cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Cyber Attacks On Brand Image: Why Proactive Marketing Expertise Is Needed for Managing Data Breaches

The question this essay asks is, Why are typically consumer-centered companies failing to adequately prepare for and manage the consequences of data breaches? Could this failure be related to marketing's lack of involvement? A notable example is the case of Yahoo, which has experienced the biggest
Addressing the Challenges Facing Hospitality Academic Programs in the USA: Portfolios and Action Learning

This chapter identifies the challenges hospitality programs face both in their task environment—i.e., those factors that directly influence the input and output of the schools offering these programs—and in their institutional environment. Based on interviews with hospitality students, educators, and administrators of various academic programs around the USA, the authors report a too narrowly defined field with its consequences for graduates’ career perspectives, a focus on technical rather than “soft” skills, educational shortcomings, and poor marketing as the main issues for hospitality programs. Improvements must be sought, they argue, in expanding the career focus, a stronger emphasis on “soft” skills, updating didactical approaches, and adjustments in marketing and recruitment policies that clarify the broader career perspectives. However, rather than addressing all these issues at once, the authors propose selecting “pressure points” or “leverage points” to promote change, in particular the introduction of portfolios to have students reflect on their learning process in “soft” skills and apprenticeships allowing for practitioner development through action research.
Accelerometer-Based Detection of Food Intake in Free-Living Individuals

The goal of this paper is to evaluate the feasibility of using a 3-axis accelerometer attached to the frame of eyeglasses for automatic detection of food intake. A 3-D acceleration sensor was attached to the temple of the regular eyeglasses. Ten participants wore the device in two visits (first, laboratory; second, free-living) on different days, reporting the food intake episodes using a pushbutton. Hold-one-out procedure was used to test the algorithm for food intake detection. The accelerometer signal was split into epochs of varying durations (3, 5, 10 15, 20, 25, and 30 s); 152 time and frequency domain features were computed for each epoch. A two-stage procedure was used for finding the best feature set suitable for classification. The first stage used minimum redundancy and maximum relevance to get the 30 top-ranked features and the second stage used forward feature selection along with a k-nearest neighbor classifier to get the optimum feature set for each hold-one-out set. The best average F1-score combined from laboratory and free-living experiments was 87.9 +/− 13.8% (Mean±Standard Deviation) for 20 s epochs; and 84.7 +/− 7.95% for the shortest epoch of 3 s. The results suggest that accelerometer may provide a compelling alternative to other sensor modalities, as the proposed sensor does not require direct attachment to the body and, therefore, significantly improves user comfort and social acceptability of the food intake monitoring system.
Successive Sweep Method

Let us consider a control problem in which the final time T is fixed and that there are no constraints on the control.
Growth of Pinus Taeda L. Seedlings varies with Family and ozone exposure level

Loblolly pine seedlings of five half-sib families were grown under ambient, subambient (approximately 0.6 × ambient), and elevated [ambient + 60 ppb O3 (120 μg m−3)] O3 levels for one growing season in open-topped chambers. Diameter and height of the seedlings were measured periodically over the growing season, and above ground and below ground biomass were determined at harvest. Significant genetic differences were found in above ground volume (D2H) 1 mo after 03 fumigation began and continued until harvest. Biomass of secondary needles and coarse and fine roots also differed significantly among families. Elevated O3 resulted in significantly decreased D2H and secondary needle biomass relative to seedlings grown in ambient air. Seedlings receiving subambient O3 levels were intermediate in size, but were not significantly different from seedlings fumigated at ambient O3 levels. Root and stem biomass did not differ significantly among treatments. A significant interaction of O3 and genotype was detected, suggesting that the response of loblolly pine to O3 is influenced by genotype.
Der Absatzplan als vertriebspolitisches Instrument

Im Rahmen der Absatzvorbereitung, die dem Unternehmen dazu dienen soll, seine Beziehungen zum Absatzmarkt so weit wie moglich von den Zufalligkeiten der Nachfrageentwicklung freizumachen und dadurch die Voraussetzungen fur eine optimale Ausnutzung des Absatzpotentials bei kostengunstiger Produktion zu schaffen, kommt der Absatzplanung besondere Bedeutung zu. Um ihre Aufgabe als Mittel der Vertriebspolitik herauszustellen, soll zunachst das Wesen der Absatzplanung von den beiden anderen Teilbereichen der Absatzvorbereitung, namlich der Absatzvorausschatzung und der Marktforschung, abgegrenzt werden.
Examining the multifactorial nature of cognitive aging with covariance analysis of positron emission tomography data.

