cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Employer-Mandated Vaccination Policies: Different Employers, New Vaccines and Hidden Risks

The overwhelming weight of authority confirms that vaccines save lives. But vaccine opponents have been vocal and influential, and even some who work in healthcare facilities distrust vaccines. The tension between employees who distrust vaccines and employers who want to encourage or require vaccination has led many healthcare policy and legal scholars to explore the legal and ethical implications of compulsory vaccine policies. While many scholars have made important contributions to this discussion, most of the legal scholarship has focused on a single vaccine for a limited class of employees: the influenza (flu) vaccine for healthcare workers. Moreover, the focus of the literature is on healthcare employers’ potential liability if they require employees to get the flu vaccine. However, new diseases threaten our communities constantly, and as new vaccines are developed (such as the Zika and Ebola vaccines currently being developed and tested) healthcare and non-healthcare employers must reconsider imposing mandatory vaccination policies. This Article considers the factors those employers should consider when deciding whether to require employees to be vaccinated against diseases other than the flu. Similarly, most arguments in support of or in opposition to flu vaccination policies do not address whether healthcare or other employers may face liability if they fail to require employees to be vaccinated. The question is critically important because mandating vaccines is almost unheard-of outside of the healthcare context. Many lawyers and government agencies advise employers to encourage but not mandate employee vaccination, and the only risks identified are the risks of being sued for imposing a mandate in violation of anti-discrimination statutes. The unstated premise is that there is no liability if the employer chooses not to require vaccination. This Article considers the accuracy of that premise and concludes that employers whose employees are likely to transmit diseases to other employees, vulnerable clients, or patients may face liability if they do not to require their employees to be vaccinated.
Continuing competence assessment and maintenance in occupational therapy: Scoping review with stakeholder consultation.

Background/aim Continuing competence activities hold the promise of improving health-care service quality, especially given concerns about system inefficiencies and fragmentation. The aim of this scoping review was to describe the assessment and maintenance of occupational therapists’ continuing competence and identify knowledge gaps for future research. A secondary aim was comparing scoping review findings with those from other health-care fields and considering possible impact of varying international regulations. Methods A series of database searches retrieved peer-reviewed and grey literature on assessment and maintenance of occupational therapy continuing competence from 1995 to 2015. Themes were developed and findings shared with stakeholders, whose comments drove a second phase: searching for reviews related to continuing competence from allied health, medicine, and nursing, and reviewing websites and documents concerning regulatory requirements for occupational therapy continuing competence in seven English-speaking nations. Results Twenty-seven sources from the scoping review search met inclusion criteria. Stakeholder consultation validated the themes and preliminary knowledge gaps. Research into other health-care specialties corresponded to findings from the scoping review. The website/document review of occupational therapy regulatory requirements revealed wide variation on both the state/province and national levels. Conclusions This scoping review highlights gaps in research on effective methods and assessment of occupational therapy continuing competence. Findings suggest a need for research on approaches to continuing competence that incorporate the translation of evidence to practice and address the influence of external factors. Regulatory agencies may address the quality of occupational therapy services by incorporating a variety of professional development options into requirements.
Identifying Emergency Department Patients at Low Risk for a Variceal Source of Upper Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage.

Background Assessing the likelihood of a variceal versus nonvariceal source of upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) guides therapy, but can be difficult to determine on clinical grounds. The objective of this study was to determine if there are easily ascertainable clinical and laboratory findings that can identify a patient as low risk for a variceal source of hemorrhage. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study of adult ED patients with UGIB between January 2008 and December 2014 who had upper endoscopy performed during hospitalization. Clinical and laboratory data were abstracted from the medical record. The source of the UGIB was defined as variceal or nonvariceal based on endoscopic reports. Binary recursive partitioning was utilized to create a clinical decision rule. The rule was internally validated and test characteristics were calculated with 1,000 bootstrap replications. Results A total of 719 patients were identified; mean age was 55 years and 61% were male. There were 71 (10%) patients with a variceal UGIB identified on endoscopy. Binary recursive partitioning yielded a two-step decision rule (platelet count > 200 × 109/L and an international normalized ratio [INR] < 1.3), which identified patients who were low risk for a variceal source of hemorrhage. For the bootstrapped samples, the rule performed with 97% sensitivity (95% confidence interval [CI] = 91%–100%) and 49% specificity (95% CI = 44%–53%). Conclusion Although this derivation study must be externally validated before widespread use, patients presenting to the ED with an acute UGIB with platelet count of >200 × 109/L and an INR of <1.3 may be at very low risk for a variceal source of their upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage.
MPEG Video for LAN-Based Video Conferencing

This paper describes the research done on a prototype LAN-based desktop video conferencing system using MPEG-1 video. The system is based on a PC with a codec engine for video/audio compression, and a network controller for LAN network communications. It is clear that network jitter and packet loss are likely to occur in a packet-based LAN environment. The design issues, problems encountered, and possible solutions are described. We seperate the tasks of packet loss detection and error concealment, and assign them to communications subsystem and video decoder subsystem, respectively. The mechanisms for handling MPEG-1 video packetization and error concealment are implemented in the system to minimize the impact of network jitter and packet loss on the performance of the video conferencing.
Acute Toxicity of Respiratory Irritant Exposures

