cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Untargeted Metabolomics Shows Alterations in Homocysteine, Lipids and Fatty Acids predicting Memory Decline in Healthy Middle-Aged Individuals

INTRODUCTION: Some aspects of memory start declining in the fifth decade which may be related to systemic metabolic changes. These changes have not been fully identified. This is the first Metabolome-Wide Association Study of the human plasma for the longitudinal change in memory in healthy adults. METHODS: Ultra-high resolution mass spectrometry with liquid chromatography was performed on 207 University employees9 plasma. RESULTS: From 10,201 measured metabolic features, 558 differed between those experiencing change vs no change in memory (False Discovery Rate, FDR< 0.2). Differentially abundant metabolites were observed in lipid and fatty acid metabolism pathways: glycerophospholipid (p=0.0003), fatty acid (p=0.0003) and linoleate (p=0.0003) pathways. Within these pathways, higher homocysteine (OR for memory decline=1.09, FDR=0.19) and lower arachidonic acid (OR=0.97, FDR=0.19), sterol (OR=0.92, FDR=0.02), acetylcholine (OR=0.78, FDR=0.19), carnitine (OR=0.75, FDR=0.19) and linoleic acid (OR=0.74, FDR=0.19) were associated memory decline. DISCUSSION: Altered systemic lipid and fatty acid are linked with early memory decline in middle-aged individuals. Keywords: memory decline, metabolomics, fatty acid metabolism, mass spectrometry, liquid chromatography
Tunnel junctions to tunnel field-effect transistors—technologies, current transport models, and integration

In this chapter, an analytical current transport model of a p-i-n n-type armchair GNR TFET is developed which is compared with numerical simulation. Two separate current transport models are derived analytically from semi-classical and semi-quantum modeling approaches. Non-equilibrium Green function (NEGF)-based numerical simulation study is also carried out. Results obtained from these two methods are compared with the numerical simulation to establish analytical models. The analytical model in the work of Zhang et al. [2] is revisited and results are also compared with the analytical and numerically simulated results in this work. Furthermore, GNR TFET's performance is studied for varying GNR width using semi-classical, semi-quantum and NEGF simulation-based current transport models. Finally, complementary GNR TFET inverter for digital circuit design is demonstrated through the computation of voltage transfer characteristic from all three modeling approaches.
Contrasting Visions and Continuing Struggle

This chapter addresses the European Community’s involvement in the creation of the European Science Foundation (ESF), an independent and nongovernmental European institution devoted to fundamental research, and another disappointment for the promoters of an EC-centric vision for European research collaboration. While proving that the EC had become a European science policy actor to be reckoned with, the struggle over the Community’s status in the foundation demonstrated that for its political initiatives to succeed, the EC needed support not only from the national governments but also from those whom the political decisions would fundamentally concern: researchers and their representatives and supporters.
Prioritizing Health Care Data Traffic in a Congested IoT Cloud Network

While routing through the Internet of Things (IoT) network, conventional healthcare data packets do not get any special priority routing treatment. IoT is facing performance issues in packet data transmission due to network congestion; with the conventional packet routing process, there is no guarantee that the patientsâ€™ health data will be properly routed to doctors on time. This leaves the remote medical treatment at risk with possible threat to patientsâ€™ lives. In this paper, we studied the current healthcare packet transmission process in IoT and its performance issues in congested IoT networks, then proposed a solution to prioritize healthcare data routing in congested IoT cloud networks. Our proposed system adds a healthcare data identifier in IP packet headers at the sensor level, modifies QoS software at the network router level, and prioritizes healthcare data packet routing based on the healthcare data identifier seen at router QoS. Test data shows promising results that may significantly benefit remote medical diagnostic process by reducing up to 80 percent latency. Additionally, it saves medical diagnostic cost, and more importantly, reduces the risk of losing human lives. From our analysis, further contribution includes opening up multiple avenues for research.
Health Disparities and Constipation Management among Pediatric Patients in the Emergency Department.

Abstract Introduction Constipation is a common cause of abdominal pain in children. Prior studies have demonstrated that nearly half of the children with constipation receive enemas; however, studies regarding constipation management based on race and ethnicity have not been pursued. The goal of this investigation is to determine if demographic disparities namely, race and ethnicity and insurance status affect emergency department (ED) management of constipation and prescription of enema. Methods This was a retrospective cross-sectional study utilizing ED 2005-2016 data from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) in children Results 3,168,240 children with constipation were seen in a sampling of EDs during the study period. 12.9% (408,937) received an enema. There was no statistically significant difference for Non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic patients to receive enema (OR: 0.92, CI: [0.47-1.82] and OR: 0.81, CI: [0.34-1.91], respectively) as compared to Non-Hispanic White patients. While Medicare patients were more likely to receive an enema (OR 187.76, CI [2,35-149.65]) compared to Medicaid patients, there was no difference between Medicaid patients and private payers. Discussion Racial and health disparities do not appear to impact a physician's decision on giving an enema to children with constipation presenting to the ED.
Global Competition, Institutions, and the Diffusion of Organizational Practices: The International Spread of ISO 9000 Quality Certificates

