cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Definition and Classification of Acute Kidney Injury

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is the sudden loss of kidney function, typically developing over hours to days. Although AKI is easy to define conceptually, consensus operational definitions were unavailable until the early portion of the last decade. Three consensus definitions have been developed since 2002: the RIFLE (Risk, Injury, Failure, Loss, and End-stage) definition, developed by the Acute Dialysis Quality Initiative (ADQI), the Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN) definition and staging system, and most recently the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) definition and staging system. Each of these definitions and staging systems is based on changes in serum creatinine and urine output. In the most current KDIGO definition, AKI is defined based on an absolute increase in serum creatinine of ≥0.3 mg/dL occurring within 48 h, a relative increase of ≥50% occurring within 7 days, or a urine output of <0.5 mL/kg per hour for more than 6 h. Progressive stages of AKI severity are defined by larger increases in serum creatinine, longer durations of oliguria or anuria, or need for renal replacement therapy. Although these definitions are useful in epidemiologic studies and clinical trials, their utility in clinical practice is uncertain.
Soil type shapes unique pathogen communities on nearby populations of a California native bunchgrass

The role of infectious disease in regulating host populations is increasingly recognized, but the environmental conditions that facilitate versus hinder pathogen-mediated population regulation remain poorly understood. We compared the relative contributions of soil type and pathogen community composition to foliar disease burden in a perennial bunchgrass species found on two distinct soil types that support distinct plant communities in a California grassland. We hypothesized that populations on different soil types would have significantly different disease burdens caused by unique pathogen communities. To test this hypothesis, we compared foliar disease burden and foliar fungal pathogen communities in nearby populations of Stipa pulchra found in nonserpentine greenstone soil that is dominated by invasive Mediterranean grasses, and in serpentine soil, a harsh soil high in heavy metals and low in essential nutrients that supports a diverse community of native plant species. We analyzed the chemical makeup of serpentine and nonserpentine plant tissue to understand potential impacts of soil chemistry on plant health and pathogen community composition. We found that serpentine and nonserpentine S. pulchra experienced consistent, low disease pressure caused by distinct communities of foliar pathogens, and that serpentine plants, like the soil in which they grew, had elevated Ni and Mg content and decreased C, N, Ca, and P content compared to nonserpentine plants. The results imply that pathogens are unlikely to regulate the population dynamics of this native plant, and that pathogen communities are structured either by plant community composition or tissue chemistry. Local variation in soil type and annually variable conditions associated with high species turnover in pathogen communities may create a refuge from disease outbreaks for S. pulchra, contributing to the low disease burden observed on this and other Mediterranean grassland species.
Targeted VEGF (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor) Therapy Induces Long-Term Renal Recovery in Chronic Kidney Disease via Macrophage Polarization.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) universally associates with renal microvascular rarefaction and inflammation, but whether a link exists between these 2 processes is unclear. We designed a therapeutic ...
Contemporary Perspectives: The Impact of Social Media on the Field of Human Resources Management

The Winter 2019 edition of the journal is our first special issue. The objective of this special issue is to explore current research in both social media (SM) and human resource management (HRM) by examining the intersection of these two fields of study. Articles are presented that investigate ways social media is used to provide greater or more meaningful outcomes for organizations, by use or integration of SM in organizational HRM programs and practices, or for individuals as they use SM to explore facets of the employment life cycle including recruiting, onboarding, development, retention, and retirement.
Weighted Polar Finite Time Control Barrier Functions With Applications To Multi-Robot Systems

In this paper, we introduce a class of functions inspired by the weighted Lp norm which is used for the control of unicycle robots in planar space. In particular, we prove that these functions are valid finite time control barrier functions. Finite time control barrier functions (FCBFs) provide a formal guarantee for finite time convergence to desired sets in the state space. Traditionally, these barrier functions consider only the position of the robot and not the heading, which makes it difficult to apply this framework in cases where the heading is important in addition to the position. In this paper, a new barrier function defined with the full state of the robot is proposed to achieve finite time convergence to the desired set in the state space and the desired heading angle with controllable error bounds. We propose a quadratic program (QP) based controller, which guarantees finite time convergence to a desired region in the state space. We show that there exists singular sets in the state space where the QP is infeasible. By virtue of the structure of the proposed barrier function, feasibility of the QP is guaranteed. A multi-robot case study is presented, along with simulation and experimental results.
The Good, the Bad, and Recovery: Adolescents Describe the Advantages and Disadvantages of Alternative Peer Groups:

In 2017, approximately 1.5 million American adolescents had a substance use disorder (SUD). Adolescents with SUD risk hindering their neurological development, which can result in problems with mem...
Effect of conditioner disc wear on frictional, thermal, kinetic and pad micro-textural attributes of interlayer dielectric and tungsten chemical mechanical planarization

