cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
What influences Chinese students' intentions to pursue hospitality careers? A comparison of three-year versus four-year hospitality programs

Abstract The purpose of this study was to explore the determinants of Chinese hospitality students’ career intentions in the hospitality industry and to compare the determinants of students from three-year versus four-year programs based on the theory of planned behavior. Results indicated that students’ career intentions were positively influenced by their attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and previous work experience, while academic standing did not influence students’ career intentions. Specifically, the effect of subjective norms on career intentions was significantly stronger for students from three-year programs, while perceived behavioral control had significantly stronger influences on students from four-year programs.
Corporate Entrepreneurship in the Digital Era: The Cascading Effect through Operations:

This study examines a firm’s response to perceived changes in the environment, such as the growth of the digital era, at different levels of a firm—beginning with the adoption of corporate entrepre...
A mathematical model of dielectrophoretic data to connect measurements with cell properties

Dielectrophoresis (DEP) brings about the high-resolution separations of cells and other bioparticles arising from very subtle differences in their properties. However, an unanticipated limitation has arisen: difficulty in assignment of specific biological features which vary between two cell populations. This hampers the ability to interpret the significance of the variations. To realize the opportunities made possible by dielectrophoresis, the data and the diversity of structures found in cells and bioparticles must be linked. While the crossover frequency in DEP has been studied in-depth and exploited in applications using AC fields, less attention has been given when a DC field is present. Here, a new mathematical model of dielectrophoretic data is introduced which connects the physical properties of cells to specific elements of the data from potential- or time-varied DEP experiments. The slope of the data in either analysis is related to the electrokinetic mobility, while the potential at which capture initiates in potential-based analysis is related to both the electrokinetic and dielectrophoretic mobilities. These mobilities can be assigned to cellular properties for which values appear in the literature. Representative examples of high and low values of properties such as conductivity, zeta potential, and surface charge density for bacteria including Streptococcus mutans, Rhodococcus erythropolis, Pasteurella multocida, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus are considered. While the many properties of a cell collapse into one or two features of data, for a well-vetted system the model can indicate the extent of dissimilarity. The influence of individual properties on the features of dielectrophoretic data is summarized, allowing for further interpretation of data. Graphical abstract.
Cannabis and the Current State of Treatment for Cannabis Use Disorder

The authors provide an overview of pharmacological and psychosocial behavioral treatments for patients with cannabis use disorder, emphasizing aspects of clinical management unique to this patient ...
Seeded Growth of Metal Nitrides on Noble-Metal Nanoparticles To Form Complex Nanoscale Heterostructures

Colloidal heterostructured nanoparticles that integrate multiple materials through direct solid–solid interfaces are desirable across a wide range of applications. However, chemical, structural, in...
First report of tomato spotted wilt virus identified in Tulbaghia violacea in Florida.

Tulbaghia violacea Harv., also known as society garlic, belongs to the genus Tulbaghia (Amaryllidaceae). It is diversely used for medicinal, culinary, and ornamental purposes. In June 2018, T. viol...
Christian Ethics, the Bible, and the Powers of Reading

This chapter calls Christian ethicists to engage the Bible as responsibly “involved” readers, that is, as readers seeking to become aware of how their various relational entanglements shape their reading and writing about the Bible. Such awareness requires attention to ethicists’ own normative commitments, and how those commitments relate to normative claims discernible in biblical texts. The chapter surveys approaches to ethics that prioritize ethnographic study of moral worlds, foundationalist normative evaluation, political critique, or the development of a single moral tradition considered in isolation from others, suggesting that each approach tends to minimize aspects of ethicists’ involvements with the world, including with texts such as the Bible. James McClendon’s “baptist” ethics are then described as an alternative approach that emphasizes a broader range of ethicists’ involvements. McClendon’s treatment of the “principalities and powers” passages in the Bible shows him to be a more comprehensively involved reader, and helps ethicists grapple with their own powers of reading. The conclusion indicates where McClendon minimizes his racialized and gendered involvements, and urges ethicists to read the Bible with the marginalized.
Results of duodenoscope culture and quarantine after manufacturer-recommended cleaning process.