We use panel data on ISO 9000 quality certification in 85 countries between 1993 and 1998 to better understand the cross-national diffusion of an organizational practice. Following neoinstitutional theory, we focus on the coercive, normative, and mimetic effects that result from the exposure of firms in a given country to a powerful source of critical resources, a common pool of relevant technical knowledge, and the experiences of firms located in other countries. We use social network theory to develop a systematic conceptual understanding of how firms located in different countries influence each other's rates of adoption as a result of cohesive and equivalent network relationships. Regression results provide support for our predictions that states and foreign multinationals are the key actors responsible for coercive isomorphism, cohesive trade relationships between countries generate coercive and normative effects, and role-equivalent trade relationships result in learning-based and competitive imitation.
Editorial Comment: Less Is More in the Management of Benign Papillomas—Paving the Way for a More Selective Surgical Approach

This Editorial Comment discusses the following AJR article: Analysis of 612 Benign Papillomas Diagnosed At Core Biopsy: Rate of Upgrade to Malignancy, Factors Associated with Upgrade, and A Proposa...
Technology Impacts on Employee Engagement During Covid-19

This concept paper reviews the impact of communication and collaboration technologies (CCT) on employee engagement during the Covid-19 pandemic. The concept paper and arguments are based on academic research and will require future research to confirm the conceptual model and propositions. The Covid-19 pandemic is changing human interactions in the workplace. Leaders and employees are interacting virtually through CCT to maintain productivity and achieve business outcomes. Employee onboarding, virtual team engagement, and technology’s impact on employee engagement are the three emergent themes from the literature review on employee engagement, virtual teams, and human interactions in times of pandemics. Employee engagement, leadership engagement, and CCT are the three elements of successful virtual team engagement. Technology can positively and negatively impact employee engagement. Team building is the positive impact of technology on employee engagement with anxiety, cyberaggression, and video conferencing fatigue as the negative impact. It is critical to understand virtual employee engagement and the impact of CCT on that engagement to propose practical leadership strategies for employee engagement during the current Covid-19 pandemic and future virtual teams. Three future research propositions emerged from the literature review. This concept paper and associated research propositions will inform future employee engagement research on the impact of CCT on human interactions at work.
Technical advance in silico and in vitro development of a new bipolar radiofrequency ablation device for renal denervation.

Renal denervation with radiofrequency ablation has become an accepted treatment for drug-resistant hypertension. However, there is a continuing need to develop new catheters for high-accuracy, targeted ablation. We therefore developed a radiofrequency bipolar electrode for controlled, targeted ablation through Joule heating induction between 60 and 100 °C. The bipolar design can easily be assembled into a basket catheter for deployment inside the renal artery. Finite element modeling was used to determine the optimum catheter design to deliver a minimum ablation zone of 4 mm (W) × 10 mm (L) × 4 mm (H) within 60 s with a 500 kHz, 60 Vp-p signal, and 3 W maximum. The in silico model was validated with in vitro experiments using a thermochromic phantom tissue prepared with polyacrylamide gel and a thermochromic ink additive that permanently changes from pink to magenta when heated over 60 °C. The in vitro ablation zone closely matched the size and shape of the simulated area. The new electrode design directs the current density towards the artery walls and tissue, reducing unwanted blood temperature increases by focusing energy on the ablation zone. In contrast, the basket catheter design does not block renal flow during renal denervation. This computational model of radiofrequency ablation can be used to estimate renal artery ablation zones for highly targeted renal denervation in patients with resistant hypertension. Furthermore, this innovative catheter has short ablation times and is one of the lowest power requirements of existing designs to perform the ablation.
A 24-hour lighting scheme to promote alertness and circadian entrainment in railroad dispatchers on rotating shifts: A field study:

Shift-working railway personnel are highly susceptible to fatigue stemming from poor-quality sleep that can impair the performance of safety-critical functions. Disruption of the 24-h light–dark pa...
Talking with Computers: Explorations in the Science and Technology of Computing

1. Talking with computers 2. The shell game 3. Keeping track of your stuff 4. Don't sweat the syntax 5. Computational muddles 6. Getting oriented 7. Thanks for sharing 8. You've got (junk) mail 9. Modern architecture 10. Do robots sleep 11. Under the hood 12. Analyze this 13. Forest for the trees 14. Searching the wild web 15. Darwin's dangerous algorithm 16. Ain't nobody here but us machines.
Dexamethasone nanowafer as an effective therapy for dry eye disease