Acute toxicity of respiratory irritant exposure is a heterogeneous group of gases with similar clinical symptomatology. Symptoms are largely based on water solubility with more water-soluble irritants causing symptoms in the upper respiratory system and less water-soluble irritants causing symptoms in the lower respiratory system. Ammonia, more water soluble, and phosgene, less water soluble, are hallmark examples of exposures. Large concentration of exposure or long time of exposure may cause any symptoms along the respiratory tract. Hypoxia can occur with any exposure that limits the amount of inspired oxygen to less than 21 %. Acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome are the most severe forms of toxicity. While most of the toxicity is limited to the respiratory system, some exposures can also cause systemic effects with hydrogen fluoride, hydrogen sulfide, and cyanide being classic examples of this. Chronic symptoms can occur after a one-time acute exposure. Treatment is largely supportive, focusing on maintaining the airway and oxygenation/ventilation.
To probe interaction of morphine and IBNtxA with 7TM and 6TM variants of the human μ-opioid receptor using all-atom molecular dynamics simulations with an explicit membrane

IBNtxA, a morphine derivative, is 10-fold more potent and has a better safety profile than morphine. Animal studies indicate that the analgesic effect of IBNtxA appears to be mediated by the activation of truncated splice variants (6TM) of the Mu opioid receptor (MOR-1) where transmembrane helix 1 (TM1) is removed. Interestingly, morphine is unable to activate 6TM variants. To date, a high resolution structure of 6TM variants is missing, and the interaction of 6TM variants with IBNtxA and morphine remains elusive. In this study we used homology modeling, docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to study a representative 6TM variant (G1) and a full-length 7TM variant of human MOR-1 in complex with IBNtxA and morphine respectively. The structural models of human G1 and 7TM were obtained by homology modeling using the X-ray solved crystal structure of the active mouse 7TM bound to an agonist BU72 (PDB id: 5C1M) as the template. Our 6000 ns MD data show that either TM1 truncation (i.e. from 7TM to 6TM) or ligand modification (i.e. from morphine to IBNtxA) alone causes the loss of key morphine–7TM interactions that are well-known to be required for MOR-1 activation. Receptor disruptions are mainly located at TMs 2, 3, 6 and 7 in comparison with the active crystal complex. However, when both perturbations occur in the 6TM–IBNtxA complex, the key ligand–receptor interactions and the receptor conformation are recovered to resemble those in the active 7TM–morphine complex. Our molecular switch analysis further explains well why morphine is not able to activate 6TM variants. The close resemblance between 6TM–IBTtxA and 7TM in complex with PZM21, a G-protein biased 7TM agonist, suggests the possible biased agonism of IBNtxA on G1, which is consistent with its reduced side effects.
Student motivation, stressors, and intent to leave nursing doctoral study: A national study using path analysis

Abstract Background The demand for doctorally prepared nurses worldwide is higher than ever. Universities have responded with increased numbers of DNP and Ph.D. in Nursing programs. There are more doctoral nursing students than ever before yet they remain one of the least studied student populations. This is concerning given the high attrition rates reported in doctoral programs. The few studies that do exist are typically qualitative and exploratory in nature. Objectives The aim of this national study of Ph.D. and DNP students was to examine how the effects of environmental stressors predict the students' intent to leave their current program of doctoral study. Design A descriptive survey design was utilized for the study. Settings Participation requests were sent by email to deans/directors of all Ph.D. and DNP programs across the United States, with the request to forward to all currently enrolled students. Participants Eight hundred and thirty-five (n = 835) Ph.D. and DNP participants responded to this survey. Methods The survey was analyzed utilizing path analysis. Results Findings of the path analysis indicate that two types of stress significantly predicted students' intention to leave. First, stressors related to program issues, primarily relationships between student and faculty/advisor, significantly predict intent to leave. As program stressors rise, so does intent to leave. The other significant factor was related to support issues, specifically support from family/friends. This inverse relationship indicated as family support declines, intent to leave rises. Conclusions It is impossible to remove all stressors from students' lives during their doctoral studies. A better understanding of the environmental stressors that affect them offers the potential for nursing programs looking to incorporate adequate resources and support which will help minimize attrition and promote persistence of their doctoral students. Specific recommendations are provided that may assist programs looking to decrease doctoral nursing student attrition.
Environmental shielding is contrast preservation

The term ‘environmental shielding’ has been used to refer to a class of processes in which the phonetic realisation of a nasal stop depends on its vocalic context. In Chiriguano, for example, nasal consonants are realised as such before nasal vowels (/ma/ → [ma]), but acquire an oral release before oral vowels (/ma/ → [mba]). Herbert (1986) claims that shielding protects a contrast between oral and nasal vowels: if Chiriguano /ma/ were realised as [ma], [a] would likely carry some degree of nasal coarticulation, and be less distinct from nasal /a/. This article provides new arguments for Herbert's position, drawn from a large typological study of South American languages. I argue that environmental shielding is contrast preservation, and that any successful analysis of shielding must make explicit reference to contrast. These results contribute to a growing body of evidence that constraints on contrast are an essential component of phonological theory.
This is not a course in trial practice: Multimodal participation in objections