Background and Aims Outbreaks of infections transmitted by duodenoscopes have prompted changes to duodenoscope cleaning protocols. However, little is known about effectiveness of clinical cleaning practices. We present culture data after duodenoscope manufacturer-recommended high-level disinfection (HLD) and quarantine. Methods Our institution adopted a combination of manufacturer-recommended cleaning with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention–recommended culture and quarantine in 2015. Duodenoscopes (models TJF-Q180V, TJF-160, and PJF-160; Olympus, Center Valley, Penn, USA) underwent HLD according to the manufacturer’s reprocessing manual protocols after use. Two culture specimens were then obtained using a sterile brush from the distal tip, including elevator mechanism, and by flushing sterile water through the working channel. Duodenoscopes were quarantined until cultures resulted. Positive cultures were defined as >10 colony-forming units (CFUs) of low-concern organisms or any CFUs of high-concern organisms according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations. If either culture specimen was positive, the process was repeated until cultures were negative. Data were collected from December 2015 to July 2018. Results There were 140 instances of duodenoscope cleaning with 280 specimens. Twenty-eight of 234 (12%) initial culture specimens (18% of cultured duodenoscopes) were positive. Five of 36 (14%) second cultures were positive. Two of 8 (25%) third cultures were positive. Ninety-eight percent of organisms cultured were gram positive. In 8 instances both culture methods (brushing and flush) were positive; otherwise, only 1 method was positive. In 11 instances (8%) duodenoscopes were removed from quarantine before final culture results. No patient had infections related to ERCP. Conclusions Eighteen percent of duodenoscopes had a positive culture after initial HLD. Only 3% were gram-negative bacteria. Repeated HLD was 86% and 75% effective at eliminating initial and repeat positive cultures, respectively. Initial HLD per manufacturer recommendations is not always effective at eliminating bacterial contamination. Additional steps are necessary to decrease risks of duodenoscope-transmitted infections.
ALL versus ALL in American Sign Language (ASL)

This paper extends a visible pattern (‘iconicity’) that has been observed in sign language verbs and adjectives to quantification in American Sign Language (ASL). The Event Visibility Hypothesis (EVH) states that boundedness is morphophonologically encoded in articulation of a rapid deceleration of movement at the end of a sign (aka end-marking). Here the EVH is applied to the two ASL quantifiers glossed #ALL and ALL. Doing so accounts for the semantic distinction between them: ALL is definite (bounded), whereas #ALL is underspecified for definiteness (unbounded).
Chapter 33 – Heme Degradation

: Heme is normally degraded to bilirubin, an end-product of mammalian metabolism. “Shunt bilirubin” represents bilirubin which does not originate from heme of normal senescent erythrocytes. Starvation results in an unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia in horses. Some dogs are capable of producing bilirubin from heme in their kidneys. Urobilinogens are produced from bilirubin by intestinal microbes. Indirect bilirubin refers to the unconjugated bilirubin fraction, while direct bilirubin is conjugated. Unconjugated bilirubin rarely appears in urine, whereas conjugated bilirubin is more likely to be filtered by the kidney and excreted into urine. Unconjugated bilirubin is lipophilic, and has a high affinity for brain tissue.
Does Living in a Higher Proportion Minority Facility Improve Quality of Life for Racial/Ethnic Minority Residents in Nursing Homes?

Background and objectives The proportion of racial/ethnic minority older adults in nursing homes (NHs) has increased dramatically and will surpass the proportion of white adults by 2030.Yet, little is known about minority groups' experiences related to the quality of life (QOL). QOL is a person-centered measure, capturing multiple aspects of well-being. NH quality has been commonly measured using clinical care indicators, but there is growing recognition for the need to include QOL. This study examines the role of individual race/ethnicity, facility racial/ethnic composition, and the interaction of both for NH resident QOL. Research design and methods We used a unique state-level data set that includes self-reported QOL surveys with a random sample of long-stay Minnesota NH residents, using a multidimensional measure of QOL. These surveys were linked to resident clinical data from the Minimum Dataset 3.0 and facility-level characteristics. Minnesota is one of the two states in the nation that collects validated QOL measures, linked to data on resident and detailed facility characteristics. We used mixed-effects models, with random intercepts to model summary QOL score and individual domains. Results We identified significant racial disparities in NH resident QOL. Minority residents report significantly lower QOL scores than white residents, and NHs with higher proportion minority residents have significantly lower QOL scores. Minority residents have significantly lower adjusted QOL than white residents, whether they are in low- or high-minority facilities, indicating a remaining gap in individual care needs. Discussion and implications The findings highlight system-level racial disparities in NH residents QOL, with residents who live in high-proportion minority NHs facing the greatest threats to their QOL. Efforts need to focus on reducing racial/ethnic disparities in QOL, including potential public reporting (similar to quality of care) and resources and attention to provision of culturally sensitive care in NHs to address residents' unique needs.
Atoms in the lattice of covering operators in compact Hausdorff spaces

Abstract Let Comp be the category of compact Hausdorff spaces with continuous maps. A cover of a space in Comp is an irreducible preimage; equivalent covers are identified. A covering operator (co) is a function c assigning to each X in Comp a cover X ← c X c X which is minimum among covers Y of X with Y = c Y . The family of all such c is denoted coComp. This is a complete lattice (albeit a proper class), with bottom the identity operator id and top the Gleason (extremally disconnected, projective) cover operator g. Here, we completely determine the atoms (minimal elements above id) in the lattice coComp, show that any c ≠ id in coComp is above an atom, and show that coComp is not atomic. At the end, we make some remarks about what the present paper does and does not tell us about several other categories related to Comp.
Singular Continuous Spectrum and Generic Full Spectral/Packing Dimension for Unbounded Quasiperiodic Schrödinger Operators