Dry eye disease is a major public health problem that affects millions of people worldwide. It is presently treated with artificial tear and anti-inflammatory eye drops that are generally administered several times a day and may have limited therapeutic efficacy. To improve convenience and efficacy, a dexamethasone (Dex) loaded nanowafer (Dex-NW) has been developed that can release the drug on the ocular surface for a longer duration of time than drops, during which it slowly dissolves. The Dex-NW was fabricated using carboxymethyl cellulose polymer and contains arrays of 500 nm square drug reservoirs filled with Dex. The in vivo efficacy of the Dex-NW was evaluated using an experimental mouse dry eye model. These studies demonstrated that once a day Dex-NW treatment on alternate days during a five-day treatment period was able to restore a healthy ocular surface and corneal barrier function with comparable efficacy to twice a day topically applied dexamethasone eye drop treatment. The Dex-NW was also very effective in down regulating expression of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, and IFN-γ), chemokines (CXCL-10 and CCL-5), and MMP-3, that are stimulated by dry eye. Despite less frequent dosing, the Dex-NW has comparable therapeutic efficacy to topically applied Dex eye drops in experimental mouse dry eye model, and these results provide a strong rationale for translation to human clinical trials for dry eye.
Glossary of Terms Used in Didactique

In the hope that the reader will be inspired by this Invitation to go and do further reading of the book and articles about Didactique cited in the bibliography, I am including a collection of some of the key terms. The first twelve are ones that have appeared in the course of the previous chapters, and for those I will produce a brief description and a reference. After that come an additional five that I include because they seem to me to have the potential of easing and clarifying the reading of Didactique.
Lambek Calculus Proofs and Tree Automata

We investigate natural deduction proofs of the Lambek calculus from the point of view of tree automata. The main result is that the set of proofs of the Lambek calculus cannot be accepted by a finite tree automaton. The proof is extended to cover the proofs used by grammars based on the Lambek calculus, which typically use only a subset of the set of all proofs. While Lambek grammars can assign regular tree languages as structural descriptions, there exist Lambek grammars that assign non-regular structural descriptions, both when considering normal and non-normal proof trees. Combining the results of Pentus (1993) and Thatcher (1967), we can conclude that Lambek grammars, although generating only context-free languages, can extend the strong generative capacity of context-free grammars. Furthermore, we show that structural descriptions that disregard the use of introduction rules cannot be used for a compositional semantics following the Curry-Howard isomorphism.
The Experimental Alteration of Malignancy with an Homologous Mammalian Tumor Material: II. Intracutaneous Inoculation of Preserved Material

A material obtained from the Brown-Pearce rabbit tumor, when injected intratesticularly, was found to render rabbits more susceptible to transplantation two weeks later with the tumor into the same or opposite testicle, and to enhance greatly every observed phase of local and metastatic tumor growth (1, 2). By this means the homologous tumor material brings about the occurrence of primary tumors, and metastases were produced in animals which would not otherwise have developed them. It may be recalled, however, that testicular inoculation of the Brown-Pearce tumor is usually followed by a local growth and the development of metastases, while inoculation into the skin or subcutaneous tissues gives fewer primary tumors and, under ordinary conditions, metastases do not occur. It appeared, therefore, that the use of the homologous material in conjunction with intracutaneous inoculation offered a more severe test of the potency of the material and, at the same time, afforded a means of determining whether the homologous material retained its activity when injected by a route other than the testicle. The present paper is concerned with results obtained when both the tumor inoculations and the injection of the homologous material are made in the skin instead of the testicle.
Ethical Issues Related to Animal Welfare Considerations in the Toxicology Laboratory

Toxicologists are required to maintain high ethical standards in their studies in order to comply with regulations and to meet the expectations of colleagues and the public. Ethical standards are continually evolving, due to regulatory actions, recommendations of professional organizations and public perceptions. Toxicologists, as do the large majority of all adults, subscribe to the principles of ‘animal welfare’ as opposed to the principles of ‘animal rights’ which opposes all human use of animals. Animal welfare in the toxicology laboratory is based on veterinary standards, accreditation standards, professional society standards, and on principles, such as the ‘3 Rs’: ‘Reduction’ (minimizing the number of animals used); ‘Refinement’ of procedures in order to minimize pain and distress; and ‘Replacement’ of animals by nonsentient models. Toxicologists strive to eliminate animal pain and distress, to use humane end points, to use humane methods for euthanasia and to provide for the health and safety of animal subjects. Toxicologists should also consider their responsibility to educate the public about what they do and why. It is clear that the Animal Rights Movement, with the help of new and expanding, federal, state, and local laws, is rapidly making much animal research cost ineffective as well as extremely wasteful of the research scientist's time (Guyton, 1988) Keywords: animal welfare; animal toxicology; ethics; animal rights; three Rs; research regulations
Study design and hypothesis testing: issues in the evaluation of evidence from research in nutritional epidemiology