Abstract This first part of this paper argues against the assumption that trial examination consists of question-answer patterns. Rather, data from cross-examination in a criminal trial reveals the existence of an objection option space that screens questions for evidential relevance. When activated, the option space transforms the micro social organization and participation structure of the court in officially sanctioned ways. Unofficially, however, both witness and judge deploy forms of multimodal conduct as an affective stance to comment on the objected-to-questions and signal egregious evidentiary violations to the non-questioning attorney and jury, undermining the credibility of the questioning attorney. The second part of the paper analyzes an objection conference after the judge dismisses the jury to consider the questioning attorney's litany of evidentiary violations. The only effective cross-examination in the entire segment occurs when the judge questions the attorney on her blatant disregard for proper legal procedure. The judge employs speech-synchronized gestures in a poetic performance to insult the questioning attorney, a legal identity constructed in and through a multimodal mapping of denotational text to interactional function.
Implementation and performance of a particle-in-cell code written in Java: Research Articles

Plasma simulation is an important example of a high-performance computing application where computer science issues are of great relevance. In a plasma, each particle, electron or ion, interacts with the external fields and with other particles in ways that can be readily and effectively emulated using object-oriented programming. However, the great cost of plasma simulations has traditionally discouraged object-oriented implementations due to their perceived inferior performance compared with classic procedural FORTRAN or C. In the present paper, we revisit this issue. We have developed a Java particle-in-cell code for plasma simulation, called Parsek. The paper considers different choices for the object orientation and tests their performance. We find that coarse-grained object orientation is faster and practically immune from any degradation compared with a standard procedural implementation (with static classes). The loss in performance for a fine-grained object orientation is a factor of about 50p, which can be almost completely eliminated using advanced Java compilation techniques. The Java code Parsek also provides an interesting realistic application of high-performance computing to compare the performance of Java with FORTRAN. We have conducted a series of tests considering various Java implementations and various FORTRAN implementations. We have also considered different computer architectures and different Java Virtual Machines and FORTRAN compilers. The conclusion is that with Parsek, object-oriented Java can reach CPU speed performances more or less comparable with procedural FORTRAN. This conclusion is remarkable and it is in agreement with the most recent benchmarks, but is at variance with widely held misconceptions about the alleged slowness of Java. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Higher White Blood Cell Counts and Band Forms in Newborns Delivered Vaginally Compared with Those Delivered by Cesarean Section

The authors retrospectively reviewed complete blood counts in the medical records of all babies admitted to a normal newborn nursery from January through December 1989. The subjects consisted of 326 babies who were delivered vaginally (VgD) and 138 who were delivered by Cesarean section (CS). All blood samples were drawn by warmed or unwarmed heel sticks or by venipuncture. The subject's age at the time of blood drawing was similar in both VgD and CS groups (13.4 vs. 13.9 hours, P = 0.51). The number of total leukocytes, neutrophils, band forms, and platelets was significantly higher in VgD newborns than in CS newborns. The mean and standard error of the mean for each of these blood counts (each per microliter) were 23.9 x 10(9) +/- 0.33 versus 21.1 x 10(9) +/- 0.6, 14.6 x 10(9) +/- 0.26 versus 12.8 x 10(9) +/- 0.39, 1.18 x 10(9) +/- 0.08 versus 0.82 x 10(9) +/- 0.08, and 304 x 10(9) +/- 4.1 versus 286 x 10(9) +/- 0.6, respectively (P values for the first three comparisons were all less than 0.005). However, there was no difference between the two groups with regard to hemoglobin, hematocrit, and absolute number of lymphocytes, eosinophils, basophils, and monocytes (P > 0.5). It was speculated that the higher leukocyte, neutrophil, and band counts in VgD babies are the consequences of physical stress and periodic hypoxia, which are more frequent and prolonged with VgD compared with CS delivery. The authors suggest that the mode of delivery should be considered when interpreting blood counts in neonates.
A Single Transducer Broadband Technique for Leaky Lamb Wave Detection

The introduction of advanced composite materials into many of the new generation aircraft and spacecraft has given rise to a significant increase in all aspects of operational capability. These materials come in many forms; organic and non-organic, fibrous and particulate, and endless combinations of the above which not only give enhanced strength characteristics, but deliver them in very specific design directions. The more common uses are in both primary and secondary aircraft structures, however, considerable effort is also being put into designing composite materials for use in hostile environments such as those destined for use as jet engine turbine blades.
Flushing of the deep Pacific Ocean and the deglacial rise of atmospheric CO 2 concentrations

