cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Recent Developments: Child Exclusion Provisions: The Harmful Impacts on Domestic Violence Survivors

Studies show that a majority of women who receive welfare are survivors of domestic violence. This Recent Developments piece argues that child exclusion provisions, which deny a family additional cash assistance if a child is born while the family is receiving cash aid, create unreasonably high barriers for domestic violence survivors receiving welfare to achieve safety. This piece also argues that in order to help domestic violence survivors achieve safety and heal from abuse, every state should implement the Family Violence Option, establish minimum standards for domestic violence training and screening in welfare offices, and specify program requirements that can be waived and identify protocols for waiver implementation. After examining policies and recent changes in California as a case study, this piece concludes by providing guidance and recommendations for welfare offices in making choices to promote safety for domestic violence survivors. INTRODUCTION 114 I. A SURVEY OF CHILD EXCLUSION PROVISIONS 118 A. State Child Exclusion Provisions 118 B. State Enactment of the Family Violence Option 120 II. A BRIEF ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF CHILD EXCLUSION PROVISIONS 123 III. CHILD EXCLUSION PROVISIONS CREATE UNREASONABLY HIGH BARRIERS FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVORS TO ACHIEVE SAFETY 124 A. Economic Barriers 125 B. Reproductive Barriers 127 † J.D., 2011, University of California, Berkeley, School of Law; B.A., 2007, University of California, Berkeley. I would like to thank my husband, parents, and brother for their support and encouragement. I am grateful to Ed Barnes, Luan Huynh, and Nancy Lemon for sharing their wealth of knowledge on this topic and providing invaluable guidance on drafts. I would also like to thank Erin Everett and the staff of the Berkeley Journal of Gender, Law & Justice for their excellent editing and helpful suggestions. UPADRASHTA_MACRO (DO NOT DELETE) 2/8/2012 9:34 PM 114 BERKELEY JOURNAL OF GENDER, LAW & JUSTICE IV. THE FAMILY VIOLENCE OPTION DOES NOT PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE ASSISTANCE 127 V. THE FAMILY VIOLENCE OPTION IN CALIFORNIA: A CASE STUDY 131 VI. RECOMMENDATIONS 136 CONCLUSION 141
sp 6 ℂ and sp 2n ℂ

In the first two sections of this lecture we complete our classification of the representations of the symplectic Lie algebras: we describe in detail the example of\(\mathfrak{s}{\mathfrak{p}_6}\mathbb{C}\)then sketch the representation theory of symplectic Lie algebras in general, in particular proving the existence part of Theorem 14.18 for \(\mathfrak{s}{{\mathfrak{p}}_{{2n}}}\mathbb{C} \). In the final section we describe an analog for the symplectic algebras of the construction given in §15.3 of the irreducible representations of the special linear algebras via Weyl’s construction, though we postpone giving analogous formulas for the decomposition of tensor products of irreducible representations. Sections 17.1 and 17.2 are completely elementary, given the by now standard multilinear algebra of Appendix B. Section 17.3, like §15.3, requires familiarity with the contents of Lecture 6 and Appendix A; but, like that section, it can be skipped without affecting most of the rest of the book.
Early Evolution of the Atmosphere and Ocean

The early evolution of the atmosphere and oceans is discussed with particular emphasis on factors relevant to the origin of life. Both the atmosphere and ocean formed early as a consequence of impact degassing of planetesimals during accretion. The post-accretionary atmosphere was probably denser than the present atmosphere and was dominated by carbon compounds, principally CO2 and CO. The greenhouse effect of this atmosphere could have kept the early Earth significantly warmer than today despite reduced solar luminosity at that time. The atmosphere is believed to have been weakly reducing; that is, it contained tens to hundreds of parts per million of H2 and very little free O2. Highly reduced gases such as methane and ammonia are generally considered to have been present in only minute quantities. However, several different lines of evidence, including Mars’ climate history, theoretical factors affecting hydrogen escape, and new evidence bearing on the early mantle redox state, all indicate that reduced gases may have been more plentiful than is usually assumed.
Unifying scrambling, thermalization and entanglement through measurement of fidelity out-of-time-order correlators in the Dicke model.

Scrambling is the process by which information stored in local degrees of freedom spreads over the many-body degrees of freedom of a quantum system, becoming inaccessible to local probes and apparently lost. Scrambling and entanglement can reconcile seemingly unrelated behaviors including thermalization of isolated quantum systems and information loss in black holes. Here, we demonstrate that fidelity out-of-time-order correlators (FOTOCs) can elucidate connections between scrambling, entanglement, ergodicity and quantum chaos (butterfly effect). We compute FOTOCs for the paradigmatic Dicke model, and show they can measure subsystem Renyi entropies and inform about quantum thermalization. Moreover, we illustrate why FOTOCs give access to a simple relation between quantum and classical Lyapunov exponents in a chaotic system without finite-size effects. Our results open a path to experimental use FOTOCs to explore scrambling, bounds on quantum information processing and investigation of black hole analogs in controllable quantum systems.
Prenatal lead exposure and elevated blood pressure in children.