A brand-new conventional diamond disc was subjected to 32 hours of wear during which SEM images of active diamonds were taken and pad cut rates were measured. ILD wafers were polished before, midway through, and after the wear test (on a brand-new pad) at varying combinations of pressure and velocity. Tungsten wafers were also polished midway through, and after the 32-hour wear. Polishing was accompanied by pad surface topography analysis via confocal microscopy. The disc experienced significant diamond tip micro-wear along with dried slurry accumulation on its substrate causing pad cut rate to drop by a factor of 2. Despite this drastic change, over the duration of the wear test, there were no substantial changes in pad micro-texture, nor ILD or tungsten removal rates indicating the lack of any correlation between pad cut rate and film removal rate during the first 32 hours of wear.
Antisemitism on the Norwegian Far-Right, 1967–2018

This article examines antisemitism on the Norwegian far-right from the first wave of politically organized neo-Nazism in the late 1960s to the present. Two sets of questions form the core of the an...
The educators' experience: Learning environments that support the master adaptive learner.

The Master Adaptive Learner (MAL) theoretical framework describes an integrated approach to learning that combines features of educational theory on self-regulated learning and aspects of quality i...
A SEARCH FOR DIFFUSE NEUTRAL HYDROGEN AND H I CLOUDS IN THE NGC 2403 GROUP

We have observed the NGC 2403 group of galaxies using the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope in a search for faint, extended neutral hydrogen clouds similar to the clouds found around the M81/M82 group, which is located approximately 250 kpc from the NGC 2403 group along the same filament of galaxies. For an H I cloud with a size {<=}10 kpc within 50 kpc of a group galaxy, our 7{sigma} mass detection limit is 2.2 x 10{sup 6} M {sub sun} for a cloud with a line width of 20 km s{sup -1}, over the velocity range from -890 to 1750 km s{sup -1}. At this sensitivity level, we detect three new H I clouds in the direction of the group, as well as the known galaxies. The mean velocity of the new clouds differs from that of the group galaxies by more than 250 km s{sup -1}, but are in the range of Milky Way high-velocity clouds (HVCs) in that direction. It is most likely that the clouds are part of the Milky Way HVC population. If H I clouds exist in the NGC 2403 group, their masses are less than 2.2 x 10{sup 6} M {sub sun}.more » We also compared our results to structures that are expected based on recent cosmological models, and found none of the predicted clouds. If NGC 2403 is surrounded by a population of dark matter halos similar to those proposed for the Milky Way in recent models, our observations imply that their H I content is less than 1% of their total mass.« less
Cities, their form, and accessibility

Abstract Cities represent complex arrangements of people and infrastructures, interacting in myriad ways. Although transportation and other mobility technologies have reduced frictions of distance and facilitated greater connectivity of people with their needs, the underlying physical structure of the city itself remains a key determinant in shaping activity outcomes. This chapter examines the interplay of cities, urban form, and the implications for accessibility. Accessibility is the ease with which people are able to reach the goods and services necessary to sustain their basic needs. In this way, accessibility is viewed as a product of the interplay between urban form, transportation systems, and the alternatives they provide, and other factors. Several considerations are reviewed in understanding accessibility and urban form, and then the past is traced before examining key contemporary themes at the nexus of urban form and accessibility. The chapter concludes by identifying several areas prime for further inquiry and exploration moving forward.
Developing a certification system for urban forests in the United States

Abstract Urban areas in the United States have seen an increase since the 1990s and further growth is projected. Recognizing sustainable urban forestry practices is critical for increasing the socio-ecological and economic resilience of cities. In this study, we review the historical, theoretical, and practical capacities as well as the procedural and substantive details of existent programs that recognize good forestry practices in the United States. Current systems of recognition like Tree City USA and Urban Forest Sustainability and Management Audit are limited because they do not have robust third-party verification procedures that define liabilities of non-conformance to urban forestry standards. Moreover, the process of standardizing principles, criteria, and indicators has not been as detailed in these existent urban recognition systems as in traditional forest certification systems like the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI). We provide guidelines towards establishing an urban forest certification system building on knowledge from existing networks and institutions. We hope that this study will guide urban forest managers, communities, private companies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and other stakeholders that have recently shown significant interest in instituting a more holistic certification-based governance system of recognizing sustainable urban forestry. An important opportunity is available for urban systems that recognize and promote good forestry practices to learn from existent mechanisms of forest certification about potential and challenges faced on the ground in standardization, recognition, and verification governance.
Book Review: Domestic and International Asset Protection Planning

A book review of Asset Protection: Domestic and International Law and Tactics by Duncan E. Osborne, Clark, Boardman & Callahan (1995).
Social norms and prevention behaviors in the United States early in the COVID-19 pandemic.