We proved that quasiperiodic Schrodinger operators with unbounded potentials $$(H_{\alpha ,\theta }u)_n=u_{n+1}+u_{n-1}+ \frac{g(\theta +n\alpha )}{f(\theta +n\alpha )} u_n$$ have purely singular continuous spectrum on the set $$\{E: 0<L(E)<\delta {(\alpha ,\theta ;f,g)}\}$$ , where $$\delta $$ is an explicit function and L is the Lyapunov exponent. We assume that f, g are Holder continuous functions and f has finitely many zeros with weak non-degenerate assumptions. Moreover, we show that for generic $$\alpha $$ and a.e. $$\theta $$ , the spectral measure of $$H_{\alpha ,\theta }$$ has full spectral dimension and packing dimension.
Navigating fierce love during the pandemic: Reflections of a Pinay Scholar Warrior

This article presents reflections of a Pinay Scholar Warrior of Kapu Aloha and Mahalaya during the pandemic. Excerpts from her social media and reflections from her personal journal reveal the complexities of navigating fierce love in social work teaching and service. Issues related to facilitating critical analyses of social determinants of health, grief and loss, and rediscovering strengths and joys. Implications of women of color in the academy is alluded.
An index for quantifying geometric point disorder in geospatial applications

Abstract Many techniques have been developed to quantify different conceptualizations of self-interaction and patterns within spatial data. We propose a new metric and related algorithm that describes the geometric spatial disorder of geographic point sets, the “Index of Disorder” (IoD). The IoD algorithm was applied to synthetic and natural datasets and was shown to be able to differentiate between areas of high spatial disorder (randomly placed points) and low spatial disorder (e.g., curvilinear grids, wallpaper groups, and other repeating patterns). Because the IoD is a quantitative metric, it can be used on its own as an aid for identifying areas of unusually high or low spatial disorder or as enrichment for machine learning classification algorithms.
Simulations of Promising Indolizidine—α6-β2 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Complexes

Smoking-cessation drugs bind many off-target nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) and cause severe side effects if they are based on nicotine. New drugs that bind only those receptors, such as α6β2* nAChR, implicated in nicotine addiction would avoid the off-target binding. Indolizidine (-)-237D (IND (-)-237D), a bicyclic alkaloid, has been shown to block α6β2* containing nAChRs and functionally inhibit the nicotine-evoked dopamine release. To improve the affinity of indolizidine (-)-237D for α6β2*, we built a library of 2226 analogs. We screened virtually the library against a homology model of α6β2 nAChR that we derived from the recent crystal structure of α4β2 nAChR. We also screened the crystal structure of α4β2 nAChR as a control on specificity. We ranked the compounds based on their predicted free energy of binding. We selected the top eight compounds bound in their best pose and subjected the complexes to 100 ns molecular dynamics simulations to assess the stability of the complexes. All eight analogs formed stable complexes for the duration of the simulations. The results from this work highlight nine distinct analogs of IND (-)-237D with high affinity towards α6β2* nAChR. These leads can be synthesized and tested in in vitro and in vivo studies as lead candidates for drugs to treat nicotine addiction.
Turning the Tables on Aristotle: A Pierre Menardian Reading of ‘Pierre Menard, autor del Quijote’

This article undertakes an in-depth analysis of Borges’s use, or rather misuse, of Aristotelian rhetoric and style in ‘Pierre Menard, autor del Quijote’. The narrator of ‘Pierre Menard’ creates a s...
Parallel Volume Rendering Finite Element Data

This paper describes a parallel system for interactive volume rendering large data sets from the finite element method or scattered data, as opposed to scanned or voxel data. The data is rendered using cell projection, without resampling it to a rectilinear mesh, and has been parallelized for a multiprocessor (MIMD) graphics workstation. The parallelization of the visibility ordering algorithms and the rendering process is described, and timings are presented. A method for coping with degeneracy found in irregular and curvilinear data sets is described. Using this system, data sets with over 1,000,000 cells have been rendered in 15–30 seconds, and with up to 100,000 cells in less than 2 seconds.
Influence of Grain Structure and Solute Composition on the Work Hardening Behavior of Aluminum at Cryogenic Temperatures

An unrecrystallized structure is found to significantly improve the work hardening characteristics by lowering the work hardening rate during the early stages of deformation. This is in contrast to a recrystallized structure, which requires a higher work hardening rate to accommodate the greater degree of multiple slip necessary to maintain strain compatibility between the more randomly oriented grains. The stronger texture associated with the unrecrystallized structure allows deformation to occur more efficiently. The addition of magnesium also improves the work hardening characteristics by increasing the overall level of the work hardening rate. The improved characteristics of the work hardening behavior result in a parallel increase in both the strength and ductility at cryogenic temperatures. These findings are positive since they suggest a method by which improvements in the work hardening behavior and subsequent mechanical properties may be obtained through practical modifications of the microstructure and composition.
Evidence for natural horizontal transfer of tetQ between bacteria that normally colonize humans and bacteria that normally colonize livestock

