cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Non-evolutionary algorithm for scheduling dependent tasks in distributed heterogeneous computing environments

The Problem of obtaining an optimal matching and scheduling of interdependent tasks in distributed heterogeneous computing (DHC) environments is well known to be an NP-hard problem. In a DHC system, task execution time is dependent on the machine to which it is assigned and task precedence constraints are represented by a directed acyclic graph. Recent research in evolutionary techniques has shown that genetic algorithms usually obtain more efficient schedules that other known algorithms. We propose a non-evolutionary random scheduling (RS) algorithm for efficient matching and scheduling of inter-dependent tasks in a DHC system. RS is a succession of randomized task orderings and a heuristic mapping from task order to schedule. Randomized task ordering is effectively a topological sort where the outcome may be any possible task order for which the task precedent constraints are maintained. A detailed comparison to existing evolutionary techniques (GA and PSGA) shows the proposed algorithm is less complex than evolutionary techniques, computes schedules in less time, requires less memory and fewer tuning parameters. Simulation results show that the average schedules produced by RS are approximately as efficient as PSGA schedules for all cases studied and clearly more efficient than PSGA for certain cases. The standard formulation for the scheduling problem addressed in this paper is Rm|prec|C"m"a"x.,
Changing incidence of out-of-hospital ventricular fibrillation, 1980-2000.

ContextRecent reports from 2 European cities and an earlier observation from Seattle, Wash, suggest that the number of patients treated for out-of-hospital ventricular fibrillation (VF) has declined.ObjectiveTo analyze the incidence of cardiac arrest and to examine relationships among incidence, sex, race, age, and first identified cardiac rhythm in Seattle.Design, Setting, and PatientsPopulation-based study of all cardiac arrest cases with presumed cardiac etiology who received advanced life support from Seattle Fire Department emergency medical services during specified periods between 1979 and 2000. United States Census data for Seattle in 1980, 1990, and 2000 were used to determine incidence rates for treated cardiac arrest with adjustments for age and sex.Main Outcome MeasuresChanges in incidence of cardiac arrest and initial recorded cardiac rhythm.ResultsThe adjusted annual incidence of cardiac arrest with VF as the first identified rhythm decreased by about 56% from 1980 to 2000 (from 0.85 to 0.38 per 1000; relative risk [RR], 0.44; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.37-0.53). Similar reductions occurred in blacks (54%; RR, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.26-0.79) and whites (53%; RR, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.38-0.58) and was most evident in men (57%; RR, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.35-0.53), in whom the baseline incidence was relatively high. When all treated arrests with presumed cardiac etiology were considered, that incidence decreased by 43% (RR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.49-0.67) in men but negligibly in women, for whom a relatively low incidence of VF also declined but was offset by more cases with asystole or pulseless electrical activity.ConclusionWe observed a major decline in the incidence of out-of-hospital VF and in all cases of treated cardiac arrest presumably due to heart disease in Seattle. These changes likely reflect the national decline in coronary heart disease mortality.
Enhancing the strength of polypropylene fibers with carbon nanotubes

Single-walled carbon nanotubes were added to two different grades of polypropylene to produce composites. The composites were then melt-spun into fibers, and the fibers were tested with both a conventional tensile pull tester and dynamic mechanical analysis. The changes in tensile properties were related to the grade of polypropylene used. In addition to fibers being made from the mixes, coarse extrudates (i.e., undrawn, gravity-spun filaments) were also produced. Density measurements on these extrudates showed that the addition of nanotubes increased the composite density in a highly nonlinear manner, which suggested interaction between the polypropylene and the carbon nanotubes. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 93: 2926–2933, 2004
The Complexity of Discourse

Abstract An entropy-based measure is used to calculate the complexity of discourse patterns. This measure of complexity takes into account both the number of patterns (possibly generated), as well as the frequency of each pattern (actually instantiated). The discourse patterns are modelled as random walks in a multi-dimensional and value-weighted space. The multiple dimensions are theoretically specifiable within the framework of conversational analysis (e.g. number of moves, number of participants, types of adjacency pairs, etc.). And the weighted values are empirically measurable within a corpus of texts (e.g. relative frequency participants take the floor, relative frequency first pair-part is a command versus a question, relative frequency an embedding occurs, etc.). The way complexity correlates with various social and discursive factors is described. And the way this method may be extended to analyse successively more complicated patterns is detailed.
DESIGN, FABRICATION, INSTALLATION AND TESTING OF IN-VESSEL CONTROL COILS FOR DIII-D