Abstract Growing evidence suggests that environmental exposures can influence blood pressure over the course of a lifetime. Exposure to toxic metals, such as lead (Pb) and arsenic (As), has been associated with increased blood pressure in adults, but few studies have examined the impacts of in utero and early life toxic metals exposure on blood pressure in childhood. As subclinical vascular changes are thought to begin early in life, it is possible that in utero toxic metals exposure may play a role in blood pressure homeostasis. In the ongoing New Hampshire Birth Cohort Study, we investigated whether in utero exposure to Pb and As was associated with measures of blood pressure in a total of 323 young children (mean age 5.5 years, SD 0.4). Pb and As were measured in maternal toenail samples collected at ~28 weeks gestation (n = 257) and/or 6 weeks postpartum (n = 285), which represent exposures ~6 to 12 months prior to collection and therefore reflect the early prenatal and late prenatal exposures, respectively. Five measurements of systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were averaged for each child using a standardized technique. In linear regression analyses, where log2-transformed prenatal toenail Pb and As were modeled jointly and adjusted for child age, sex, height, weight and maternal smoking during pregnancy, we observed that a doubling of maternal prenatal toenail Pb was associated with statistically significant increases in child SBP (β: 0.58 mm Hg, 95% CI: 0.05, 1.11). We did not observe any association of prenatal or postpartum As, or postpartum Pb, with SBP or DBP. Exploratory sex-stratified analyses suggest that associations of prenatal Pb with BP may be stronger among boys (SBP β: 0.72 mm Hg: 95% CI: −0.01, 1.44; DBP β: 0.37; 95% CI: −0.09, 0.84), compared to girls (SBP β: 0.48 mm Hg: 95% CI: −0.31, 1.26; DBP β: −0.05; 95% CI: −0.52, 0.41), though tests for interaction did not reach statistical significance (p-interaction SBP = 0.059; DBP = 0.057). Our preliminary results suggest that in utero toxic metals exposures may be associated with early life increases in blood pressure in children, which could have consequences for long-term health.
The Evangelical Kaleidoscope: Racial/Ethnic Similarity and Difference

In this chapter, our focus is on racial/ethnic subgroups of evangelicalism, and our data source is one massive survey—the 2016 Comprehensive Congressional Election Survey (N = 65,000)—which allows comparisons of the immigration perspectives of white, Hispanic, African-American, and Asian evangelicals. The four groups of evangelicals are very similar in terms of general doctrine and religiosity, but very different in their immigration perspectives, with white evangelicals more conservative than the other three groups (see also Wong JS, Immigrants, Evangelicals, and Politics in an Era of Demographic Change. Russell Sage Foundation, New York, 2018). The church attendance item in particular reveals that the oft-cited conclusion associating evangelical religion with conservative political attitudes and behavior (Cf. Olson and Green 2006 among others) may well be spurious when multivariate controls are employed. Indeed, frequent exposure to evangelical church services softens, rather than hardens, immigration attitudes when social/demographic and political variables are controlled for. In addition, the link between evangelical Protestant affiliation and conservative political attitudes and behavior did not hold for racial/ethnic minority evangelicals when an immigration attitude scale served as the dependent variable, and multivariate controls were instituted. The relationship did remain for white evangelicals.
Relatedness of Salmonella contamination frequency on chicken carcasses and parts when processed in the same establishment

Abstract Understanding how changes in the prevalence of Salmonella-positive chicken carcasses affects the prevalence of Salmonella-positive chicken parts samples across slaughter establishments is necessary to model the risk of foodborne illness. When developing new Salmonella performance standards for chicken parts—that were implemented following existing chicken carcass performance standards—FSIS made assumptions regarding the correlation between these two forms of chicken products marketed to consumers. These assumptions were necessary because data were not available at the time to measure this correlation. Using recent FSIS sampling data and covariate information concerning antimicrobials applied during chicken processing, regression analysis suggests a slight negative relationship between the prevalence of Salmonella-positive chicken parts in slaughter establishment and the use of peracetic acid on carcasses, as well as a large positive relationship between prevalence of Salmonella-positive chicken parts and carcasses. Nevertheless, using a repeated random sub-sampling cross-validation approach, the regression model has very limited predictive value. In lieu of a predictive model, estimation of the correlation between prevalence of Salmonella-positive chicken carcass and parts samples is useful for understanding the public health value of performance standards and other interventions applied to these chicken products. After adjusting the observed correlation of the sampling evidence to account for the underlying beta and binomial distribution errors inherent in observed results, the estimated correlation of prevalence of Salmonella-positive chicken carcass and parts is 0.54. This implies a moderate degree of relatedness but may still understate the true correlation because of limitations in the available data.
Exploring Professional Development for New Investigators Underrepresented in the Federally Funded Biomedical Research Workforce.

