cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure-shoring up the public health infrastructure to respond to bioterrorist attacks.

Abstract US public health departments must be prepared for the possibility of a biological terrorist event. Readiness means not only making sure our national security systems are adequate and vigilant, but that public health has the ability and resources to rapidly identify, investigate, and control the consequences of a terrorist event. Preparing for a bioterrorist attack will also improve public health’s ability to address infectious disease outbreaks, food safety concerns, and environmental hazards. (AJIC Am J Infect Control 1999;27:465-7)
Interleukin-10 does not mediate inhalational tolerance in a chronic model of ovalbumin-induced allergic airway disease ☆

Abstract Objective IL-10 is a potent anti-inflammatory cytokine, and IL-10-producing regulatory T cells are effective inhibitors of murine asthmatic responses. This study determined whether IL-10-dependent mechanisms mediated the local inhalational tolerance seen with chronic inhalational exposure to antigen. Methods Wildtype and IL-10−/− mice were sensitized with ovalbumin (OVA) and then challenged with daily OVA inhalations for 10 days or 6 weeks. Results The 10-day animals developed allergic airway disease, characterized by BAL eosinophilia, histologic airway inflammation and mucus secretion, methacholine hyperresponsiveness, and OVA-specific IgE production. These changes were more pronounced in IL-10−/− mice. The 6-week IL-10−/− and wildtype animals both developed inhalational tolerance, with resolution of airway inflammation but persistence of OVA-specific IgE production. Conclusion IL-10 may have anti-inflammatory effects in the acute stage of murine allergic airways disease, but the cytokine does not mediate the development of local inhalational tolerance with chronic antigen exposure.
709 ABNORMALITIES IN B CELL DIFFERENTIATION AND T CELL SUPPRESSION IN IMMUNODEFICIENCY WITH HYPER-IgM

709 ABNORMALITIES IN B CELL DIFFERENTIATION AND T CELL SUPPRESSION IN IMMUNODEFICIENCY WITH HYPER-IgM
In silico Prediction of Sex-Based Differences in Human Susceptibility to Cardiac Ventricular Tachyarrhythmias

Sex-based differences in human susceptibility to cardiac ventricular tachyarrhythmias likely result from the emergent effects of multiple intersecting processes that fundamentally differ in male and female hearts. Included are measured differences in the genes encoding key cardiac ion channels and effects of sex steroid hormones to acutely modify electrical activity. At the genome scale, human females have recently been shown to have lower expression of genes encoding key cardiac repolarizing potassium currents and connexin43, the primary ventricular gap junction subunit. Human males and females also have distinct sex steroid hormones. Here, we developed mathematical models for male and female ventricular human heart cells by incorporating experimentally determined genomic differences and effects of sex steroid hormones into the O’Hara-Rudy model. These “male” and “female” model cells and tissues then were used to predict how various sex-based differences underlie arrhythmia risk. Genomic-based differences in ion channel expression were alone sufficient to determine longer female cardiac action potential durations (APD) in both epicardial and endocardial cells compared to males. Subsequent addition of sex steroid hormones exacerbated these differences, as testosterone further shortened APDs, while estrogen and progesterone application resulted in disparate effects on APDs. Our results indicate that incorporation of experimentally determined genomic differences from human hearts in conjunction with sex steroid hormones are consistent with clinically observed differences in QT interval, T-wave shape and morphology, and critically, in the higher vulnerability of adult human females to Torsades de Pointes type arrhythmias. The model suggests that female susceptibility to alternans stems from longer female action potentials, while reentrant arrhythmia derives largely from sex-based differences in conduction play an important role in arrhythmia vulnerability.
Evidence from randomized clinical trials demonstrating improved glycemic control with GLP-1 receptor agonists when used with other agents vs other combination therapy strategies

Incretin-based therapies include glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) based therapies. Both classes of agents are predicated on the knowledge that GLP-1, a gut-derived hormone, plays a major role in glucose homeostasis, a fact that has been known for several decades; however, until recently GLP-1 has not been able to be harnessed into a pharmacologically viable target with which to treat type 2 diabetes. GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RA) provide supraphysiologic levels of GLP-1, resulting in increased levels of insulin and decreased glucagon secretion, without attendant hypoglycemia risk or risk of weight gain. They are more potent than DPP-4 inhibitors, may result in weight loss, have different adverse effect profiles, and may have other different pharmacological nonglycemic effects than DPP-4 inhibitors. They can be successfully used as part of combination therapy strategies, which is important because type 2 diabetes has multiple pathophysiological defects that need to be addressed to successfully maintain or achieve glucose goals.
Exploring users’ social responses to computer counseling interviewers’ behavior