Abstract Since 1995, DIII-D has performed correction of magnetic field imperfections using a set of six external picture frame coils located on the vessel mid-plane. Recently, these coils have also demonstrated significant benefits when used for feedback of the resistive wall mode, an instability that limits the plasma performance at high beta. Modelling has shown that substantial performance improvements can be achieved by installing new coils inside the vessel and expanding the poloidal coverage above and below the mid-plane. Two prototype internal coils were installed in 2001 and have been tested successfully. Installation of a set of twelve internal coils and magnetic sensors in the DIII-D tokamak is to be completed in December 2002. The design requirement for the new coil system was to maximize the magnetic field at the plasma edge, operate with a frequency range of dc to 1000 Hz, and fit behind the existing graphite wall tiles. The coil design adopted and installed is a water-cooled hollow copper conductor insulated with polyamide and housed inside a stainless steel tube that forms a vacuum boundary. The coil is rigidly mounted to the inside of the vacuum vessel. The primary challenge in the design of these coils was in joining of both the copper conductor and the stainless tube without overheating the polyamide insulator.
Clinical and acoustical variability in hypokinetic dysarthria

Ten male patients with parkinsonism secondary to Parkinson's disease or progressive supranuclear palsy had clinical neurological, speech, and acoustical speech evaluations. In addition, seven of the patients were evaluated by x-ray computed tomography (CT) and (F-18)-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET). Extensive variability of speech features, both clinical and acoustical, were found and seemed to be independent of the severity of any parkinsonian sign, CT, or FDG PET. In addition, little relationship existed between the variability across each measured speech feature. What appeared to be important for the appearance of abnormal acoustic measures was the degree of overall severity of the dysarthria. These observations suggest that a better understanding of hypokinetic dysarthria may result from more extensive examination of the variability between patients. Emphasizing a specific feature such as rapid speaking rate in characterizing hypokinetic dysarthria focuses on a single and inconstant finding in a complex speech pattern.
Transformative Performing Arts and Mentorship Pedagogy: Nurturing Developmental Relationships in a Multidisciplinary Dance Theatre Program for Youth

A multidisciplinary dance and theatre arts program geared for high school-aged youth can result in both short-term and the long-term outcomes for its students if it seeks to offer a life-changing peak experience as part of the arts training and performance process. By integrating a combination of dance, movement, theater, music, creative and reflective writing, as well as identity exploration and creative collaborations, performing arts programs can provide participants an experience that is truly transformative. In particular, such a program can help initiate and support meaningful mentoring and developmental relationships. A summer performing arts program set at a university site is an ideal opportunity to implement a sequence of strategic creative and social activities that offer high school youth daily activities that can establish a foundation for these significant relationships to emerge. By including college-aged program counselors who attended the program when they were in high school, acting as “step-ahead” peers, a program model such as this one provides potent possibilities for burgeoning leaders and mentors to emerge and meaningful relationships to take hold. Furthermore, the performance material generated in such a program can directly represent the personal evolutions of the students and the developmental relationships that are originated throughout the program’s creative and social processes. This article uses the UCLA Summer High School Dance Theater Intensive program as a case study of a progressive, multidisciplinary, summer performing arts program that positions the initiation of developmental relationships as one of its core values.
Flow control technique to prevent distal embolization during mechanical thrombectomy

In an era of increasing emphasis on minimally invasive surgery, distal embolization remains a concern in the absence of distal flow control. We present a case using an endovascular flow control technique that can be used for reducing distal embolic events during endovascular recanalization of aortoiliac occlusive disease. This technique has been used in four patients so far (two with native anatomy and two with aorto-bi-iliac grafts) with no evidence of angiographic or clinical embolic complications.
Elastic surface waves in anisotropic crystals: a simplified method for calculating Rayleigh velocities using dislocation theory

Using a knowledge of the close connection between elastic surface waves and uniformly moving straight dislocations, a simplified method for determining the Rayleigh velocity of surface waves in arbitrarily anisotropic crystals is developed. It is shown that the Rayleigh velocity is that velocity at which the smaller of the eigenvalues of a certain 2*2 real symmetric matrix vanishes. The matrix elements can be accurately determined by simple numerical integration and correspond, in fact, to submatrix elements of the prelogarithmic lagrangian factor matrix for a straight dislocation moving in a plane parallel to the surface and in the direction of propagation of the Rayleigh wave. In addition, a scheme is developed for determining the polarization vector of the surface wave using numerical integration. Hence, the method circumvents the need for numerically solving sextic equations and constructing associated eigenvector sets common to more conventional approaches to the surface wave problem. The numerical efficiency of the scheme is illustrated for the case of cubic symmetry.
Lack of Differential G2 Chromosomal Radiosensitivity between Non-tumorigenic and Tumorigenic Human Hybrid Cells (HeLa × Skin Fibroblasts)