Though numerous studies have shown that gene transfer occurs between distantly related bacterial genera under laboratory conditions, the frequency and breadth of horizontal transfer events in nature remain unknown. Previous evidence for natural intergeneric transfers came from studies of genes in human pathogens, bacteria that colonize the same host. We present evidence that natural transfer of a tetracycline resistance gene, tetQ, has occurred between bacterial genera that normally colonize different hosts. A DNA sequence comparative approach was taken to examine the extent of horizontal tetQ dissemination between species of Bacteroides, the predominant genus of the human colonic microflora, and between species of Bacteroides and of the distantly related genus Prevotella, a predominant genus of the microflora of the rumens and intestinal tracts of farm animals. Virtually identical tetQ sequences were found in a number of isolate pairs differing in taxonomy and geographic origin, indicating that extensive natural gene transmission has occurred. Among the exchange events indicated by the evidence was the very recent transfer of an allele of tetQ usually found in Prevotella spp. to a Bacteroides fragilis strain.
Municipal Home Rule and the Processes of Intrastate Fiscal Competition

This paper gives a brief, general overview of the doctrine of municipal home rule and its relationship to fiscal decisionmaking within state governments. The basic claim is that state and local governments compete against one another for fiscal control and authority. States naturally have a substantial leg up in this fiscal competition; moreover, state government manages local fiscal authority through an admixture of constraints, incentives, and resources. On the other hand, the developing doctrine of municipal home rule provides an unsteady shield from state control. Of course, the viability of this sheild rests on interpretive judgments of central decisionmakers, often state judges. While this survey offers no comprehensive theory of how to mediate the tension between state and local governments, it highlights the way in which state constitutional law can accomplish the aim of regulating the processes of intrastate fiscal competition. More careful empirical analysis is essential to unpack the particular contours of this competition for control; and more nuanced prescriptive analysis is necessary to establish rules, procedures, and institutions with which to improve state and local fiscal decisionmaking.
Postnatal growth curve of the infant with extremely low birth weight who was fed enterally.

The primary objective of this study was the establishment of a postnatal growth curve for the very low-birth-weight infant. Only infants whose size was appropriate for gestational age and whose predominant form of nourishment was enteral were included in the study. Two growth curves were constructed: one for infants weighing less than 900 g (group A, birth weight 799 ± 79 [SD] g, mean gestational age 26.5 weeks), and one for infants weighing 901 to 1,100 g (group B, birth weight 1,023 ± 53 [SD] g, mean gestational age 28.5 weeks). Growth was followed over the first 50 postnatal days. Group A infants gained an average of 10.2 g/d overall during the first 50 postnatal days and group B infants gained an average of 17.1 g/d over the same period. Because the major objective of this study was construction of a growth curve for infants weighing less than 900 g, direct comparison is made with the Dancis grid (1948) as this is the only standard for this group. The growth rates of our infants were found to be more than twice that of the original prediction of Dancis.
Energy-delay bounds analysis in wireless multi-hop networks with unreliable radio links

Energy efficiency and transmission delay are very important parameters for wireless multi-hop networks. Previous works that study energy efficiency and delay are based on the assumption of reliable links. However, the unreliability of the channel is inevitable in wireless multi-hop networks. This paper investigates the trade-off between the energy consumption and the end-to-end delay of multi-hop communications in a wireless network using an unreliable link model. It provides a closed form expression of the lower bound on the energy-delay trade-off for different channel models (AWGN, Raleigh flat fading and Nakagami block-fading) in a linear network. These analytical results are also verified in 2-dimensional Poisson networks using simulations. The main contribution of this work is the use of a probabilistic link model to define the energy efficiency of the system and capture the energy-delay trade-offs. Hence, it provides a more realistic lower bound on both the energy efficiency and the energy-delay trade-off since it does not restrict the study to the set of perfect links as proposed in earlier works.
The Effect of Dividends Announcements on Informed Trading and Post Announcements Drift

This paper investigates the extent of informed trading during pre and post dividends announcements periods, when dividends announcements are informative and compares it when dividends announcements are not informative. This study also makes an attempt to explore the relation between post announcements informed trading and drift (i.e. abnormal returns), when dividends announcements are informative. Consistent with our conjecture, we find evidence of higher informed trading during the pre announcements period compared to post announcements period only when dividends announcements are informative. In contrast, there are no significant changes in informed trading during the pre and post announcements periods when dividends announcements are not informative. Classical market microstructure theories predict a decline in asymmetry of information after public announcements. However, this study documents that asymmetry of information is reduced only if the announcements are informative (i.e. the announcements contain surprises) otherwise there in no change in the information structure following announcements. This finding emphasizes the importance of information contents of announcements in analyzing the extent of asymmetry of information during the pre and post announcements periods. In addition, this study finds limited evidence of inverse relation between informed trading and abnormal returns (i.e. drift) during the post announcements period when dividends announcements are informative. The novelty of this paper is the use of market microstructure based tool to analyze the impacts of dividends announcements. This allows us to understand how different participants [informed & uninformed] in the market evaluate the information contents of announcements.
The future of specialization within orthopaedics.