Research has indicated that there may be age-related and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) -related reductions in regional cerebral blood fl ow (rCBF) in the brain. This study explored differences in age- and AD-related rCBF patterns in the context of cognitive aging using a multivariate approach to the analysis of H 2 15 O PET data. First, an rCBF covariance pattern that distinguishes between a group of younger and older adults was identifi ed. Individual subject’s expression of the identifi ed age-related pattern was signifi cantly correlated with their performance on tests of memory, even after controlling for the effect of age. This fi nding suggests that subject expression of the covariance pattern explained additional variation in performance on the memory tasks. The age-related covariance pattern was then compared to an AD-related covariance pattern. There was little evidence that the two covariance patterns were similar, and the age-related pattern did a poor job of differentiating between cognitively-healthy older adults and those with probable AD. The fi ndings from this study are consistent with the multifactorial nature of cognitive aging. ( JINS , 2009, 1–9.)
Novel Approaches in Discovery and Design of Antibody-Based Therapeutics

Abstract We review here new technologies impacting antibody discovery and optimization, specifically next-generation sequencing (NGS). This technology is providing the means to study whole natural and manmade repertoires under a variety of selection conditions or after immunization and is becoming part of the toolbox for the discovery of antibodies. We also discuss novel sources of V regions as substrates for the engineering of therapeutic antibodies, specifically species other than humans and rodents, such as rabbits and chickens. These species have gained attention in recent years due to certain advantages with respect to rodents, such as the capability of generating high-affinity antibodies against epitopes conserved between humans and rodents. Also, chickens and rabbits have simpler V region repertoires than mice, thus facilitating the engineering of antibodies with therapeutic potential. Last, we review molecular modalities beyond natural antibodies, in particular bi- and multispecific modalities. With the relatively recent approval of catumaxomab, the field of bi- and multifunctional molecules has gained momentum; currently, a number of different molecular formats are in the early stages of validation as therapeutics or in clinical trials demonstrating proven superior efficacy in some diseases and potential in new indications in oncology.
Estimation of mechanical material properties using an isotropic three-dimensional elastic plate model

Abstract This paper develops an inverse method to simultaneously estimate complex Young’s and shear moduli of a rectangular-shaped solid material. This new method exploits a relatively simple experiment and is designed for a frequency range of approximately 1 kHz–10 kHz. A fully elastic spatial domain model of a plate is derived and corresponding experimental measurements are collected. An error function is defined using the residual between the model displacements and the measured displacements, which allows a metric for a search over a space where the complex model values of Young’s and shear moduli are allowed to vary. When this error function is minimized, the parameters used to create the model are considered the best estimate possible. An experiment is included to illustrate the estimation process, and it is shown that the real parts of both moduli compare favorably to previously available measurements. Finally, the model is compared to the experimental measurements to illustrate its accuracy when it is formulated using the material property estimates obtained using this method.
Conductive Graphene Oxide Hydrogel Composites with Functionalized Surface for Nerve Regeneration

Electrically conductive hydrogels composed of graphene oxide and oligo(polyethylene glycol fumarate) (OPF) have been developed for nerve regeneration applications. Graphene oxide was obtained throu...
Phosphatidylinositol-3,4-Bisphosphate-Akt Signaling Pathway Promotes Platelet Activation

Phosphatidylinositol-3,4-bisphosphate (PtdIns(3,4)P2) is a messenger that accumulates in platelets in a phosphoinositide 3-kinase and platelet aggregation-dependent manner. PtdIns(3,4)P2 is broken down by inositol polyphosphate 4-phosphatases, type I (INPP4A) and type II (INPP4B). These enzymes do not catalyze hydrolysis of phosphoinositides other than PtdIns(3,4)P2, and therefore provide unique means for studying the role of this lipid in platelet activation. We have found that the dominant isoform of 4-phosphatases expressed in platelets is INPP4A and we have generated radiation chimera mice with the deficiency in INPP4A restricted to hematopoietic cell lineage. Compared to wild type platelets, agonist-stimulated INPP4A-deficient platelets accumulated higher levels of PtdIns(3,4)P2. An increase in platelet aggregation in INPP4A-deficient platelets was observed with all tested agonists. To study platelet function in vivo, we performed carotid artery injury mouse thrombosis model experiments. Time to occlusion was dramatically reduced in mice with INPP4A deficiency. These data support the hypothesis that by regulating PtdIns(3,4)P2 levels, INPP4A downregulates platelet aggregation and thrombus formation. To investigate mechanisms mediating INPP4A-dependent signals, we compared levels of phosphorylated Akt and phosphorylated glycogen synthase kinase (GSK) in wild type and INPP4A-deficient platelets in response to agonist stimulation. An increase in phospho-Akt levels was observed in INPP4A-deficient platelets, suggesting that in addition to its well-characterized regulator, PtdIns(3,4,5)P3, PtdIns(3,4)P2 can promote Akt activation. Interestingly, this was not accompanied by a significant increase in phospho-GSK levels, suggesting a possible novel mechanism involved in platelet aggregation. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Preclinical pharmacokinetics and dosimetry studies of [124I/131I]-CLR1404 for treatment of pediatric solid tumors in murine xenograft models