In addressing questions about the relations of dietary factors to disease in human populations, epidemiologic studies must account for the complexity of dietary habits, the intercorrelations among dietary habits, and the correlations of those habits with other behaviors. Furthermore, for studies of chronic disease, relevant dietary exposures may occur over decades. The classic epidemiologic study designs have been used to examine the associations between diet and disease; the strengths and weaknesses of those designs must be considered. Concerns have been raised regarding the validity of the measures of diet, the differential recall of diet by diseased individuals in case-control studies, and confounding by other related factors in both case-control and cohort studies. In clinical trials there may be difficulties in effecting the necessary dietary changes, especially for macronutrients, and there are also concerns about those circumstances in which participants cannot be blinded to their treatment. For case-control and cohort studies and for some clinical trials, intercorrelations among nutrients are a concern in the identification of factors that are important in the etiology of disease. It is important to understand these considerations when interpreting nutritional epidemiologic studies for the purpose of setting public policy. No one study can be considered definitive in the understanding of a diet-disease relation. However, epidemiologic findings from multiple studies taken together can contribute significantly to our understanding of diet in relation to disease in humans.
Fracture of thick graphite/epoxy laminates with part-through surface flaws

Fracture behavior of tensile specimens containing through-the-thickness flaws and part-through semi-elliptic surface flaws was investigated. The material was T300/5208 graphite/epoxy, with a stacking sequence 0/+ or - 45/90 sub ns. Laminate thicknesses ranged from 8 to 120 plies. Fracture toughness for specimens with through-the-thickness flaws was a function of laminate thickness. Fracture toughness was also independent of crack size. Fracture toughness for the thick laminates was also independent of specimen geometry (center-cracked tension specimen, compact tension specimen, and three-point bend specimen). Using the asymptotic value of fracture toughness and linear elastic isotropic fracture mechanics, the notched strength of tensile specimens with semi-elliptic surface flaws was predicted. The strength ratio is a function of the flaw depth (a/t) and flaw aspect (a/c) ratios. Comparisons between predicted and experimental strengths are good for large values of a/t. The notched strength of filament wound graphite/epoxy tensile specimens with part-through surface flaws was also predicted.
Regulation of Hepatic Retinol Metabolism: Perspectives from Studies on Vitamin A Status

Liver vitamin A (retinol) is obtained from several sources and is subject to multiple fates. Lecithin:retinol acyltransferase (LRAT), a microsomal enzyme present in liver and several other retinol-metabolizing tissues, esterifies retinol that is associated with a cellular retinol-binding protein, CRBP or CRBP-II. Recent research has shown that LRAT mRNA expression and enzyme activity are regulated in a tissue-specific manner. In vitamin A-deficient liver, both LRAT mRNA and activity are significantly down-regulated as well as rapidly induced after the administration of vitamin A or its principal hormonal metabolite, retinoic acid (RA). In long-term feeding studies and the metabolic steady state, liver LRAT is expressed dose-dependently across a wide range of dietary vitamin A. Additionally, an RA-inducible cytochrome P450, P450RAI or CYP26, is down-regulated in liver during vitamin A deficiency and up-regulated dose-dependently by dietary vitamin A and exogenous RA. Based on these results, we propose that LRAT and CYP26 serve as two molecular mechanisms, coordinately regulated by all-trans-RA, to control the availability of retinol and RA, respectively. The LRAT reaction, besides providing a readily retrievable storage form of vitamin A, may regulate the availability of retinol to other pathways, while the CYP26 reaction may serve to prevent a detrimental "overshoot" of RA concentration. Moreover, retinoid metabolism in the liver is likely to be closely integrated with that in peripheral tissues through the rapid interorgan transfer and recycling of retinoids, affecting the whole-body economy of vitamin A.
Ultrasound Guided Core Biopsy versus Fine Needle Aspiration for Evaluation of Axillary Lymphadenopathy in Patients with Breast Cancer

Rationale and Objectives. To compare the sensitivities of ultrasound guided core biopsy and fine needle aspiration (FNA) for detection of axillary lymph node metastases in patients with a current diagnosis of ipsilateral breast cancer. Materials and Methods. From December 2008 to December 2010, 105 patients with breast cancer and abnormal appearing lymph nodes in the ipsilateral axilla consented to undergo FNA of an axillary node immediately followed by core biopsy of the same node, both with ultrasound guidance. Experienced pathologists evaluated the aspirate cytology without knowledge of the core histology. Cytology and core biopsy results were compared to sentinel node excision or axillary dissection pathology. Sensitivities were compared using McNemar's test. Results. Of 70 patients with axillary node metastases, FNA was positive in 55/70 (78.6%) and core was positive in 61/70 (87.1%) (P = 0.18). The FNA and core results were discordant in 14/70 (20%) patients. Ten cases were FNA negative/core positive. Four cases were FNA positive/core negative. Conclusion. Core biopsy detected six (8.6%) more cases of metastatic lymphadenopathy than FNA but the difference in sensitivities was not statistically significant. Core biopsy should be considered if the node is clearly imaged and readily accessible. FNA is a good alternative when a smaller needle is desired due to node location or other patient factors. This trial is registered with NCT01920139.
In situ fenestration for branch vessel preservation during EVAR.