Objective : The National Research Mentor­ing Network (NRMN) is a strategic partner­ship whose goals include remedying docu­mented disparities by race and ethnicity in the awarding of National Institutes of Health research grants. Our objectives were to offer a profile of early-career investigators who applied to NRMN’s Grantsmanship Coach­ing Programs (GCP) and test for differences in the research productivity, professional obligations, research resources, and motiva­tions of applicants from underrepresented groups (URGs) compared with applicants from well-represented groups (WRGs). We also evaluated how employment at a minority serving institution (MSI) influenced access to research resources and profes­sional obligations. Participants: 880 investigators who submit­ted online applications to join an NRMN GCP between August 1, 2015 and February 1, 2018. Methods: We used two-sample tests of pro­portions and logistic regression to explore differences in applicants’ characteristics and local research environment by group (URG vs WRG) and institution type (MSI vs Other). Results: URG and WRG applicants did not differ in grant application submission history. However, URG applicants had published fewer articles than WRG peers (9.8 vs 15.3, P<.001) and fewer articles as first/last author (4.4 vs 6.9, P<.001). URG appli­cants reported less access to core facilities to conduct research (74% vs 81%, P<.05). Investigators at MSIs reported less access to collaborators (P<.01) and departmental colleagues with federal funding (P<.001) and spent less time on conducting research (P<.001). URGs were more motivated to seek professional development support to expand their peer networks (P<.05) and advance their careers (P<.001). Conclusions: Our findings identified several points of intervention to help applicants from URGs to improve their future chances of obtaining competitive funding. Ethn Dis. 2019;29(Suppl 1): 123-128; doi:10.18865/ed.29.S1.123.
Mechanisms of Small Heat Shock Proteins

Small heat shock proteins (sHSPs) are ATP-independent chaperones that delay formation of harmful protein aggregates. sHSPs' role in protein homeostasis has been appreciated for decades, but their mechanisms of action remain poorly understood. This gap in understanding is largely a consequence of sHSP properties that make them recalcitrant to detailed study. Multiple stress-associated conditions including pH acidosis, oxidation, and unusual availability of metal ions, as well as reversible stress-induced phosphorylation can modulate sHSP chaperone activity. Investigations of sHSPs reveal that sHSPs can engage in transient or long-lived interactions with client proteins depending on solution conditions and sHSP or client identity. Recent advances in the field highlight both the diversity of function within the sHSP family and the exquisite sensitivity of individual sHSPs to cellular and experimental conditions. Here, we will present and highlight current understanding, recent progress, and future challenges.
Holistic workplace wellbeing: construct, circumstances and strategic sustainability consequences

Wellbeing is defined as peoples' positive evaluation of their lives, including positive emotion, engagement, satisfaction, and meaning (Seligman, 2002). Individual wellbeing results from achievement of physical vitality, mental alacrity, social satisfaction, a sense of accomplishment, and personal fulfilment (Huseyin and Ioannidis, 2015). Workplace wellbeing considers the aspects of overall wellbeing perceived to be determined primarily by work and that can be influenced by workplace intervention (Waddell and Burton, 2006). Because jobs and careers contribute quite a bit to worker wellbeing as a whole, employers assume a critical role in helping employees build healthy behaviours into their lives. The purposes of this paper are to: 1) develop holistic aspects of wellbeing, including theoretical underpinnings; 2) explore workplace sources that contribute to holistic workplace wellbeing, but also un-wellbeing; 3) examine workplace wellbeing strategic sustainability consequences for the firm.
Art Curriculum Influences: A National Survey

This article is the result of an empirical study1 that attempts to discern the extent to which certain factors might influence current curriculum content taught by K-12 art teachers in the United States with 0 to 7 years of teaching experience. Data were collected from a sample of 437 art teachers’ completion of a survey instrument with quantitative and limited open-ended response questions. A principal components analysis with a varimax rotation yielded five general art content categories. The use of t-tests measured the relationships between these content categories with demographics, undergraduate coursework, and grade levels taught. Factors that might have influenced curriculum content include: undergraduate coursework, personal interests, national and state curriculum standards, and student issues. The relationship between those factors and the influences of current curriculum content being taught is discussed.
Information Technology Work Value Differences

This study investigates reasons behind high employee turnover of IT professionals through the value placed on intrinsic, extrinsic, leisure, and social rewards. It addresses two questions; what are...
What Motivates Individuals to Get Obesity Related Direct-To-Consumer Genetic Tests? A Reasoned Action Approach

ABSTRACTBackground: Research suggest that genetic testing and its application (personalized medicine/precision medicine) has great potential to help public health professionals deliver proper healt...
Predicting the risk of secondary malignancies associated with stereotactic body radiation therapy.

e17562 Background: Treatment of early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is associated with high rates of local control and long-term overall s...
Functional trait thermal acclimation differs across three species of mid-Atlantic harmful algae.