Abstract We explore the effect of behavioral realism and reciprocal self-disclosure from computer interviewers on the social responses of human users in simulated psychotherapeutic counseling interactions. To investigate this subject, we designed a 3 × 3 factorial between-subjects experiment involving three conditions of behavioral realism: high realism, low realism, and audio-only (displaying no behavior at all) and three conditions of reciprocal self-disclosure: high disclosure, low disclosure, and no disclosure. We measured users’ feelings of social presence (Copresence, Social Attraction, and Emotional Credibility), rapport, perception of the quality of users’ own responses (Embarrassment and Self-Performance), emotional state (PANAS), perception of an interaction partner (Person Perception), self-reported self-disclosure, speech fluency (Pause Fillers and Incomplete Words), and Verbal Self-Disclosure. We observed some contradictory outcomes in users’ subjective reports. However, the results of objective data analysis demonstrated that users disclosed greater Verbal Self-Disclosure (medium level of intimacy) when interacting with computer interviewers that displayed high behavioral realism and high self-disclosure. Users also delivered more fluent speech when interacting with computer interviewers that displayed high behavioral realism.
Doubly iterative LDPC-coded DS-CDMA receivers with coherent detection, EM channel estimation, and no pilot symbols

In this paper, we describe direct-sequence code-division multiple-access (CDMA) systems with M-ary modulation in which channel estimation, coherent demodulation, and decoding are iteratively performed without the use of any training or pilot symbols. An expectation-maximization channel-estimation algorithm for the fading amplitude and interference-plus-noise power spectral density (PSD) is proposed for CDMA systems with low-density parity-check codes. The elimination of pilot symbols simplifies the system design and allows either an enhancement in information throughput or greater spectral efficiency by increasing the information-symbol duration. After initial estimates of the fading amplitude and noise PSD are obtained from the received symbols, subsequent values of these parameters are iteratively updated by using the soft feedback from the channel decoder. The updated estimates are combined with the received symbols and iteratively passed to the decoder. Although the bit error rates of the proposed systems may be slightly larger than those of comparable systems with pilot-assisted channel estimation, the throughputs are higher.
Subsurface soil textural control of aboveground productivity in the US Desert Southwest

Abstract The drylands of the US Desert Southwest (SW) are dependent on precipitation stored as soil moisture for aboveground productivity. Availability of soil moisture in dryland systems is a function of climate and soil physical properties; however, we lack accurate understanding of how soil physical properties modulate regional patterns of aboveground productivity responses to climate forcing in the SW. We used established regional soil, vegetation, and climate datasets to quantify differences in vegetation productivity attributable to soil texture and climate forcing. Subsurface soil texture accounted for significant variation in aboveground productivity in the winter and fore-summer months, but not during the summer monsoon. Subsurface soil texture differences were more important in the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts, which receive significant winter precipitation. Subsurface soil texture is a significant determinant in modulating aboveground productivity, linked to winter precipitation storage as soil moisture, suggesting that drying winters may lead to increased dryland ecosystem stress.
Effects of menstrual cycle phase on the reinforcing effects of phencyclidine (PCP) in rhesus monkeys

Substantive evidence indicates that there are sex differences in the reinforcing effects of drugs, and gonadal steroid hormones, such as estrogen and progesterone, likely contribute to these differences. Among females, subjective effects of drugs differ as a function of menstrual cycle phase. The purpose of the present study was to compare oral self-administration of phencyclidine (PCP) in female rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) across different phases of the menstrual cycle. Since the 28-day menstrual cycle of non-human primates is similar to that of humans, this model could provide important evidence supporting the implication that changes in the levels of gonadal hormones across menstrual phase can alter a drug's reinforcing effects. Oral self-administration of several concentrations of PCP (0.125, 0.25, and 0.5 mg/ml) was examined in three sexually mature female monkeys during 3-h experimental sessions. Menstrual cycle phase was determined by onset of menses and verified by examining vaginal cytology. PCP self-administration was greater during the luteal phase at the 0.125 and 0.25 mg/ml concentrations, which is normally characterized by high levels of progesterone and moderate levels of estrogen, than during the follicular phase, when levels of estrogen are increasing and progesterone levels are low. When examined within each phase, numbers of PCP deliveries were highest during the mid-luteal phase, compared to the early and mid-follicular phases. No differences in self-administration were observed between early and mid-follicular phases, but a significant difference in PCP deliveries was found between mid- and late luteal phases at the lowest concentration of PCP tested. The results from this study suggest that PCP's reinforcing effects in female monkeys differ as a function of menstrual cycle phase.
Nitrogen Alkylation of schiff bases and amidines as a route to N-alkyl amino acids

Abstract Schiff base and amidine ester 3 are alkylated and then hydrolyzed to yield N-alkyl amino acids 4 in 41–75% yield with high to complete retention of optical activity.
De La Caffinière Thumb Carpometacarpal Replacements: 93 cases at 6 to 16 years follow-up