Introduction Unfavorable proximal aortic neck anatomy poses a formidable challenge to the successful repair of endovascular aortic aneurysms.1, 2 Currently, there are no commercially available devices in the United States for the endovascular management of pararenal or juxtarenal aneurysms, or even aneurysms with short (i.e.,
Genotype determination for polymorphisms in linkage disequilibrium

Genome-wide association studies with single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) show great promise to identify genetic determinants of complex human traits. In current analyses, genotype calling and imputation of missing genotypes are usually considered as two separated tasks. The genotypes of SNPs are first determined one at a time from allele signal intensities. Then the missing genotypes, i.e., no-calls caused by not perfectly separated signal clouds, are imputed based on the linkage disequilibrium (LD) between multiple SNPs. Although many statistical methods have been developed to improve either genotype calling or imputation of missing genotypes, treating the two steps independently can lead to loss of genetic information. We propose a novel genotype calling framework. In this framework, we consider the signal intensities and underlying LD structure of SNPs simultaneously by estimating both cluster parameters and haplotype frequencies. As a result, our new method outperforms some existing algorithms in terms of both call rates and genotyping accuracy. Our studies also suggest that jointly analyzing multiple SNPs in LD provides more accurate estimation of haplotypes than haplotype reconstruction methods that only use called genotypes. Our study demonstrates that jointly analyzing signal intensities and LD structure of multiple SNPs is a better way to determine genotypes and estimate LD parameters.
High-Stiffness, Lock-and-Key Heat-Reversible Locator-Snap Systems for the Design for Disassembly

Recent legislative and social pressures have driven manufacturers to consider effective part reuse and material recycling at the end of product life at the design stage. One of the key considerations is to use joints that can disengage with minimum labor, part damage, and material contamination. This paper extends our previous work on the design of high-stiffness reversible locator-snap system that can disengage non-destructively with localized heat [1, 2], to include 1) modeling for tolerance stack-up and 2) lock-and-key concept to ensure that snaps only disengage when the right procedure is followed. The design problem is posed as an optimization problem to find the locations, numbers, and orientations of locators and snaps, and the number, locations and sizes of heating areas, which realize the release of snaps with minimum heat, compliance, and tolerance stack-up. The motion and structural requirements are considered constraints. Screw Theory is utilized to pre-calculate a set of feasible types and orientations of locators and snaps that are examined during optimization. The optimization problem is solved using Multi Objective Genetic Algorithm (MOGA) coupled with structural and thermal FEA. The method is applied on two case studies. The Pareto-optimal solutions present alternative designs with different trade-offs between the design objectives while meeting all the constraints.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Surface phonon spectroscopy of Ni(111) studied by inelastic electron scattering.

We report the experimental determination and theoretical analysis of the surface phonon dispersion relations for clean Ni(111) along the \ensuremath{\Gamma}\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}M\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{} symmetry direction. The surface phonon spectra were obtained with a high-resolution electron energy loss spectrometer operating in the off-specular impact scattering regime. Kinematic conditions were varied in order to selectively examine the Rayleigh mode and ``gap'' mode, as well as contributions from bulk phonons. Comparison of the experimental surface phonon dispersion relations and inelastic scattering cross sections with lattice dynamical and quantum multiple scattering calculations demonstrate that tensile surface stress is present at the level of 1.6\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.2 N/m, and that the intraplanar surface force constant is (11\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}3)% softer than in bulk nickel.
An automated apparatus for the assessment of social preferences in rodents

Preference apparatuses offer a straightforward method for the assessment of social preference in a controlled manner. The present paper provides the information necessary for the construction of an automated preference apparatus for rodents and a demonstration of the operation of this apparatus. In a representative study,Peromyscus polionotus females demonstrated preference for intact over castrated males.
Identification of a heritable polymorphism in bovine PRNP associated with genetic transmissible spongiform encephalopathy: evidence of heritable BSE.

Background: Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) of cattle. Classical BSE is associated with ingestion of BSE-contaminated feedstuffs. H- and L-type BSE, collectively known as atypical BSE, differ from classical BSE by displaying a different disease phenotype and they have not been linked to the consumption of contaminated feed. Interestingly, the 2006 US H-type atypical BSE animal had a polymorphism at codon 211 of the bovine prion gene resulting in a glutamic acid to lysine substitution (E211K). This substitution is analogous a human polymorphism associated with the most prevalent form of heritable TSE in humans, and it is considered to have caused BSE in the 2006 US atypical BSE animal. In order to determine if this amino acid change is a heritable trait in cattle, we sequenced the prion alleles of the only known offspring of this animal, a 2-year-old heifer. Principal Findings: Sequence analysis revealed that both the 2006 US atypical BSE animal and its 2-year-old heifer were heterozygous at bovine prion gene nucleotides 631 through 633 for GAA (glutamic acid) and AAA (lysine). Both animals carry the E211K polymorphism, indicating that the allele is heritable and may persist within the cattle population. Conclusions: This is the first evidence that the E211K polymorphism is a germline polymorphism, not a somatic mutation, suggesting BSE may be transmitted genetically in cattle. In the event that E211K proves to result in a genetic form of BSE, this would be the first indication that all 3 etiologic forms of TSEs (spontaneous, hereditary, and infectious) are present in a non-human species. Atypical BSE arising as both genetic and spontaneous disease, in the context of reports that at least some forms of atypical BSE can convert to classical BSE in mice, suggests a cattle origin for classical BSE.
A system of safety management practices and worker engagement for reducing and preventing accidents: an empirical and theoretical investigation.