Cancer is the second leading cause of death for children between the ages of 5 and 14 y. For children diagnosed with metastatic or recurrent solid tumors, for which the utility of external-beam radiotherapy is limited, the prognosis is particularly poor. The availability of tumor-targeting radiopharmaceuticals for molecular radiotherapy (MRT) has demonstrated improved outcomes in these patient populations, but options are nonexistent or limited for most pediatric solid tumors. 18-(p-iodophenyl)octadecylphosphocholine (CLR1404) is a novel antitumor alkyl phospholipid ether analog that broadly targets cancer cells. In this study, we evaluated the in vivo pharmacokinetics of 124I-CLR1404 (CLR 124) and estimated theranostic dosimetry for 131I-CLR1404 (CLR 131) MRT in murine xenograft models of the pediatric solid tumors neuroblastoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, and Ewing sarcoma. Methods: Tumor-bearing mice were imaged with small-animal PET/CT to evaluate the whole-body distribution of CLR 124 and, correcting for differences in radioactive decay, predict that of CLR 131. Image volumes representing CLR 131 provided input for Geant4 Monte Carlo simulations to calculate subject-specific tumor dosimetry for CLR 131 MRT. Pharmacokinetics for CLR 131 were extrapolated to adult and pediatric humans to estimate normal-tissue dosimetry. In neuroblastoma, a direct comparison of CLR 124 with 124I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (124I-MIBG) in an MIBG-avid model was performed. Results: In vivo pharmacokinetics of CLR 124 showed selective uptake and prolonged retention across all pediatric solid tumor models investigated. Subject-specific tumor dosimetry for CLR 131 MRT presents a correlative relationship with tumor-growth delay after CLR 131 MRT. Peak uptake of CLR 124 was, on average, 22% higher than that of 124I-MIBG in an MIBG-avid neuroblastoma model. Conclusion: CLR1404 is a suitable theranostic scaffold for dosimetry and therapy with potentially broad applicability in pediatric oncology. Given the ongoing clinical trials for CLR 131 in adults, these data support the development of pediatric clinical trials and provide detailed dosimetry that may lead to improved MRT treatment planning.
Projection-Based Model Order Reduction for Biochemical Systems

Biochemical systems represent a process that involves different biological species linked by a network of chemical reactions. This particular paper focuses on modeling and analysis (computer simulation) of biochemical systems. The problem with mathematical models is, their complexity. Numerical simulation of such complex models is computationally expensive. Model order reduction can be utilized to tackle this issue of complexity by eliminating those parts of a reaction network that do not contribute up to the mark in our parameters of interest. In this paper, we are using an important projection based model reduction technique, called IRKA, for model reduction of biochemical systems. The results of IRKA are compared with lumping, which is a common reduction technique for chemical reactions. It is observed that the approximation error through IRKA is much less as compared to the lumping technique.
Viability of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli, Salmonella, and Listeria monocytogenes within Plant versus Beef Burgers during Cold Storage and following Pan Frying.

ABSTRACT The viability of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), Salmonella, and Listeria monocytogenes within plant- and beef-based burgers was monitored during storage and cooking. When inoculated (ca. 3.5 log CFU/g) into 15-g portions of plant- or beef-based burgers, levels of STEC and Salmonella decreased slightly (≤0.5-log decrease) in both types of burgers when stored at 4°C, but increased ca. 2.4 and 0.8 log CFU/g, respectively, in plant-based burgers but not beef-based burgers (≤1.2-log decrease), after 21 days at 10°C. For L. monocytogenes, levels increased by ca. 1.3 and 2.6 log CFU/g in plant burgers after 21 days at 4 and 10°C, respectively, whereas pathogen levels decreased slightly (≤0.9-log decrease) in beef burgers during storage at 4 and 10°C. Regarding cooking, burgers (ca. 114 g each) were inoculated with ca. 7.0 log CFU/g STEC, Salmonella, or L. monocytogenes and cooked in a saute pan. Cooking plant- or beef-based burgers to 62.8°C (145°F), 68.3°C (155°F), or 73.9°C (165°F) delivered reductions ranging from ca. 4.7 to 6.8 log CFU/g for STEC, ca. 4.4 to 7.0 log CFU/g for L. monocytogenes, and ca. 3.5 to 6.7 log CFU/g for Salmonella. In summary, the observation that levels of all three pathogens increased by ca. 1.0 to ca. 2.5 log CFU/g in plant-based burgers when stored at an abusive temperature (10°C) highlights the importance of proper storage (4°C) to lessen risk. However, because all three pathogens responded similarly to heat in plant-based as in beef-based burgers, well-established cooking parameters required to eliminate STEC, Salmonella, or L. monocytogenes from ground beef should be as effective for controlling cells of these same pathogens in a burger made with plant-sourced protein. HIGHLIGHTS
How important is regional vs. global scope? An examination of U.S. multinationals

Beginning with Rugman and Verbeke (J Int Bus Stud 35(1):3–18, 2004), several international business (IB) scholars have proposed that most large multinationals are not global but regional. This argument has recently been challenged for both its conceptualization and its implementation. We aim to contribute to this debate by revisiting the definitions of regional and global, by leveraging data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis that is new to this literature, and by analyzing multinationals’ scope in terms of both sales and production. We find that U.S. multinationals are significantly more global than has previously been acknowledged in the IB literature.
Interaction of reactive and inert chemicals in the presence of oxidoreductases: Reaction of the herbicide bentazon and its metabolites with humic monomers