The results of 93 de la Caffiniere thumb joint replacements in 71 patients were reviewed between 6 and 16 years. The survival rate was 89% at 16 years. Eleven thumb joints had failed requiring revision. The commonest reason for failure was aseptic loosening of the trapezial component. The failure rate was higher in men of working age than any other group, which possibly reflects the increased demands on the prosthesis of these patients. We support the use of this implant for degenerative osteoarthritis, but caution against its use in men under 65 years.
Data fusion and classifier ensemble techniques for vegetation mapping in the coastal Everglades

This study examined the applicability of data fusion and classifier ensemble techniques for vegetation mapping in the coastal Everglades. A framework was designed to combine these two techniques. In the framework, 20-m hyperspectral imagery collected from Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer was first merged with 1-m Digital Orthophoto Quarter Quads using a proposed pixel/feature-level fusion strategy. The fused data set was then classified with an ensemble approach based on two contemporary machine learning algorithms: Random Forest and Support Vector Machine. The framework was applied to classify nine vegetation types in a portion of the coastal Everglades. An object-based vegetation map was produced with an overall accuracy of 90% and Kappa value of 0.86. Per-class classification accuracy varied from 61% for identifying buttonwood forest to 100% for identifying red mangrove scrub. The result shows that the framework is promising for automated vegetation mapping in the Everglades.
Intervention Research With Minority Older Adults Challenges Encountered, Solutions Enacted, and Implications for Future Work

Minority older adults are the fastest-growing segment of the older adult population, and a disproportionate number have the greatest psychosocial needs. It is the need to understand and bridge exis...
Groups for brothers and sisters of developmentally disabled children: one component of a family-centered approach.

Developmental disabilities is an umbrella term used to designate a broad range of severe, long-term problems that arise in children from the prenatal period through age 21. Often, children's adaptive responses to their environment and those in it are altered. More precisely, terms such as mental retardation, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, and those for other congenital or neurological problems designate diagnostic categories that fall under this heading.
'They might as well brand us': working-class resistance to compulsory vaccination in Victorian England.

From its origins in resistance to the 1853 Compulsory Vaccination Act, the Victorian anti-vaccination movement successfully challenged the public health policies of an increasingly interventionist state. Anti-vaccinationists were not only middle-class reformers, but were also drawn from a politically active working class. These campaigners saw compulsory vaccination as an extreme example of class legislation, for its policy and administration implicitly targeted working-class infants and inflicted multiple penalties on a public who considered themselves 'conscientious objectors'. Anti-vaccinationism was quickly absorbed into English working-class culture. Indeed, it helped to reorganize working-class identities around the site of the vulnerable body thereby absorbing many people into a working class who interpreted the violation of their bodies as a form of political tyranny. Participation in this movement was, however, also an exclusive exercise for anti-vaccinators, as respectable working-class citizens distinguished themselves from members of the 'undeserving' classes. This paper explores the class nature of the Vaccination Acts, their relationship to the New Poor Law, and the political implications of their administration. It also imbeds anti-vaccinationism firmly within working-class culture, illustrating the campaign's relationship to popular protest and entertainment, and this legislation's impact upon working-class bodies.
Triage: balancing energy and quality of service in a microserver

The ease of deployment of battery-powered and mobile systems is pushing the network edge far from powered infrastructures. A primary challenge in building untethered systems is offering powerful aggregation points and gateways between heterogeneous end-points---a role traditionally played by powered servers. Microservers are battery-powered in-network nodes that play a number of roles: processing data fromclients, aggregating data, providing responses to queries, and actingas a network gateway. Providing QoS guarantees for theseservices can be extremely energy intensive. Since increasedenergy consumption translates to a shorter lifetime, there is a need for a new way to provide these QoS guarantees at minimal energy consumption.This paper presents Triage, a tiered hardware and softwarearchitecture for microservers. Triage extends the lifetime of a microserver by combining two independent, but connected platforms: a high-power platform that provides the capability to executecomplex tasks and a low-power platform that provides high responsiveness at low energy cost. The low-power platform acts similarto a medical triage unit, examining requests to find critical ones, and scheduling tasks to optimize the use of the high-powerplatform. The scheduling decision is based on evaluating each task's resource requirements using hardware-assisted profiling of execution time and energy usage. Using three microserver services, storage, network forwarding, and query processing, we show that Triage provides more than 300% increase in microserver lifetime over existing systems while providing probabilistic quality of service guarantees.
Adaptive Linear Programming Decoding

The ability of linear programming (LP) decoding to detect failures, and its potential for improvement by the addition of new constraints, motivates the use of an adaptive approach in selecting the constraints for the underlying LP problem. In this paper, we show that the application of such adaptive methods can significantly reduce the complexity of the LP decoding algorithm, which, in the standard formulation, is exponential in the maximum row weight of the parity-check matrix. We further show that adaptively adding new constraints, e.g. by combining parity checks, can provide large gains in LP decoder performance.
The effects of contingent and noncontingent attention on self-injury and self-restraint