Previous studies have shown, that for log phase cultures, tumorigenic segregants of HeLa × skin fibroblast human hybrid cells are slightly more radiosensitive in terms of cell killing than their nontumorigenic parents (Redpath et al. 1985, Colman et al. 1988). Other studies have shown that these same tumorigenic segregants exhibit a markedly enhanced G2 chromosomal radiosensitivity (Sanford et al. 1986) thus offering a possible explanation for the cell killing data. The present study set out to examine the G2-phase radiosensitivity of these cells in terms of cell killing with the expectation that an enhanced sensitivity in the tumorigenic cells would be seen. No enhanced sensitivity was observed. The G2 chromosomal radiosensitivity was then examined and no differential was seen between the non-tumorigenic and tumorigenic cells. This lack of confirmation of previously reported studies may be due to some technical differences in the experimental protocols.
Tests de détermination de sensibilité aux antifongiques : actualités et perspectives

Resume L'emergence de nouveaux micromycetes opportunistes et l'incidence croissante des mycoses profondes ont favorise la decouverte d'antifongiques originaux. Dans ce contexte, le developpement d'une methode de reference de determination de sensibilite aux antifongiques devient prioritaire. Dans cette synthese, les auteurs developpent les resultats qui ont ete recemment obtenus par diverses etudes collaboratives de Groupes de Standardisation, aux Etats-Unis et en Europe. En depit des difficultes rencontrees principalement a propos des azoles, les progres substantiels realises permettent d'envisager de pouvoir disposer dans un avenir proche d'une methode standardisee d'antifongigramme.
“Scholarly influence” and white-collar crime scholarship

This article explores many of the factors that play a role in the relative lack of scholarly influence of criminology and criminal justice professionals who focus on studying white-collar and corporate crime. The latest studies of “scholarly influence” in criminology and criminal justice journals and textbooks based on citation analyses confirm the absence of scholars who study white-collar and corporate crime. The sparse inclusion of white-collar and corporate crime topics in criminology and criminal justice curriculum in academic programs also indicate that the area is considered by many as a subfield rather than a mainstream component of academic criminology. Whether or not this status will change remains to be seen, but, on a positive note, there are a few encouraging signs that scholarly influence in the field will include more white-collar criminologists in the future.
Stark profiles of singlet excitons in conjugated polymers

Abstract Electroabsorption (EA) spectra associated with overlapping vibronics of even- and odd-parity excitons are related in the Condon approximation to the linear absorption of discrete localized states. The EA intensity and profile depend strongly on the linewidth, Λ, with Λ −2 scaling of features due to Stark shifts and Λ −1 scaling of induced absorption and bleaching. Static disorder in polymer films broadens the linear absorption and reduces EA intensity compared to polydiacetylene (PDA) crystals, whose resolved spectra indicate overlapping vibrational sidebands. Similar excitations and transition moments in films conspicuously alter EA profiles and allow estimates of symmetry-breaking perturbations. EA spectra of PDA crystals and films are consistent with Pariser-Parr-Pople theory of linear and nonlinear optical spectra. The high sensitivity of EA also provides direct tests of excited-state displacements at induced transitions of even-parity excitons.
Effect of temperature on growth and structure of carbon nanotubes by chemical vapor deposition

The effect of temperature on growth and structure of carbon nanotubes (NTs) using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) has been investigated. Iron embedded silica was used to grow NTs in large quantity at various temperatures from 600 to 1050 °C with gas pressure fixed at 0.6 and 760 Torr, respectively. The growth and structure of the NTs are strongly affected by the temperature. At low gas pressure, the NTs are completely hollow at low temperature and bamboo-like structure at high temperature. While at high gas pressure, all the NTs are bamboo-like structure regardless of temperature. The diameter of NTs increases significantly with temperature. At low gas pressure the diameter gets bigger by mainly increasing the number of graphene layers of the wall of NTs, whereas at high gas pressure the diameter gets bigger by increasing both the number of graphene layers of the wall and the inner diameter of the NTs. This result indicates that the growth temperature is crucial in synthesizing NTs with different structures. The findings here are important for realizing controlled growth of NTs for their applications in different fields.
Photobleaching of light‐induced paramagnetic defects in amorphous silicon nitride films

We report for the first time the photobleaching of light‐induced paramagnetic defects in nitrogen‐rich hydrogenated amorphous‐silicon nitride thin films. We have determined the photon energy dependence and the stretched exponential time dependence for photoproduction and the subsequent photobleaching of the light‐induced electron spin resonance signal. Photobleaching is a reversible process that occurs at low temperature (100 K) and at room temperature. These findings are in support of an optically induced rearrangement of charges in existing defects as an important light‐induced effect in a‐SiN1.6: H.
Efficacy and durability of endovascular thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm repair using the caudally directed cuff technique.