Abstract Characterizing the thermal niche of harmful algae is crucial for understanding and projecting the effects of future climate change on harmful algal blooms. The effects of 6 different temperatures (18–32 °C) on the growth, photophysiology, and toxicity were examined in the dinoflagellate Karlodinium veneficum, and the raphidophytes, Heterosigma akashiwo and Chattonella subsalsa from the Delaware Inland Bays (DIB). K. veneficum and H. akashiwo had skewed unimodal growth patterns, with temperature optima (Topt) at 28.6 and 27.3 °C respectively and an upper thermal niche limit of 32 °C. In contrast, C. subsalsa growth increased linearly with temperature, suggesting Topt and upper thermal boundaries >32 °C. K. veneficum photosystem II (PSII) photochemical efficiency remained stable across all temperatures, while H. akashiwo PSII efficiency declined at higher temperature and C. subsalsa was susceptible to low temperature (~18 °C) photoinactivation. Cell toxicity thermal response was species-specific such that K. veneficum toxicity increased with temperature above Topt. Raphidophyte toxicity peaked at 25–28 °C and was in close agreement with Topt for growth in H. akashiwo but below C. subsalsa maximal growth. The mode of toxicity was markedly different between the dinoflagellate and the raphidophytes such that K. veneficum had greater hemolytic activity while the raphidophytes had pronounced fish gill cell toxicity. These results and patterns of natural abundance for these algae in the DIB suggest that continued ocean warming may contribute to C. subsalsa bloom formation while possibly promoting highly toxic blooms of K. veneficum.
Abstract 14950: SLCO1B1 Genotype is Associated With Atorvastatin Discontinuation

Introduction: Atorvastatin is commonly prescribed to prevent cardiovascular disease; however, long-term adherence can be eroded by statin associated musculoskeletal symptoms (SAMS). Genetic variant...
Building Health Systems Science Education from the Core Domain of Interprofessional Education at Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine

The Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine (VTCSOM) is a 4-year allopathic medical school in Roanoke, VA. The curriculum is organized into four learning domains: basic science, clinical science, research, and interprofessionalism (IPE). A recent curriculum renewal effort allowed the school to embark upon a redesign of the IPE learning domain to incorporate new core content from health systems science (HSS). We describe how our unique approach to IPE is being preserved as we innovate to produce graduates who are future thought leaders and "systems citizens," prepared to deliver patient care with an expanded knowledge of the health systems in which they will eventually practice.
Understanding Key Home and Community Environment Challenges Encountered by Older Adults Undergoing Total Knee or Hip Arthroplasty

Background and objectives Older adults undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) experience significant challenges while navigating their homes post-surgery and are at higher risk for falls and injuries. This study explored specific home and community physical environment challenges faced by community-dwelling older adults while performing daily activities and actions taken to modify their homes before surgery. Research design and methods Using a qualitative descriptive methodology, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 22 older adult-care partner dyads pre- and post-surgery to identify key built environment barriers and facilitators in addition to home modifications made pre-and post-surgery. Results Challenges anticipated by participants to perform daily activities pre-surgery varied from those experienced post-surgery. Lack of support along stairs or in bathrooms, flooring material, and transitions were significant concerns raised by participants pre-surgery. Size and layout of home and ergonomics of resting furniture were recognized as issues post-surgery. Modifications ranged from easy fixes like rearranging furniture, removing clutter, installing grab bars to high-cost structural changes like remodeling critical spaces like bathrooms. Although participants agreed on the importance of conducting proactive home assessments and modifications before surgery, perceived costs, and lack of knowledge or services limit older adults from implementing some changes. Discussion and implications Home modifications must be considered proactively before an event such as a THA or TKA. These should be done within the context of the specific needs, abilities, financial capabilities, and social and physical home environments of the individual and the residential caregivers.
Retrospective review of nicotine exposures in California from 2012 to 2018 and analysis of the impacts of e-cigarette regulations.

Objectives To review the association between US e-cigarette regulations and the number of reported nicotine exposures, and identify higher-risk products Design Retrospective review of de-identified medical records. Setting California Participants Cases reported to California Poison Control System in 2012–2018. Primary and secondary outcome measures Suspected nicotine toxicity; route of exposure and product characteristics. Results We examined 5277 exposures, of which 3033 involved combustible cigarettes, 1489 involved e-cigarettes and 818 involved other substances (ie, chewing tobacco, nicotine patches, nicotine lozenges, hookah, etc). Implementation of the Child Nicotine Poisoning Prevention Act of 2015 was not significantly associated with reduced exposures. Exposures for e-cigarettes increased significantly after the 2017 Food and Drug Administration Compliance Policy (p=0.003, coefficient (coeff)=0.61). Total exposures for all tobacco and nicotine products also increased significantly after the policy change (p=0.01, coeff=1.26). Nicotine exposure outcomes classified as being of minor and moderate severity increased significantly after implementation of the 2017 Compliance Policy (p=0.004, coeff=0.54 and p=0.002, coeff=0.56, respectively). Ingestion was the most common route of exposure (87.7%), followed by inhalation (8.1%), dermal (6.5%), ocular (2.1%) and other (intranasal, rectal, sublingual and unknown) routes (0.2%); some cases reported multiple routes of exposure. Exposure cases involving e-cigarettes fell into three problem categories: product design, labelling and the appeal of flavours. Conclusions Our analysis found that despite previous studies suggesting that the Child Nicotine Poisoning Prevention Act appeared to have reduced exposures for e-cigarettes, there was no significant change in exposures after its implementation. In contrast, there was a 30% increase in California e-cigarette exposures following the 2017 Compliance Policy. We conclude that current regulations are insufficient to reduce nicotine toxicities due to e-cigarette use.
Development of Standardized Details for UHPC Applications