Self-restraint and self-injurious behavior (SIB) are two responses that can sometimes be members of the same functional response class (i.e., maintained by the same contingency). In such cases, a single treatment should be effective for both responses. In this investigation, we examined the effects of providing attention (the presumed reinforcer) both noncontingently and contingent upon either SIB or self-restraint. Results were consistent with our hypothesis that both responses were maintained by attention and suggested that noncontingent reinforcement was a potentially effective treatment.
The Relationships Among Perceived Peer Acceptance of Sexual Aggression, Punishment Certainty, and Sexually Aggressive Behavior

Researching the correlates of men’s sexually aggressive behavior (i.e., verbal coercion and rape) is critical to both understanding and preventing sexual aggression. This study examined 120 men who completed an anonymous online questionnaire. The study aimed to determine the relative importance of two potential correlates of men’s self-reported use of sexual aggression: (a) perceptions that male peers use and support sexual aggression and (b) perceptions of punishment likelihood associated with sexual aggression. Results revealed that perceptions of male friends’ acceptance of sexual aggression were strongly associated with individual men’s reports of using verbal coercion and rape. Perceptions of punishment likelihood were negatively correlated with verbal coercion but not with rape through intoxication and force. Implications for sexual aggression prevention are discussed.
Important Parameters in Drop Coalescence at Planar Surfaces

An experimental study has been performed to establish the principal elements that govern drop coalescence. The study consisted of placing drops of various sizes and physical properties on a planar interface. The coalescence process was recorded with the aid of a high speed digital camera. The experimental portion of the project was aimed at capturing the time of coalescence and the size of the secondary drop that formed after coalescence had finished. Results of the experiments, when scaled properly, showed clear patterns with respect to inertial and viscous terms. Dimensional analysis indicated that Ohnesorge number, Oh, had a strong influence on the behavior of drop coalescence. The ratio of secondary drop radius to primary drop radius, ri , was calculated to be approximately constant when Oh was much smaller than unity. However, as Oh approached unity from the lower bound, the value of ri decayed. No secondary drop was observed when Oh was greater than unity. Normalized coalescence times confirmed this trend by being properly scaled with inertial time scales for small Ohnesorge number and preferring viscous time scales when Ohnesorge number was greater than unity.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Lesquerella growth and selenium uptake affected by saline irrigation water composition

Abstract A greenhouse study was conducted to determine the effects of waters differing in salt composition on growth and selenium (Se) accumulation by lesquerella (Lesquerella fendleri Gray S. Wats.). Plants were established by direct seeding into sand cultures and irrigated with solutions containing either (a) Cl− as the dominant anion or (b) a mixture of salts of SO42− and Cl−. Four treatments of each salinity type were imposed. Electrical conductivities of the irrigation waters were 1.7, 4, 8, and 13 dS m−1. Two months after salinization, Se (l mg l−1, 12.7 μM) was added to all solutions as Na2SeO4. Shoot growth was significantly reduced by increasing Cl-salinity. Regardless of salinity type, concentrations of Ca2+, Mg2+, Cl−, total-S, and Se were higher in the leaves than the stems, whereas K+ and Na+ were higher in the stem. Leaf-Se concentrations were not significantly affected by Cl-based irrigation waters, averaging 503 mg Se kg−1 dry wt across salinity levels, whereas leaf-Se decreased consistently and significantly from 218 to 13 mg kg−1 as mixed salt salinity increased. The dramatic reduction in Se was attributed to SO42−:SeO42− competition during plant uptake. The strong Se-accumulating ability of lesquerella suggests that the crop should be further evaluated as a potentially valuable phytoremediator of Se-contaminated soils and waters of low to moderate salinity in areas where the dominant anion in the substrate is Cl−.
An electrophysiological investigation of semantic and phonological processing in skilled and less-skilled comprehenders.

The most prominent theories of reading consider reading comprehension ability to be a direct consequence of lower-level reading skills. Recently however, research has shown that some children with poor comprehension ability perform normally on tests of lower-level skills (e.g., decoding). One promising line of behavioral research has found semantic processing diVerences between good and poor comprehenders and suggests that impoverished semantic ability may be linked to poor comprehenders’ diYculties. In the current study, we used event related potentials (ERP) to compare adult skilled and less-skilled comprehenders on a set of semantic and phonological processing tasks. The results revealed that the N400 component of the ERP and the P200 component were sensitive to diVerences between skilled and lessskilled comprehenders during a semantic processing task. Importantly, skilled and less-skilled comprehenders showed no diVerences in their ERP response during a phonological processing task. These Wndings provide neurophysiological support for the hypothesis that less-skilled comprehenders have a weakness in semantic processing that may contribute to their comprehension diYculties.
The profile of small animal practice.