Objective This study determined early and intermediate results of multibranched endovascular thoracoabdominal (TAAA) and pararenal aortic aneurysm (PRAA) repair using a uniform operative technique. Methods Eighty-one patients (mean age, 73 ± 8 years, 19 [23.5%] women) underwent endovascular TAAA repair in a prospective trial using self-expanding covered stents connecting axially oriented, caudally directed cuffs to target aortic branches. Mean aneurysm diameter was 67 ± 10 mm. Thirty-nine TAAA (48.1%) were Crawford type II, III, or V; 42 (51.9%) were type IV or pararenal. Thirty-three procedures (40.7%) were staged. The insertion approach was femoral for aortic components and brachial for branch components. Follow-up assessments were performed at 1, 6, and 12 months, and yearly thereafter. Results All devices (n = 81) and branches (n = 306) were successfully inserted and deployed, with no conversions to open repair. Overall mortality was 6.2% (n = 5), including three perioperative (3.7%) and two late treatment-related deaths (2.5%). Permanent paraplegia occurred in three patients (3.7%), and transient paraplegia/paraparesis occurred in 16 (19.8%). Four patients (4.9%) required dialysis postoperatively, three permanently and one transiently. Women accounted for 67% of the paraplegia, 75% of the perioperative dialysis, and 60% of the perioperative or treatment-related deaths. During a mean follow-up of 21.2 months, no aneurysms ruptured, but four (4.9%) enlarged: two were successfully treated, one was unsuccessfully treated, and one was not treated. No late onset spinal cord ischemia symptoms developed. Of the five patients starting dialysis during follow-up, two resulted from renal branch occlusion. Sixteen branches occluded (nine renal, two celiac) or developed stenoses (four renal, one superior mesenteric artery), requiring stenting. Primary patency was 94.8%, and primary-assisted patency was 95.1%. Thirty-two patients (39.5%) underwent 42 reinterventions. Of 25 early reinterventions (≤45 days), 10 were to treat access or insertion complications, and 5 were for endoleak. Of 17 late reinterventions, eight were for endoleak and five were for branch stenosis/occlusion. New endoleaks developed in two patients during follow-up. Overall, 73 of 81 patients (90.1%) were treated without procedure-related death, dialysis, paralysis, aneurysm rupture, or conversion to open repair. Conclusions Total endovascular TAAA/PRAA repair using caudally directed cuffs is safe, effective, and durable in the intermediate term. The most common form of late failure, renal artery occlusion, rarely had a clinically significant consequence (dialysis). The trend toward worse outcome in women needs further study.
Accuracy of skinfold and bioelectrical impedance assessments of body fat percentage in ambulatory individuals with cerebral palsy.

Aim This study assessed the accuracy of measurements of body fat percentage in ambulatory individuals with cerebral palsy (CP) from bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and skinfold equations. Method One hundred and twenty-eight individuals (65 males, 63 females; mean age 12y, SD 3, range 6–18y) with CP (Gross Motor Function Classification System [GMFCS] levels I (n=6), II (n=46), and III (n=19) participated. Body fat percentage was estimated from (1) BIA using standing height and estimated heights (knee height and tibial length) and (2) triceps and subscapular skinfolds using standard and CP-specific equations. All estimates of body fat percentage were compared with body fat percentage from dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans. Differences between DXA, BIA, and skinfold body fat percentage were analyzed by comparing mean differences. Agreement was assessed by Bland–Altman plots and concordance correlation coefficients (CCC). Results BMI was moderately correlated with DXA (Pearson's r=0.53). BIA body fat percentage was significantly different from DXA when using estimated heights (95% confidence intervals [CIs] do not contain 0) but not standing height (95% CI −1.9 to 0.4). CCCs for all BIA comparisons indicated good to excellent agreement (0.75–0.82) with DXA. Body fat percentage from skinfold measurements and CP-specific equations was not significantly different from DXA (mean 0.8%; SD 5.3%; 95% CI −0.2 to 1.7) and demonstrated strong agreement with DXA (CCC 0.86). Interpretation Accurate measures of body fat percentage can be obtained using BIA and two skinfold measurements (CP-specific equations) in ambulatory individuals with CP. These findings should encourage assessments of body fat in clinical and research practices.
EX-Vacuo nuclear reaction analysis of deuterium

A novel technique for performing in-air d(3He, p) nuclear reaction analysis of deuterium using external 3He ion beams ranging in energy from 0.3–2.0 MeV is presented. Variable on-target beam energies for the depth profiling of deuterium are obtained by varying the transmission distance of the external 3He beam in air. The ex-vacuo nuclear reaction analysis (XNRA) apparatus is described, and unique aspects and limitations of in-air depth profiling of deuterium using the d(3He, p) reaction are discussed. Example analyses where XNRA has been used for the multidimensional measurement of deuterium in fusion reactor components are presented in order to illustrate the advantages of XNRA for deuterium. These advantages include nondestructive analysis of large targets, efficient depth profiling via variable air gap energy tuning, and rapid analysis of numerous samples in the absence of vacuum cycling.
Design of pushbroom imaging spectrometers for optimum recovery of spectroscopic and spatial information

A modulation transfer function–based optimization method is described that generates optimal spectral and spatial uniformity of response from compact pushbroom imaging spectrometer designs. Such uniformity is essential for extracting accurate spectroscopic information from a pushbroom imaging spectrometer for Earth-observing remote sensing applications. Two simple and compact spectrometer design examples are described that satisfy stringent uniformity specifications.
Wave-Corpuscle Mechanics for Electric Charges