Over the course of the last few years, the NYSDOT has strived to institutionalize the use of Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC). To ensure that the NYSDOT was receiving a consistent product, a non-proprietary UHPC mix design was developed. Additionally, UHPC is an effective material for constructing durable and efficient closure pours between precast elements. Over the course of many years, NYSDOT has developed several innovative details for precast elements that exploit the enhanced properties of UHPC to connect these prefabricated elements. These elements include precast deck panels, NEXT beams, deck bulb-tees, and adjacent boxes. These details have been standardized in the official NYSDOT Bridge Detail (BD) sheets. NYSDOT has also looked to develop, apply, and evaluate innovative uses for UHPC. Details for UHPC link slabs and joint headers have been included on several projects as a trial installation. Additionally, NYSDOT has been developing a testing program with FHWA to determine if UHPC can be used to rehabilitate steel girders with deficient top flange compressive capacity for installation on another project. Finally, NYSDOT is considering the use of UHPC as a full width overlay to rehabilitate a deteriorated concrete slab on an adjacent prestressed concrete box-beam bridge. If these installations prove effective, then their details can be included in future standard details.
Eliminating Fiduciary Duties in Delaware LLCs: A Process Focused Approach to the Analysis of Waiver Provisions

Do parties to an alternate business entity are provided sufficient judicial protection during the formation of an operating agreement? On the one hand, the core policy of the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act (“DLLCA”) is “to give the maximum effect to the principle of freedom of contract and to the enforceability of limited liability company agreements.” Thus, parties can provide themselves with adequate protection through the negotiation of the operating agreement. On the other hand, however, parties may not be in a position to negotiate during the drafting of the operating agreement and become unable to back out of the deal. Because the operating agreement does not need to be filed when the LLC is formed, parties may become too invested in the company by the time the operating agreement is drafted, preventing them from finding another business partner and, thereby, removing their bargaining power. Moreover, while the policy of the DLLCA may be to give the maximum effect to the principle of freedom of contract, there is evidence that operating agreements are not highly negotiated and may even be based on form agreements.
Cyclic Pattern Containment and Avoidance

The study of pattern containment and avoidance for linear permutations is a well-established area of enumerative combinatorics. A cyclic permutation is the set of all rotations of a linear permutation. Callan initiated the study of permutation avoidance in cyclic permutations and characterized the avoidance classes for all single permutations of length 4. We continue this work. In particular, we establish a cyclic variant of the Erdos-Szekeres Theorem that any linear permutation of length mn+1 must contain either the increasing pattern of length m+1 or the decreasing pattern of length n+1. We then derive results about avoidance of multiple patterns of length 4. We also determine generating functions for the cyclic descent statistic on these classes. Finally, we end with various open questions and avenues for future research.
A Case Study of the Shortcut Effects in Visual Commonsense Reasoning.

Visual reasoning and question-answering have gathered attention in recent years. Many datasets and evaluation protocols have been proposed; some have been shown to contain bias that allows models to ``cheat'' without performing true, generalizable reasoning. A well-known bias is dependence on language priors (frequency of answers) resulting in the model not looking at the image. We discover a new type of bias in the Visual Commonsense Reasoning (VCR) dataset. In particular we show that most state-of-the-art models exploit co-occurring text between input (question) and output (answer options), and rely on only a few pieces of information in the candidate options, to make a decision. Unfortunately, relying on such superficial evidence causes models to be very fragile. To measure fragility, we propose two ways to modify the validation data, in which a few words in the answer choices are modified without significant changes in meaning. We find such insignificant changes cause models' performance to degrade significantly. To resolve the issue, we propose a curriculum-based masking approach, as a mechanism to perform more robust training. Our method improves the baseline by requiring it to pay attention to the answers as a whole, and is more effective than prior masking strategies.
Synthesis and evaluation of functionalized aminobenzoboroxoles as potential anti-cancer agents

Abstract Several aminobenzoboroxole derivatives have been prepared starting from o-boronobenzaldehyde employing reductive amination protocol. The corresponding aminobenzoboroxole derivatives have been further functionalized as N-nitrosoaminobenzoboroxoles as well as N-benzoboroxolylureas. These derivatives have been evaluated for their anti-cancer activity on human pancreatic cancer MIAPaCa-2 and human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cell lines. 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Theories and Models: a Philosophical Overview

In this chapter we lay out some philosophical fundamentals for our later logical analysis of thermostatistics. As an overview, we proceed rather dogmatically: making precise definitions and sharp distinctions; building up somewhat simplistic scaffoldings which delineates our later philosophical analyses. Modifications will have to be made in later chapters when we see the intricate details of thermostatistics, but we trust that it is useful to begin with a clear direction, charted by the fundamentals representing the best understanding reached to-date by philosophers on the nature of scientific theories.
Both Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Soluble Flt-1 Are Increased in Type 2 Diabetes But Not in Impaired Fasting Glucose