The current study assessed how social norms were associated with the three effective Covid-19 prevention behaviors of social distancing, handwashing, and wearing protective face masks during the early stages of the pandemic in the US. Study participants were recruited online. Data from the present study was from a baseline quantitative survey administered from March 25th-27th, 2020. The 808 study participants were recruited for a longitudinal study online. Eligibility requirements included age 18 or older, living in the United States, English speaking and reading had heard of the Coronavirus or Covid-19, and provided informed consent. The three outcome variables were handwashing, mask wearing, and social distancing. Injunctive and descriptive norms were assessed. The injunctive norm of perceiving friends would find them rude if they did not affiliate with them because Covid-19 was associated with all three outcomes in both the bivariate and multivariate logistic regression models with adjusted odds ratios ranging from (aOR) = .80 for handwashing to aOR = .63 for social distancing and aOR = .77 for mask wearing. The descriptive cognitive norm of friends worrying about becoming infected was associated with all three outcomes in the bivariate analysis but only mask wearing in the multivariate models (aOR = 1.74). The study findings suggest there are strong social factors that correlate with behaviors to prevent the transmission of SARS-CoV-2. These findings also suggest that public health communication campaigns should focus on more than heightening risk perceptions. They should include attention to social norms and perceptions of social risks to significant others.
The Use of Advertising Agencies for Foreign Markets: Decentralized Decisions and Localized Approaches?

This study investigates kinds of advertising agencies used by American multinational corporations to advertise in non-domestic markets. It also examines relationships between types of advertising approaches and kinds of advertising agencies, and between types of advertising decisions and kinds of advertising agencies used by multinational corporations. Findings reveal that American firms use a foreign advertising agency more than they use an American agency with overseas branches. The study suggests a trend towards some degree of decentralization of advertising efforts and emphasizes local adaptation to a changing advertising environment in non-domestic markets.
Peirce’s Evolving Interpretant

In contrast to Saussure (who proposed a binary system in which signs are associated with their objects only), Peirce’s system is triadic, in which signs are distinguished from their meanings, as well as from their objects.
Impulse activity differentially regulates co-localized transmitters by altering messenger RNA levels.

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the role of depolarization in the regulation of transmitter plasticity and reviews experiments employing rat sympathetic neurons and adrenomedullary chromaffin cells as models in vivo and in vitro . The chapter also discusses the mechanisms by which depolarization regulates transmitter metabolism and expression in sympathetic neurons. Evidence indicates that plasticity persists into adulthood. Regulation in the adrenomedullary chromaffin cell is examined as the availability of appropriate complementary DNA (cDNA) probes has helped to identify molecular loci governing plasticity attendant to depolarization. The concepts of the combinatorial potential of neural communication have undergone a revolution with the realization that neurons use multiple transmitters simultaneously. Studies of sympathetic neurons during development as well as maturity indicate that co-localized transmitter molecules are profoundly plastic. Different co-localized transmitter systems are differentially regulated by extraneuronal stimuli, such as trans-synaptic impulse traffic and depolarization. Moreover, the use of cDNA probes in sympathetic neurons and adrenal medulla has revealed that membrane depolarization and sodium ion influx, specifically and differentially, alter the levels of messenger RNA coding for transmitter molecules.
An economic evaluation of schizophrenia: 1991

In 1991, the costs for schizophrenia, which has a lifetime prevalence of 1.5% among adult Americans, totaled $65 billion. Costs were broken down into their direct and indirect components. Direct costs, which totaled $19 billion dollars, consisted of treatment-related expenditures such as those for inpatients and outpatients, as well as nontreatment-related expenditures such as those for the criminal justice system used by individuals with schizophrenia. The direct costs were fairly similar to those of other recent estimates of the cost of schizophrenia. Indirect costs, which were $46 billion dollars, included the lost productivity of both wage earners ($24 billion) and homemakers ($4.5 billion), individuals who were in institutions ($4.5 billion) or who had committed suicide ($7 billion), and caregivers who took care of schizophrenic family members ($7 billion). Our method for calculating the indirect costs was slightly different than methods used in prior studies, which may account for our estimates being higher. The method for determining each expenditure is provided, and the implications of these staggering costs are discussed.
Online Business Collaboration

Online business collaboration concerns the study of cooperative interactions and communication between people for achieving shared goals as well as the exploration of the role of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in supporting these goal-oriented behaviors. Online business collaboration research draws on three foundational areas of theory, namely computer-mediated communication (CMC), computer-supported cooperative work (CSCW), and virtual team collaboration in order to understand antecedents to and processes of effective online business collaboration. Whereas traditionally online business collaboration research has focused largely on cooperative interactions between individuals and groups of people within the same organization, a proliferating area of research focuses on cross-organizational collaboration, thus further complicating this area of communication inquiry. Keywords: business and management; communication theory; computer mediated communication; computer supported cooperative work; cross-organizational collaboration; organizational communication; virtual team collaboration; visual and nonverbal communication
Cisplatin exposure triggers the endocytosis and degradation of its major influx transporter hCTR1