It is well known that the concept of a point charge interacting with the electromagnetic (EM) field has a problem. To address that problem we introduce the concept of wave-corpuscle to describe spinless elementary charges interacting with the classical EM field. Every charge interacts only with the EM field and is described by a complex valued wave function over the 4-dimensional space time continuum. A system of many charges interacting with the EM field is defined by a local, gauge and Lorentz invariant Lagrangian with a key ingredient—a nonlinear self-interaction term providing for a cohesive force assigned to every charge. An ideal wave-corpuscle is an exact solution to the Euler-Lagrange equations describing both free and accelerated motions. It carries explicitly features of a point charge and the de Broglie wave. Our analysis shows that a system of well separated charges moving with nonrelativistic velocities are represented accurately as wave-corpuscles governed by the Newton equations of motion for point charges interacting with the Lorentz forces. In this regime the nonlinearities are “stealthy” and don’t show explicitly anywhere, but they provide for the binding forces that keep localized every individual charge. The theory can also be applied to closely interacting charges as in hydrogen atom where it produces discrete energy spectrum.
Tunable diode laser absorption measurement of oxygen A-band line strengths

Line strength measurements and pressure-broadening coefficients for the oxygen A-band (b1Σg+\(\leftarrow\) X3Σg-) at 13122 cm-1 using tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy are reported. Diode lasers are scanned over individual lines and the absorption at different pressures is recorded; from these data the line strength for each transition is obtained. Average values for each transition are compared to those previously published, and in particular a comparison with the HITRAN database is presented. Line strengths reported here are 5–10% lower than the HITRAN values.
Re: Misconceptions Are “So Yesterday!”

A response to Maskiewicz and Lineback's essay in the September 2013 issue of CBE-Life Sciences Education.
Experimental studies of frequency response and related properties of small-signal bipolar junction transistor amplifiers

Abstract Small-signal bipolar junction transistor (BJT) amplifiers, including common-emitter (C-E), common-base, and common-collector amplifiers, are the basic building blocks of many analog integrated circuits. An experimental investigation of the physical analysis of the frequency response and related parameters of these amplifiers have been performed in some details. The analysis uncovers fundamental reasons underlying the frequency response of the amplifiers. It indicates that although both the load resistance R L and the collector resistance R C , influence the voltage gain, for example, of a C-E amplifier, none of them should be very high to yield the highest value of the voltage gain. The distortion of the wave form of the output signal is found to be a serious problem in BJT amplifier circuits. This problem is particularly very serious in C-E amplifier with square wave signal and at high frequencies. Although by-pass capacitor plays a crucial role in minimizing this problem, the contribution of the coupling capacitors in this regard cannot be ruled out. Physical reasons of the distortion has been discussed in some details.
Intestinal permeability to polyethyleneglycol and sugars: a re-evaluation.

1. Previous studies have indicated that the permeability of polyethyleneglycol across the human intestine is anomalously high in comparison with the permeability of sugars with similar molecular mass. In consequence it has been proposed that two or more distinct mechanisms must exist for the translocation of these classes of molecule or, alternatively, that the molecular parameter determining rate of penetration is each molecule9s minimum molecular dimension. 2. The notional hydrogen-bonding capacity of a molecule correlates well with oil–water partition coefficient and also, in a variety of experimental systems, with rate of passive diffusion across biological membranes. A molecule9s hydrogen-bonding capacity is calculated by inspecting the structural formula and summing the individual theory-derived hydrogen-bonding capacities of the molecule9s functional groups. 3. A classic set of intestinal permeability data that includes several ethyleneglycol oligomers and several sugars is re-analysed. A good correlation between permeability and hydrogen-bonding capacity is demonstrated. Specifically, there is no discontinuity between the polyethyleneglycols and the sugars. The data are compatible with a simple model in which all the molecules studied cross the intestine by passive diffusion across cellular membranes.
Spectral and Spatial Properties of Antennas for Transmitting and Receiving UWB Signals

The spectral and spatial properties of antennas for transmitting and receiving ultrawideband (UWB) pulses and the corresponding filter response designs for receiving such pulses over severe multipath are studied in this paper. Based on the transmit and receive transfer functions of a UWB antenna, we analyze the UWB link behavior. A metric that is based on the receiver output signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in multipath is used as a criterion to design an appropriate receive filter response. A lower bound on this metric allows for a tractable maximization. The solution is a linear combination of incoming pulses from all directions, which are weighted by their relative intensity. A simpler best candidate solution for the receive filter response is shown to provide a performance close to that of the linear combination solution. These results are given for a diamond planar antenna and a Gaussian monopulse at the transmitter side. For this case, the impact of direction angle on the receiver output SNR is also shown.
Measurement of Stress-strain Curves of PECVD Silicon Oxide Thin Films by Means of Nanoindentation