Objective Inadequate vascular remodeling is contributory to increased cardiovascular events in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and impaired fasting glucose (IFG). Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its regulatory molecule soluble Flt-1(sFlt-1) play important roles in atherogenesis. Research Design We measured fasting plasma concentrations of VEGF and sFlt-1 in 11 nondiabetic (ND) (aged 46.1 ± 2.1 years; body mass index [BMI], 26.1 ± 0.9 kg/m2; glucose, 5.0 ± 0.1 mM), 15 IFG (aged 52.9 ± 1.8 years; BMI, 32.7 ± 1.3 kg/m2; glucose, 6.4 ± 0.1 mM), and 8 DM (aged 55.8 ± 3.2 years; BMI, 30.0 ± 1.0 kg/m2; glucose, 9.3 ± 0.5 mM) subjects. Results Plasma VEGF (42.1 ± 4.0 vs 24.2 ± 0.9 vs 29.4 ± 3.8 pg/mL, respectively) and sFlt-1 (119.4 ± 4.9 vs 58.9 ± 3.2 vs 56.7 ± 1.2 pg/mL, respectively) concentrations were higher (P Conclusions Although plasma VEGF concentrations were higher (35%) in DM than in ND subjects, VEGF action on vascular remodeling was likely attenuated by higher sFlt-1 concentrations in DM. In contrast, IFG subjects did not have major perturbations in either VEGF or sFlt-1 levels. Further studies defining the roles of these mediators in DM and IFG are necessary to extend these observations.
Assessment in the Context of Mathematics Instruction Reform: The Design of Assessment in the QUASAR Project.

Recent high-level political interest in the improvement of mathematics education in the United States has led to the increased prominence of reports by the National Academy of Sciences (National Research Council, 1989), the American Association for the Advancement of Science (1989) and National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (1989). These reform-oriented reports have focused the attention of educational practitioners and policy makers on new goals for mathematics education and new descriptions of mathematical proficiency, in which terms like reasoning, communication, problem solving, conceptual understanding, and mathematical power are used frequently to describe an expanded view of mathematical proficiency that goes beyond memorization and mere competence in the basic skills of rational number computation. The reform discussion has thus led naturally to considerations of how to assess students’ attainments with respect to this new version of mathematical proficiency and how to assess improvements that may result from curricula and instructional reforms that might be undertaken3. This paper focuses on the efforts of one project to deal with the interface between assessment and instructional reform.
Traction, Stress, and Equilibrium

An approach to the solution of problems in solid mechanics is to establish relationships first between applied loads and internal stresses and, subsequently, to consider deformations. Another approach is to examine deformations initially, and then proceed to the stresses and applied loads. Regardless of the eventual solution path selected, it is necessary to derive the component relationships individually. In this chapter, the first set of equations describing equilibrium between external and internal forces and stresses is derived from the principles of linear and angular momentum. The stresses are transformed into principal coordinates and several special stress states are defined.
The structure of the guanine-rich polypurine:polypyrimidine sequence at the right end of the rat L1 (LINE) element.

We report here that the 64-base pair (bp) guanine-rich polypurine:polypyrimidine tract derived from the right end of the rat long interspersed DNA element is reactive in a supercoil-dependent manner with a variety of chemical probes of non-B DNA structure. At pH 5.0 in the presence of Mg2+, part of the sequence (position 10-40) forms the following two types of triplexes: a G.G.C triplex, and an unusual C.G.C triplex. The latter structure is much more prevalent than the former and is unusual in that the resultant free purine strand forms a hairpin loop. In the absence of Mg2+ the G.G.C triplex disappears and the amount of C.G.C triplex is diminished, and at pH 7.5 in the presence or absence of Mg2+, little or no triplex is observed. Deletion of the 24-bp region just 3' of the triplex-forming region greatly reduces the amount of triplex formed. In this region, which includes an 18-bp polypurine:polypyrimidine sequence, both strands exhibit a moderate symmetric reactivity with the chemical probes tested, independent of pH and Mg2+. The implications of this structurally complex region for the properties of the rat L1 element are discussed.
Neutrinos Help Reconcile Planck Measurements with the Local Universe

Current measurements of the low and high redshift Universe are in tension if we restrict ourselves to the standard six-parameter model of flat $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}\mathrm{CDM}$. This tension has two parts. First, the Planck satellite data suggest a higher normalization of matter perturbations than local measurements of galaxy clusters. Second, the expansion rate of the Universe today, ${H}_{0}$, derived from local distance-redshift measurements is significantly higher than that inferred using the acoustic scale in galaxy surveys and the Planck data as a standard ruler. The addition of a sterile neutrino species changes the acoustic scale and brings the two into agreement; meanwhile, adding mass to the active neutrinos or to a sterile neutrino can suppress the growth of structure, bringing the cluster data into better concordance as well. For our fiducial data set combination, with statistical errors for clusters, a model with a massive sterile neutrino shows $3.5\ensuremath{\sigma}$ evidence for a nonzero mass and an even stronger rejection of the minimal model. A model with massive active neutrinos and a massless sterile neutrino is similarly preferred. An eV-scale sterile neutrino mass---of interest for short baseline and reactor anomalies---is well within the allowed range. We caution that (i) unknown astrophysical systematic errors in any of the data sets could weaken this conclusion, but they would need to be several times the known errors to eliminate the tensions entirely; (ii) the results we find are at some variance with analyses that do not include cluster measurements; and (iii) some tension remains among the data sets even when new neutrino physics is included.
K-reengineering: the managerial engine to success in high-tech business