Abstract Objective The overall research objective was to theoretically and empirically develop the ideas around a system of safety management practices (ten practices were elaborated), to test their relationship with objective safety statistics (such as accident rates), and to explore how these practices work to achieve positive safety results (accident prevention) through worker engagement. Method Data were collected using safety manager, supervisor and employee surveys designed to assess and link safety management system practices, employee perceptions resulting from existing practices, and safety performance outcomes. Results Results indicate the following: there is a significant negative relationship between the presence of ten individual safety management practices, as well as the composite of these practices, with accident rates; there is a significant negative relationship between the level of safety-focused worker emotional and cognitive engagement with accident rates; safety management systems and worker engagement levels can be used individually to predict accident rates; safety management systems can be used to predict worker engagement levels; and worker engagement levels act as mediators between the safety management system and safety performance outcomes (such as accident rates). Implications Even though the presence of safety management system practices is linked with incident reduction and may represent a necessary first-step in accident prevention, safety performance may also depend on mediation by safety-focused cognitive and emotional engagement by workers. Thus, when organizations invest in a safety management system approach to reducing/preventing accidents and improving safety performance, they should also be concerned about winning over the minds and hearts of their workers through human performance-based safety management systems designed to promote and enhance worker engagement.
Demonstration of a microwave spectrum analyzer based on time-domain optical processing in fiber

We demonstrate a novel method for spectral analysis of microwave signals that employs time-domain processing in fiber. We use anomalous dispersion in single-mode fiber to perform a Fresnel transform followed by a matched amount of dispersion-compensating fiber to perform an inverse Fresnel transform of an ultrashort pulse. After the Fresnel-transformed waveform is modulated by the microwave signal, the waveform at the output of the dispersion-compensating fiber represents the ultrashort pulse convolved with the microwave spectrum. An experimental system for spectral analysis of microwave signals in the range 6-21 GHz is demonstrated.
Bivalves: Spatial and Size-Frequency Distributions of Two Intertidal Species

Individuals of Mulinia lateralis are randomly distributed over a homogeneous area (0.25 square meter) of a mudflat. Second-year individuals of Gemma gemma also are randomly distributed, but its total population is aggregated because of its ovoviviparous habit. As expected for two species having different life histories, their size-frequency distributions are very different, the indication being that the nature of a size-frequency curve may not be a reliable index of the degree of transport or integrity of a fossil assemblage.
Interview and Focus Group Research: A Content Analysis of Scholarship Published in Ranked Journals

Two qualitative methods, interviewing and focus groups, guide scholarship in a range of fields, yet evaluation of such work has long been riddled with complications. Scholars have called for the investigation of norms in qualitative research design to offer evaluators and qualitative scholars alike additional tools for judging and justifying specific methodological choices. In answer to this call, we analyzed the content of articles (N = 13,670) published in top-ranked journals in communication, public health, and interdisciplinary social science from 2005 to 2009. Findings revealed that the typical interview study had approximately 30 participants (median = 27). Focus groups had slightly more participants (median = 36) spread across an average of six groups. Only approximately 25% of all interview and focus group studies (N = 1,865) reported participants’ mean age, and only about 19% reported participants’ race/ethnicity. These findings offer a point of departure for discussions about standards in qualit...
The Long-Term Care Puzzle and Mental Health Policy: Putting the Pieces Together

The rapid growth in the elderly population has increased attention to long-term care and policies that guide and develop long-term care programs. Demands for long-term care are evident across the l...
Novel Antibacterial Nanofibrous PLLA Scaffolds