During the last deglaciation (19,000–9,000 years ago), atmospheric CO2 increased by about 80 ppm. Understanding the mechanisms responsible for this change is a central theme of palaeoclimatology, relevant for predicting future CO2 transfers in a warming world. Deglacial CO2 rise hypothetically tapped an accumulated deep Pacific carbon reservoir, but the processes remain elusive as they are underconstrained by existing tracers. Here we report high-resolution authigenic neodymium isotope data in North Pacific sediment cores and infer abyssal Pacific overturning weaker than today during the Last Glacial Maximum but intermittently stronger during steps of deglacial CO2 rise. Radiocarbon evidence suggestive of relatively ‘old’ deglacial deep Pacific water is reinterpreted here as an increase in preformed 14C age of subsurface waters sourced near Antarctica, consistent with movement of aged carbon out of the deep ocean and release of CO2 to the atmosphere during the abyssal flushing events. The timing of neodymium isotope changes suggests that deglacial acceleration of Pacific abyssal circulation tracked Southern Hemisphere warming, sea-ice retreat and increase of mean ocean temperature. The inferred magnitude of circulation changes is consistent with deep Pacific flushing as a significant, and perhaps dominant, control of the deglacial rise of atmospheric CO2.
Single Center Experience with a Percutaneous Right Ventricular Assist Device in the Management of Right Ventricular Failure

Purpose Right ventricular assist device (RVAD) support can be beneficial in a variety of clinical scenarios including post cardiotomy RV failure, cardiogenic shock, and severe acute hypoxemic respiratory failure with associated RV dysfunction. Reported mortality after RVAD insertion ranges from 37% to 46%. Percutaneous RVAD support via right internal jugular vein has emerged with the potential for enhanced weaning and ambulation strategies. However, the experience with such an approach remains limited. Methods A comprehensive retrospective review was completed for all patients receiving percutaneous RVAD support via a right internal jugular route at our institution between April 2017 and September 2018. Successful weaning from support, in-hospital mortality, and freedom from device related complications were assessed. Results Percutaneous RVAD support was instituted in 31 patients (22 men, 71%) with a median age of 58 years (19 to 77 years). Indications for implantation were divided into 3 groups. Group 1: Post cardiotomy support (n=18, 58%) including following LVAD insertion, pulmonary thromboendarterectomy, bilateral lung transplant, or cardiac transplantation, Group 2: Cardiogenic shock (n=7, 23%), and Group 3: Primary respiratory failure (n=6, 19 %). There were no failures to wean RVAD in Group 1, compared with 67% failure to wean in Group 2 and 33% in Group 3. Median duration of support in Group 1 was 16 (7-36) days, 5 (1-16) days in Group 2, and 13 (8-18) days in Group 3. All-cause mortality for the entire cohort was 29%. Mortality in Group 1 was 2/18 (11%), Group 2 was 4/7 (57%), and Group 3 was 3/6 (50%). Complications included postoperative bleeding requiring reoperation in 7 (23%) patients, device related superior vena cava obstruction in 3 patients (10%), and device migration in 2 (6%) patients. There were no device-related infections, DVT, valvular damage, or pulmonary emboli observed in this cohort. No patients required transition to implantable long-term RVAD. Conclusion Percutaneous RVAD support appears to be a versatile and effective tool for treating patients with severe RV failure, with best outcomes in the post cardiotomy group. The ability to ambulate these patients while on support and remove the device at the bedside without surgery may permit a more liberal use of this technology with improvements in outcomes in RV failure.
Three Midwest Rural School Districts’ First Year Transition to the Four Day School Week:

The four-day school week is a concept that has been utilized in rural schools for decades to respond to budgetary shortfalls. There has been little peer-reviewed research on the four-day school week that has focused on the perception of parents who live in school districts that have recently switched to the four-day model. This study collects data from 584 parents in three rural Missouri school districts that have transitioned to the four-day school week within the last year. Quantitative statistical analysis identifies significant differences in the perceptions of parents classified by the age of children, special education identification, and free and reduced lunch status. Strong parental support for the four-day school week was identified in all demographic areas investigated; however, families with only elementary aged children and families with students receiving special education services were less supportive than other groups.
Cardiac Patch-Based Therapies of Ischemic Heart Injuries

The molecular and cellular basis for the progressive heart failure is the result of the inability of damaged and apoptotic myocytes to be replaced. While a number of cell- and cardiac tissue-based therapies can limit this dysfunction, the proportion of cells that survive at the recipient heart for more than a few weeks after transplantation is extremely low. Consequently, substantial remuscularization of the infarcted region has rarely been reported. This chapter reviews cardiac muscle patch-based cell therapy for repair of injured heart from the perspectives of engineering of the myocardial tissue equivalent, the choice of the cell source and types, fabrication of scaffolds, and the preclinical and clinical studies. The potential mechanisms of action from these studies are also discussed. It is hopeful that this direction of research may one day lead to better therapeutic modalities for postinfarction left ventricular (LV) remodeling and heart failure.
HIV Risk Interventions

This article is a revision of the previous edition article by S.C. Kalichman, volume 10, pp. 6880–6882, © 2001, Elsevier Ltd.
Role of nuclear background and in vivo environment in variable segregation behavior of the aging-dependent T414G mutation at critical control site for human fibroblast mtDNA replication.