“No one in his right mind would wish to relinquish the benefits of the expert technical skills that are the products of concentrated specialist training, but only a general education in surgery can safeguard and direct the use of these skills. It thus becomes an essential part of all specialist education.” 1 —E.D. Churchill Specialization within medicine as well as within orthopaedics has rapidly expanded in the last thirty years. In this article, I attempt to review a brief history of specialization; why specialization has developed and continues to expand; the barriers to specialization; what role, if any, the generalist has today and in the future; what the risks are to our specialty without specialization; the criticism of specialization; and, finally, some thoughts about the future relationship of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons with the numerous orthopaedic specialty societies. Sir William Osler, at Oxford on May 16, 1910, stated the following: “The extraordinary development of modern science may be her undoing. Specialism, now a necessity, has fragmented these specialties in a way that makes the outlook hazardous. The work loses all sense of proportion in a maze of minutiae.”2 But I do not believe that specialization has made our outlook in orthopaedics “hazardous,” and I do not think that workers today, that is, orthopaedic surgeons or physicians in general, have lost “all sense of proportion in a maze of minutiae.” However, there is still tension between the generalist and the specialist that is best expressed in the words of Frank Lewis, who in 2002 wrote the following: “There is an inherent and irresolvable tension between the need to maintain broad competence in practitioners versus the need to develop and exploit new knowledge or new technology that promises better outcomes, less morbidity, or greater efficiency.”2 In my opinion, …
The microwave torsional-rotational spectrum of CHD2OD

Abstract The microwave torsional-rotational spectrum of CHD 2 OD has been predicted, identified, assigned, and analyzed to determine the internal rotation potential energy coefficients and nonrigidity corrections for the molecule. Although trans to gauche transitions are too weak for observation in the torsional ground states, transitions have been observed within and/or between three excited torsional states as well as the usual gauche (+) to gauche (−) transitions for the torsional ground states. Taken together, these allow for the determination of the potential energy coefficients. The potential energy coefficients for CHD 2 OD are V 1 = −8.73 ± 0.05 cm −1 , V 2 = −2.90 ±0.10 cm −1 , and V 3 = 365.00 ± 0.25 cm −1 .
Application of a pore network model to a biofilter treating ethanol vapor

Pore volume clogging due to biomass growth from the biodegradation of volatile organic compounds and other pollutants has significant implications for biofilter operation. As the larger pores in the biofilter narrow and the smaller pores fill, airflow through the biofilter is restricted, and headloss increases. The biomass surface area available for contaminant biodegradation is reduced, resulting in diminished removal efficiencies. As biomass clogging increases, flow channeling may occur, further reducing treatment efficiency. Biofilter designers try to overcome the effect of biomass clogging by making beds larger to reduce loading, which is costly. Better insight into the phenomena that occur during biofilter clogging is, therefore, clearly needed. In this paper the effect of biomass accumulation on the removal efficiency and pressure drop of a bench-scale biofilter treating an air stream containing ethanol vapor was investigated using a pore network model. In the model, the biofilter pore structure is described by a cubic lattice of cylindrical pores of uniform length and varying diameters following an experimentally determined pore size distribution. The model assumes that at the pore level biomass growth depends on the oxygen diffusion in the biofilm and on oxygen-limited Monod-type kinetics. Unlike prior biofilter models, this model accounts in detail for phenomena that occur at the pore level, and for the impact of the pore network structure on biofilter behavior. It accounts for the biomass growth in the biofilter and its interaction with the airflow distribution, and explains its influence on the headloss and the ethanol removal efficiency.
UDel: Generating Referring Expressions Guided by Psycholinguistc Findings

We present an approach to generating referring expressions in context utilizing feature selection informed by psycholinguistic research. Features suggested by studies on pronoun interpretation were used to train a classifier system which determined the most appropriate selection from a list of possible references. This application demonstrates one way to help bridge the gap between computational and empirical means of reference generation.
Improvement paths in repeated pure coordination games

Abstract We apply the one-sided better reply dynamic and the idea of pure strategy profile improvement path to discounted, infinitely repeated pure coordination games (games with common payoffs). If the stage game is finite, starting from any finite complexity repeated game strategy profile, such improvement paths must exist and must be finite. Furthermore, maximal improvement paths always terminate in pure strategy subgame perfect Nash equilibria of the repeated game. Related to this, we conclude with some observations on infinitely repeated infinite pure coordination games.
Mapping of electric field structures from the equatorial F region to the underlying E region