1482 Cisplatin (DDP) is an important chemotherapeutic agent, but resistance to this drug develops rapidly during therapy. The mechanisms by which DDP enters and exits from cells are poorly defined, but the most common alteration identified in DDP-resistant cells is impaired accumulation of drug. DDP and copper (Cu) have very similar uptake properties, and we have previously reported that cells selected for resistance to DDP are cross-resistant to Cu and vice versa. Both types of cells have defects in the initial influx rate of Cu and DDP suggesting that DDP may enter and/or exit from cells via Cu transporters. The human copper transporter hCTR1 has recently been shown to affect DDP uptake (Holzer et al., Mol Pharm 66:817-823, 2004). However, DDP has also recently been shown to trigger the loss of hCTR1 from the plasma membrane (Holzer et al., Clin Can Res 10: 6744-6749, 2004). Within 5 minutes of the start of exposure to 2 μM DDP, endogenous hCTR1 in human ovarian carcinoma 2008 cells was found to have almost completely disappeared. In this study we investigated the mechanism by which hCTR1 is rapidly down-regulated in the same cell model. We examined the effect of DDP on the level of endogenous hCTR1 in the presence or absence of endocytotic, proteasomal and lysosomal inhibitors using a polyclonal antibody to the N-terminus of hCTR1, digital confocal microscopy and Western blotting. Inhibition of lipid raft-mediated endocytosis by 25 ng/mL nystatin blocked the loss of hCTR1 triggered by DDP exposure, while inhibition of clathrin-mediated endocytosis with 6 ug/mL chlorpromazine did not affect the loss of hCTR1. Inhibition of the trypsin- and chymotrypsin-like activity of the proteasome by 15 uM lactacystin prevented DDP-induced degradation of hCTR1. Likewise, complete inhibition of proteasome function with av15 uM proteasome inhibitor cocktail (Calbiochem) prevented DDP-induced reduction in hCTR1 level. Inhibition of endosomal acidification by 100uM chloroquine also blocked the loss of hCTR1 following DDP exposure. This study confirms that DDP triggers the rapid loss of hCTR1 from ovarian carcinoma cells at clinically relevant concentrations. The results indicate the DDP-induced degradation of hCTR1 involves removal from the plasma membrane by a mechanism other than clathrin-mediated endocytosis, and that inhibition of either lysosomal or proteosomal function reduces the loss of hCTR1. Since hCTR1 is a major determinant of DDP uptake, prevention of its degradation offers the potential to enhance tumor sensitivity. Supported by grant DAMD 17-03-1-0158.
Quantitative aspects of the production of superoxide anion radical by milk xanthine oxidase

At pH 7.0, in air, 20% of the total electron flux through xanthine oxidase can be accounted for in terms of the univalent reduction of oxygen. The fraction of the total flux of electrons which traversed the univalent pathway to oxygen was increased by raising the pH and by raising the oxygen tension. It was further shown that at any given pH and oxygen tension, the amount of univalently reduced oxygen, which was detectable in terms of the reduction of cytochrome c, rose as the turnover rate of the enzyme was decreased by decreasing the concentration of xanthine. This effect of xanthine was more pronounced at pH 7.0 than at pH 10.0. Another reflection of this same phenomenon was a difference in Km for xanthine measured in terms of urate production as compared to Km for xanthine measured in terms of cytochrome c reduction. Here too the differences were diminished as the pH and the oxygen tension were raised. The quantitative aspects of these phenomena are presented as well as an explanation which is consistent with all of the observations and which was, in fact, predictive of several of them.
Obtaining Comparative Genomic Data with the VISTA Family of Computational Tools

Comparison of DNA sequences from different species is a fundamental method for identifying functional elements, such as exons or enhancers, as they tend to exhibit significant sequence similarity due to purifying selection. Availability of whole-genome sequences for a constantly growing number of organisms makes identification of such elements within these genomes possible. There are two distinct phases in comparisons of genomic sequences: in the first, the sequences are aligned, and in the second, the resulting alignments are analyzed to find conservation signals that may be indicative of functional regions. Due to the considerable length of alignments, good visual representation techniques are a necessity for effective isolation of regions of interest. The VISTA family of tools provides biomedical investigators with a unified framework for the alignment of long genomic sequences and whole-genome assemblies, interactive visual analysis of alignments along with functional annotation, and many other comparative genomics capabilities. Curr. Protoc. Bioinform. 26:10.6.1-10.6.17. © 2009 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Keywords: comparative genomics; DNA alignment; VISTA; genome browser
Object identification in a Bayesian context

