cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Impaired microvascular response to graded coronary occlusion in diabetic and hyperglycemic dogs

The hypothesis that coronary microvascular responses to ischemia are impaired in diabetes was tested in 9 alloxan-treated (60 mg/kg i.v.), 8 hyperglycemic, and 16 control dogs. Arteriolar diameters were measured in intact beating left ventricle by use of stroboscopic epi-illumination and intravital microscopy with fluorescence microangiography. Coronary arterial diameters were measured during graded reductions in mean coronary perfusion pressure to 60 +/- 1 (SE) mmHg (mild stenosis), 39 +/- 1 mmHg (severe stenosis), and 26 +/- 1 mmHg (coronary artery occlusion). Blood glucose levels were 95 +/- 5, 264 +/- 17, and 277 +/- 15 mg/dl in control, diabetic, and hyperglycemic animals, respectively. In control dogs, arteriolar microvessels ( 100 microns) dilation was also significantly impaired in diabetic and hyperglycemic animals. Myocardial perfusion was significantly lower in the epicardium during a severe stenosis in diabetic and hyperglycemic than in control dogs. Because the ATP-sensitive K+ (KATP) channel mediates this response in normal animals, we tested the hypothesis that KATP channel responsiveness is impaired in diabetes and hyperglycemia.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
A Craft Approach to Health Awareness in Children

Children in the USA are increasingly at risk for a vast array of health problems due to poor dietary habits and lack of physical activity. In recent years, a burgeoning landscape of wearable and mobile health technologies in the form of activity trackers and fitness applications have focused on addressing this problem. While these solutions have had some measure of success with children, there is also evidence that youngsters are not readily adopting the types of fitness implements that adults find useful. In this paper, we present a computational toolkit that blends craft and health, permitting children to craft their own tangible health visualizations based on data from an accompanying wearable device. We also present the results of an encouraging 2-month study conducted with middle school children. The results suggest that craft could potentially serve as a gateway to healthful thinking in children.
John A. Mulrennan, Sr.: an entomology pioneer of Florida

Excerpt: The honors John A. Mulrennan, Sr. received during and after his illustrious career are a testament to his extraordinary success and the esteem in which he was held by his peers. A mosquito and a sand fly species bear his name in international scientific nomenclature. He served as president of the American Mosquito Control Association, State Public Health Vector Control Association, Florida Anti-Mosquito Association, Florida Entomological Society, and Florida Public Health Association, and was the first chairman of the United States and Territorial Vector Control Conference. He received the Meritorious Service Award from the Florida Public Health Association and was installed in their “Hall of Memory.” He also was awarded “Florida’s Man of the Year in Entomology” in 1974 by the Florida Entomological Society (Florida Entomologist 58: 121–123, 1975). However, the tribute he cherished most was the Honorary Doctor of Science degree bestowed by his alma mater, the University of Florida, in 1972 (Fig. 4). He loved the “Gators” and was a diehard fan for many years before his passing. In his Presidential Address to the Florida Public Health Association in 1955, Dr. Mulrennan, Sr. (Fig. 5) made the following statement that summarizes his philosophy of life: “If you have faith in the mission to which you have dedicated yourself for suffering humanity—then, with your technical knowledge you will be able to open wide the eyes, minds, and hearts of all mankind to the fact that public health is the preservation of the human body. Our responsibility is one of supreme importance when we realize that the human body is the most sacred of all temples—for therein dwells a soul which on that final day must give its accounting for its stewardship on this earth.” View this article in BioOne
Better Safe than Sorry: The Influence of Corporate Counsel on Management Earnings Forecasts

This study examines the role attorneys play on their firms’ voluntary disclosure policy. Our study is made possible by a unique dataset of corporate counsel employed by U.S. public corporations, which covers 25 percent of firms listed on Compustat (50 percent by total assets). We examine the relation between the number of attorneys a firm employs and the likelihood the firm issues a management earnings forecast, the number of forecasts issued, and the forecast error. We find that firms with more attorneys are less likely to issue management earnings forecasts, issue fewer forecasts, and forecast lower levels of earnings relative to actual earnings. These results hold even after controlling for the risk of litigation and considering endogeneity in the choice to hire attorneys. Our results suggest that attorneys play an important and under-researched role in firms' disclosure choices. As such, it is relevant to current debates about the role of corporate counsel in determining firm accounting choices.
Consensus-Based Image Segmentation via Topological Persistence

Image segmentation is one of the most important lowlevel operation in image processing and computer vision. It is unlikely for a single algorithm with a fixed set of parameters to segment various images successfully due to variations between images. However, it can be observed that the desired segmentation boundaries are often detected more consistently than other boundaries in the output of state of-the-art segmentation results. In this paper, we propose a new approach to capture the consensus of information from a set of segmentations generated by varying parameters of different algorithms. The probability of a segmentation curve being present is estimated based on our probabilistic image segmentation model. A connectivity probability map is constructed and persistent segments are extracted by applying topological persistence to the probability map. Finally, a robust segmentation is obtained with the detection of certain segmentation curves guaranteed. The experiments demonstrate our algorithm is able to consistently capture the curves present within the segmentation set.
Introduction: Technology Transfer in the Global Economy