The objectives, methods and results of a comprehensive survey of the work done by sixty-one veterinary surgeons engaged in small animal practice are summarized and collated. The study was undertaken on behalf of the BSAVA Scientific Committee and took place during 1972/1973. The implications and the possible lines along which this type of practice may evolve are discussed.
Stress, Appraisal, and Coping in Mothers of Disabled and Nondisabled Children

The cognitive-behavioral model of stress and coping provided the framework for this study of mothers of physically disabled children (n = 69) and mothers of nondisabled children (n = 63). The first aim was to test for differences between groups in responses to stressful parenting events. As hypothesized, mothers of disabled children reported higher levels of depressive symptomatology. Differences in psychological distress and health status approached significance. The second aim was to explore the mediating influences of coping strategies and cognitive appraisals. As predicted, emotion-focused coping was related to increased psychological distress in mothers of disabled children whereas problem-focused coping was associated with decreased distress. Both relationships were significant even after controlling for differences in type of parenting stressor. Hierarchical regressions showed that 58 and 25% of the variance in psychological distress was explained by the independent variables; however, the predictors were different for the two groups of mothers. Factors that may explain the differential effectiveness of coping and appraisal, and clinical implications of this study are discussed.
Catalase, Lipoxygenase, and Peroxidase Activities in Cucumber Pickles as Affected by Fermentation, Processing, and Calcium Chloride

Catalase, lipoxygenase, and peroxidase activities were determined in tissues and brines of pickling cucumbers during fermentation, storage, and after processing. Lipoxygenase and catalase were inactivated within three days of exposure to fermentation brines. Peroxidase activity was relatively unaffected by the first three days of brining, but it declined during fermentation, storage, and after processing. CaCl2 reduced the loss of peroxidase activity in tissue and brine during fermentation and storage. Alum in post-desalting brine reduced peroxidase activity in processed pickles although CaCl2 ameliorated its efficacy. No activity of catalase, lipoxygenase or peroxidase was detected in cucumber juice extracts fermented by four different lactic acid bacteria.
Unmet Need for ADL Assistance Is Associated With Mortality Among Older Adults With Mild Disability

Background Unmet need for assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs) disability is associated with increased risk for future hospitalization. To further explore the association between unmet ADL need and future health outcomes, we examined the association between unmet need for ADL assistance and 1-year mortality. Methods A prospective study of 6,730 community-living Medicare recipients was conducted among respondents to the 1994, 1999, and/or 2004 National Long Term Care Survey. Only those who reported having one or more ADL disabilities were included. Time to death within 1 year after the community survey was determined from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services vital statistics records. The community interviews provided demographic, health, and ADL information. Results Unadjusted 1-year death rates were 8.7%, 10.6%, 11.4%, 19.2%, and 27.3%, respectively, for respondents with disabilities in 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 ADLs. Overall, 21.3% reported unmet need for assistance for one or more ADL disabilities. After controlling for demographic and health characteristics, we found a significant interaction between unmet ADL need and level of ADL disability (p = .018). Post hoc analyses revealed that unmet ADL need was associated with increased risk for mortality only for those with one (hazard ratio = 1.96; 95% CI = 1.29-2.87) or two ADL disabilities (hazard ratio = 1.37; 95% CI = 1.07-1.75), but not for those with three or more ADL disabilities. Conclusion Future studies are needed to determine whether these findings are replicable and, if so, whether physiologic or process of care variables explain why ADL is associated with mortality only for those with mild disability.
SATURATION AND COOLING OF AIR LAYERS BY EVAPORATION FROM FALLING RAIN

Abstract The changes in temperature and relative humidity caused by evaporation from raindrops are computed for several cases involving three different lapse rates and two rainfall intensities. Formulae for evaporation from stationary drops are modified to include the effects of relative velocity and continuously changing air temperature. It is found that saturation, due to evaporation alone, will not be produced in an isothermal layer or a layer having a decrease of temperature with height. In the case of the isothermal layer, the air is very close to saturation after six hours. The temperature decrease during the same interval is 4.5°C. Due to the lower equilibrium drop temperature, the final relative humidity in a layer having a moist-adiabatic lapse rate is near 97 per cent and the temperature fall is slightly smaller. In an inversion, however, the humidity reaches 100 per cent in two and one-half hours and approaches 107 per cent after six hours. The excess moisture present is sufficient to produce f...
Technique and Outcome of Nares Amputation (Trader’s Technique) in Immature Shih Tzus

Dogs with brachycephalic conformation frequently suffer from stenotic nares. This study investigated the clinical effects of stenotic nares resection in shih tzu puppies using an amputation technique first described in 1949. The authors hypothesized that surgical correction of the stenotic nares would result in improvement of nasal discharge/noise, breathing difficulty (dyspnea), and exercise limitations (exercise intolerance), and that the technique would provide a cosmetic result. Based on the results of this study, the authors recommend early surgical correction (amputation) of stenotic nares in shih tzu puppies as an effective and cosmetic technique.
Identification of Viral Hepatitis by Real Time PCR and its Gender Association in Punjab, Pakistan