Object identification--the task of deciding that two observed objects are in fact one and the same object--is a fundamental requirement for any situated agent that reasons about individuals. Object identity, as represented by the equality operator between two terms in predicate calculus, is essentially a first-order concept. Raw sensory observations, on the other hand, are essentially propositional-- especially when formulated as evidence in standard probability theory. This paper describes patterns of reasoning that allow identity sentences to be grounded in sensory observations, thereby bridging the gap. We begin by defining a physical event space over which probabilities are defined. We then introduce an identity criterion, which selects those events that correspond to identity between observed objects. From this, we are able to compute the probability that any two objects are the same, given a stream of observations of many objects. We show that the appearance probability, which defines how an object can be expected to appear at subsequent observations given its current appearance, is a natural model for this type of reasoning. We apply the theory to the task of recognizing cars observed by cameras at widely separated sites in a freeway network, with new heuristics to handle the inevitable complexity of matching large numbers of objects and with online learning of appearance probability models. Despite extremely noisy observations, we are able to achieve high levels of performance.
Medicaid undercount and bias to estimates of uninsurance: new estimates and existing evidence.

There is consensus among researchers that population surveys of health insurance coverage undercount the number of individuals enrolled in Medicaid (Swartz and Purcell 1989; Holahan, Winterbottom, and Rajan 1995; Bennefield 1996; Dubay and Kenney 1996; Lewis, Elwood, and Czajka 1998; Blumberg and Cynamon 1999; Congressional Budget Office 2003). That is, estimates of the number of individuals with Medicaid coverage derived from survey data are consistently lower than the count of individuals enrolled in Medicaid obtained from administrative records. This is referred to as the “Medicaid undercount.” The existence of a Medicaid undercount implies that Medicaid recipients do not report Medicaid coverage in surveys asking about health insurance coverage. Many assume that Medicaid enrollees either do not understand that they are enrolled, or they are embarrassed to report their enrollment (Klerman, Ringel, and Roth 2005). This misreport can take two forms: the person incorrectly reports having some other type of coverage or the person misreports being uninsured. Adjustments made to correct for the discrepancy between survey and administrative counts of Medicaid participation seem to assume a bit more of the later—that Medicaid enrollees fail to report any coverage (Callahan and Mays 2005; Urban Institute 2006). Here, we directly test the assumption that Medicaid enrollees are inaccurate reporters of coverage and instead say they are uninsured in surveys. If Medicaid enrollees indicate that they lack any type of health insurance coverage, then estimates of uninsurance in surveys will be biased upward. If Medicaid enrollees indicate they have some type of coverage, then survey estimates of uninsurance are not biased from this form of measurement error. Understanding the magnitude and form of this measurement error is important. Surveys are the only source of information on those lacking coverage, providing the only means of assessing the extent to which programs are reaching their target populations, and survey estimates are widely used in health services research for policy development, evaluations, and simulations (Blewett et al. 2004). In this paper, we examine new data concerning the extent to which Medicaid enrollees accurately or inaccurately report health insurance coverage. In addition, we summarize existing evidence from a variety of studies regarding the degree of misreporting. We then calculate the extent of upward bias introduced by Medicaid enrollees misreporting uninsurance in health insurance surveys. Finally, we discuss the implications of this evidence for confidence in the use of survey estimates of uninsurance for policy analysis.
Cardiovascular Disease After Liver Transplantation: When, What, and Who Is at Risk

The evolution of metabolic and cardiovascular disease (CVD) complications after liver transplantation (LT) is poorly characterized. We aim to illustrate the prevalence of obesity and metabolic syndrome (MS), define the cumulative incidence of CVD, and characterize risk factors associated with these comorbidities after LT. A retrospective review of 455 consecutive LT recipients from 1999 to 2004 with an 8- to 12-year follow-up was performed. Obesity increased from 23.8% (4 months) to 40.8% (3 years) after LT. Increase in body mass index predicted MS at 1 year after LT (odds ratio, 1.1; P 0.07 ng/mL were associated with CVD on univariate analysis. Age (hazard ratio [HR], 1.03; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01-1.06; P = 0.019), diabetes (HR, 1.78; 95% CI, 1.09-2.92; P = 0.022), prior history of CVD (HR, 2.46; 95% CI, 1.45-4.16; P 0.07 ng/mL (HR, 1.98; 95% CI, 1.23-3.18; P = 0.005) were independently associated with CVD in the long term. Smoking history (ever), sex, hyperlipidemia, and serum ferritin levels were not predictive of CVD. Tacrolimus use versus noncalcineurin-based immunosuppression (HR, 0.26; 95% CI, 0.14-0.49; P < 0.001) was associated with reduced risk of CVD but not versus cyclosporine (HR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.30-1.49; P = 0.322). CVD is common after LT. Independent of MS, more data are needed to identify nonconventional risk factors and biomarkers like serum TN. Curbing weight gain in the early months after transplant may impact MS and subsequent CVD in the long term.
Inorganic Systems, Thermal Analysis Applications to