The herbicide bentazon (3-isopropyl-1H-2,1,3-benzothiadiazine-4(3 H)-one-2,2-dioxide), a relatively inert chemical, and some of its metabolites were incubated with a laccase or a peroxidase in the presence or absence of humic monomers to evaluate the incorporation of the herbicide and its metabolites into humic material by oxidative enzymes. Guaiacol and ferulic acid were used as representative electron donor co-substrates in most of the oxidative coupling reactions. Bentazon and its metabolites, with the exception of hydroxy metabolites, underwent little or no transformation by the two enzymes in the absence of guaiacol and ferulic acid,but in the presence of these co-substrates transformation occurred. The reaction of bentazon with guaiacol in the presence of the laccase or a peroxidase was almost complete in30 min. 6-Hydroxy- and 8-hydroxy-bentazon were completely transformed by each enzyme both with and with out co-substrates. At pH 3.0 and in the presence of laccase and guaiacol, the concentrations of bentazon and its metabolites2-amino-N-isopropyl-benzamide (AIBA), des-isopropyl-bentazon and 8-chloro-bentazon decreased by 27, 57, 20 and 4%,respectively. The corresponding levels of transformation with peroxidase at pH 3.0 were 9, 70, 30 and 5%, respectively. The extent of transformation decreased with increasing pH. At low pH, the hydroxy-bentazons were completely transformed,followed by (in order of percentage transformation) AIBA,des-isopropyl-bentazon, bentazon and 8-chloro-bentazon. Transformation of bentazon by the laccase increased with increasing guaiacol concentration. In the presence of the peroxidase, the most effective co-substrates for transformation of bentazon were (in decreasing order) catechol, vanillicacid, protocatechuic acid, syring aldehyde and caffeic acid,while in the presence of the laccase, catechol was most effective, followed by caffeic acid, protocatechuic acid and syringaldehyde.
Why we do not need a ‘stronger’ social model of disability

Recent calls to amend the social model of disability to articulate and defend a broader set of rights for people with disabilities should be met with critical reflection. For example, Berghs et al....
Interface compositions as determinants of resveratrol stability in nanoemulsion delivery systems

The incorporation of hydrophobic ingredients, such as resveratrol (a fat-soluble phytochemical), in nanoemulsions can increase the water solubility and stability of these hydrophobic ingredients. The nanodelivery of resveratrol can result in a marked improvement in the bioavailability of this health-promoting ingredient. The current study hypothesized that resveratrol can bind to caprine casein, which may result in the preservation of the biological properties of resveratrol. The fluorescence spectra provided proof of this complex formation by demonstrating that resveratrol binds to caprine casein in the vicinity of tryptophan amino acid residues. The caprine casein/resveratrol complex is stabilized by hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonds. Hence, to study the rate of resveratrol degradation during processing/storage, resveratrol losses were determined by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) in nanoemulsions stabilized by bovine and caprine caseins individually and in combination with polysorbate-20. At 48 h oxidation, 88.33% and 89.08% was left of resveratrol in the nanoemulsions stabilized by caprine casein (αs1-I)/polysorbate-20 complex and caprine (αs1-II)/polysorbate-20 complex, while there was less resveratrol left in the nanoemulsions stabilized by bovine casein/polysorbate-20 complex, suggesting that oxygen degradation was involved. The findings of this study are crucial for the food industry since they imply the potential use of caprine casein/polysorbate-20 complex to preserve the biological properties of resveratrol.
Orality and Refractions of Early Literary Textualizations in Gurdjieff’s Beelzebub’s Tales to His Grandson

In this article I present and discuss some of the literary aspects of G.I. Gurdjieff’s Beelzebub’s Tales to His Grandson (published in 1949) and analyze, in broader strokes, the reflection and residue in his work of oral and early literary cultures. Written in the 1920s, and revised into the 1930s, Gurdjieff’s 1,200+ page magnum opus draws significantly from pre-existing literary and religious traditions and stands in the liminal space between orality and writing in a number of notable ways. Not only is Beelzebub’s Tales told in the mode of a dialogue, between Beelzebub and his grandson, Hassein, but the text of the Tales themselves reflect an influence both direct and indirect from oral storytelling, popular culture, and early literary forms that were prevalent in wellknown, as well as lesser known, literary texts particularly from the eleventh to the fourteenth centuries. I first address briefly Gurdjieff’s own attitude toward oral culture and language as expressed in the preface to his work. I then focus on Beelzebub’s Tales and several points of correspondence with early textualizations of oral culture such as The Arabian Nights, Boccaccio’s The Decameron, and a notable example from the second century, The Golden Ass. Gurdjieff’s Beelzebub’s Tales stands in its own time and context between oral and literate cultures and employs and parallels many of the formal and cultural elements of these early textualizations in the same way that they did in their own time.
Validated image ordering guidelines for odontogenic infections.