In this paper, we explore the use of nanoindentation techniques as a method of measuring equivalent stress-strain curves of the PECVD SiOx thin films. Three indenter tips with different geometries were adopted in our experiments, enabling us to probe different regimes of plastic deformation in the PECVD SiOx thin films. A shear transformation zone (STZ) based amorphous plasticity theory is applied to depict the underlying plastic deformation mechanism.
Laboratory testing in general practice: a patient safety blind spot

Physicians order a lot of tests in primary care. We use tests to diagnose patients’ complaints, monitor chronic diseases, check medication levels and screen for health risks and early disease. Sometimes, even in the office setting, the result for a test can be a matter of life or death. But more often, whether the results get reviewed by the physician and to the patient today, tomorrow or even next week, may not matter much to the physician or to the patient. Unfortunately, this laisser-faire attitude about test results has led to clinical offices where missing and lost test results, no patient notifications and lack of follow-up constitute the norm. In the USA, studies in the late 1990s began delineating problems in the primary care testing process.1–3 In the following decade and a half, work by several teams of researchers brought more clarity about testing process errors, the harms they may cause and the role of cascading errors, mitigation and recovery.4–15 Litchfield et al 16 ,17 set out to understand the status of the testing process in British general practice (GP) offices. Using focus groups of patients and GP staff, the authors previously published the separate views of the two groups about how test results are communicated to patients by the offices. In their current studies published in BMJ Quality & Safety journal,18 ,19 they present suggestions offered by GP staff and patients to improve the testing process and describe the findings of a survey of GP office staff (lead receptionists, practice managers) in order to expand our understanding of how test results are communicated with patients in GP offices. The new studies have some significant limitations, including an inability to populate the focus groups with the purposeful sample desired, no attempt to reach data saturation, …
A Validated Hybrid Computational Fluid Dynamics-Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Model for Respiratory Tract Vapor Absorption in the Human and Rat and Its Application to Inhalation Dosimetry of Diacetyl

Diacetyl vapor is associated with bronchiolar injury in man but primarily large airway injury in the rat. The goal of this study was to develop a physiologically based pharmacokinetic model for inspired vapor dosimetry and to apply the model to diacetyl. The respiratory tract was modeled as a series of airways: nose, trachea, main bronchi, large bronchi, small bronchi, bronchioles, and alveoli with tissue dimensions obtained from the literature. Airborne vapor was allowed to absorb (or desorb) from tissues based on mass transfer coefficients. Transfer of vapor within tissues was based on molecular diffusivity with direct reaction with tissue substrates and/or metabolism being allowed in each tissue compartment. In vitro studies were performed to provide measures of diacetyl metabolism kinetics and direct reaction rates allowing for the development of a model with no unassigned variables. Respiratory tract uptake of halothane, acetone, ethanol and diacetyl was measured in male F344 rat to obtain data for model validation. The human model was validated against published values for inspired vapor uptake. For both the human and rat models, a close concordance of model estimates with experimental measurements was observed, validating the model. The model estimates that limited amounts of inspired diacetyl penetrate to the bronchioles of the rat (<2%), whereas in the lightly exercising human, 24% penetration to the bronchioles is estimated. Bronchiolar tissue concentrations of diacetyl in the human are estimated to exceed those in the rat by 40-fold. These inhalation dosimetric differences may contribute to the human-rat differences in diacetyl-induced airway injury.
Human rape: Adaptation or by‐product?

This paper examines two alternative evolutionary explanations of human rape. One explanation sees human rape as a facultative male reproductive tactic. The other explanation sees human rape as an evolutionary byproduct of certain evolved differences in the reproductive strategies of human males and females. These two explanations generate alternative testable predictions concerning cross‐species, cross‐cultural, and modern societal data on rape. Existing evidence is found to be insufficient to warrant an adaptive explanation of rape per se in humans. The question of whether the search for adaptations needs to be shifted from behavioral categories to the underlying psychological mechanisms is discussed.
Surface properties of dental amalgam: roughness produced by setting reaction

The roughness and surface microstructure during setting of five commercially available amalgam alloys were evaluated. The gamma phases found during the setting of dental amalgam produce surface roughness. The surface microstructure and roughness of conventional and newer alloys during setting were compared. All alloys including spherical and copper dispersed systems developed surface roughness during setting and required subsequent polishing.
Invited Commentary: Untangling the Web of Diabetes Causality in African Americans

Diabetes is more prevalent and its consequences more severe in African Americans than in Whites. Efforts to understand and eliminate the root causes of disparities in the prediabetic state offer the potential to reduce the tremendous "downstream" costs of diabetes for patients and society. The accompanying study by Schootman et al. (Am J Epidemiol 2007;166:379-387) presents provocative new data on the apparently significant role of an individual's own housing condition in the odds of subsequent diabetes development. Despite methodological limitations in measurement and adjustment for confounding, this paper offers new insights into potential mediators of diabetes development. Efforts to effectively address the problem of disparities in the prediabetic state will require greater interdisciplinary collaboration between unfamiliar disciplines and wider implementation of the randomized clinical trial design.
Network Storage Service usage characteristics

