted with secular changes favoring the Conservatives in non-metropolitan Southern England. These long-term trends have not been associated with growing regional polarization in party support. While the findings are specific to Britain, the method of assessing electoral change might be usefully applied to patterns in other countries.
Backing Theories and the Currencies of Eighteenth-Century America: A Comment

Recently, a newly fashionable theory-the backing theory-has been used to explain the purchasing power of paper money during a number of historical episodes. The terminology is unfortunate, because the theory is different from traditional theories of backing. The backing referred to by the new theory consists of government tax revenues plus other government assets, not the traditional commodity backing. Accordingly, the new backing theory holds that the purchasing power of money is determined by government fiscal policy.' The new backing theorists claim that the price level will not be affected by changes in the quantity of money provided appropriate fiscal policies are followed. The theory has been used by Bruce Smith and Elmus Wicker to explain the purchasing power of American colonial currencies, and by Charles Calomiris, in a recent article in this JOURNAL, to explain the purchasing power of the continental currency issued during the American Revolution.2 The purpose of this comment is to address a new twist Calomiris has given to the backing theory, to review the evidence he presents, and to show some points of similarity between the colonial and revolutionary episodes. My position is that the backing theory has little or no explanatory value when applied to either the American colonial or revolutionary periods.3 Smith, Wicker, and Calomiris conclude that changes in prices were largely unrelated to changes in the money supply, but they overlook two important institutional facts. First, the measures of the money supply used by all three are seriously flawed. In the case of colonial America, the money supply data do not accurately measure even the amount of paper money in circulation
A reconfigurable multiple-input multiple-output communication system

In this paper, we present a theoretical analysis on the gains offered by a reconfigurable multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) system using orthogonal space-time block codes (OSTBCs) and reconfigurable antennas at the receiver only. The proposed system using reconfigurable antennas selects the optimal radiation state of the receive antennas in which the receive signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is maximized. The theoretical findings show that under certain channel propagation conditions and using an appropriate codification and power allocation of the transmitted signal, the diversity order of the proposed reconfigurable MIMO system is given by the product of transmit and receive antennas as well as the number of reconfigurable radiation states of the receive antennas. The impact of correlated radiation states and imperfect channel estimation are also considered. The geometrical and physical constraints of reconfigurable antennas are also taken into account through the concept of antenna group. Assuming an ideally scattered non-line-of-sight (NLOS) flat Rayleigh channel, the antenna design criteria is given. Finally, we evaluate the theoretical findings through simulations on the array gain, bit error rate and ergodic capacity, where the detrimental impact of channel estimation is observed.
Network Assessment of Capillary Hydraulic Conductivity after Abrupt Changes in Fluid Shear Stress

Abstract Intact capillaries are composed of endothelial cells that experience continuous fluid shear stress as blood flows. Endothelial cells grown in culture demonstrate changes in barrier function in response to changes in shear stress. Therefore, it was hypothesized that intact capillaries would alter filtration in response to changes in fluid shear stress. Capillaries ( n = 25) located in frog mesentery were classified according to flow direction as arteriolar, true, or venular and cannulated at 30 cm H 2 O to induce an abrupt change in shear stress. Frog and human red blood cells acted as velocity markers before and after cannulation, respectively, for calculating fluid shear stress. Hydraulic conductivity ( L p ) was measured at 30 cm H 2 O following a change in shear stress and ranged from 0.7 to 96.8 × 10 −7 cm s −1 cm H 2 O −1 . For true and venular capillaries, L p was related to the magnitude of the shear stress stimulus and accounted for the wide range in absolute values of L p . Arteriolar capillaries did not respond to the mechanical stimulus. These data indicate that blood flow may modulate filtration in homogeneous subpopulations of capillaries in the capillary bed.
Rationale for targeted therapies and potential role of pazopanib in advanced renal cell carcinoma

Advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) remains a challenging, major health problem. Recent advances in understanding the fundamental biology underlying one form of RCC, ie, clear cell (or conventional) RCC, have opened the door to a series of targeted agents, such as the tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), which have become the standard of care in managing advanced clear cell RCC. Among the newest of these agents to receive Food and Drug Administration approval in this disease is pazopanib. This review will summarize what is known about the fundamental biology that underlies clear cell RCC, the data surrounding the previously approved targeted agents for this disease, including not only the TKIs but also the mTOR inhibitors and the vascular endothelial growth factor-specific agent, bevacizumab, and the newest TKI, pazopanib. It will also explore the potential role for pazopanib relative to the other available agents and where it may fit into the armamentarium for treatment of advanced/metastatic RCC.
Determining Barriers and Facilitators Associated With Willingness to Use a Personal Health Information Management System to Support Worksite Wellness Programs.