In the developing countries including Pakistan, hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) cause serious health problems. A range of risk factors are responsible for this infectious disease’s spread. This study was carried out to detect virus type in suspected patients from Punjab and evaluate the viral association with gender. Identification of viral hepatitis type was done by real time PCR (Cepheid, USA). Association of Hepatitis viruses (Hepatitis B & C) infection with gender was analyzed, among suspected patients reported in a Local Hospital at Islamabad. A total of 827 suspected patients were screened for Hepatitis B (n=180) and Hepatitis C (n=647). Total pervasiveness of Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C was found to be more common in male by percentage analysis but statistical analysis results differ from these. Further studies are needed to characterize HBV and HCV viruses, causes of their spread and transmission with reference to Pakistan.
External Justifications and Institutional Roles

In his paper "Role Obligations," Michael Hardimon defends an account of the nature and justification of institutional obligations that he takes to be clearly superior to the "standard" voluntarist view. Hardimon argues that this standard view presents a "misleading and distorted" picture of role obligations (and of morality generally); and in its best form he claims this view still "leaves out" of its understanding of even contractual role obligations an "absolutely vital factor". I argue against Hardimon that a related version of this "standard view" of institutional obligations is "standard" for a very good reason - namely, that it is true.
Accounting-Based Stock Price Anomalies: Separating Market Inefficiencies from Research Design Flaws

We examine six stock price anomalies using two sets of tests to determine the extent to which six anomalies a) represent market mispricing, or b) reflect premia for unidentified risks. Market mispricing is indicated if the anomalous returns are concentrated around subsequent earnings announcements, in patterns suggesting that the earnings information causes traders to reexamine their prior (incorrect) beliefs. Mispricing is also indicated if anomalous returns on zero investment portfolios are positive, period after period. Our results indicate that an anomaly based on earnings surprises probably reflects market mispricing, but that the book/market ratio, earnings/price ratio, and two factors based on a computerized fundamental analysis (from Ou and Penman [1989] and Holthausen and Larcker [1992]) are more likely to reflect risk premia. Evidence on a sixth anomaly, based on announcement quarter abnormal returns, is mixed.
A Markov chain model of military personnel dynamics

Personnel retention is one of the most significant challenges faced by the US Army. Central to the problem is understanding the incentives of the stay-or-leave decision for military personnel. Using three years of data from the US Department of Defense, we construct and estimate a Markov chain model of military personnel. Unlike traditional classification approaches, such as logistic regression models, the Markov chain model allows us to describe military personnel dynamics over time and answer a number of managerially relevant questions. Building on the Markov chain model, we construct a finite-horizon stochastic dynamic programming model to study the monetary incentives of stay-or-leave decisions. The dynamic programming model computes the expected pay-off of staying versus leaving at different stages of the career of military personnel, depending on employment opportunities in the civilian sector. We show that the stay-or-leave decisions from the dynamic programming model possess surprisingly strong pr...
Self-rated health and subsequent health care use among military personnel returning from international deployments.

ABSTRACT Individual health status assessment upon completion of U.S. military deployments was standardized in 1999 with a brief health assessment questionnaire. This cohort study analyzed health status responses and their relationship to postdeployment health outcomes among 16,142 military personnel who completed a health questionnaire after a deployment ending in 1999. Respondents were Army and Air Force personnel returning from Europe or Southwest Asia. Fourteen percent documented at least one health concern and 1.8% had fair/poor self-rated health. In the 6 months after deployment, 1.4% were hospitalized, 25% made five or more outpatient visits, and 4% separated from military service. Deployers with fair/poor self-rated health were at a significantly increased risk for high use of outpatient services (risk ratio, men 1.8, women 1.7) but not for hospitalization or separation. Self-report of low health status or other health concerns may help identify deployers with higher health care needs after future ...
Blood levels of 17-hydroxycorticosteroids in hyperthermic dogs.

SummaryTwenty-four dogs were subjected to an ambient temperature of sufficient magnitude to elevate rectal temperatures to 42.5†C for one hour. These animals were studied with regard to plasma 17-hydroxycorticosteroid concentration and plasma and erythrocyte electrolyte levels. Significant changes were observed in all measured variables with the exception of plasma Na concentration, which was not altered from the control value. The physiological implications of these data are discussed.
Performance Optimized Modulation Formats in 4 and 8 Dimensions

We characterize the performance of 4- and 8-dimensional formats vs. spectral efficiency. Optimized 4D and polarization-balanced 8D formats improve system margin by > 0.5 dB on dispersion-uncompensated and > 1.2 dB on dispersion-managed networks.
Context Versus Principles: A Misplaced Debate in Christian Ethics