Technology transfer—the process of sharing and disseminating knowledge, skills, scientific discoveries, production methods, and other innovations among universities, government agencies, private firms, and other institutions—is one of the major challenges of societies operating in the global economy. This volume offers state-of-the-art insights on the dynamics of technology transfer, emerging from the annual meeting of the Technology Transfer Society in 2011 in Augsburg, Germany. It showcases theoretical and empirical analyses from participants across the technology transfer spectrum, representing academic, educational, policymaking, and commercial perspectives. The volume features case studies of industries and institutions in Europe, the United States, and Australasia, explored through a variety of methodological approaches, and provides unique contributions to our understanding of how and why technology transfer is shaped and affected by different institutional settings, with implications for policy and business decision making.
Prevention Priorities: Guidance for Value-Driven Health Improvement.

The National Commission on Prevention Priorities released its first ranking of clinical preventive services in 2001.[1][1] A rigorous methodology was developed that allowed for comparisons to be made across clinical preventive services on the basis of health benefit (improved length and quality of
Navigating the double bind: Transformations to balance contextual responsiveness and authenticity in women’s leadership development

AbstractWomen leaders’ double bind arises from followers’ contradictory expectations that are rooted in the societal female gender role and the organizational leader role. Using qualitative data from alumnae of the Women’s Leadership Series (WLS) of the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research, this paper examines whether and how formal training enables women to more effectively navigate this double bind. Findings show that the WLS fostered four types of leadership transformations: hidden to visible leadership, inflexible to receptive leadership, attenuated to expanded leadership, and discouraged to inspired leadership. Interpreting these transformations through the lens of three ideas from the leadership effectiveness literature—context, authenticity, and behavior—this paper proposes a grounded theory, dual contingency model of leadership effectiveness for women. The model suggests that effective leadership behavior accounts for the demands of context and authenticity and identifies fou...
Improved SCAT data workflow to increase efficiency and data accuracy

ABSTRACT #2017-302 Traditional Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Technique (SCAT) data workflows typically entail collecting data in the field using notebooks, handheld GPS units and digital cameras, tr...
Race-associated biological differences among luminal A and basal-like breast cancers in the Carolina Breast Cancer Study.

We examined racial differences in the expression of eight genes and their associations with risk of recurrence among 478 white and 495 black women who participated in the Carolina Breast Cancer Study Phase 3. Breast tumor samples were analyzed for PAM50 subtype and for eight genes previously found to be differentially expressed by race and associated with breast cancer survival: ACOX2, MUC1, FAM177A1, GSTT2, PSPH, PSPHL, SQLE, and TYMS. The expression of these genes according to race was assessed using linear regression and each gene was evaluated in association with recurrence using Cox regression. Compared to white women, black women had lower expression of MUC1, a suspected good prognosis gene, and higher expression of GSTT2, PSPHL, SQLE, and TYMS, suspected poor prognosis genes, after adjustment for age and PAM50 subtype. High expression (greater than median versus less than or equal to median) of FAM177A1 and PSPH was associated with a 63% increase (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.63, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.09–2.46) and 76% increase (HR = 1.76, 95% CI = 1.15–2.68), respectively, in risk of recurrence after adjustment for age, race, PAM50 subtype, and ROR-PT score. Log2-transformed SQLE expression was associated with a 20% increase (HR = 1.20, 95% CI = 1.03–1.41) in recurrence risk after adjustment. A continuous multi-gene score comprised of eight genes was also associated with increased risk of recurrence among all women (HR = 1.11, 95% CI = 1.04–1.19) and among white (HR = 1.14, 95% CI = 1.03–1.27) and black (HR = 1.11, 95% CI = 1.02–1.20) women. Racial differences in gene expression may contribute to the survival disparity observed between black and white women diagnosed with breast cancer.
Free Speech Versus Safe Space

The free speech debate in the United States offers a screen against which the profound societal design championed by communitarians is illuminated. Some on the left have implored the federal government to ban “hate speech,” while libertarian voices have cried censorship in response to any measure of backlash against offensive or incendiary speech in public. This chapter argues that, in effect, communitarian informal social controls are well managing this iteration of the struggle between individual rights and the common good. That is, widespread public censure of offensive speech, and the subsequent firings, dis-invitations, and resignations of offensive speakers, has allowed citizens to impose severe costs on harmful speech while avoiding the difficult and potentially dangerous task of trying to legislate it. The discussion of shared moral understandings in Chap. 4 informs the argument that public pressure can be far more effective in shifting attitudes than the coercion of law. The chapter finally, in a discussion of so-called “microaggressions,” warns against informal social controls that push the agenda too far, and encourages a judicious employment of censure.
Monitoring the behavior of freely moving lobsters with accelerometers