Abstract Overuse of computed tomography (CT) is a prevalent problem across multiple disciplines in healthcare and is common in the workup of odontogenic infections. To address this problem, an imaging pathway was created through collaboration of the oral maxillofacial surgery and emergency medicine departments to reduce unnecessary CT orders. A prospective study was implemented to assess the success of the imaging pathway to guide in the selection of the most appropriate radiological imaging modality when managing an odontogenic infection. Subjects included were adults, presenting through the emergency department for confirmed odontogenic infection. The primary outcome was the rate of unnecessary CT scans performed after the introduction of the pathway. Statistics were performed via the t-test, χ2 test, and multiple regression analysis; P
THE GROWTH OF THE STELLAR SEEDS OF SUPERMASSIVE BLACK HOLES

The collapse of baryons into extremely massive stars with masses {approx}>10{sup 4} M{sub Sun} in a small fraction of protogalaxies at z {approx}> 10 is a promising candidate for the origin of supermassive black holes (SMBHs), some of which grow to a billion solar masses by z {approx} 7. We determine the maximum masses such stars can attain by accreting primordial gas. We find that at relatively low accretion rates the strong ionizing radiation of these stars limits their masses to M{sub *} {approx} 10{sup 3} M{sub Sun} ( M-dot{sub acc}/10{sup -3} M{sub Sun} yr{sup -1}){sup 8/7}, where M-dot{sub acc} is the rate at which the star gains mass. However, at the higher central infall rates usually found in numerical simulations of protogalactic collapse ({approx}>0.1 M{sub Sun} yr{sup -1}), the lifetime of the star instead limits its final mass to {approx}10{sup 6} M{sub Sun }. Furthermore, for the spherical accretion rates at which the star can grow, its ionizing radiation is confined deep within the protogalaxy, so the evolution of the star is decoupled from that of its host galaxy. Ly{alpha} emission from the surrounding H II region is trapped in these heavy accretion flows and likely reprocessed into strongmore » Balmer series emission, which may be observable by the James Webb Space Telescope. This, strong He II {lambda}1640, and continuum emission are likely to be the key observational signatures of the progenitors of SMBHs at high redshift.« less
Fracture Caging to Limit Induced Seismicity

Author(s): Frash, LP; Fu, P; Morris, J; Gutierrez, M; Neupane, G; Hampton, J; Welch, NJ; Carey, JW; Kneafsey, T | Abstract: Geothermal resources offer a stable low-carbon energy source. However, geothermal sites can collocate with the hypocenters of large-magnitude seismic events. Large seismic events pose a risk to public safety and are therefore a liability for efforts to develop geothermal resources. Here, we propose “fracture caging” to limit induced seismic event magnitudes and present evidence from numerical model predictions, laboratory experiments, and field observations. Fracture caging involves drilling tactical production wells around a geothermal injection zone to contain fluids in fracture-dominated flow systems. Prior to our work, the effect of small wells on the growth of large fractures and on flow through fractures was subject to debate. Our work shows that production wells can impede fracture growth and contain high-pressure fluids in fracture-dominated rocks. This containment offers a mechanism to limit induced seismicity.
Global wind patterns shape genetic differentiation, asymmetric gene flow, and genetic diversity in trees.

Wind disperses the pollen and seeds of many plants, but little is known about whether and how it shapes large-scale landscape genetic patterns. We address this question by a synthesis and reanalysis of genetic data from more than 1,900 populations of 97 tree and shrub species around the world, using a newly developed framework for modeling long-term landscape connectivity by wind currents. We show that wind shapes three independent aspects of landscape genetics in plants with wind pollination or seed dispersal: populations linked by stronger winds are more genetically similar, populations linked by directionally imbalanced winds exhibit asymmetric gene flow ratios, and downwind populations have higher genetic diversity. For each of these distinct hypotheses, partial correlations between the respective wind and genetic metrics (controlling for distance and climate) are positive for a significant majority of wind-dispersed or wind-pollinated genetic data sets and increase significantly across functional groups expected to be increasingly influenced by wind. Together, these results indicate that the geography of both wind strength and wind direction play important roles in shaping large-scale genetic patterns across the world’s forests. These findings have implications for various aspects of basic plant ecology and evolution, as well as the response of biodiversity to future global change.
Two-Stage Graph-Constrained Group Testing: Theory and Application

This paper formalizes a graph-constrained group testing (GT) framework for isolating up to k defective items from a population of p. In contrast to traditional group testing approaches, an underlying graphical model imposes constraints on how the items can be grouped for testing. The existing theories on graph-constrained GT consider one-stage, non-adaptive frameworks that can isolate the defective items perfectly with Θ(k2M2 log(p/k)) tests, where M is the mixing time associated with the graph. This paper, in contrast, formalizes an adaptive, two-stage framework that requires Θ(kM2 log(p/k)) tests, that is, a factor k smaller than that of the one-stage (non-adaptive) frameworks. The theoretical results established for the two-stage framework are also evaluated empirically. Furthermore, this framework is extended to address the problem of anomaly detection in the network, where based on the samples from probability distributions conforming to a location-scale family, the decision rules for detecting a defective vertex are characterized.
Exploring Self-Determination and Recreational Sports Participation for Adolescents with Disabilities: A Preliminary Report

Self-determination is a vital skill for individuals with disabilities and provides significant benefits, like more positive adult outcomes and greater qualities of life. Recreational sports partici...
HQ-Filter: Hierarchy-Aware Filter For Empty-Resulting Queries in Interactive Exploration