The theories of electrostatic fields in the equatorial ionosphere attributed to Farley (1960) and Spreiter and Briggs (1961) are reviewed, and a hybrid of these theories is applied to investigate how spread F irrregularities map down to the underlying E region. It is found that structures larger than 1 km map easily through the E region, while smaller structures do not. This implies that in general, subkilometer F region irregularities cannot directly generate image striations in the underlying E region, a result which affects previous investigations of the role of images in equatorial spread F.
Brachylaime microti: a mechanistic simulation model of the parasite, its intermediate snail host, Oreohelix strigosa, and its definitive rodent hosts, Peromyscus maniculatus and Microtus montanus

Abstract A mechanistic simulation model was developed to predict the responses of parasite populations to variation in host population levels and environmental conditions. The parasite life cycle selected for the model was that of Brachylaime microti , a trematode utilizing a terrestrial snail, Oreohelix strigosa , as intermediate host, and rodents, Peromyscus maniculatus and Microtus montanus , as definitive hosts. A mechanistic compartment-flow representation was employed in modeling the system. The system parameters to be predicted were represented by compartment levels, with flows between compartments governed by rate processes, using mathematical functions to simulate the biological mechanisms involved. The compartments were the levels in terms of numbers of each parasite life stage, including sporocyst, cercariae, metacercariae, adult, and egg. The rate processes included infection, grazing, nutrition, reproduction, and mortality. The external driving variables were the weather parameters and host population levels. A system of difference equations was developed to to describe these processes for computer simulation. The model was tested statistically, using a confidence interval approach to compare actual field data with model predictions. The model passed this statistical test and tests of weather stress, indicating that it was consistent with observations and knowledge of the system.
Multimodality image registration based on hierarchical shape representation

Image registration is a correlation procedure that allows either the complementary study of images obtained from different modalities, or enables the analysis of images obtained by the same modality but at different times. Applied to a variety of clinical and investigational problems, image registration can offer a major advance in diagnostic imaging. In this paper, we present an automated multi-modality registration algorithm based on hierarchical feature extraction. Two kinds of shape representations -- edges and surfaces (skin surface, inner skull surface, and outer brain surface) -- are extracted hierarchically from different image modalities. The registration is then performed using the user- specified (but automatically extracted) corresponding features. Both the robustness of the algorithm and the registration accuracy using different registration features are compared in this paper. The preliminary results show that the use of edge and surface features could succeed over a large range of geometric displacements. The results also indicate that neither the edge nor the surface feature is clearly superior in terms of registration accuracy. Using the edge feature could, however, have the advantage of eliminating the surface segmentation step which requires extra complexity, variability, and time cost. We have shown the proposed 3D registration algorithm provides a simple and fast method for automatic registration of CT and MR image modalities. Preliminary results using our registration algorithm are comparable to those obtained by other techniques.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Managerial analysis and decision-making in outpatient health clinics.

This paper discusses a generalized model of an outpatient clinic which duplicates many real-life complexities, e.g. different facilities, the patient routes through the clinic, number of observers in each facility, etc. The validation tests proved that the output generates distributions which are not statistically different from the observed distributions for The Pennsylvania State Outpatient Clinic. The model is relatively fast and efficient, and one typical day can be simulated in less than one second of the computer processing time on IBM System 370/168. With slight modifications, it is capable of being transferred to many different types of health care delivery systems, e.g. hospitals, health maintenance organizations and to prehospital emergency care systems.
Angiotensin receptor blockers and clinical trials in heart failure.

Growing evidence that angiotensin II contributes to the structural abnormalities of the left ventricle and vasculature that characterize chronic heart failure has made it attractive to study the efficacy of angiotensin AT1-receptor blockade in this syndrome. The problem, however, has been in experimental design. Since most patients should be and are taking ACE inhibitors, and ACE inhibitors are thought to reduce angiotensin II formation, conventional wisdom suggested that angiotensin receptor blockers should be considered as alternatives to ACE inhibitors, not as supplemental therapy.Indeed, the earlier ELITE trial compared the efficacy of the two drug classes with inconclusiveresults.1 We elected to pursue a different strategy. Considerable data suggest that angiotensin II levels recover during chronic ACE inhibitor therapy2 and that ACE inhibitors may exhibit their effect at least in part through the bradykinin–nitric oxide–cyclic GMP pathway.3 A pilot study carried out primarilyin Veterans Affairs Centers demonstrated that addition of the angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) valsartan to chronic ACE inhibitor therapy inpatients with heart failure resulted in enhanced hemodynamic and neurohormonal effects.4 We therefore undertook the Valsartan Heart Failure Trial (Val-HeFT) to study the additive effect of valsartan in the dose shown to …
The role of direct chilling injury and inoculative freezing in cold tolerance of Amblyomma americanum, Dermacentor variabilis and Ixodes scapularis.