Thermoanalytical techniques can be used to characterize a wide range of inorganic materials and processes concerning them. The topics covered involve the measurement of thermal properties, phase equilibria, chemical analysis, and the study of solid-state reactivity. Examples are selected to include applications to metals, ceramics, minerals and a variety of inorganic compounds. Applications to processes such as catalysis, crystal growth, and synthesis are described. The principle techniques chosen for these purposes are associated with the measurement of different properties as a function of temperature and time. Thermogravimetry (TG), thermomagnetometry (TM), and evolved gas analysis (EGA) are based on changes in weight and analysis of the materials evolved or consumed. Differential thermal analysis (DTA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) are concerned with changes in temperature and heat capacity. Thermodilatometry (TD) measures changes in length or volume. Examples illustrating the use of each of these techniques are described.
BRINGING STRUCTURE TO JUDGING SUCCESS IN ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN: THE ‘TIOSE’ QUALITATIVE MEASURE

Explicit measures of design quality are almost unknown in architectural design, particularly since judging quality in architecture, as in most design disciplines in general, resists quantification. Resistance in the judgement of design quality can be traced to requirements for evaluating complex intra- and inter-discipline factor integration, as well as cultural knowledge which is tacit in nature. This paper aims to introduce the TIOSE Qualitative Measure, an outcome evaluation tool developed for a study on team interaction, cognitive style, team processes, and quality in design. The TIOSE contains five factors for judging architectural design success: thoroughness, informativeness, organisation, synthesis, and evocativeness. The methodology for the study involved evaluating the intra- and inter-rater reliability of six architectural critics who utilized the TIOSE to judge team project quality and success among 84 graduate students working in 12 teams. Analysis found high intraclass correlations within and between critics across three rounds of ratings, suggesting the TIOSE showed excellent intra- and inter-rater reliability, respectively. Study results provide evidence that evaluating the innovation and creativity of architecture and design projects can reliably extend past ratings of efficiency (time) and productivity (volume) as objective performance measures as the testing mechanism for success. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that qualitative measures of project success can be quantified in a reliable manner and can attain internalized agreement between architectural critics. The TIOSE measure provides a rating scale with explicit definitions for the qualitative measure of architectural design quality.
Grain boundary diffusion of Ag through polycrystalline SiC in TRISO fuel particles

Abstract The effective diffusivity and release fraction of Ag in polycrystalline SiC are evaluated using a kinetic Monte Carlo model. The effects of various grain boundary network properties on the transport of Ag across the SiC layer have been examined, including fraction of grain boundary type, spread in grain boundary diffusivities and distribution of grain boundary types. It is shown that the effective diffusivity and release fraction of Ag can exhibit a large variability due to changes in the GB structure of SiC, and this variability is almost independent of temperature fluctuation. The present results suggest that the variation in properties of grain boundary networks in SiC may contribute to the spread in the Ag diffusivity and release fraction measured in TRISO particles. It is also found that the grain boundary diffusion alone may be insufficient to account for the Ag diffusivities and release fractions measured in integral release experiments. Additional factors such as irradiation and temperature distribution may also play an important role in Ag transport across the SiC layer.
Use of Reference Frames for Interplanetary Navigation at JPL

Navigation of interplanetary spacecraft is typically based on range, Doppler, and differential interferometric measurements made by ground-based telescopes. Successful tracking requires knowledge of the telescope positions in the terrestrial reference frame. Spacecraft move against a background of extra-galactic radio sources and navigation depends upon precise knowledge of those background radio source positions in the celestial reference frame. Work is underway at JPL to reprocess historical VLBI and GPS data to improve realizations of the terrestrial and celestial frames. The purpose of this brief paper is to provide a snapshot of reference frame results.
Reporting child abuse: the ethical obligation to inform parents.

The failure of professionals to report many cases of suspected child abuse is welldocumented. However, a related, serious failure, the failure to inform parents that suspected abuse is being reported or actively considered, has received scant attention. When a certain threshhold of suspicion has been reached, it becomes deceptive not to inform parents. This deception by omission violates a moral rule and can be justified only in specific situations. Deception undermines therapeutic work. Informing parents facilitates empathy and enhances the possibilities for more effective intervention. Thus, informing parents face-to-face is both ethically required and clinically sensible in most cases.
Shorter time to first cigarette of the day in menthol adolescent cigarette smokers.