Summary for only given. Fast changing high-tech business requires a managerial paradigm which can connect people, money, knowledge, technical breakthroughs and market changes in timely fashion. Companies like Intel, HP, Compaq have managerial practices which are extrapolated management methods from reengineering practices in the kaizen principles. This paradigm is appropriately called "kaizenizing reengineering," and is referred as K-reengineering. Project management in NASA and Boeing may be the historical models for this. The main aspects of k-reengineering are virtual nature of organization, changing roles, involved risks, innovative culture, organizational adaptability to changes. On top of the 5-S and 3-MU principles from Kaizen and the process essentials for reengineering, there are seven essentials for k-reengineering: virtual organization coupled with inspiring visionary directions; projectized works around the corporate flagship products; executives being ensign of innovation in knowledge management; culture for risk taking, fast failure and constant alert; budgeted communication, mutual consulting atmosphere and real time training; process way of customer satisfaction all the way to the end-user satisfaction; and reservation of resources for downturn in long range planning. In addition to these, having managerial merits from kaizen and reengineering, k-reengineering provides many advantages over other managerial paradigms, for a fast changing high-tech environment.
The value of sharing lead time information

The widespread adoption of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems has, among many other benefits, increased the ability of a firm to share operational data with customers. In this paper we analyze the factors that determine whether or not sharing a specific type of information, namely state-dependent lead time information, can benefit a firm. We develop a stochastic model of a custom-production environment, in which customers are handled on a first-come first-served basis but have differing tolerances for waiting. The firm has the option to share different amounts of information about the lead time a potential customer may incur. Although the information differs across scenarios, the reliability of that information in terms of the probability that a stated lead time is met is equal in the eyes of the customers. We derive conditions under which sharing more information with customers improves the firm's profits and the customers' experiences. We show that it is not always the case that sharing informat...
Vasitis nodosa and spermatic granuloma of the skin: an histologic study of a rare complication of vasectomy.

A 29-year-old man noticed localized painful swelling of the scrotal skin after elective vasectomy. The lesion was excised and its histologic examination revealed a diffuse inflammatory partly granulomatous infiltrate with numerous tubular structures in the dermis and subcutaneous tissues. These ductules were lined by cuboidal epithelial cells and contained spermatozoa. The inflammatory infiltrate consisted of lymphocytes plasma cells and histiocytes but also contained spermatozoa and a few spermatic granulomas. These changes were the sequelae of a vasocutaneous adhesion and fistula; the ductules were the result of epithelial regeneration from the vas deferens and the inflammation with spermatic granulomas was due to extravasated spermatozoa. (authors)
Effect of Streptomycin on Escherichia Coli : Damage by Streptomycin to the Cell Membrane of Escherichia coli

Effect of Streptomycin on Escherichia Coli: Damage by Streptomycin to the Cell Membrane of Escherichia coli
Tumor and normal tissue tolerance for fractionated low-dose-rate radiotherapy.

Abstract Radiobiological evidence suggests that an improved therapeutic ratio might be achieved through the use of smaller than conventional dose fractions. The ultimate in small dose fractions for external beam radiotherapy would be fractionated low-dose-rate (LDR) irradiation, and clinical trials of fractionated external beam LDR therapy are already in progress. Using the BA1112 rat sarcoma, we have determined the 50% tumor control dose for LDR and for conventional-close-rate (CDR) fractionated radiotherapy. These tumor control doses were compared to normal tissue tolerance doses for hemi-body irradiation in similar CDR and LDR schedules. Animals were treated 3 times per week without anesthesia using 10–19 fractions. LDR radiotherapy was done with 60Co at dose rates of 0.028–0.033 Gy/min; CDR radiotherapy was done with 250 kVp X rays at dose rates of 0.54–2.1 Gy/min. The tumor control dose modification factor (DMF) for LDR compared to CDR irradiation was 1.3 (1.0–1.5). For LDR and CDR hemibody irradiation, the dose modification factor for 7 day lethality (gastrointestinal damage) was 1.7 (1.5–1.9), for 100 day morbidity was 1.8 (1.6–2.2), and for radiation nephritis at 90 days was 1.9 (1.7–2.3). The therapeutic gain factor for fractionated low-dose-rate irradiation compared to conventional-dose-rate fractionated radiotherapy was therefore 1.8 11.3 = 1.4 (1.2−1.8) . The study shows that there is an experimental as well as a theoretical basis for anticipating a therapeutic benefit from the use of external beam fractionated LDR radiotherapy, and implies that the recognized therapeutic efficacy of brachytherapy is not due solely to the high localized dose.
Second Law Analysis of a Refrigeration System for a Novel Semi-Closed Gas Turbine-Absorption Combined Cycle