. Supercooling points and chill tolerance were compared among nymphs and adults of the ixodid ticks Dermacentor variabilis, Amblyomma americanum and Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae).Supercooling points in the range of <-22 to -18°C were observed for nymphs, and -22 to -8°C for adults.The lower lethal temperatures observed under dry conditions, -14 to -10°C, were warmer than the supercooling points, but still much colder than -4.8°C, the lowest temperature recorded from a likely tick habitat in southwestern Ohio.Based on our experiments, spontaneous freezing and direct chilling injury are not significant mortality factors in these species in the field.Mortality was observed between -5 and -3°C for A.americanum and D.variabilis nymphs chilled for 2 h while in direct contact with ice.This mortality is probably due to inoculative freezing.Given the requirement for a rather humid microhabitat for off-host survival, these findings suggest that inoculative freezing is an important cause of overwintering mortality in these medically important species.
Effect of Varying Imazethapyr Application Rate and Timing on Yield of Seedling Grass-Alfalfa Mixtures

Imazethapyr is registered for weed control in pure alfalfa and in established alfalfa-grass mixtures. Orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) and timothy (Phleum pratense L.) tolerance to imazethapyr during establishment was examined in the greenhouse and in mixtures with alfalfa (Medicago sativa L. ) in the field. Imazethapyr was applied following grass emergence at rates ranging from 0.5 to 1.5 oz ai/acre at three different stages of forage grass growth. In the greenhouse, application of imazethapyr to seedling timothy was more injurious than to seedling orchardgrass. Imazethapyr application to timothy reduced grass growth 19 to 48% in the greenhouse, while orchardgrass growth was reduced no more than 26%. Imazethapyr reduced 2-leaf timothy yield more than 4- or 7-leaf grass in the greenhouse study, while both 2- and 4-leaf orchardgrass yield was less than 7-leaf grass. In the field, injury from imazethapyr to timothy was greater than to orchardgrass when the herbicide was applied following the first harvest, especially during a drought year. Imazethapyr reduced both orchardgrass and timothy growth in the field by as much as 34% on average regardless of application rate. Weed control was best at the early postemergence application timing and less effective at the mid-post timing due to excessive weed size at application. Weed control after first harvest was not needed. Application of imazethapyr to mixed forages the year of establishment can reduce the grass component of the forage and could reduce total forage yield.
Cement emerges as the most predictable option for hip hemiarthroplasty: commentary on an article by Fraser Taylor, BSc, MBChB, FRACS, et al.: "Hemiarthroplasty of the hip with and without cement: a randomized clinical trial".

It happens every day in our hospitals. A frail eighty-five-year-old woman with various medical problems is admitted with a displaced femoral neck fracture. After the workup, she is deemed fit for surgery with recommendations to “minimize hypotension and keep the hematocrit above 30.” She is brought to the operating room late in the afternoon and the attending surgeon is asked, “Is this a cemented or press-fit hemiarthroplasty?” The surgeon is fond of the shorter procedure time and the supposedly reduced cardiovascular effects associated with cementless arthroplasty, which would be valuable for this frail patient. However, on reviewing the radiographs, the surgeon notes osteopenia and a wide, patulous femoral canal. The surgeon is worried about failing to obtain a good press-fit, causing an intraoperative fracture, or seeing subsidence on the follow-up postoperative radiographs. Up until now, he or she has had to base the decision on limited literature that primarily employed old Austin Moore implants. Taylor et al. have released the results of a randomized …
Vanadium Oxide Nanotubes: Characterization and Electrochemical Behavior

Abstract : Vanadium oxide nanotubes (VONT) were formed from vanadium (V) oxide and the dodecylamine templating agent by a sol-gel reaction and subsequent hydrothermal treatment. The nanotubes were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), electron diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), infrared spectroscopy and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD). The nanotubes consist of VO2.4C12H28N0.27 and range in diameter from 100 nm to 150 nm. The study further reveals that the compound maintained the tubular morphology when heated at 430 deg C in an inert atmosphere. However, the tubular morphology is destroyed when the compound is heated at about 130 deg C in oxygen. Organic free manganese intercalated vanadium oxide nanotubes (MnVONT) were synthesized by an ion exchange reaction. The previously mentioned techniques were used to characterize MnVONT. Mn(0.86)V7O(16+sigma). nH2O layers have 2D tetragonal cell with a = 6.157(3) A, while interlayer spacing is 10.52 (3) A. VONT, heated VONT and Mn(0.86)V7C(16+sigma). nH2O are redox - active and can insert lithium reversibly. This study reveals that the electrochemical performance of VONT is enhanced by removing the organic template by heating in an inert atmosphere or exchanging with Mn(2+) ions.
Historical Sociology and Jewish Historiography: A Review Essay

hroughout the Middle Ages the place of the Jew in western society was defined in terms of both the theological assumptions of Christianity and the corporate structure of medieval society. Within this framework, European Jewry maintained a semi-autonomous existence, ordering its life according to the values and institutional structures of rabbinic Judaism. In Berger's terms, this framework provided the Jew with both the legitimation and plausibility structure necessary to sustain a traditional, closed society. With rare exceptions, usually involving only the upper socio-economic levels of their society, Jews lived a segregated social and cultural existence, separated from Christian society by neighborhood, appearance, dress, language, religion, and historical and ethnic consciousness.
A proposal for using incentive precommitments in public enterprise funding