Accelerometers are useful devices for monitoring the activity of a variety of lobster species, both in the laboratory and the field. While the method has proven beneficial for determining when animals are active, it is more difficult to determine the actual distance animals travel or the intensity of their movements based on accelerometry. To achieve this goal, we monitored American lobsters, Homarus americanus H. Milne-Edwards, 1837, fitted with HOBO accelerometer dataloggers and Vemco V13AP accelerometer transmitters in the laboratory and simultaneously obtained time-lapse digital videos of their behavior. We used these data to convert accelerometer outputs to distances moved per unit time. The outputs of both types of accelerometers were well correlated with distance traveled. We then used this information to analyze data obtained in a previous study, using the same HOBO accelerometers. This made it possible to calculate to what extent activity and the distance traveled per hour changed on a seasonal basis over a year. This analysis also revealed that lobster activity in the field was significantly greater than activity in the lab at the same time of year, within similar enclosures. Overall, these results demonstrate that accelerometry is a suitable and accurate method for monitoring the relative activity of lobsters over long periods in the laboratory and field and the results compare favorably with other published studies of lobster movements. Document Type: Research Article
Effects of vertex degrees on the zero-forcing number and propagation time of a graph

Abstract In this paper, we present new bounds on the zero-forcing propagation time and zero-forcing number. Zero-forcing is based on iterating the following color change rule. If a vertex is colored and has only one neighbor that is not colored, then that uncolored neighbor becomes colored in the next iteration. The zero-forcing number is the size of a minimum set of vertices such that repeated iterations of the color change rule will color the entire graph. The zero-forcing propagation time is the minimum number of iterations required to color the entire graph from a minimum zero-forcing set. We present new bounds on the zero-forcing propagation time for cubic graphs. These bounds reduce the known bounds that are based on the minimum degree of the graph. We introduce zero-forcing forts, a special type of subgraph that must contain a vertex in any minimum zero-forcing set, and use these forts to bound the zero-forcing number of a graph. We also show that the zero-forcing number of a graph is bounded from below by its branchwidth.
A Comparative Survey of Load Speculation Architectures

Load latency remains a significant bottleneck in dynamically scheduled pipelined processors. Load speculation techniques have been proposed to reduce this latency. Dependence Predictioncan be used to allow loads to be issued before all prior store addresses are known, and to predict exactly which store a load should wait upon. Address Predictioncan be used to allow a load to bypass the calculation of its effective address and speculatively issue. Value Predictioncan be used to bypass the load forward latency and avoid cache misses. Memory Renaminghas been proposed to communicate stored values directly to aliased loads. In this paper we examine in detail the interaction and performance tradeoffs of these four load speculation techniques in the presence of two mispeculation recovery architectures ‐ reexecution and squash. We examine the performance of combining these techniques to create a load speculation chooser which provides performance improvement over using any one technique in isolation. We also examine the accuracy of these load speculation techniques for predicting data cache misses.
Sedative Hypnotics and Sleep

Complaints about sleep are prominent among geriatric patients. Insomnia is a prominent feature of many psychiatric and general medical conditions. The physiologic effects of aging and primary sleep disorders also contribute to insomnia, sleep pattern changes, daytime sleepiness, and dozing. The clinical approach to insomnia requires a thorough diagnostic assessment as well as study of sleep habits and hygiene. Hypnotic agents may be useful in providing short-term relief. Pharmacologic intervention is best combined with nonpharmacologic approaches that improve the effeciency of sleep.
Management of fluid status and cardiovascular function in patients with diffuse skin inflammation

Background: Skin inflammation causes vasodilation and increased vascular permeability, which may result in decreased blood pressure and peripheral edema. Patients with erythroderma usually compensate for low blood pressure with fluid retention and increased cardiac output. However, if the heart cannot support increased cardiac output, blood pressure will stay low, resulting in severe compensatory fluid retention, which leads to decompensated congestive heart failure, and pulmonary edema. Treatment for high-output congestive heart failure focuses on the primary pathology, which is skin inflammation. However, aggressive treatment of the inflammation with glucocorticoids may result in rapid resorption of extravascular fluid into the intravascular space and occurrence or aggravation of pulmonary edema. Erythrodermic patients with no clinical heart failure are also at risk for developing pulmonary edema if they receive glucocorticoids and/or intravascular fluids. Most hospitalists and dermatologists are not familiar with fluid administration and ways to manage cardiovascular function and blood pressure in patients with skin inflammation. Objectives and methods: In this article, we discuss the pathophysiology of vascular and fluid changes in the context of diffuse skin inflammation and provide some basic guidelines that can be presented to hospitalists by dermatologists. Limitations: Most of the recommendations and guidelines in the article are based on basic science and on the personal experience of the authors and are not supported by controlled trials. Capsule summary Diffuse skin inflammation causes major changes in the cardiovascular system and in the perfusion of internal organs. We provide guidelines for management of fluid status and cardiovascular function in patients with diffuse skin inflammation. Dermatologists can provide hospitalists or primary care providers with these guidelines to help them with creating better treatment plans.
Inflation Adjustments Affecting Individual Taxpayers in 2001: Analysis and Commentary