Previous work had shown a large accumulation (up to 50% of mtDNA) of a noninherited T414G transversion at a critical control site for mtDNA replication in skin fibroblasts from the majority of human subjects above 65 years old, and its absence in younger individuals. In the present studies, long-term in vitro culture of several fibroblasts populations carrying the heteroplasmic T414G mutation revealed an outgrowth of the mutant cells by wild-type cells. This observation supported the previous conclusion that the mutation accumulation is an in vivo phenomenon, while, at the same time, indicating intrinsic physiological differences between mutant and wild-type cells. Furthermore, subcloning experiments revealed a striking mosaic distribution of the mutation in the original fibroblasts populations, as shown by its presence, in heteroplasmic or homoplasmic form, in a fraction (18–32%) of the fibroblasts, and its absence in the others. In other investigations, transfer of mitochondria from mutation-carrying fibroblasts into mtDNA-less 143B.TK−ρ0 206 cells revealed the persistence of the mosaic distribution of the mutation, however, with a near-complete shift to homoplasmy. The generality of the latter phenomenon would exclude a founder effect by one or few mitochondria in the transformation experiments, and would rather point to the important role of the nuclear background in the in vitro behavior of the T414G mutation. The stability of the homoplasmic mutation in ρ0 cell transformants provides a powerful tool for analyzing its biochemical effects.
Factors that Control the Direction of Excited-State Electron Transfer at Dye-Sensitized Oxide Interfaces

Molecular excited states at conductive and semiconductive interfaces were found to transfer an electron to the oxide (injection) or accept an electron from the oxide (hole transfer). The direction ...
Alfvénic fluctuations in the solar wind: nonlinearities and pressure anisotropy effects

Large amplitude, turbulent Alfvenic fluctuations have been commonly observed in the solar wind since the first in-situ measurements. An important but still unexplained property of such nonlinear fluctuations seen typically in the fastest streams is that, despite the large excursion of the magnetic field fluctuations, the magnitude of the total magnetic field remains nearly constant, a condition that corresponds to spherical polarization. How is this Alfvenic turbulent state achieved in the solar wind remains a fundamental open question in space physics. Although nonlinear Alfvenic fluctuations have been studied for several decades, most of previous work has considered a plasma in thermodynamic equilibrium. The solar wind however displays many non-thermal features and here we discuss how non-thermal effects, in particular pressure anisotropy, and nonlinearities affect the stability and nonlinear evolution of Alfvenic fluctuations with constant total magnetic field magnitude in different plasma-β regimes.
Evaluation of a Peer-Led Implementation of a Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Training Program for College Students.

Abstract. Background: Research on models of implementation that enable widespread dissemination of suicide prevention to young adults is needed to address the critical public health issue of suicid...
Automatisierte Wertstromanalyse auf Basis mobiler Sensornetzwerke

Kurzfassung Die Aufgabe der Wertstromanalyse ist nicht-wertschopfende Tatigkeiten zu identifizieren, zu reduzieren oder im Idealfall zu eliminieren. Hierzu werden die Material- und Informationsflus...
Treatment of Childhood Reflex Epilepsies

Reflex epilepsies are characterized by the presence of epileptic seizures, which are consistently or stereotypically evoked by a specific afferent stimulus (i.e., flashes of light, startles, a particular movement, or cognitive task). Seizures in them are generally refractory to medical treatment requiring polytherapy. Avoiding the trigger and antiepileptic therapy may likely abolish these seizures. However, in some cases, the use of specific technologies and addressing associated comorbidities may be necessary. In this study, we review the pathophysiological basis for different treatment approaches as well as recent advances in the management of reflex epilepsies.
MRI and Clinical Risk Indicators for Osteomyelitis.

Introduction. The sensitivity and specificity for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) diagnosis of osteomyelitis is 90% and 80%, respectively; findings include bone marrow edema, T2-weighted image hyp...
Gender and Political Theory: Feminist Reckonings

From its first pages, Mary Hawkesworth’s Gender and Political Theory offers a productive contribution to the feminist theory canon. As Hawkesworth writes, she uses “feminist theory capaciously to i...
Global electrical heterogeneity associated with drug-induced torsades de pointes.