A study of the usage of the UNIX-based Network Storage Service (NSS) at Sandia National Laboratories is described. This NSS usage characterization study was conducted to determine how the NSS is being used and to identify opportunities to improve its usage. The determination of the NSS usage characteristics was made possible by the collection of File Transport Protocol (FTP) and Network File System (NFS) activity data. The average daily usage for the period used in the study indicated that approximately 5 gigabytes are transferred daily with FTP and 0.5 gigabytes are transferred daily with NFS. Since the sample period used in the study is typically a slow time, this daily rate is expected to increase in the coming months. It is shown that the NSS is being used primarily as an archive, with a 4 to 1 ratio of bytes stored to bytes retrieved. >
BER of multi-carrier CDMA in an indoor Rician fading channel

The paper analyzes a novel digital modulation technique called multi-carrier code division multiple access (MC-CDMA) in which data symbols are transmitted at multiple subcarriers where each subcarrier is modulated by a 1 or -1 based on a spreading code. Analytical results are presented on the performance of this modulation scheme in the downlink of an indoor wireless Rician fading channel. In addition, the performance of a controlled equalization technique that attempts to restore the orthogonality between users is evaluated. >
Mothers’ Physical Illness in One- and Two-Parent Families

Parental physical illness has been associated with a variety of negative child outcomes but the mechanisms explaining this relationship are not fully understood. Additionally, few studies have explored what role, if any, marital status may play in this relationship. This study used prospective longitudinal survey data from 382 two-parent and 182 single-parent families in the Iowa Youth and Families and Single Parents Project to explore the relationship between maternal illness and parenting with depressed affect as a potential mediator. Multiple group structural equation modeling was used to investigate whether the relationships between these indicators were the same for single and married mothers. Analyses revealed associations between mothers’ illness and parenting for both single and married mothers, but mothers’ depressed affect played a meditational role for single mothers, which was not evident with married mothers. Both the empirical and clinical implications of these findings are discussed.
Innovative Pedagogies in Higher Education to Become Effective Teachers of 21st Century Skills: Unpacking the Learning and Innovations Skills Domain of the New Learning Paradigm

As today’s graduates engage with the demands of the current Knowledge Age, the skills that they need to succeed in their lives after college, or any other institution of higher learning, are 21st century skills rather than 20th century skills. Kivunja (2014) calls this “the new learning paradigm” (p.85). Unfortunately, those skills are not yet included in many of the learning outcomes prescribed by most educational jurisdictions or required to be assessed in high-stakes state and national examinations. It is essential that policy makers, across all nations, and in particular higher education providers, have a firm understanding of the skills most in demand in the 21st century Digital World, how those skills relate to the orthodoxy academic standards, and how those skills can be effectively taught. So, it is imperative to ask and answer the questions: what are those skills, and how can they be taught effectively to present and future students in higher education to improve their Digital Economy readiness? This paper answers these questions in four ways. First, it gives a brief review of literature that highlights the meaning of effective teaching and its importance in pedagogy. Second, it reviews literature on the new learning paradigm that will equip learners with 21st century skills and explains what the 21st century skills are. Third, arguing that those skills constitute a new way of effective teaching and learning, the paper articulates the different domains of the new learning paradigm which comprise these skills. Fourth, it discusses the first of the domains – the Learning and Innovations Skills domain – so as to explain how the skills in this domain can be effectively taught to enable higher education students to graduate well equipped with the skills most in demand for success in today’s knowledge-based, Digital World.
Rationale and study protocol for a two-part intervention: Safety planning and structured follow-up among veterans at risk for suicide and discharged from the emergency department

There are no evidence-based, brief interventions to reduce suicide risk in Veterans. Death by suicide is a major public health problem. This article describes a protocol, Suicide Assessment and Follow-up Engagement: Veteran Emergency Treatment [SAFE VET], developed for testing the effectiveness of a brief intervention combining a Safety Planning Intervention with structured follow-up (SPI-SFU) to reduce near-term suicide risk and increase outpatient behavioral health treatment engagement among Veterans seeking treatment at Veteran Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) emergency departments (EDs) who are at risk for suicide. In addition to describing study procedures, outcome measures, primary and secondary hypotheses, and human subjects' protection issues, the rationale for the selection of SPI-SFU as the intervention is detailed, as are safety considerations for the unique study setting and sample.
Volatile and quality changes in fresh-cut mangos prepared from firm-ripe and soft-ripe fruit, stored in clamshell containers and passive MAP