Without inflation adjustments to key portions of the tax system, individuals would be faced with an erosion of their purchasing power. Beginning in 1985, Congress implemented an indexation procedure to adjust various income tax components, including the tax rate schedules, standard deduction, and personal and dependency exemptions. Although suspended by the Tax Reform Act of 1986, indexation resumed in 1989 and now applies to many items in the tax system. In this article, Young discusses 2001 inflation adjustments to specific portions of the individual tax system which are tied to a "consumer price index year" ending in August. Items adjusted by this indexation procedure include the tax rate schedules, standard deductions, exemptions (and related phase-out), the overall limit on itemized deductions, and certain computational elements related to unearned income of minor children, the earned income credit, educational savings bonds, qualified transportation fringe benefits, medical savings accounts, and long-term care insurance premiums.
Impedance-Based Prediction of Distortions Generated by Resonance in Grid-Connected Converters

Small-signal impedance-based analysis can effectively predict the frequency and damping of resonance modes in power electronic systems. However, it cannot predict the magnitude of resonance or explain resonance-generated distortions in the absence of an external disturbance at the resonance frequency. This paper presents an impedance-based theory for the prediction of the magnitude of resonance or resonance-generated distortions in grid-connected converters. It is discovered that the impedance response of a converter starts changing with the magnitude of resonance at its terminals. The changing converter impedance response may stabilize an unstable growing resonance mode beyond a certain magnitude, at which point the converter enters a limit cycle mode of sustained oscillations. The proposed theory uses large-signal impedance for the prediction of resonance-generated distortions; the large-signal impedance of an electrical equipment represents its impedance response for different magnitudes of perturbation injected at its terminals. Large-signal impedance-based prediction of resonance-generated distortions is demonstrated for a three-phase grid-connected voltage-source converter.
Coagulase-negative staphylococcal sepsis in drug-dependent newborns who may be HIV-positive.

Neonatal sepsis due to coagulase-negative staphlylococci has been reported with increasing frequency in very low birth weight infants or infants subjected to invasive procedures or treatment.1–3 We report two cases of coagulase-negative staphylococcal sepsis in passively addicted, but otherwise healthy, term infants who were not subjected to invasive procedures. One mother-infant pair was found to be serologically positive for human immune-deficiency virus (HIV); HIV status in the other pair is not known. Vertical perinatal transmission of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) from drug-dependent mothers to their infants4–6 and newly described immunologic alterations in these infants4 may render these neonates susceptible to infections with ubiquitous and indolent organisms.
Impact of Out-Migration of Men on Women's Participation in Community-Based Forestry: Insights from Van Panchayats of Uttarakhand, India

Increased out-migration from rural areas indicates a significant socio-demographic shift that is increasingly being studied for its impact on community-based forestry institutions. Previous studies in Nepal, Mexico and India have highlighted changes in community-based forestry institutions through increased participation of women following out-migration of men. Therefore, this paper analyses the participation of women in Van Panchayats in a representative sample of six Van Panchayats from Almora district, which is facing one of the highest rates of out-migration in Kumaon region of India. The analysis suggests there is low participation of women in the leadership positions of Van Panchayats despite landmark legislations to increase women's participation. Further, there was no statistically significant difference between participation of women from migrant versus non-migrant households in general assembly meetings of Van Panchayats, suggesting lack of supporting evidence on previous claims about out-migration leading to increased participation of women. Moreover, the position of women in the household (whether household head or not) was significant in explaining their participation in Van Panchayats, and other community-based institutions. The reported findings are relevant to the design of gender inclusive public policy on Van Panchayats as well as to the literature on impact of out-migration on community-based forestry.
Vitamin D deficiency and degree of coronary artery luminal stenosis in women undergoing coronary angiography: a prospective observational study.