Background Drugs belonging to diverse therapeutic classes can prolong myocardial refractoriness or slow conduction. These drugs may be effective and well-tolerated, but the risk of sudden cardiac death from torsades de pointes (TdP) remains a major concern. The corrected QT interval has significant limitations when used for risk stratification. Measurement of global electrical heterogeneity (GEH) could help identify the substrate vulnerable to drug-induced ventricular arrhythmias. Objective The purpose of this study was to improve risk stratification for drug-induced TdP by measuring GEH on the electrocardiogram (ECG). Methods We analyzed ECG data from a case-control study of patients with a history of drug-induced TdP as well as age- and sex-matched controls. Vectorcardiograms were constructed from ECGs. GEH was measured via the spatial ventricular gradient (SVG) vector (magnitude, azimuth, and elevation). Log odds coefficients for TdP were estimated using multivariable logistic regression. Results Among 17 cases (47% male; age 58.9 ± 12.5 years) and 17 controls (29% male; age 61.0 ± 12.2 years), 34 ECGs were analyzed. SVG azimuth was significantly different between cases and controls (3.4 vs 22.0 degrees, respectively; P = 0.02). After adjusting for sex and QTc interval, odds of TdP increased by a factor of 3.2 for each 1 SD change in SVG azimuth from the control group mean (95% confidence interval 1.07–9.14; P = .04). QTc was not significant in the multivariable analysis (P = .20). Conclusion SVG azimuth is correlated with a history of drug-induced TdP independent of QTc. GEH measurement may help identify patients at high risk for drug-induced arrhythmias.
Early lung cancer action project: overall design and findings from baseline screening.

BACKGROUND. The Early Lung Cancer Action Project (ELCAP) is designed to evaluate baseline and annual repeat screening by low radiation dose computed tomography (low-dose CT) in persons at high-risk for lung cancer. The authors report on the baseline screening experience. For full evaluation of screening, they await the results of annual repeat screening. METHODS. Using a novel non-comparative design, enrollment of 1000 asymptomatic persons, 60 years of age or older, with at least 10 pack-years of cigarette smoking, no prior cancer, and who were medically fit to undergo thoracic surgery was initiated in 1993. After a structured interview and informed consent, chest radiographs (CXR) and low-dose CT were obtained on each subject. The diagnostic workup of screen-detected noncalcified pulmonary nodules (NCNs) was guided by ELCAP recommendations which included short-term high-resolution CT (HRCT) follow-up for the smallest NCNs. RESULTS. On low-dose CT at baseline as compared to CXR, NCNs were detected three times as commonly (23% vs. 7%), malignancies four times as commonly (2.7% vs. 0.7%), Stage I malignancies six times as commonly (2.3% vs. 0.4%). Of the 27 CT-detected cancers, 96% (26/27) were resectable; 85% (23/27) were Stage 1, 19 (83%) of the 23 were not seen on CXR. Following the ELCAP recommendations, biopsies were performed on 28 of the 233 subjects with NCNs; 27 had a malignant NCN and one had a benign one. Another three individuals underwent biopsy outside of the ELCAP recommendations, all had benign NCNs. No one had thoracotomy for a benign nodule. CONCLUSIONS. The estimated five-year survival rate of baseline CT-detected malignancies of 60%-80% is a marked improvement over the current rate of 15%. Although false-positive CTs are common, they can be managed with minimal use of invasive diagnostic procedures.
Approaches to the validation of spectrophotometers

Abstract This paper describes the use of the 4 'Q's principle to the validation of spectrophotometers; D esign Q ualification ( DQ ), I nstallation Q ualification ( IQ ), O perational Q ualification ( OQ ) and P erformance Q ualification ( PQ ). The essential elements of the approach are described and compared with the more traditional approach. Some features of Performance Qualification are illustrated with examples.
BONE MARROW FAILURE IN PEDIATRIC PATIENTS. I. CORTISONE AND TESTOSTERONE TREATMENT.

Nine children with acquired aplastic anemia and four children with constitutional aplastic anemia were treated for 1 to 19 months with cortisone and testosterone. Five of the nine children in the acquired group demonstrated hematologic improvement which has been sustained without therapy for 12 to 36 months. Improvement would appear to be permanent in these children. While the four children with constitutional aplastic anemia demonstrated initial hematologic improvement, prompt relapse occurred following cessation of therapy and necessitated maintenance hormonal therapy. Growth performance was not altered during the course of therapy.
Inhalant use among antisocial youth: prevalence and correlates.

The current (2.9%), annual (19.6%), and lifetime (34.3%) prevalence of inhalant use among 475 youth (M age = 15.5; SD = 1.5; 87.4% male) on probation in a western state of the United States was assessed. Inhalant users reported significantly less family support and cohesiveness and lower self-esteem, and significantly more lifetime thoughts of suicide and suicide attempts, neighborhood gang activity, peer and parental substance abuse, intentions to engage in illegal behavior, substance-related criminality, and substance abuse than did nonusers. Ethnicity, self-esteem, suicidality, number of substance-using peers, and extent of substance-related criminality significantly discriminated inhalant users from nonusers in a logistic regression analysis. Multiple linear regression analyses indicated that age, perceived school ability, age at initiation of alcohol use, self-esteem, and substance-related criminality significantly predicted age at onset of inhalant use (R2 = .30). Age at initiation of inhalant use, gang membership, truancy, and substance-related criminality significantly predicted lifetime frequency of inhalant use (R2 = .20). Study findings indicate that inhalant-using delinquents evidence significantly greater antisocial attitudes, personal and familial dysfunction, and substance abuse, than do their non-inhalant-using counterparts.
Historical Critique or Transcendental Critique in Foucault: Two Kantian Lineages