The Power, Water Extraction, and Refrigeration (PoWER) engine has been investigated for several years as a distributed energy system, among other applications, for civilian or military use. Previous literature describing its modeling and experimental demonstration have indicated several benefits, especially when the underlying semi-closed cycle gas turbine is combined with a vapor absorption refrigeration system, the PoWER system described herein. The benefits include increased efficiency, high part-power efficiency, small lapse rate, compactness, less emission, air, and exhaust flows (which decrease filtration and duct size) and condensation of fresh water. The present paper describes the preliminary design and modeling of a modified version of this system as applied to distributed energy, especially useful in regions which are prone to major grid interruptions due to hurricanes, under - capacity, or terrorism. In such cases, the distributed energy system should support most or all services within an isolated service island, including ice production, so that the influence of the power outage is limited in scope. This paper describes the rather straightforward system modifications necessary for ice production. The primary focus of the paper is the use of this ice-making capacity to achieve significant load-leveling during the summer utility peak, hence reducing the electrical capacity requirements for the grid as well as load-leveling strategies.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Genetic modifiers of Leprfa associated with variability in insulin production and susceptibility to NIDDM.

Abstract In an attempt to identify the genetic basis for susceptibility to non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus within the context of obesity, we generated 401 genetically obeseLeprfa/LeprfaF2 WKY13M intercross rats that demonstrated wide variation in multiple phenotypic measures related to diabetes, including plasma glucose concentration, percentage of glycosylated hemoglobin, plasma insulin concentration, and pancreatic islet morphology. Using selective genotyping genome scanning approaches, we have identified three quantitative trait loci (QTLs) on Chr. 1 (LOD 7.1 for pancreatic morpholology), Chr. 12 (LOD 5.1 for body mass index and LOD 3.4 for plasma glucose concentration), and Chr. 16 (P
Egg attendance and brooding by males of the giant water bug Lethocerus medius (Guerin) in the field (Heteroptera: Belostomatidae).

Males of the giant water bug Lethocerus medius(Guerin) typify their monobasic subfamily, the Lethocerinae, in that they do not brood eggs attached to their backs as do males of all members of the subfamily Belostomatinae. Exclusive male parental investment as expressed in the Belostomatinae is extremely rare behavior among animals, and evolution of the trait is obscure. Lethocerus mediusmales apparently remain with their mates through oviposition and are consistently found in attendance of eggs after the female has departed. This behavior may enhance paternity assurance at no cost in opportunity for polygyny. Two double clutches of eggs were found, from which we infer the potential for polygynous matings and shared parental investment. Male L. mediusbrood attended egg clutches above the surface of the water, where they may moisten them, shade them, and defend them against predation. Egg attendance/brooding by L. mediusand other Lethocerusspecies may represent a plesiomorphic state from which paternal back- brooding evolved in the Belostomatinae.
Factorial Validity of the Texas Revised Inventory of Grief—Present Scale Among Bereaved Older Adults

The Texas Revised Inventory of Grief-Present scale (TRIG-Present) is one of the most widely used grief measures; however, researchers have only empirically examined the validity and underlying factor structure of TRIG-Present scores in a few studies. Hence, in the present investigation, we sought to examine the factorial validity of the TRIG-Present (those scores that index current grief) among 2 samples of bereaved older adults--a community-dwelling sample of 162 individuals who experienced a diverse set of losses in terms of relationship to the deceased and time since loss, and a recently widowed sample of 212 individuals who were assessed at 2-months and 12-months postloss. Across both samples, we found support for a 3-factor model, composed of clusters of items representing Emotional Response, Thoughts, and Nonacceptance regarding a loss. Additionally, this 3-factor model exhibited significant invariance from 2-months to 12-months postloss in the recently widowed sample. Analyses examining the convergent validity of these 3 factors also suggest that this conceptualization of the TRIG-Present could have practical advantages and potentially influence the way in which clinicians and/or researchers assess grief and evaluate bereavement interventions.
Application of atomic force microscopy in determining the fractal dimension of the mirror, mist, and hackle region of silica glass

Abstract Fractal analysis has been used as a method to study fracture surfaces of brittle materials. However, it has not been determined if the fractal characteristics of brittle materials is consistent throughout the fracture surface. Therefore, the fractal dimensional increment of the mirror, mist, and hackle regions of the fracture surface of silica glass was determined using atomic force microscopy. The fractal dimensional increment of the mirror region (0.17–0.26) was determined to be statistically greater than that for the mist (0.08–0.12) and hackle (0.08–0.13) regions. It is thought that the increase in the fractal dimensional increment is caused by a greater tortuosity in the mirror region due to, most likely, the slower crack velocity of the propagating crack in that region and that there is a point between the mirror and mist region at which the fractal dimension decreases and becomes constant.