Modern visual data exploration systems are designed as client-server applications where the front-end interface generates a large number of queries to the back-end which are handled by a database server. As data exploration being a trial and error process, a significant amount of these queries return an empty result, which does not change the state of the visualization. These requests still add a significant overhead on network communication, request handling, and data processing. Moreover, given the virtually unlimited query space, it is impractical to enumerate and send all empty (or all non-empty) queries to the client to filter them. This paper introduces HQ-Filter, a hierarchy-aware filter for empty resulting queries, which utilizes the hierarchical nature of the data to construct a configurable and probabilistic filter. HQ-Filter can filter out empty-resulting queries at the client-side with a minimal size and processing overhead. HQ-Filter is applied to two existing data exploration systems for geospatial data, UCR-Star and Cloudberry. In both cases, it can successfully eliminate hundreds of queries per user which results in up-to 66% increase in server capacity by providing up to 15x speedup for average response time and up to 90% decrease in the server workload.
On Calculating the Electronic Spectroscopy of Very Large Molecules

This chapter will review the many ways in which the excited states of molecules can be calculated. The very fact that there are several ways attests to the observation that none are particularly “right” for all occasions. This is still an area of quantum chemistry of research interest. There is no real “black box” solution that will hold much hope for great accuracy in all situations. Rather, individual cases will need individual attention, and this is especially true for large systems, systems containing transition metal elements, or systems in which the ground state is of open-shell character.
GENETIC VARIATION AMONG STRAINS OF PSEUDOPFIESTERIA SHUMWAYAE AND PFIESTERIA PISCICIDA (DINOPHYCEAE)1

The putatively toxic dinoflagellates Pseudopfiesteria shumwayae (Glasgow et J. M. Burkh.) Litaker, Steid., P. L. Mason, Shields et P. A. Tester and Pfiesteria piscicida Steid. et J. M. Burkh. have been implicated in massive fish kills and of having negative impacts on human health along the mid-Atlantic seaboard of the USA. Considerable debate still remains as to the mechanisms responsible for fish mortality (toxicity vs. micropredation) caused by these dinoflagellates. Genetic differences among these cultures have not been adequately investigated and may account for or correlate with phenotypic variability among strains within each species. Genetic variation among strains of Ps. shumwayae and P. piscicida was examined by PCR-RFLP analysis using cultures obtained from the Provasoli-Guillard National Center for Culture of Marine Phytoplankton (CCMP), as well as those from our own and other colleagues' collection efforts. Examination of restriction digest banding profiles for 22 strains of Ps. shumwayae revealed the presence of 10 polymorphic restriction endonuclease sites within the first and second internal transcribed spacers (ITS1 and ITS2) and the 5.8S gene of the rDNA complex, and the cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. Three compound genotypes were represented within the 22 Ps. shumwayae strains. Conversely, PCR-RFLP examination of 14 strains of P. piscicida at the same ITS1, 5.8S, and ITS2 regions revealed only one variable restriction endonuclease site, located in the ITS1 region. In addition, a dinoflagellate culture listed as P. piscicida (CCMP 1928) and analyzed as part of this study was identified as closely related to Luciella masanensis P. L. Mason, H. J. Jeong, Litaker, Reece et Steid.
Bankruptcy resolution: Direct costs and violation of priority of claims

Abstract I present new evidence on the direct costs of bankruptcy and violation of priority of claims. In a sample of 37 New York and American Stock Exchange firms that filed for bankruptcy between November 1979 and December 1986, direct costs average 3.1% of the book value of debt plus the market value of equity, and priority of claims is violated in 29 cases. The breakdown in priority of claims occur primarily among the unsecured creditors and between the unsecured creditors and equity holders. Secured creditors' contracts are generally upheld.
The Electric Power Industry

In this chapter we present an overview of the development of today ?>s electric power industry, including the regulatory and historical evolution of the industry as well as the technical side of power generation. Included is enough thermodynamics to understand basic heat engines and how that all relates to modern steam-cycle, gas-turbine, combined-cycle, and cogeneration power plants. A first-cut at evaluating the most cost-effective combination of these various types of power plants in an electric utility system is also presented.
Inflammation and retinopathy of prematurity

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a disorder of retinal vasoproliferation that occurs mainly in extremely preterm infants [1]. The long-term visual outcome among children with ROP includes a prominently increased risk of a range of visual disabilities [2]. Understanding the etiology and pathogenesis of ROP is crucial for the design of strategies to prevent and treat this potentially disabling disease. Less than a decade ago, one review included the statement “only low birth weight, low gestational age, and supplemental oxygen therapy following delivery have been consistently associated with disease” [3]. This statement was made despite the recognition by others that other antecedents might be important, including insufficient levels of vitamin E, indomethacin treatment for patent ductus arteriosus, hypercapnia, maternal aspirin use, and transfusion of blood and blood products or the need for such transfusions [4]. While immaturity at birth and exposure to supplemental oxygen unquestionably play important etiologic roles in ROP [5], the possibility that exposures to infectious and inflammatory stimuli contribute to ROP is only gradually receiving attention. As recently as 2003 one review included the statement that “the relationships between infections and the development of ROP remain unclear” [6], while another stated that “the role of an inflammatory reaction in the pathophysiology of ROP has not been thoroughly investigated” [7]. Exposure to infection and elevated concentrations of inflammation-related proteins in the placenta and/or neonatal body fluids are associated with an increased risk for preterm delivery [8], respiratory dysfunctions [9], as well as brain damage and subsequent disability among preterm infants [10]. This concept that fetal/neonatal inflammation has adverse effects has been expanded to include ROP and other visual disturbances in preterm infants [11]. Indeed, some of the data in papers discussed below support the impression that ROP pathogenesis begins in utero.
TEACHING MONEY MANAGEMENT SKILLS TO PSYCHIATRIC OUTPATIENTS