In order to achieve high local bioactivity and low systemic side effects of antibiotics in the treatment of dental, periodontal and bone infections, a localized and temporally controlled delivery system is crucial. In this study, a three-dimensional (3-D) porous tissue engineering scaffold was developed with the ability to release antibiotics in a controlled fashion for long-term inhibition of bacterial growth. The highly soluble antibiotic drug, doxycycline (DOXY), was successfully incorporated into PLGA nanospheres using a modified water-in-oil-in-oil (w/o/o) emulsion method. The PLGA nanospheres (NS) were then incorporated into prefabricated nanofibrous PLLA scaffolds with a well interconnected macro-porous structure. The release kinetics of DOXY from four different PLGA NS formulations on a PLLA scaffold was investigated. DOXY could be released from the NS-scaffolds in a locally and temporally controlled manner. The DOXY release is controlled by DOXY diffusion out of the NS and is strongly dependent upon the physical and chemical properties of the PLGA. While PLGA50-6.5K, PLGA50-64K, and PLGA75-113K NS-scaffolds discharge DOXY rapidly with a high initial burst release, PLGA85-142K NS-scaffold can extend the release of DOXY to longer than 6weeks with a low initial burst release. Compared to NS alone, the NS incorporated on a 3-D scaffold had significantly reduced the initial burst release. In vitro antibacterial tests of PLGA85 NS-scaffold demonstrated its ability to inhibit common bacterial growth (S. aureus and E. coli) for a prolonged duration. The successful incorporation of DOXY onto 3-D scaffolds and its controlled release from scaffolds extends the usage of nano-fibrous scaffolds from the delivery of large molecules such as growth factors to the delivery of small hydrophilic drugs, allowing for a broader application and a more complex tissue engineering strategy.
222Rn Premonitory signals for earthquakes

Are changes in 222Rn concentrations in the Earth of use in predicting earthquakes? This is a nagging issue, there being many scattered data that are suggestive of useful signals, but none that have been established firmly by accepted statistical analysis. Figure 1 illustrates the quandary. Radon measurements show a striking factor-of-40 increase prior to an Ms = 6.3 earthquake (and a return to background after), even though the epicenter was 178 km distant and the fault diameter was about 15 km, far less than the ∼180 km to the site of the radon measurements. One must ask whether the coincidence could be purely statistical. How frequent are such radon changes, and do they regularly correlate with known earthquakes? Radon was monitored here for 3 years—a short time relative to the incidence of nearby earthquakes. Therefore, the decisive, valid answers to the question of statistical significance cannot be supplied. Significant earthquakes are rare; and continuous, properly done, long-term 222Rn measurements in earthquake-regions are correspondingly rarer.
Transfer of C14 components from Psylla pyricola (Foer.) to pear seedlings

Abstract Sorbitol was found to be the major C14-containing compound transferred from the insect Psylla pyricola (Foer.) to pear seedlings. Other C14 components were also present in the seedlings but the amounts were too small to be identified. The psylla larvae transferred considerably more C14 to the seedlings than did the adults. Analysis of psylla honeydew revealed that it contained 65 per cent sorbitol, 22 per cent sucrose, and 12 per cent reducing sugars on a dry weight basis.
Fear activation and distraction during the emotional processing of claustrophobic fear.

We tested several hypotheses derived from the emotional processing theory of fear reduction by manipulating claustrophobic participants' focus of attention during in vivo exposure. Sixty participants displaying marked claustrophobic fear were randomized to one of four exposure conditions. Each participant received a total of 30-min of self-guided exposure 2-weeks after pretreatment testing. One group attended to threatening words and images during exposure (TW) and was compared to a control group that attended to neutral words and images (NW). A third group performed a demanding cognitive load task-a modified Seashore Rhythm Test during exposure (SR) and was compared to an exposure only (EO) control group. Contrary to prediction, the threat word manipulation was not associated with lower levels of fear following treatment. Consistent with prediction, the distraction manipulation resulted in less fear reduction at post-treatment. Treatment process analyses revealed that the negative effects of distraction on treatment outcome manifested early as slower between-trial habituation. These results and their relevance to emotional processing theory are discussed.
On the parallelization of a comprehensive regional-scale air quality model

Abstract The complexity and nonlinearity of atmospheric flow dynamics, coupled with the nonlinear and multiphase character of atmospheric chemistry, make air quality modeling a particularly challenging problem. During the last two decades, comprehensive regional-scale air quality models have been developed which provide relatively thorough descriptions of the physics and chemistry of the atmosphere; however, a common weakness of these models is the coarse horizontal spatial resolution that must be employed to allow for reasonable simulation turnaround times. Typical horizontal grid spacings of 20–120 km do not provide adequate resolution for many important atmospheric phenomena such as clouds and smaller-scale turbulence. One way to achieve finer grid resolutions and maintain reasonable simulation turnaround times is to use parallelization. This work reports on the parallelization of the STEM-II regional-scale acid deposition and photochemical oxidant model on an IBM 3090-600J mainframe using IBM Parallel FORTRAN. A parallel speed-up of 4.65 (using five processors) has been achieved by parallelizing the code's transport and atmospheric chemistry calculations employing a locally one-dimensional time-splitting algorithm. A parallelized fraction of 0.98 has been estimated from multiple processor timings, which according to Amdahl's law would allow us to approach an ultimate speed-up of near 50 on similarly configured massively parallel machines.
The treatment of experimental osteomyelitis by surgical debridement and the implantation of calcium sulfate tobramycin pellets.