Abstract Purpose. To determine the barriers and facilitators associated with willingness to use personal health information management (PHIM) systems to support an existing worksite wellness program (WWP). Design. The study design involved a Web-based survey. Setting. The study setting was a regional hospital. Subjects. Hospital employees comprised the study subjects. Measures. Willingness, barriers, and facilitators associated with PHIM were measured. Analysis. Bivariate logit models were used to model two binary dependent variables. One model predicted the likelihood of believing PHIM systems would positively affect overall health and willingness to use. Another predicted the likelihood of worrying about online security and not believing PHIM systems would benefit health goals. Results. Based on 333 responses, believing PHIM systems would positively affect health was highly associated with willingness to use PHIM systems (p < .01). Those comfortable online were 7.22 times more willing to use PHIM system...
Attitudes of Occupational Therapists and Occupational Therapy Assistants Toward the Entry-Level Bachelor’s Degree for OTAs

Discussions at the local, state, and national level often focus on the value of and prospect for a change from the current entry-level master’s degree to the doctorate degree as the required entrance degree for occupational therapists (OTs). While this debate is not without merit, what appears to be lacking is comparable attention to and consideration of the entry-level bachelor’s degree for occupational therapy assistants (OTAs). The present study examined the attitudes and opinions of OTs and OTAs in regard to the entry-level bachelor’s degree for OTAs. Responses from 144 OTs and 77 OTAs to a postal mailed survey found the majority of the participants did not agree with the profession moving to the entry-level bachelor’s degree for OTAs. However, they varied significantly in responses as to whether such a move would result in OTAs being paid more or being more current in evidence-based practice/research. Further, respondents were diverse in their opinions as to whether the bachelor’s degree would become the entry-level degree for OTAs in the near future. The results of this study support the need for an open national debate combined with applied research into the worth and option of moving to the entry-level bachelor degree for OTAs.
The Thermal and Oxidative Stability of Chlorosulfonated Polyethylene Vulcanizates as Measured by Stress Relaxation

Abstract Stress relaxation measurements of chlorosulfonated polyethylene vulcanizates show that curing with m-phenylene-bis-maleimide gives thermally more stable crosslinks than the conventional metal oxide/sulfur accelerator system. The superior thermal stability of the bis-maleimide cure is based on the covalent nature of the crosslinks. In conventionally cured vulcanizates interchange reactions of the metal sulfonate and polysulfide crosslinks occur at elevated temperatures. The interchange reactions of the crosslinks cause a rapid stress decline at the beginning of the stress relaxation process. Over longer aging periods stress relaxation due to oxidative degradation becomes apparent in vulcanizates of both types. The activation energies of oxidative stress relaxations are very similar for the bis-maleimide and the conventional cure. The similarity of the activation energies indicates that oxidative degradation follows the same path. The site of the oxidative attack is established for bis-maleimide cu...
Patient-Centered Medical Homes In Louisiana Had Minimal Impact On Medicaid Population’s Use Of Acute Care And Costs

The patient-centered medical home model of primary care has received considerable attention for its potential to improve outcomes and reduce health care costs. Yet little information exists about the model’s ability to achieve these goals for Medicaid patients. We sought to evaluate the effect of patient-centered medical home certification of Louisiana primary care clinics on the quality and cost of care over time for a Medicaid population. We used a quasi-experimental pre-post design with a matched control group to assess the effect of medical home certification on outcomes. We found no impact on acute care use and modest support for reduced costs and primary care use among medical homes serving higher proportions of chronically ill patients. These findings provide preliminary results related to the ability of the patient-centered medical home model to improve outcomes for Medicaid beneficiaries. The findings support a case-mix-adjusted payment policy for medical homes going forward.
MAGNETOSTRATIGRAPHY OF THE EARLY PALEOGENE IN THE ERLIAN BASIN

The results of paleomagnetism experiments indicate that the composite Paleogene section from the Nuhetingboerhe-Huheboerhe area,Erlian Basin,records 5 normal polarity zones and 6 reversed polarity zones.These polarities can well be correlated to the chron C21r-C26r of GPTS 2004(Lourens et al.,2004),though some zones are not intact.The Nomogen Formation mainly consists of late Paleocene deposits,with some earliest Eocene and middle Paleocene strata.The Arshanto Formation represents a longer time,spanning from the early Eocene to the middle Eocene.The Irdin Manha Formation is entirely constrained within the middle Eocene.The age of the fossiliferous bed(with the fossils Lambdopsalis,Prionessus and Palaeostylops)probably belongs to the earliest late Paleocene.Another fossiliferous bed mainly containing Gomphos is near the Paleocene-Eocene boundary.
Liquid chromatographic determination of vitamin B-6 in foods