Background and aims Low serum 25-OH D levels are associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Recent studies have linked 25-OH D deficiency with the presence of CAD. Women, especially post-menopausal, tend to suffer from accelerated atherosclerosis, along with vitamin D deficiency. In the present study we sought to investigate whether there is a direct association of coronary artery luminal stenosis with 25-OH D deficiency in women. Patients and methods We enrolled women aged >40 who were scheduled to undergo elective coronary angiography between 3/2011 and 10/2016 in a prospective observational study. Results We included a total of 105 women. Patients had hypertension (73%), hyperlipidemia (54%), diabetes (29%), smoking (31%), family history of CAD (62%), and known CAD (21%). Median 25-OH D levels were 15.8 ng/mL (range, 3.9-79). Patients had left-anterior descending (31%), left circumflex (22%), and right coronary artery disease (26%); 27% had 2-vessel and 11% had 3-vessel disease. There was a significant inverse correlation between 25-OH D levels and the degree of maximum luminal stenosis. The burden of CAD increased across categories of worsening 25-OH D deficiency. Conclusions Vitamin D deficiency is associated with the degree of luminal stenosis and burden of CAD in women undergoing coronary angiography. Future studies should investigate if the repletion of 25-OH D impacts the progression of CAD and cardiovascular mortality.
Retired National Football League Players are Not at Greater Risk for Suicide.

Objective Some researchers have claimed that former National Football League (NFL) players are at increased risk for suicide as a clinical feature of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). This review examines the literature on risk for suicide in former professional football players, and the association between suicide and CTE. Method A narrative review of the literature published between 1928 and 2018. Results Between 1928 and 2009, suicide was not considered to be a clinical feature of CTE in the literature. The best available evidence from epidemiological studies suggests that former NFL football players are at lesser risk for suicide, not greater risk, compared to men in the general population. However, surveys have revealed that a substantial minority of former NFL players have depression and other mental health problems, chronic pain and opioid use is relatively common, and those with depression and chronic pain also have greater life stress and financial difficulties. That minority would be at increased risk for suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Conclusions Researchers and clinicians are encouraged to be cautious and circumspect when considering the clinical presentation of former athletes, and to not assume that depression and suicidality are caused by specific types of neuropathology. This represents a reductionistic and Procrustean view. Some former football players have mental health problems, but it should not be assumed uncritically that the underlying cause is an inexorably progressive neurodegenerative disease. Providing evidence-informed and evidence-supported treatments for depression and suicidality might reduce suffering and improve their functioning.
Compositional Analysis of Heavy Petroleum Distillates by Comprehensive Two-dimensional Gas Chromatography, Field Ionization and High-resolution Mass Spectrometry

We report recent progresses of combining comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (2DGC or GC × GC) separation, field ionization (FI), and time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOF MS) for the detailed analysis of vacuum gas oil distillation (VGO) cuts. 2DGC separates petroleum molecules by the combination of boiling point and polarity. FI generates molecule ions-only mass spectra. TOF MS allows accurate mass analysis of hydrocarbon molecules. A new data analysis strategy is implemented for compositional analysis. First, all masses were separated into nominal mass classes. Since petroleum homologues have unique Kendrick mass defects (KMD), KMD plots were generated for easy recognition of homologues series within each nominal mass class. Finally, KMD windows were imposed for complete resolution of petroleum molecules. Using this approach, a total of 16 hydrocarbon types, 14 sulfur types, and their carbon number distributions were determined in the three VGO distillation cuts. Two series of geological biomarkers were also revealed by the analysis.
Within-minority group discomfort in lesbian, gay, and bisexual emerging adults of color: Implications for group identification and well-being

The present study explored the underlying mechanisms linking how discomfort experienced from within an individual’s minority groups (both their racial community and LGB community) was linked with o...
Outcomes of HPV-Associated Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck: Impact of Race and Socioeconomic Status.

Background Socioeconomic factors affecting outcomes of HPV-associated squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) are poorly characterized. Methods A custom SEER database identified adult patients with primary nonmetastatic SCCHN and known HPV status diagnosed in 2013 through 2014. Multivariable logistic regression defined associations between patient characteristics and HPV status, with adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals reported. Fine-Gray competing risks regression estimated adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) and 95% confidence intervals for cancer-specific mortality (CSM), including a disease subsite * HPV status * race interaction term. Results A total of 4,735 patients with nonmetastatic SCCHN and known HPV status were identified. HPV-associated SCCHN was positively associated with an oropharyngeal primary, male sex, and higher education, and negatively associated with uninsured status, single marital status, and nonwhite race (P≤.01 for all). For HPV-positive oropharyngeal SCCHN, white race was associated with lower CSM (aHR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.34-0.88; P=.01) and uninsured status was associated with higher CSM (aHR, 3.12; 95% CI, 1.19-8.13; P=.02). These associations were not observed in HPV-negative or nonoropharynx SCCHN. Accordingly, there was a statistically significant disease subsite * HPV status * race interaction (Pinteraction Conclusions Nonwhite race and uninsured status were associated with worse CSM in HPV-positive oropharyngeal SCCHN, whereas no such associations were observed in HPV-negative or nonoropharyngeal SCCHN. These results suggest that despite having clinically favorable disease, nonwhite patients with HPV-positive oropharyngeal SCCHN have worse outcomes than their white peers. Further work is needed to understand and reduce socioeconomic disparities in SCCHN.
Degradation Mechanism due to Water Ingress Effect on the Top Contact of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 Solar Cells