Abstract Calcium sulfate was used as a biodegradable delivery system for the administration of antibiotics in musculoskeletal infection. New Zealand white rabbits were infected with Staphylococcus aureus, debrided, and randomized to one of four treatment groups: calcium sulfate pellets with 10% tobramycin sulfate, placebo calcium sulfate pellets and IM tobramycin, placebo calcium sulfate pellets, or debridement. Serum and wound exudate tobramycin concentrations and serum calcium levels were measured. Radiographs, cultures, and histology were analyzed for efficacy and treatment. Rabbits treated with 10% tobramycin sulfate pellets showed a significantly higher eradication of infection (11/13) than rabbits treated with debridement only (5/12), placebo pellets and IM tobramycin (5/14), or placebo pellets (3/13). In the group receiving 10% tobramycin sulfate pellets, serum tobramycin concentrations peaked 3 h post-operatively at 5.87 μg/ml and were non-detectable after day 1. In the group receiving placebo pellets and IM tobramycin, serum concentrations peaked at 7.82 μg/ml 1 h post-operatively, fell to 6.12 μg/ml on day 2, and averaged 4.18 μg/ml for the remainder of the treatment period. The wound exudate tobramycin concentrations in the animals treated with tobramycin sulfate pellets peaked at 11.9 mg/ml on day 1 and dropped to 2.5 μg/ml on day 7. There was no significant difference in the serum calcium levels in any of the treatment groups. Calcium sulfate containing tobramycin sulfate has potential utility as a biodegradable local antibiotic delivery system in the treatment of musculoskeletal infections.
Genetic Service Delivery: Infrastructure, Assessment and Information

Identification of genomic determinants of complex disorders such as cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease has prompted public health systems to focus on genetic service delivery for prevention of these disorders, adding to their previous efforts in birth defects prevention and newborn screening. This focus is consistent with previously identified obligations of the public health system as well as the core functions of public health identified by the Institute of Medicine. Models of service delivery include provision of services by the primary care provider in conjunction with subspecialists, provision of services through the medical home with co-management by genetics providers, provision of services in conjunction with disorder-specific treatment centers, and provision of services through a network of genetics clinics linked to medical homes. Whatever the model for provision of genetic services, tools to assist providers include facilities for outreach and telemedicine, information technology, just-in-time management plans, and emergency management tools. Assessment tools to determine which care is best are critical for quality improvement and development of best practices. Because the workforce of genetics providers is not keeping pace with the need for services, an understanding of the factors contributing to this lag is important, as is the development of an improved knowledge base in genomics for primary care providers.
Managing tied aid competition: Domestic politics, credible threats, and the Helsinki disciplines

ABSTRACT During the eighties, industrialized countries increasingly used tied aid to circumvent international agreements restricting export subsidies for capital goods. The 1991 Helsinki Disciplines restricted the use of tied aid as a tool of export promotion. In export subsidy competition, donor states have a collective interest in avoiding spiraling escalation of spending; but, reaching international agreements is difficult when preferences over levels of expenditure vary between them. States that favor greater restraint on export subsidies can make subsidy competition prohibitively expensive by increasing their expenditures. However, this requires them to threaten substantial increases in spending when they have a demonstrated preference against doing so. Successful cooperation can only occur when governments with sufficient budgetary resources prefer subsidy reduction, but can mobilize domestic constituencies to make subsidy retaliation credible. Despite an apparent decline in international influence,...
Plans for an upgraded CMS pixel detector

Abstract The CMS inner pixel detector system is planned to be upgraded during the first phase of LHC upgrades. The plans call for an ultra low mass system with four barrel layers and with three disks on either end. With the expected increase in particle rates, the electronic readout chain will be changed for fast digital signals. There are constraints due to the services available. However, expectations are that there will be improved tracking performance.
Scorescapes: On Sound, Environment and Sonic Consciousness

ABSTRACT The author discusses Scorescapes, an artistic research project that investigates how sound mediates our relationship to the environment and how contemporary multidisciplinary art practices can articulate this. Scorescapes joins the author’s own artistic practice with a theoretical analysis that highlights how relationships to the environment drawn through sound are profoundly bound up with technology. Key concepts include: making the inaudible audible; underwater sound and cetacean communication; field recordings and the contextual basis of sound; typologies of listening; the score as relationship; and techno-intuition.
The persistent relevance of the local operating system to global applications

The growth and popularity of loosely-coupled distributed systems such as the World Wide Web and the touting of Java-based systems as the solution to the issues of software maintenance, flexibility, and security are changing the research emphasis away from traditional single node operating system issues. Apparently, the view is that traditional OS issues are either solved problems or minor problems. By contrast, we believe that building such vast distributed systems upon the fragile infrastructure provided by today's operating systems is analogous to building castles on sand. In this paper we outline the supporting arguments for these views and describe an OS design that supports secure encapsulation of the foreign processes that will be increasingly prevalent in tomorrow's distributed systems.1