Poor money management skills were found to be a common problem in an outpatient population of psychiatric clients attending a VA Community Living Center facility. A course in Money Management offered by the occupational therapist which aims to improve skills and functioning in surveying assets, budgeting, using banks, and other practical skills necessary for independent financial functioning, is described.
Salivary botulinum toxin injection may reduce aspiration pneumonia in neurologically impaired children.

Abstract Objectives Neurologically impaired children often drool and aspirate saliva leading to recurrent aspiration pneumonia and frequent hospitalizations. Salivary botulinum toxin injection is known to reduce sialorrhea. This study evaluates whether this intervention affects the frequency and duration of respiratory infections including aspiration pneumonia and hospitalizations in neurologically impaired children. Methods Retrospective review of patients treated with salivary botulinum toxin at a tertiary care pediatric hospital from January 2009 to December 2013. Each patient was their own control and 180 day pre-injection and post-injection time periods were compared. Outcomes evaluated included: number of hospital days, intensive care unit days, days of antibiotic treatment, chest X-rays, and infiltrates on chest X-ray. Results 13 patients accumulated 539 hospital days. All children were gastrostomy tube dependent. 54% were tracheostomy tube dependent. Amongst all patients, the total hospital days decreased from 385 to 154 (P = 0.02), the mean days treated with antibiotics decreased from 214 to 47 (P = 0.02), and the number of chest X-ray confirmed infiltrates decreased from 20 to 6 (P = 0.02) after injection. Conclusion In this review, there was a decrease in hospitalized days, antibiotic usage, and chest X-ray infiltrates after the salivary botulinum toxin injection. A prospective study is needed to evaluate whether this treatment can prevent aspiration pneumonia in neurologically impaired children.
Nonwhites and the Demographic Imperative in Social Welfare Spending

to eradicate poverty. But before winning the War on Poverty, the United States got bogged down in the Vietnam War, an un popular war that could not create victors. The Watergate scandal then demoralized millions of young people. And the oil shor tage of 1973 to 1974 left a lasting economic effect. With all these forces impinging on the nation, Americans lost ground in inter national economic competition as well as credibility in international politics. In his 1980 presidential campaign, Ron ald Reagan helped the nation articulate a future agenda so that our confused and weakened nation could once again find the way toward national progress. He told us that the road to progress could be found if we focused on increasing defense expen ditures, deregulating industry, lightening the tax burden of business and of high income individuals, and minimizing gov ernment expenditures for transfer pro grams, especially means-tested welfare programs. Whether these policies have been responsible for the recent economic recovery is not clear, but President Rea gan managed to bring about a vigorous recovery with no apparent inflation. Thanks to the economic recovery, the real income of the average American increased. Furthermore, the nation was at peace throughout the first Reagan Administra tion. As a result, a majority of American voters felt good about themselves, their economic condition, and their standing in the world, and they had confidence in their government. Thus in 1984, Ronald Reagan was again elected president of the United States.
Transoral robotic surgery: supraglottic laryngectomy

The concept of organ preservation continues to dominate laryngeal cancer treatment paradigms. Initial attempts to avoid total laryngectomy relied on open partial laryngectomies, which carried significant morbidity and variable functional outcomes. The most common approach to organ preservation now includes radiation and chemotherapy. Although effective, these therapies carry significant toxicity and long-term side effects. Minimally invasive surgical techniques have evolved to avoid this morbidity, while maintaining oncological soundness and preserving function. One of the newest techniques uses the da Vinci surgical robot to perform supraglottic laryngectomy. This article describes the indications, contraindications, technique, complications, postoperative management and expected outcomes of transoral robotic surgery supraglottic laryngectomy.
A dual-primal FETI method for solving a class of fluid–structure interaction problems in the frequency domain

SUMMARY The dual-primal finite element tearing and interconnecting method (FETI-DP) is extended to systems of linear equations arising from a finite element discretization for a class of fluid–structure interaction problems in the frequency domain. A preconditioned generalized minimal residual method is used to solve the linear equations for the Lagrange multipliers introduced on the subdomain boundaries to enforce continuity of the solution. The coupling between the fluid and the structure on the fluid–structure interface requires an appropriate choice of coarse level degrees of freedom in the FETI-DP algorithm to achieve fast convergence. Several choices are proposed and tested by numerical experiments on three-dimensional fluid–structure interaction problems in the mid-frequency regime that demonstrate the greatly improved performance of the proposed algorithm over the standard FETI-DP method. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Moderating Role of Experiential Avoidance in the Prospective Relationship Between Anxiety Sensitivity and Anxiety