A study was performed to assess volatile and quality changes in stored fresh-cut mangos prepared from ‘‘firm-ripe’’ (FR) and ‘‘soft-ripe’’ (SR) fruit, and to assess what effect passive modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) may hav eo n cut fruit physiology, overall quality and volatile retention or loss. Florida-grown ‘Keitt’ and ‘Palmer’ mangos were used, without heat-treatment. Subjective appraisals of fresh-cut mangos based on aroma and cut edge or tissue damage indicated that most SR cubes were unmarketable by day 7 at 4 8C. Both varieties stored in MAP at 4 8C had almost identical O2 consumption, which was independent of ripeness. Percent CO2 and O2 data for cubes stored in passive MAP indicates that the system was inadequate to prevent potential anaerobic respiration after 7 days storage. A significant three-way interaction (container/ripeness/day) was observed for L* (lightness) between stored cubes prepared from FR versus SR fruit of both varieties. There was a linear L* decrease for SR ‘Keitt’ cubes stored in clamshell containers. d-3-Carene was the dominant terpene in both varieties in all treatments throughout most of the study, and FR cubes had statistically higher levels of seven terpenes compared with the respective SR treatments. Most terpenes in FR and SR cubes stored in both package types displayed a transient increase, occurring on day 4 or 7, followed by a decline. Published by Elsevier B.V.
Female rats display dose-dependent differences to the rewarding and aversive effects of nicotine in an age-, hormone-, and sex-dependent manner

Introduction The objective of this study was to examine age-, hormone-, and sex-dependent differences to the behavioral effects of nicotine using place-conditioning procedures in female rats. Methods Animals received nicotine in their initially nonpreferred side and saline on alternate days in their initially preferredside.Followingfourconditioningtrials,ratswereretested for their preference. To examine developmental differences, we compared the effects of various nicotine doses in female and male adolescent and adult rats. To examine whether our developmental differences are specific to nicotine, we included adolescent and adult females that were conditioned with various amphetamine doses. To examine the influence of hormones on the behavioral effects of nicotine, we compared the effects of various nicotine doses in intact females that were tested during different phases of the estrous cycle and in separate females that were ovariectomized. Results The rewarding effects of nicotine were observed at a lower nicotine dose in adolescents versus adults. Amphetamineproducedsimilarrewardingeffectsacrossagegroupsin females. The shifts in preference produced by nicotine were similar across the different phases of estrous. Females lacking ovarian hormones did not display rewarding effects of nicotine at any dose. The rewarding effects of nicotine were enhanced in adult female versus male rats. An intermediate nicotine dose produced rewarding effects in adolescent male but not female rats, suggesting that developmental differences to nicotine may be enhanced in males. Conclusion In females, nicotine reward is enhanced during adolescence and is facilitated by the presence of ovarian hormones.
SUSTAINABILITY FROM THE PERSPECTIVES OF INDIGENOUS LEADERS IN THE BIOREGION DEFINED BY THE PACIFIC SALMON RUNS OF NORTH AMERICA

An abstract of the dissertation of David Edward Hall for the Doctor of Philosophy in Systems Science: Psychology presented June 10, 2008. Title: Sustainability from the Perspectives of Indigenous Leaders in the Bioregion Defined by the Pacific Salmon Runs of North America Extensive research suggests that the collective behavior of humanity is on an unsustainable path. As the evidence mounts and more people awaken to this reality, increased attention is being dedicated to the pursuit of answers for a just and sustainable future. This dissertation grew from the premise that effectively moving towards sustainability requires change at all levels of the dominant Western culture, including deeply held worldviews. The worldviews of many indigenous cultures offer alternative values and beliefs that can contribute to addressing the root causes of problems related to sustainability. In the bioregion defined by the Pacific Salmon runs of North America there is a rich heritage and modern day presence of diverse indigenous cultures. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 indigenous leaders from within this bioregion to explore their mental models of sustainability. These interviews followed a general structure that covered: (a) the personal background and community affiliation of each interviewee; (b) the meaning of the concept of sustainability from their perspective; (c) visions of a sustainable future for their communities; and, (d) how to achieve such a future. A content analysis of the interviews was conducted and summarized into a narrative organized to correspond with the general interview structure. A process of testimonial validity established that most participants found the narrative to be an accurate representation of their perspectives. Participant feedback led to several phrasing changes and other identified issues are discussed, including one participant’s critique of the narrative’s use of a first-person plural voice. Major themes from the interviews include the role of the human being as caretaker actively participating in the web of life, the importance of simultaneously restoring culture and ecology due to their interdependence, the need to educate and build awareness, and the importance of cooperation. Understanding who we are as a living species, including our profound connection with nature, along with a holistic and intergenerational perspective are suggested as prerequisite for balancing and aligning human modes of being with the larger patterns of life. The closing discussion addresses the importance of social action and going beyond a conceptual understanding to an embodiment of sustainability. Dedicated to past, present, and future citizens of Salmon Nation