In this contribution, we present preliminary results on the change in CIGS solar cells behavior due to water ingress on the top contact. The impact of the top contact fabrication conditions was studied. Depending on these conditions, no change was observed on the ITO layer itself and an overall loss in device performance was observed after such exposure, mostly due to a decrease in fill factor. To identify the potential sources of degradation, thin film analysis and current-voltage (J-V) and quantum efficiency (QE) measurements on completed devices and hall effect measurement on window layer were performed to characterize the electrical properties.
A Non-randomized Trial of Kundalini Yoga for Emotion Regulation within an After-school Program for Adolescents

Adolescence is a critical age for developing difficulties with emotion regulation and other psychosocial problems. Yoga programs implemented in schools may be a promising method of intervention, as previous research suggests that they improve emotion regulation and other psychological outcomes in adolescents. This study examined the effects of the Kundalini Yoga-based Y.O.G.A for Youth (Y4Y) after-school program on adolescents’ self-reported emotion dysregulation and psychological functioning. A sample of 119 students, ages 11–14, was recruited through after-school programs for middle school students in the North Carolina school system. Within four public schools, participants participated in 6 weeks of either the Y4Y after-school program (n = 52), or an alternate activity (n = 66) and completed self-report measures of emotion dysregulation, anxiety, depression, stress and mindfulness before and after the 6 weeks. Results from this study suggest that the students who participated in the Y4Y program reported significant decreases in emotion dysregulation over the 6-week program. They also reported significant decreases in anger, depression and fatigue over one yoga session. Students in the comparison condition only reported significant decreases in fatigue over one session of the program but reported no significant changes in any of the other outcomes. Results from exploratory between-subject analyses also suggested that the Y4Y program’s impact on depression, stress and anxiety depended on the school setting in which they were implemented. These findings suggest that the Y4Y program improved emotion dysregulation in adolescent students. However, some of its benefits may be influenced by the school environment.
Computational Intelligence Techniques for Control of FACTS Devices

The increasing complexity of the modern power grid highlights the need for advanced modeling and control techniques for effective control of Flexible AC Transmission Systems (FACTS). The crucial factor affecting the modern power systems today is load flow control. Simulation studies carried out in the PSCAD/EMTDC environment is described and results show the successful control of the FACTS devices and the power system with adaptive and optimal neurocontrol. Performances of the neurocontrollers are compared with the conventional PI controllers for system oscillation damping under different operating conditions for large disturbances.
Architecture of Chimeric Spheroids Controls Drug Transport

It is well-established that upregulation of drug efflux pumps leads to multi-drug resistance. Less is known about the role of the architecture of the tumor microenvironment in this process: how the location of pump expressing cells influences drug exposure to cancerous as well as non-cancerous cells. Here, we report a 3D in vitro model of spheroids with mixtures of cells expressing high and low levels of ABCG2, quantifying pump activity by the ability to reject the fluorescent dye Hoechst 33342. With respect to the organization of the mixed spheroids, three different architectures were observed: 1) high-expressing ABCG2 cells located in the spheroid core surrounded by low-expressing cells, 2) high-expressing ABCG2 cells intermixed with low-expressing cells and 3) high-expressing ABCG2 cells surrounding a core of low-expressing cells. When high-expressing ABCG2 cells were in the core or intermixed, Hoechst uptake was directly proportional to the percentage of ABCG2 cells. When high-expressing ABCG2 cell formed an outer coating surrounding spheroids, small numbers of ABCG2 cells were disproportionately effective at inhibiting uptake. Specific inhibitors of the ABCG2 transporter eliminated the effect of this coating. Confocal microscopy of spheroids revealed the location of high- and low-expressing cells, and Hoechst fluorescence revealed that the ABCG2-dependant drug concentration in the cancer microenvironment is influenced by pump expression level and distribution among the cells within a tissue. In addition to providing a 3D model for further investigation into multicellular drug resistance, these data show that the location of ABCG2-expressing cells can control drug exposure within the tumor microenvironment.
Continuity and limits

Most of the functions we study in elementary calculus are described by simple formulas. These functions almost always possess derivatives and, in fact, a portion of any first course in calculus is devoted to the development of routine methods for computing derivatives. However, not all functions possess derivatives everywhere. For example, the functions (1 + x2)/x, cot x, and sin(1/x) do not possess derivatives at x = 0 no matter how they are defined at x = 0.
Extent of Community‐Based Delivery of Pharmaceutical Care in Virginia