Cross-sectional research has shown that the association between anxiety sensitivity (i.e., a trait-like fear of anxiety-related bodily sensations due to beliefs that these sensations engender negative outcomes) and anxiety becomes stronger as experiential avoidance (i.e., an unwillingness to stay in contact with unwanted inner experiences) increases. The present study sought to extend cross-sectional research by examining whether the moderating impact of experiential avoidance would be observed when examining anxiety sensitivity as a prospective predictor of anxiety over the course of two assessment sessions (T1 and T2). Participants (N = 135) were non-treatment seeking undergraduate students. As predicted, T1 experiential avoidance moderated the relationship between T1 anxiety sensitivity and T2 anxiety, even after accounting for T1 anxiety. The interaction was tested with simple slopes analysis and results suggest that anxiety sensitivity may only be a vulnerability factor for the development of anxiety among those who are prone to higher levels of experiential avoidance. Thus, experiential avoidance may be a particularly important treatment target among individuals with high anxiety sensitivity.
Investigations in the compaction and sintering of large ceramic parts

Abstract In this study, a large ceramic part was successfully compacted and sintered using uniaxial die compaction technique. The effects of die design, compaction pressure, lubrication, sintering procedure and part orientation in the oven on the P/M part quality were investigated and the preferred process conditions were discussed and concluded. The main quality issues encountered were cracking and distortion. A finite element model for the powder compaction process was also developed and validated. Based on the model, the relationship between the cracking location and the density distribution predicted from finite element analysis (FEA) was discussed.
Localized deposition of zinc oxide films by automated fluid dispensing method

Abstract Optically clear Au- and Ga-doped zinc oxide films have been locally deposited from solution precursors on silicon and silica substrates as micrometer size dots using an automated fluid dispensing method. Dot dimensions have been shown to be strongly dependent on the solution composition and substrate temperature. Solution-dispensed films have been characterized by means of optical transmission and reflectance spectroscopy, spectroscopic ellipsometry, and profilometry measurements. Trivalent Au- and Ga-doped zinc oxide features about 500 μm in diameter were deposited on chemically-sensitive field-effect transistors (CHEMFET). Contrasting behavior in measured work function and film resistance was found for Au and Ga doped films upon exposure to hydrogen and ammonia.
The effects of mate removal on pregnancy success in prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) and meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus).

The effects of removing the stud male have not been controlled in many studies relating pregnancy block to the presence of an unfamiliar male. We examined the effectsof removing the male on pregnancy success in prairievoles and meadow voles, two species that differ in degree of paternal investment Whereas prairievole males provide extensive care to oflpring and accelerate pup development, meadow vole males display little or no care and delay development of pups. We predicted that removal of the stud male would decrease pregnancy success in prairie voles and either have no effect or increase success in meadow voles. In experiment 1, females were in male-induced estrus, and their mates were either left with them or were removed 4 h, 1 day, 2 days, or 8 days after mating. In experiment 2, females were in postpartum estrus, and their mates were either left with them or were removed 1 day, 2 days, or 8 days after birth of their first litter. Removal of the male soon after mating in postpartum estrus decreased pregnancy success in prairie voles and increased success in meadow voles. Thus, although removal of the stud male influenced litter production, the direction of the effect varied with species.
Binuclear Homoleptic Manganese Carbonyls: Mn2(CO)x (x = 10, 9, 8, 7)

The unsaturated homoleptic manganese carbonyls Mn(2)(CO)(n)() (n = 7, 8, 9) are characterized by their equilibrium geometries, thermochemistry, and vibrational frequencies using methods from density functional theory (DFT). The computed metal-metal distances for global minima range from 3.01 A for the unbridged Mn(2)(CO)(10) with a Mn-Mn single bond to 2.14 A for a monobridged Mn(2)(CO)(7) formulated with a metal-metal quadruple bond. The global minimum for Mn(2)(CO)(9) has a four-electron bridging mu-eta(2)-CO group and a 2.96 A Mn-Mn distance suggestive of the single bond required for 18-electron configurations for both metal atoms. This structure is closely related to an experimentally realized structure for the isolated and structurally characterized stable phosphine complex [R(2)PCH(2)PR(2)](2)Mn(2)(CO)(4)(mu-eta(2)-CO). An unbridged (OC)(4)Mn-Mn(CO)(5) structure for Mn(2)(CO)(9) has only slightly (<6 kcal/mol) higher energy with a somewhat shorter metal-metal distance of 2.77 A. For Mn(2)(CO)(8) the lowest energy structure is a D(2)(d)() unbridged structure with a 2.36 A metal-metal distance suggesting the triple bond required for the favored 18-electron configuration for both metal atoms. However, the unbridged unsymmetrical (CO)(3)Mn-Mn(CO)(5) structure with a metal-metal bond distance of 2.40 A lies only 1 to 3 kcal/mol above this global minimum. The lowest energy structure of Mn(2)(CO)(7) is an unbridged C(s)() structure with a short metal-metal distance of 2.26 A. This is followed energetically by another C(s)() unbridged Mn(2)(CO)(7) structure with a somewhat longer metal-metal distance of 2.38 A.