Chromatographic analysis for vitamin B-6 in complex samples imposes certain requirements on the analyst, who must extract completely the bound, unstable vitamers without loss, remove interfering compounds, and provide clean extracts for analysis. The analyst also has to contend with the problems inherent in all methods, such as sample collection, storage, preparation, and homogenization. However, chromatography provides a means of identifying and quantitating all forms of the vitamin, and thus provides the possibility of addressing the problem of the bioavailability of specific vitamers. It also allows automation, which is absolutely essential in coping with the large numbers of samples that are generated in areas such as quality control. These factors are all addressed here, and chromatographic results for various meat and other food products are presented to illustrate the variations in vitamin content that occur from sample to sample, the agreement with microbiological results, and that liquid chromatography (LC) has come of age in dealing with complex biological samples, such as food and food products.
On the representation of linear system time-varying half-line maps: Research Articles

An expression is given for the most general continuous causal linear input–output map that takes the space of (Lebesgue) integrable functions into itself. This expression is a function-space limit of an integral. As an application, a representation result is given for an important family of linear maps that take the space of bounded measurable functions into itself and satisfy a certain continuity condition. Some related material concerning engineering education is also given. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The measurement of calibration in real contexts

Abstract Accurate judgment of performance, or calibration, is an important element of self-regulated learning (SRL) and itself has been an area of growing study. The current study contributes to work on calibration by presenting practical and predictive results of varying calibration measures from authentic educational data: elementary-aged students' interactions with a year-long digital mathematics curriculum. Comparison of predictive validity of measures show only small differences in explained variance in models predicting posttest performance while controlling for pretest. A combined model including Sensitivity and Specificity outperforms other single measures, confirming results in Schraw, Kuch, & Gutierrez (2013); however, results show that student patterns of calibration within these data differ from those assumed in simulation studies and these differences have implications for the calculability of popular calibration measures.
“After you, sir!”: Substitution in Kant and Levinas

ABSTRACTThis paper compares the later Levinas’ notion of “substitution” with Kant’s account of substitution in Religion within the Boundaries of Mere Reason. Kant’s account is modelled on the Christian doctrine of the vicarious substitution of Christ, and some recent commentators on Levinas have argued that Levinas’ account is also similar to this Christian doctrine. By bringing out what I see as major differences between the two accounts, I show that Levinas’ notion of substitution should not be understood in this way.
Evidence of a cumulative effect for risk factors predicting low bone mass among male adolescent athletes

Background Limited research has evaluated risk factors for low bone mineral density (BMD) in male adolescent athletes. Aims/objectives To evaluate predictors of low BMD (defined as BMD Z-score Methods Male adolescent athletes completed a survey characterising sports participation, nutrition, stress fracture history, dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)-measured BMD and body composition. Independent t-tests and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) evaluated group differences; logistic regression evaluated low BMD risk factors. Results Runners (n=51) exhibited a lower body weight (p=0.02), body mass index (BMI) (kg/m2) (p=0.02), per cent expected weight (p=0.02) and spine BMD Z-score (p=0.002) compared with non-runners (n=18). Single risk factors of low BMD included 30 in the past year (OR=6.4, 95% CI 1.5 to 27.1). The strongest two-variable and three-variable risk factors included weekly mileage >30+ stress fracture history (OR=17.3, 95% CI 1.6 to 185.6) and weekly mileage >30+ 30, stress fracture history and Conclusions Male adolescent runners exhibited lower body weight, BMI and spine BMD Z-score values. The risk of low BMD displayed a graded relationship with increasing risk factors, highlighting the importance of using methods to optimise bone mass in this population.
Radiation pressure on core-shell nanoparticles in Rayleigh regime

The radiation pressure to the single and multiple core-shell nanoparticles using Rayleigh scattering theory is presented. The force on a single core-shell nanoparticle with different material compositions for core and shell is demonstrated. The metal shell having frequency dependent permittivity gives plasmonic resonance at a certain frequency. The force in both resonance and off-resonance condition of silver and gold shell is also shown. The total force on single core-shell nanoparticle is also validated using Mie scattering theory. For the case of multiple core-shell nanoparticles, the discrete dipole approximation (DDA) was used. The approximate force calculation on aggregates of multiple core-shell nanoparticles can be useful for wide variety of applications.
Register transfer level information flow tracking for provably secure hardware design