This study attempted to define the characteristics and process components of pharmaceutical care, and to quantify the extent to which they compare in community pharmacists' perception of practice. Published literature and personal interviews were synthesized into a 75-question, cross-sectional, self-evaluated survey that was sent to all in-state members of the Virginia Pharmacists Association. A Community-based Pharmaceutical Care Index (CPCI) was developed to categorize and compare respondents. Individuals with scores greater than 1 standard deviation above (CPCI > or = 72.6, 14%, n = 91) and below (CPCI < or = 44.3, 16%, n = 106) the mean (CPCI = 58.4) were defined as high- and low-CPCI pharmacists, respectively. The response rate for the survey was 58% (972/1672). The high-CPCI pharmacists practiced predominantly in independently owned pharmacies in rural Virginia and appeared to have good rapport with their patients and local physicians. The presence of high-CPCI pharmacists working in chain-owned pharmacies indicated that the setting was not the only factor determining the decision to practice pharmaceutical care. As the prescription volume increased beyond 150/day, the number of high-CPCI pharmacists able to maintain their practice style rapidly declined. The CPCI allows differentiation and comparison of individual pharmacists along the spectrum of patient care.
Trust and protection in the Illinois browser operating system

Current web browsers are complex, have enormous trusted computing bases, and provide attackers with easy access to modern computer systems. In this paper we introduce the Illinois Browser Operating System (IBOS), a new operating system and a new browser that reduces the trusted computing base for web browsers. In our architecture we expose browser-level abstractions at the lowest software layer, enabling us to remove almost all traditional OS components and services from our trusted computing base by mapping browser abstractions to hardware abstractions directly. We show that this architecture is flexible enough to enable new browser security policies, can still support traditional applications, and adds little overhead to the overall browsing experience.
Concurrent Paclitaxel and Radiation in the Treatment of Locally Advanced Head and Neck Cancer

PURPOSE: To determine the feasibility of an organ preservation regimen consisting of infusional paclitaxel administered concurrently with radiotherapy to patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty-three previously untreated patients with stage III or IV tumors were enrolled onto the study. Paclitaxel was administered as a 120-hour continuous infusion every 3 weeks during the course of radiation therapy. Sixteen patients received a paclitaxel dose of 105 mg/m2, and 17 patients received 120 mg/m2. Radiation was delivered in a standard format at 1.8 Gy/d to a total dose of 70.2 to 72 Gy. RESULTS: Three months after therapy, a 76% complete response (CR) at the primary site and a 70% overall CR was achieved. At 36 months, locoregional control was 55.7%, overall survival was 57.8%, and disease-free survival was 51.1%. The median survival duration for all 33 patients was greater than 50 months at the time of this report. Local toxicities including m...
Coronary revascularization of the circumflex

Abstract Background . Minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass, without cardiopulmonary bypass, through a left lateral thoracotomy approach (lateral MIDCAB), is a safe alternative to coronary artery bypass surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass (on-pump CABG) of the circumflex system via median sternotomy. However, it is unknown whether lateral MIDCAB may yield an improved long-term outcome over the conventional on-pump median sternotomy approach. Methods . We compared the perioperative outcomes of patients undergoing lateral MIDCAB (n = 34) versus conventional on-pump CABG of the circumflex system (n = 16) from June 1996 to July 1999. The two groups were similar with respect to baseline characteristics and risk stratification. Patients who required only one or two grafts for complete revascularization were included. Results . Lateral MIDCAB patients had a lower need than on-pump CABG patients for intraoperative (12% MIDCAB vs 43% on-pump CABG, p = 0.03) and postoperative transfusions (29% vs 69%, p = 0.01), had fewer neuropsychologic changes (0% vs 19%, p = 0.03), and had a lower rate of postoperative atrial fibrillation (12% vs 44%, p = 0.02). Lateral MIDCAB was also associated with a significantly lower postoperative length of stay (5 ± 2 vs 7 ± 3 days, p = 0.02). Actuarial survival at a mean period of follow-up of 19 ± 11 months was 97% for the lateral MIDCAB versus 88% for the on-pump CABG group ( p = 0.6). Event-free survival was 88% for lateral MIDCAB versus 81% for on-pump CABG ( p = 0.1). Conclusions . Lateral MIDCAB may safely be performed in patients with isolated coronary artery disease of the circumflex system with improved early morbidity and an abbreviated hospital stay compared with conventional median sternotomy on-pump CABG.
A proton NMR study of water in hydrated sodium β-alumina

Abstract Proton nmr study of hydrated sodium β-alumina reveals a Pake doublet spectrum due to stationary water molecules. As the temperature is increased from -196C to 192C, linewidth changes indicate that the stationary protons sense the increasingly rapid motion of nearby sodium nuclei and other protons. The interproton spacing computed from the spectra was found to be 1.7A.
Apparent chitin digestibility in penaeid shrimp