Abstract Menthol smoking is thought to contribute to the addictiveness of smoking. Given the high prevalence of menthol smoking among youth, the aim of the current analysis was to examine differences in consumption and tobacco dependence, including smoking urgency among menthol and non-menthol adolescent smokers. Data for the current analysis were collected from telephone interviews with adolescent smokers applying to a cessation treatment study. Of 572 adolescent smokers (mean age = 15.6 ± 1.6 years; 55.1% female; 46.9% African American, 48.2% European American), 531 smoked menthol cigarettes and 41 smoked non-menthol as their usual brand. Analysis using Fisher's Exact (one-tailed) Test revealed that menthol smokers had a significantly shorter time to first (TTF) cigarette of the day compared to non-menthol smokers (smoking within the first 5 min of the day, 45% vs. 29%, respectively; p t tests revealed no significant difference in number of cigarettes per day (CPD) (mean = 12.2 ± 8.5 vs. 11.4 ± 8.8; p p While preliminary, our findings suggest greater smoking urgency among menthol compared to non-menthol adolescent cessation-treatment seekers. Further study in a broader sample of adolescent smokers is warranted to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the effects of menthol smoking for youths.
Noise performance of a multi-sideband parametric multicasting mixer with normal dispersion

We, for the first time, demonstrate localization of noise coupling between sidebands in a multi-stage parametric multicasting mixer. A noise performance improvement of up to 2 dB, compared to the single-stage case, was observed experimentally.
What kinds of people should we create

The advent of genetic engineering will give people the power to design the members of the succeeding generation, and thus will render practical the issue how such a power ought to be exercised. Here I address that issue in a general way. I point out that the aim of making future people better adapted to the modern social environment is implicitly circular, since the natures of the peoples themselves will determine the nature of the social environment. I claim that the human property the enhancement of which would do most to enrich experience is intelligence; accordingly increased intelligence should be a primary aim of genetic designers. The tendency to feel pain should be attenuated, as positive motivation is substituted for negative (to some extent). People should be designed so as to be motivated more by reason than by any non-rational drives (though rational motivation may still involve pleasure and pain). The sex drive, having outlived its usefulness, will probably be replaced by some other source of pleasure. As a side effect of these changes in people, the arts and social sciences will be transformed beyond recognition.
Model Selection for Linear Mixed Models Using Predictive Criteria

Predictive criteria, including the adjusted squared multiple correlation coefficient, the adjusted concordance correlation coefficient, and the predictive error sum of squares, are available for model selection in the linear mixed model. These criteria all involve some sort of comparison of observed values and predicted values, adjusted for the complexity of the model. The predicted values can be conditional on the random effects or marginal, i.e., based on averages over the random effects. These criteria have not been investigated for model selection success. We used simulations to investigate selection success rates for several versions of these predictive criteria as well as several versions of Akaike's information criterion and the Bayesian information criterion, and the pseudo F-test. The simulations involved the simple scenario of selection of a fixed parameter when the covariance structure is known. Several variance–covariance structures were used. For compound symmetry structures, higher success r...
Human versus HIV: round 2 defeat in AIDS vaccine development.

On 21st September 2007, the worldwideHIV research community received a pressstatement via email from the US NationalInstitute of Allergy and Infectous Disease(NIAID) announcing that immuniza-tions of volunteers in a large, interna-tional HIV vaccine Phase IIb clinical trial,known as the STEP study, had been dis-continued
Coxsackievirus B3-induced myocarditis: infection of females during the estrus phase of the ovarian cycle leads to activation of T regulatory cells.

Transgenic female mice expressing the TNFα gene under the cardiac myosin promoter (TNF1.6) develop substantially increased myocarditis and increased numbers of CD4+Th1 (interferon gamma+) cells when infected with coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) during the diestrus and proestrus phases of the estrus cycle compared to females infected during the estrus and metestrus phases. Cardiac virus titers were increased in females infected in estrus compared to females infected during the other phases. T regulatory cells (CD4+CD25+FoxP3+) were increased in both peripheral blood and inflammatory cells in the heart in females infected during estrus. Exogenous administration of 200 ng/mouse 17-β-estradiol to females protected against CVB3 induced myocarditis and increased CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ cells. These results demonstrate that hormonal fluctuations occurring in normally cycling females can determine T regulatory cell response and control virus-induced pathogenesis.
Design Optimization and Control Analysis of Mechanical Arm Equipped on Wheelchair

Aiming at the phenomenon that our country has a large number of disabled due to illness or accident while the corresponding assistive devices is extremely deficient, we have designed a kind of mechanical arm which is intended to be equipped on wheelchair. We adopt articulated mechanical arm with multi-DOF as its mechanical structure, and choose MCU as the main controller; therefore it can make all kinds of flexible action to achieve a variety of functions. In order to improve the accuracy of manipulator, based on experimental results, we optimize the mechanical arm’s structure, improving its strength and stiffness; in order to realize the motion control of the manipulator, the kinematics analysis is conducted, when solving the mechanical arm’s anthropomorphic action problem, we set key points and then optimize the trajectory with linear interpolation, at last achieve anthropomorphic movement.
Telecommunications technology as an aid to family caregivers of persons with dementia.