A growing body of interpretive literature concerning the work of Michel Foucault asserts that Foucault’s critical project is best interpreted in light of various strands of philosophical phenomenology. In this article I dispute this interpretation on both textual and philosophical grounds. It is shown that a core theme of ‘the phenomenological Foucault’ having to do with transcendental inquiry cannot be sustained by a careful reading of Foucault’s texts nor by a careful interpretation of Foucault’s philosophical commitments. It is then shown that this debate in Foucault scholarship has wider ramifications for understanding ‘the critical Foucault’ and the relationship of Foucault’s projects to Kantian critical philosophy. It is argued that Foucault’s work is Kantian at its core insofar as it institutes a critical inquiry into conditions of possibility. But whereas critique for Kant was transcendental in orientation, in Foucault critique becomes historical, and is much the better for it.
Energies and microstructures of defects contributing to 1/f noise in microelectronic materials and devices

In semiconductor devices, low-frequency noise typically results from fluctuations in the number of carriers due to charge exchange between the channel and defects at or near a critical semiconductor/insulator interface. Measurements of noise magnitude and its temperature and/or voltage dependence often enable estimates of the effective energy distributions of defects that lead to 1/f noise. The microstructures of several defects and/or impurities that cause noise in microelectronic devices and materials have been identified via experiments and first-principles calculation. Examples are shown for Si- and SiC-based MOS devices and GaN-based HEMTs.
Globalización, tipo de régimen político y gasto social en países de ingresos medios, 1980-1999

Current debates suggest that economic globalization can either lead to a race to the bottom in which states lose their policy making autonomy or to a renewed commitment by the state to provide social benefits to its citizens. Comparative research on policy reform, however, suggests that political regime type is an important determinant of social policy. An analysis of education, health and social protection spending in a sample of 39 middle income countries between 1980 and 1999 demonstrates that different dimensions of economic integration are associated with adjustments to social spending, which are in part mediated by political regime type. Increased trade integration leads to more investment in human capital, especially in authoritarian regimes, but reduces expenditures on social protection in comparison to democracies
Clinical Evaluation of a Simple Demand Inhalation MDI Aerosol Delivery Device

Inhalation of medication is the preferred method for treating reversible airway obstruction; however, difficulties in the use of pressurized canisters frequently lead to suboptimal results. The Aerochamber (Monoghan Medical Corp) is a portable breath-actuated device that attaches to a mete red-dose inhaler (MDI) and is designed to overcome many of the problems of aerosol delivery encountered by some patients. The attachment of this breath-actuated device to an MDI reduced pharyngeal deposition of aerosol 14-fold, but delivery of aerosol to intrapulmonary airways in normal subjects and patients with bronchitis remained unchanged. In a group of nine patients with stable asthma, inhalation of a bronchodilator aerosol using the breath-actuated device (Aerochamber) achieved effective bronchodilation similar to an optimally administered MDI. Advantages of the breath-actuated device (Aerochamber) include (1) aerosol delivery of medication whether or not the discharge of aerosol is synchronized with inhalation, (2) effective therapeutic response compared with optimally administered MDI; (3) greatly reduced deposition of aerosol in the upper airways, which might be expected to reduce adverse effects of steriods; and (4) universal application to all bronchodilator and steroid MDIs.
Understanding the Relationship between Moral Judgment Development and Individual Characteristics: The Role of Educational Contexts.

This study examines variation in moral judgment level as measured by the Defining Issues Test 2 (DIT -2; J. R. Rest & D. Narvaez, 1998), based on individual demographic infonnation and educational contexts. Individual DIT-2 scores and demographic infonnation were obtained from the archived data sets housed at the Center for the Study of Ethical Development. The infonnation on educational contexts was obtained by surveying the researchers who initially gathered the data. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to analyze DIT-2 data from 7,642 individuals and 65 institutions. Findings indicate that average DIT-2 scores vary significantly among institutions. Further, the authors found that the strength of the relation of DIT-2 scores to gender and English language status is significant and consistent across contexts, whereas the strength of the relation to educational level and political identity varies across contexts. These findings indicate that infonnation about the individuals' educational context as well as the broader regional contexts should be taken into account to understand variation in individual levels of moral judgment. The findings can also be used as an interpretive guide for DIT-2 users
Effects of magnesium on galactose-induced cataract formation and lens aldose reductase activity in rats

Abstract The effect of feeding 1.6% magnesium oxide (9650 ppm Mg) on the outcome of cataract formation in rats fed a galactose-containing diet was tested. Male, weanling Sprague-Dawley rats were fed diets containing 35% galactose, and were pair-fed to rats eating similar diets but supplemented with magnesium. Galactose-induced cataract formation was significantly accelerated in the magnesium-fed rats. Growth depression was observed in these rats, their plasma magnesium was increased, and their plasma tryptophan decreased. The activity of lens aldose reductase was stimulated by magnesium compounds, in vitro. This suggests that the effect of magnesium in accelerating cataract formation in galactose-fed rats may be related to its effect on aldose reductase activity.
The Meteoritical Bulletin, No. 83, 1999 July