Abstract Apparent digestibility of chitin was investigated in three species of penaeid shrimp, Penaeus vannamei, P. setiferus and P. duorarum , fed diets containing three levels of chitin (1, 2 and 4%). Fecal analysis for N-acetyl-glucosamine (NAG) indicated higher chitin levels in the diet resulted in increased levels of NAG in the feces. Apparent chitin digestibility values, at a seawater temperature of 27.7±1.0°C, were obtained using a chromic oxide marke method. At these low dietary chitin levels, average apparent chitin digestibility for juvenile P. vannamei (16.9 g) was 36%, adult P. setiferus (35.4 g) averaged 33% while juvenile P. duorarum (17.4 g) averaged 52%. These data indicate that chitin is digested by penaeid shrimp and the extent of digestion varies among species.
The effects of locational convenience on customer repurchase intentions across service types

Location has long been touted as an important competitive factor in retailing and services. However, since convenient, high‐traffic locations are costly, an examination of conditions under which locational convenience is more important and those in which it is less important is critical. Supplements the logic of prior research to examine the importance of location as a function of both customer satisfaction with the core service and service type. Finds that a convenient location is critical in more standardized, less personalized services when satisfaction falters, but is not important for less standardized, more personalized services regardless of satisfaction levels. Thus, a convenient location can act as a barrier to defection in more standardized, less personal services such as banks, making it an important strategic factor in minimizing defection when satisfaction with the core service drops. However, contrary to conventional wisdom, locational convenience appears less important to repurchase intenti...
Physical Conditions at the Base of a Fast Moving Antarctic Ice Stream

Boreholes drilled to the bottom of ice stream B in the West Antarctic Ice Sheet reveal that the base of the ice stream is at the melting point and the basal water pressure is within about 1.6 bars of the ice overburden pressure. These conditions allow the rapid ice streaming motion to occur by basal sliding or by shear deformation of unconsolidated sediments that underlie the ice in a layer at least 2 meters thick. The mechanics of ice streaming plays a role in the response of the ice sheet to climatic change.
OK-FIRST: A Meteorological Information System for Public Safety.

The Oklahoma Climatological Survey has supported local public safety agencies (fire departments, law enforcement agencies, and emergency management) through its OK-FIRST program since 1996. OK-FIRST provides real-time use of weather data to help public safety agencies fulfill their respective operational missions. Users are taught how to interpret and apply weather data in their operations. The OK-FIRST system has been applied during a wide variety of weather events, including severe weather, floods, wildfires, and hazardous materials incidents.
Correlation-based land mine detection using GPR

This paper proposes the use of a linear prediction technique in the frequency domain for landmine detection. A clutter vector sample is modeled by a linear prediction model, where the current clutter vector sample can be expressed as a linear combination of the past few vector samples plus a random component. The detector first computes the Maximum Likelihood estimate of the prediction coefficients and then generates the prediction error. The detector decides the current sample is from landmine if the prediction error is large. Subband processing is also proposed to further improve the performance of the detector. Detection results are provided on measured data collected from a variety of geographical locations. The data sets contain over 2300 mine encounters.
Radar backscattering from a rough rotating triaxial ellipsoid with applications to the geodesy of small asteroids

Radar geodesy of the asteroid 433 Eros was reported by Jurgens and Goldstein (1976). Their measurements were based on the spectral properties of a rough rotating triaxial ellipsoid. This paper presents the theory by which theoretical spectra based on a backscattering model of the form of the nth power of the cosine of theta, or any reasonable backscattering model, can be computed. Some general properties of these spectra are demonstrated, and simple measurements of the apparent radar cross section, center frequency, and effective bandwidth as a function of time are shown to be useful in determining the sizes of the semi-major axes, the exponent n in the scattering model, the backscatter efficiency of the surface material, the rotation period, and the declination of the observer above or below the rotation equator. Some of these parameters are correlated, and multiple estimation may be difficult unless the observations span a period sufficiently long so as to present a wide range of declinations of the observer. However, the departure from a spherical shape aids in separating the scattering properties from the target dimensions and facilitates the simultaneous estimation of all free parameters.
Prediction and optimization of a ceramic casting process using a hierarchical hybrid system of neural networks and fuzzy logic

This paper is a case study that describes a hybrid system integrating fuzzy logic, neural networks and algorithmic optimization for use in the ceramics industry. A prediction module estimates two quality metrics of slip-cast pieces through the simultaneous execution of two neural networks. A process improvement algorithm optimizes controllable process settings using the neural network prediction module in the objective function. An expert system module contains a hierarchy of two fuzzy logic rule bases. The rule bases prescribe processing times customized to individual production lines given ambient conditions, mold characteristics and the neural network predictions. This paper demonstrates the applicability of newer computational techniques to a very traditional manufacturing process and the system has been implemented at a major US plant.
Reflections on ten years of computer security

Abstract The progress in computer security in the last ten years is reviewed by the authors of the “Executive Guide for Computer Security.” This Guide was based on the results of a Workshop on Controlled Accessibility held ten years ago in December 1972.