OBJECTIVE The aging of the population implies that an increased number of people are going to need some form of care or assistance. Caregiving poses a range of physical, emotional, and financial demands and often causes burden and stress for family members. This article describes how technology can be used to provide support to caregivers and increase the quality of life for both caregivers and care recipients. Preliminary data from an ongoing study of dementia caregivers is provided to demonstrate the feasibility of using technological interventions for this population. METHODS The intervention involves a telecommunications system designed to augment a family therapy intervention by enhancing access to formal and informal support services. Specifically the system is intended to facilitate linkages between caregivers and other family members, friends, and other caregivers as well as to facilitate access to information on available resources. A total of 76 caregivers of dementia patients, including Cuban American and white American caregivers, received the telecommunications intervention. Data include real-time usage data and measures of usability at 6 months, 12 months, and 18 months after the initiation of the intervention. RESULTS The data reported in this article are based on responses to the usability questionnaire at 6 months from a sample of 44 caregivers. Overall the results indicate that the system is easy to use and the caregivers find it valuable. The most common reason that the caregivers use the system is to communicate with other caregivers, especially those who are not nearby. The caregivers, especially the Cuban Americans, reported that the system facilitated their ability to communicate with family members and their therapist. The caregivers also indicated that they found participation in the "online discussion" groups to be very valuable and also found the "online resource guide"useful. CONCLUSIONS The results demonstrate how current information and communication technologies can be used to help caregivers meet the challenges of caregiving and improve the quality of life for caregivers. The potential benefit of this type of technology for health care providers is also discussed.
Intensity and Linewidth of Rayleigh Scattering near the Double Plait Point of the System Ne-Kr

From the intensity and Rayleigh linewidth of light scattered by the system Ne-Kr near the temperature minimum of the critical line (double plait point), we have verified the phenomenological rule that, for constant overall composition, the critical exponents are independent of the path of approach to the critical line, except along a path which is asymptotically parallel to the critical line where they assume twice their usual values.
Oxalate Exudation by Taro in Response to Al

Roots of taro (Colocasia esculenta [L.] Schott cvs Bun-long and Lehua maoli) exuded increasing concentrations of oxalate with increasing Al stress. This exudation was a specific response to excess Al and not to P deficiency. Addition of oxalate to Al-containing solutions ameliorated the toxic effect of Al.
Parametric Identification of a Base-Excited Single Pendulum

A harmonic balance based identification algorithm was applied to the simulated single pendulum with horizontal base-excitation. The purpose of this simulation was to examine the applicability of the algorithm on parametrically excited, whirling chaotic systems. Modifications were adopted to adapt to the whirling systems. The system was supposed to be unknown except only the excitation frequency. Linear interpolation functions and the Fourier series functions were tested to approximate unknown nonlinear functions in the governing differential equation. After extracting unstable periodic orbits, all of the parameters were simultaneously identified. By direct comparison, Poincare section plots and reconstructed phase portrait techniques, it was shown that the identified system had similar dynamical characteristics to the original simulated pendulum, which implies the effectiveness of the examined algorithm.
Dynamics of Earth and Ocean Systems (DEOS)

The Dynamics of Earth and Ocean Systems (DEOS) program was developed in 1997 to promote long-term observations in the oceans. DEOS, under the sponsorship of the Consortium for Ocean Research and Education (CORE). DEOS supports NSF planning for the ocean observations initiative (OOI) Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction (MRE-FC) program, and advocates the collection of long-term time-series data with the recognition that this is the only viable approach to observe transients and changes and to enhance the signal-to-noise ratio of weak signals. Moored ocean buoys as well as seafloor-cabled systems are technically feasible approaches for making sustained time series observations in the oceans and will be important components of any long-term ocean observing system. DEOS includes measurements over large time and spatial scales including global and coastal observatories and regional networks. The need for real-time delivery of heterogeneous, data, integrated with processing, acquisition, and archiving systems is shared by systems at all scales. The OOI MRE-FC has been included in the President's budget for funding in FY06 for five years at a total level of approximately $120M. The author describes current planning for the OOI including early results from several pilot projects undertaken in the past year to demonstrate technologies needed for supporting this permanent presence in the oceans.
Children's Locus of Control Beliefs as Predictors of Preoperative Coping Behavior

This study examined the relationship between children's locus of control beliefs (as measured by the Nowicki-Strickland Locus of Control Scale) and their preoperative coping behavior. Subjects were 51 children between the ages of 8 and 12 who were scheduled for minor elective surgery. They were inte