The field of Christian ethics has been the location of a debate over the past decades between roughly delineated parties representing an allegiance to the use of formal prescriptive principles on the one hand, and those representing the cause of the more existential response to a particular situation on the other hand. The debate has taken place in Europe and the United States, it has taken place in Catholicism and in Protestantism. In European Protestant literature Karl Barth's Church Dogmatics, particularly Volume II/2, Bonhoeffer's Ethics, and Niels Soe's Kristelig Etik, have represented what has been called a “contextual” approach. More traditional Lutheran theologians who stress the importance of ethics under the law have a larger place for traditional ethical principles. Werner Elert and Walter Kunneth would be representative of this group. In Catholic literature there was a movement in the early years after World War II that came to be called “situational morality.” A critic has typified it in the following terms, “The ultimate differences between this new morality and traditional morality come down then to this: In an objective system of ethics the moral judgment is submitted to an extrinsic norm, an ontological norm founded on the principles of being. In situational ethics the moral judgment is measured only by the subjective, immanent light of the individual in question.” In contrast to the situational emphasis is the whole tradition of natural law ethics and moral theology as this developed in Roman Catholicism. It should be noted that some of the recent Catholic ethics continues to be influenced by a situational approach, though not in the extreme way of earlier materials.
In vitro assessment of bacterial colonisation rates of goat umbilical cord segments using three embodiments of a novel neonatal umbilical catheter protection device

Introduction Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) in neonates with umbilical catheters occur at a rate that is 5 times higher than CLABSIs in adults with central catheters. No device currently exists tailored to the unique constraints umbilical catheters pose. The current study examined the natural progression of bacterial colonisation in goat umbilical cords and the relationship between embodiments of a novel neonatal umbilical catheter protection device and bacterial colonisation rates. The authors hypothesise that device venting is required to minimise bacterial colonisation in the unique umbilical stump environment. Methods The natural progression of bacterial colonisation in goat umbilical cord segments was studied by examining bacterial colonisation rates each day over 7 days. To understand the relationship between protection and bacterial colonisation, umbilical catheters were placed in goat umbilical cord segments and secured with 1 of 3 embodiments of a novel umbilical catheter protection device, which offered varying degrees of venting. After a 7-day period of incubation, colony counts were compared. Results Bacterial load was largest when umbilical cord segments were fresh and subsequently decreased over time. Further, bacterial colonisation rates showed a statistically significant difference between device embodiments (F(2,9)=4.26, p Conclusions A device to better stabilise and protect umbilical catheters in order to reduce bloodstream infections in neonates is greatly needed. The current experiments confirm the hypothesis that completely enclosed, or non-vented, protection device will have increased bacterial growth.
Magneto-hydrodynamics simulation study of high-density plasmas in electromagnetic guns

Electromagnetic plasma guns use Lorentz forces to accelerate high density plasmas to velocities ~ km/s. This concept has been used widely in space propulsion systems and in thermonuclear fusion devices. One of the important factors that influence the performance of these devices is the interaction of the high density plasma with the bounding solid surfaces. We perform a numerical modeling study of the plasma in an electromagnetic gun to understand the discharge physics and in particular study the plasma-surface interactions. We use the resistive Magneto hydrodynamics (MHD) equations which include the mass, momentum and energy equations for a conducting fluid along with the Maxwell's equations to study the plasma phenomenon in these devices. The equations are solved on an unstructured mesh using a cell-centered finite volume formulation. Simulations are performed on the operation of a generic plasma accelerator in the plasma detonation mode with current inputs ~ 400-1200 kA/m. Results obtained reveal the formation of a current sheet that propagates from the breech to the muzzle. It is also seen that the viscous shear stresses and thermal fluxes at the electrodes are dominant in the region of the current sheet. The time averaged viscous drag acting on the plasma is seen to increase rapidly with the current input.
Two-Temperature Effects on the Multiphase Burning of Confined Porous Propellants *

a relatively rapid change in the burning-rate response over a certain range of overpressures in which the sensitivity, or slope, of the propagation speed as a function of overpressure transitions from relatively small to large values. This is often referred to as a transition from “conductive” to “convective” burning, corresponding to the increased role played by convective gas transport relative to thermal diffusion in determining the propagation speed of the deflagration. In the present work, we consider the analysis of a two-temperature model in which finite-rate interphase heat-transfer effects also play an important role in determining the burning-rate eigenvalue. In particular, we revisit a physically relevant scenario in which the first effects of temperature nonequilibrium are felt in the thin multiphase reaction region, with the preheat zone remaining in thermal equilibrium to a first approximation. Expanding on previous asymptotic results that are further specialized to certain limiting parameter regimes, we consider a combination of analytical and numerical approaches to obtain solutions in the chemical boundary layer, and hence the burning-rate eigenvalue, for a significantly wider range of parameters. In particular, we are able to address a greater range of resistance to interphase heat transfer and thus determine an upper limit beyond which interphase temperature differences are no longer negligible in the preheat region. The main result is that, relative to earlier single-temperature models in which temperature-nonequilibrium effects are completely neglected, the burning-rate response exhibits a much sharper transition from the conduction- to the convection-dominated regime. This results from the ability of the reactive phase to retain a greater amount of the heat of reaction, causing a rapid increase in the reaction rate as the local temperature in that phase exceeds both the corresponding single-temperature value and even the final burned temperature.
Mine-used CDMA Wireless Communication System Based on FEMTO Base Station