Information Flow Tracking (IFT) provides a formal methodology for modeling and reasoning about security properties related to integrity, confidentiality, and logical side channel. Recently, IFT has been employed for secure hardware design and verification. However, existing hardware IFT techniques either require designers to rewrite their hardware specifications in a new language or do not scale to large designs due to a low level of abstraction. In this work, we propose Register Transfer Level IFT (RTLIFT), which enables verification of security properties in an early design phase, at a higher level of abstraction, and directly on RTL code. The proposed method enables a precise understanding of all logical flows through RTL design and allows various tradeoffs in IFT precision. We show that RTLIFT achieves over 5x speedup in verification performance as compared to gate level IFT while minimizing the required effort for the designer to verify security properties on RTL designs.
Integrating Palliative and Oncology Care for Patients with Advanced Cancer: A Quality Improvement Intervention

Abstract Background: Practice guidelines recommend palliative care for patients with advanced cancer, but gaps in access and quality of care persist. Objective: To increase goals-of-care (GOC) communication for hospitalized patients with Stage IV cancer. Methods: An interdisciplinary team designed a quality improvement intervention to enhance oncology palliative care, including training in communication skills and triggers for palliative care consults. Setting/Subjects: All adult inpatients with Stage IV cancer and unplanned admission at an 804-bed hospital affiliated with a National Cancer Institute (NCI) Comprehensive Cancer Center. Measurements: The primary quality measure was the percentage of patients with Stage IV cancer who had a GOC discussion during hospitalization; secondary measures included screening for pain, dyspnea, spiritual needs, and outcomes of intensive care, hospice, and 30-day readmission. Results: In the 11-month study period, n = 330, Stage IV cancer patients were hospitalized. Com...
Reflective practice: The teacher in the mirror

With the enactment of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, administrators have faced extreme pressure to provide professional development to teachers to enhance their skill and knowledge base, make school improvements, and increase student achievement. Research indicated that critical reflection leads to lasting school change and professional growth of teachers. However, few studies examined reflection using the principles of adult learning and reflective practice theory. In this study, this perspective was explored using three distinct ways of reflecting in combination with various reflective practice models. The purpose of this study was to describe the perceptions of elementary administrators and teachers from three states in the west regional area of the United States concerning reflective practice. The study also explored the perceived professional practice of administrators and teachers as it related to reflective practice. Teachers completed a Reflective Attitude Survey with open-ended questions. A modified version of the survey was completed by administrators. An analysis of the data determined that teachers believed reflection was important and worthwhile. They liked reflecting about their own teaching. Teachers often reflected in the midst of teaching to make adjustments. Teachers felt that reflection helped them improve their teaching performance. Additionally, teachers needed time to reflect and preferred to dialogue/collaborate with peers. Further analysis revealed that administrators felt reflection was interesting and important. They believed reflecting was useful in improving teacher performance and promoting professional development. Principals promoted reflection using professional learning communities. A comparison of the data suggested that there were significant differences in the perceptions of teachers and principals in 10 areas. However, both groups believed that establishing a supportive environment and developing a shared vision were important to employ reflective practices.
Oscillatory Dynamics of Urban Hierarchies 900–2000 Vulnerability and Resilience

We show the fallacies of the Zipfian and power-law views in quantitative analyses of city-size distributions and of the notion that they are superior, simpler, and more universal than q-exponential or Pareto II distributions because of the single-parameter assumption. Both sets of models have two parameters, but the q-exponential captures a scaling coefficient that is fundamental to understanding now the distribution of smaller sizes that is left out by the “cutoff” parameter of Zipfian and power-law. The additional parameter has a fundamental importance in understanding the historical dynamics of partially independent changes in the parameters of urban hierarchies and their interactions with the trading, larger resource bases and conflict networks (internal and external) in which city networks are embedded. We find, for the historical periods from 900 to 2000, combining Chandler and U.N. data, in three different regions of Eurasia, that q, as a small-city distribution parameter, has a time-lagged effect on \(\beta \), as a measure of only power-law inflection on the top 10 regional cities in China, Europe and Mid-Asia. Taking other time-lag measures into account, we interpret this as showing that trade, economic and conflict or socio-political instability in towns and smaller-cities of urban hierarchy have a greater effect on the health and productivity of larger cities as reflected in Zipfian size distributions, with growth proportional to size. As a means to help the reader understand our modeling efforts, we try to provide foundational intuitions about the basis in “nonextensive” physics used to improve our understanding how q-exponentials are derived specifically for non-equilibrium networks and distributions with long-range process that interconnect different parts, such as trade and transport systems, warfare and interpolity rivalries. The ordinary entropic measure e is “extensive” in that interactions of random effects are additive; the nonextensive generalization of \(e_{q}\) where \(e_{q=1} = e\) is ordinary Boltzmann-Gibbs entropy and the concept of multiplicative departures from randomness in the range \(1\ {<}\ q\ {<}\ 2\) helps to relate the physical processes subsumed in urban systems to the underlying foundation of certain Zipfian distributions from contributions to the non-Zipfian properties of the smaller cities in urban hierarchies.