Abstract Among the central problems of less-developed countries (LDCs) is the poor performance of their public enterprises (PEs) and the seemingly limited ability of governments and other agencies to improve this performance. This paper proposes that project agencies be induced, as a part of the initial financing of PEs, to undertake specific types of precommitments (a precommitment to liquidate the project if its ex-post performance falls below some threshold level, and a precommitment to link a non-negligible part of employee compensation to actual performance). Our proposal is not guaranteed to improve PE performance, because there are no perfect solutions to what is inherently a politically difficult problem. Nevertheless, we argue that as long as public enterprises exist (independent of whether this is a good idea or not), a precommitment to use performance-based incentives is likely to improve their performance. We discuss the primary sources of PE losses, compare their probable magnitudes, and explain how various precommitments are likely to ameliorate such losses. Our proposal is aimed at stimulating more thought on this subject and is addressed to a broad audience.
The Role of Capillarity in the VAPEX Process

The vapor extraction (VAPEX) process warrants the oil industry attention because of its applicability to recover viscous oil in the cases when steam assisted gravity drainage fails due to the prese...
Wet versus Dry Beet Pulp for Milk Production

Summary In a reversal experiment consisting of three 10-week trials, the relative feeding value of wet and dry beet pulp for milk and butterfat production was determined. Eight cows were used in each of the first two trials and ten cows were used in the third trial. During each trial the cows were divided into two equal groups. One group received wet beet pulp while the other group received dry pulp. The groups were reversed at the end of the first five weeks. The total milk and butterfat production was slightly higher for the cows while receiving dry pulp. The 26 cows produced 23,369.7 pounds of milk and 760.03 pounds of butterfat while being fed dry pulp, as compared with 23,307.0 pounds of milk and 747.80 pounds of butterfat while receiving the wet pulp. The average daily production per cow while receiving dry pulp was 32.10 pounds of milk and 1.044 pounds of butterfat, as compared with 32.01 pounds of milk and 1.027 pounds of butterfat while receiving the wet pulp. The butterfat percentage was slightly higher while the cows were receiving dry pulp. The average butterfat percentage was 3.25 while on dry pulp, and 3.21 while on wet pulp. Seventeen of the 26 cows tested higher while receiving dry pulp, one cow tested the same on both wet and dry pulp, and eight cows tested higher while receiving the wet pulp. The cows consumed slightly more water while receiving wet pulp. The average daily water consumption per cow was 104.2 pounds on wet pulp, and 102.3 pounds on dry pulp. The average gain in body weight was slightly greater for the cows receiving dry pulp. The average gain per cow was 14.3 pounds while receiving the dry pulp, and 8.9 pounds while receiving the wet pulp. It was found from an average of several feedings that more than twice as much time was required for preparing and feeding a group of five cows wet pulp as was required for feeding the same number of cows dry pulp.
Should gene therapy be used for newborns with hemophilia

Hemophilia results from a deficiency of blood coagulation factors and leads to spontaneous bleeding. The disease is an attractive model for gene therapy because small amounts of the deficient protein can reduce the risk of bleeding. Therapeutic levels of coagulation Factor VIII (deficient in hemophilia A) and Factor IX (hemophilia B) have been achieved in mice and dogs, and five gene therapy trials have been initiated in adult patients1,2,3,4. These human trials include intramuscular or hepatic artery injection of an adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector for hemophilia B, intravenous injection of retroviral or adenoviral vectors for hemophilia A, and implantation of genetically-modified fibroblasts for hemophilia A.
Mesoporous Titania Films Prepared by Flame Stabilized on a Rotating Surface: Application in Dye Sensitized Solar Cells

We examine the properties and performance of mesoporous nanoparticle films of TiO2 prepared by flame stabilized on a rotating surface (FSRS) for application in dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The fabrication of mesoporous TiO2 layers, involving simultaneous flame synthesis of TiO2 nanoparticles and film deposition, followed by film densification and sintering, greatly simplifies photoanode preparation in comparison to the sol–gel method commonly used for TiO2 particle preparation. To demonstrate the flexibility of the FSRS technique, three types of photoanodes were prepared and characterized, two of which are dominated by anatase but differ in particle size and the third has substantial rutile content. DSSCs made with an FSRS film with 12 μm thickness and 20 nm median particle size, containing predominantly anatase, with the use of a backscattering layer and sensitized by the N719 dye, produced ∼20 mA/cm2 short-circuit current density and a photon-to-electricity conversion efficiency of 8.2% at AM1.5 ...