Current mine-used CDMA wireless communication systems go against large-scale application because of higher overall cost,and it is difficult to realize seamless coverage of whole mine for wireless signal of the systems because of complex underground roadway.To solve the problems,the paper proposed a design scheme of new type of mine-used CDMA wireless communication system which taking FEMTO base station as underground coverage device and taking underground industry Ethernet as main transmission channel.It gave overall structure of the system and introduced composition and main technical parameters of FEMTO base station in details.The test result showed that the system has characteristics of wide coverage of wireless signal and good communication effect.
In‐Canal Stabilization/Solidification of NAPL‐Impacted Sediments

In situ solidification (ISS) has been used with increasing frequency as a remedial technology for source area treatment at upland sites impacted with a variety of organic contaminants, including coal tar, creosote, and other nonaqueous phase liquids (NAPLs). With several large, complex, urban water ways and rivers impacted with NAPLs, ISS is more recently being considered as a technology of choice to help reduce remedial costs, minimize short- and long-term impacts of mobile NAPL, and lower the carbon footprint. This article presents the results of a successful pilot study of ISS at the Gowanus Canal Superfund site in Brooklyn, New York. This represents the first major sediment ISS field demonstration project in a saline environment and the first project to evaluate large-scale implementation of ISS from a barge and through overlaying sediment. ©2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Design of ammonia-water condenser with a fluted tube

This paper develops a design model of an ammonia-water condenser in absorption heat pump systems. An ammonia-water mixture enters the condenser through a helically coiled fluted tube as a superheated vapor, cools, and then condenses into a liquid, which is further subcooled. The hydronic fluid flows in the annular channel around the coiled tube in confined cross-flow. The helically coiled fluted tube was used to enhance heat and mass transfer in the mixture and heat transfer in the hydronic side. The ammonia-water condenser was divided into four different regions according to the characteristics of the heat transfer mechanism--superheated vapor, rectification, condensation, and subcooled liquid regions. This paper studies the effects of heat transfer coefficients in each region, the inlet concentration of vapor, and the geometric details of the fluted tube on the heat exchanger size. The design results show that the molar concentration of ammonia in rectifying vapor is between bulk vapor concentration and liquid concentration, i.e., x{sub 1} < z < x{sub vb}, and that the molar concentration should be calculated by combined heat and mass transfer analysis. The heat transfer rate per unit length in the rectification region was the highest due to the effect of mass transfer.more » As the inlet concentration of ammonia in the vapor decreases, the length of the condenser decreases. The heat transfer coefficient in coolant flow, h{sub c}, has the dominant effect on the condenser size, while h{sub v} has the most significant effect on the rectifier size. It also was found that the condenser size decreases with increasing D{sub bi}, decreasing D{sub eo}, D{sub c}, N{sub s}, and pitch of the fluted tube.« less
Ontogenetic changes in sensitivity to nutrient limitation of tadpole growth

According to ecological stoichiometry (ES), the growth of a consumer with abundant resources should increase as body and resource stoichiometry become more similar. However, for organisms with complex life cycles involving distinct changes in biology, nutrient demands might change in response to ontogenetic changes in body stoichiometry. Tadpole growth and development has been found to be largely nitrogen (N) limited, as predicted for organisms developing N-rich tissues like muscle. However, tadpole metamorphosis includes periods of rapid development of phosphorus (P)-rich bones in preparation for a terrestrial lifestyle. We hypothesized that tadpole growth and development will exhibit variable nutrient demands during different stages of ontogeny, due to predictable changes in body tissue stoichiometry. To test this, we raised tadpoles on four diets with varying N:P ratios and assessed growth and developmental rates. Specifically, we predicted that tadpoles would be sensitive to N limitation throughout ontogeny (consistent with previous studies), but also sensitive to P limitation during the process of long-bone ossification. Consistent with our prediction, tadpole growth rates and development were sensitive to N limitation throughout ontogeny. Increased dietary N led to a shorter time to metamorphosis and a larger mass at metamorphosis. Also as predicted, growth rates were sensitive to both N and P during the period of peak bone ossification, indicative of co-limitation. These results indicate that P limitation changes through tadpole ontogeny consistent with, and can be predicted by, shifts in body tissue stoichiometry. Future studies should investigate whether ontogenetic shifts in tadpole P limitation lead to seasonal shifts in wetland nutrient cycling.