— Meteoritical Bulletin No. 83 lists information for 898 newly described meteorites. These include 473 from Antarctica, 341 from the Sahara, and 22 from dry lakes in the southwestern United States. Seven of the meteorites are falls: Kunya-Urgench (H5), Lohawat (howardite), Ourique (H4), Portales Valley (H6), San Pedro de Quiles (L6), Talampaya (eucrite), and Zag (H3-6). Also included are a dozen new iron meteorites; several mesosiderites; a pallasite; several HED meteorites; several ureilites; a variety of CM, CO, CV, CR, and R chondrites; and numerous unequilibrated ordinary chondrites. All shock classifications are after Stoffler et al. (1991) and weathering grades are after Wlotzka (1993), except as noted. All italicized abbreviations refer to addresses tabulated at the end of this document.
EFFECTS OF MULTIPLE SUBSTITUENTS ON THE PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF PENTACARBONYLARYLISOCYANIDECHROMIUM COMPOUNDS

Abstract Eight arylisocyanides containing one or more electron-withdrawing substituents were synthesized. The σ-donating and π-accepting abilities of these isocyanides were evaluated by examining the spectroscopic and electrochemical properties of the pentacarbonyl(isocyanide)chromium derivatives. Linear relationships between the Hammett parameters of the para-substituted isocyanides, 13C NMR chemical shifts, and ν(CN) with the E 1/2 were found. Ortho substitutions of the isocyanide stabilized the HOMO of the Cr(CO)5L more than para substitutions. Furthermore, each successively added substituent caused a similar shift in the observed oxidation potential relative to its position on the isocyanide.
Micromechanical modeling of stress transfer in carbon nanotube reinforced polymer composites

A micromechanics model is developed for assessing the interfacial shear stress transfer in carbon nanotube reinforced polymer (NRP) composites. The model employs three concentric cylinders, each of a different length, as the representative volume element (RVE). A capped, hollow nanotube is utilized as the innermost cylinder that is completely surrounded by a matrix cylinder, which is, in turn, embedded in a composite cylinder. The atomistic structure of the nanotube is incorporated in the model by determining the Young's modulus of the nanotube using the molecular structural mechanics approach. A continuum-based analysis is performed using the elasticity theory for the axisymmetric RVE problem to obtain an analytical solution for computing the average axial normal stress in the nanotube and the interfacial shear stress across the matrix/nanotube interface. Parametric studies are conducted to illustrate the applications of the present model. The numerical results indicate that using sufficiently long and large nanotubes and a small nanotube volume fraction improves the efficiency of stress transfer in NRP composites. The predictions made by the current model are in favorable agreement with existing analytical, experimental, and computational studies.
Removal of pressure and free energy artifacts in charged periodic systems via net charge corrections to the Ewald potential

A uniform neutralizing background plasma is employed by default in standard Ewald calculations for net-charged systems. We show here that this plasma leads to serious artifacts in both system energy and pressure, which lead to unrealistic behavior. These artifacts are especially critical to simulations where either net charge or volume is allowed to change. To correct these problems we institute a net-charge correction term that consists of subtracting off the Ewald sum for a single particle with charge equal to the net charge of the full system and an optional Born or Poisson–Boltzmann term. This correction decreases pressure artifacts by three orders of magnitude and allows rapid energy convergence as the cell size increases. The correction term is general, in that it applies to systems of any shape or net charge. The net-charge correction was tested for systems in all three phases of matter: gas, solid, and liquid, and found to be markedly superior to standard Ewald in all three cases. In the gas phase...
Egg production and feeding by copepods prior to the spring bloom of phytoplankton in Fram Strait, Greenland Sea

Reproductively activeCalanus hyperboreus (Kroyer) andC. glacialis Jaschnov were captured in the upper 100 m of Fram Strait (77° to 79°N) in late winter 1987. There was no evidence of a phytoplankton bloom; chlorophylla concentrations were uniformly low ( 11.3 mg-at m−3). Gut-fullness measurements indicated that females were ingesting very little. The maturation state of gonads of bothC. hyperboreus andC. glacialis indicated that 75% of females were in a ripe condition consistent with observed egg laying. The lipid content of females laying eggs was reduced in both species compared to that of females not laying eggs. InC. hyperboreus the reduction was 39% and inC. glacialis it was 44%. All the evidence suggests that bothC. hyperboreus andC. glacialis were laying eggs in late winter by using lipids stored previously; they were not relying on ambient concentrations of phytoplankton. The daily rate of egg laying byC. glacialis using lipids in late winter exceeded the rate reported for summer when ambient food supplies have been shown to be necessary. It is suggested that individuals, spawned well in advance of the spring bloom of phytoplankton, may comprise a major portion of the annual recruitment to the entire population ofC. glacialis in this area, and that their life cycle can be completed within 1 yr. NeitherMetridia longa (Lubbock) norC. finmarchicus (Gunnerus) laid eggs during this study.