cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cross-sectional Examination of Long-term Access to Sit-Stand Desks in a Professional Office Setting

Introduction Prolonged sedentary behavior is an independent risk factor for many negative health outcomes. Although many employers have begun introducing sit–stand desks as means of reducing employee's occupational sitting time, few studies have examined the impact of prolonged access to such desks on sitting/standing time or cardiometabolic outcomes. The present study compared occupational sedentary/physical activity behaviors and cardiometabolic biomarkers among employees with long-term access to traditional sitting and sit–stand desks. Methods This study used a naturalistic, cross-sectional study design. Occupational sedentary and physical activity behaviors and cardiometabolic health outcomes were collected in a controlled laboratory between February and June 2014. Data were analyzed in September 2014. Adults working in full-time sedentary desk jobs who reported having either a sit–stand desk ( n =31) or standard sitting desk ( n =38) for a minimum of 6 months were recruited. Results Employees with sit–stand desks sat less ( p =0.02) and stood more at work ( p =0.01) compared with employees with sitting desks. Significant inverse correlations were observed between several occupational physical activity outcomes (walking time, steps at work) and cardiometabolic risk factors (systolic blood pressure, weight, lean mass, BMI) over the entire sample. Conclusions Employees with long-term access to sit–stand desks sat less and stood more compared with employees with sitting desks. These findings hold public health significance, as sit–stand desks represent a potentially sustainable approach for reducing sedentary behavior among the large, growing number of sedentary workers at increased risk for sedentariness-related pathologies.
Adaptive Trackers Based on Continuous Learning Theory

The theory of ?continuous learning? is applied here to the design of nonlinear sampled-data trackers. This theory provides a continuous-motion approximation of the discrete or sampled motion of the actual tracker. The theory prodicts the transient-response performance of the tracker as well as the mean-square errors caused by noise and statistical fluctuations in the signal. Numerical examples of first-order and second-order trackers designed by this technique are presented. These examples illustrate the adaptive behavior predicted by the technique. In one of these examples the trade-off between transient-response performance and the suppression of noise-induced tracking errors is demonstrated.
Interventional nutrition for the critical care patient: Optimal diets

The classic goals of nutritional support have been to provide for the patient's ongoing nutritional needs and to preserve endogenous tissues from further catabolism. It is becoming increasingly clear that it also is possible to modulate metabolic and pathologic processes through the use of specific nutrients and metabolites and even the route by which nutrition is provided. This article discusses what is and is not known about the nutritional requirements of critically ill dogs and cats and some of the specific nutrients that are being used to enrich formulas for critically ill patients.
Evaluation of antithyroglobulin antibodies after routine vaccination in pet and research dogs.

Objective—To determine whether routine vaccination induces antibodies against bovine thyroglobulin and autoantibodies against canine thyroglobulin in dogs. Design—Prospective study. Animals—20 healthy research Beagles and 16 healthy pet dogs. Procedure—For the research Beagles, 5 dogs were vaccinated with a multivalent vaccine and a rabies vaccine, 5 dogs received only the multivalent vaccine, 5 dogs received only the rabies vaccine, and 5 dogs were unvaccinated controls. The multivalent vaccine was administered at 8, 10, 12, 16, 20, 26, and 52 weeks of age and every 6 months thereafter. The rabies vaccine was administered at 16 and 52 weeks of age and then once per year. Blood was collected from all dogs at 8, 16, and 26 weeks of age and then 4 times yearly. Assays for antibodies directed against bovine and canine thyroglobulin were performed prior to and 2 weeks after each yearly vaccination. For the pet dogs, blood was collected prior to and 2 weeks after 1 vaccination. Results—In the research Beagles,...
Green monitoring using a Wide Area Radio Network for Sensor (WARNS) communication

Enabling long-range, small form-factor transceivers can address a number of green and environmental monitoring applications. This paper explores an alternative method for sensor data communication using long-range wireless transceivers to communicate sensor data. A Wide Area Radio Network for Sensor (WARNS) communication which allows direct communication of a sensor mote to a base-station several kilometers away is proposed along with a discussion on the associated hardware challenges. A study is also provided for one of the most challenging hardware blocks in a WARNS radio, the Power Amplifier (PA).
The Relationship Between Positive Psychological Capital and Global Mindset in the Context of Global Leadership

Using the broaden-and-build theory as an organizing framework, we hypothesized and tested a model that provides evidence for the role of positivity in global leader competence. We found that positive psychological capital (PsyCap) mediates the relationship between global mindset and three relevant global leader competencies: nonjudgmentalness, inquisitiveness, and performance. PsyCap partially mediates the relationship between cognitive complexity and nonjudgmentalness and fully mediates the relationship between cosmopolitanism and inquisitiveness. Cognitive complexity and nonjudgmentalness both have direct relationships with performance. We include implications for global leadership selection, training, and development and future directions for PsyCap research in relation to global mindset.
One- and two-stage spatial amplifiers

This paper reports the design of nine HEMT, one- and two-stage spatial amplifiers which employ a common ground plane for receiving and transmitting port isolation and for heat sinking. By placing the spatial amplifier array in the near-field of the transmitting and receiving horns, a net gain of 8 dB was obtained. This paper also reports the first demonstration of a two-stage spatial amplifier constructed by employing near-field coupling of two single stage spatial amplifiers in free space. >
Hospitality Managers' Stress and Quality of Life: Recommendations for Change

A recent investigation conducted by the authors showed that hospitality man agers reported significantly greater stress and careerinterference with theirpersonal and family life, as well as an overall lower quality of life, in comparison with non- hospitality managers. Outlined in this paper are recommendations for better stress management and improvement of hospitality managers' life satisfaction. These include delegation and sharing of responsibilities and authority with staff, helping employees to be more responsible for theirperformance, utilizing a Manageron Duty (MOD) concept of organizational management (especially in non-guest contact areas), implementing fundamental institutional changes in scheduling, building internal support systems formanagers and employees, and encouraging managers and employees to take advantage of educational and therapeutic opportunities available to them in their region.
Reduction of 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene and Hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine by Hydroxyl-Complexed Fe(II)

The reduction kinetics of two explosives, 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) and hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX), by Fe(II) was investigated in aqueous systems. A dilute ferrous iron solution effectively reduces these nitroaromatic (NAC) and nitramine (NAM) compounds between pH 6.75 and 9.2. Observed reaction rates are first order in monohydroxl and dihydroxyl ferrous iron [ FeOH+ or Fe (OH) 20 ], and NAC/NAM concentrations. The reaction does not require the presence of a mediating surface. Intrinsic rate constants for TNT and RDX reduction by monohydroxyl ferrous iron are 2.00 (±0.17) E+09 and 2.04 (±0.24) E+06 M−2 s−1 , respectively. The reduction half-lives at neutral pH were on the order of minutes for TNT and hours for RDX, yielding rates faster than any known natural process or current bioremediation technique. The use of a mobile reductant, such as hydroxyl-complexed Fe(II) or other aqueous Fe(II) complexes, for NAC/NAMs could be an effective remediation technique at contaminated sites.
35. GEOCHEMISTRY OF PERIPLATFORM CARBONATE SEDIMENTS, LEG 115, SITE 716 (MALDIVES ARCHIPELAGO, INDIAN OCEAN)1

Site 716 is a continuous sequence (upper Miocene to Holocene) of periplatform oozes and chalks from the Maldives Ridge, Indian Ocean. Mineralogical and geochemical studies of these carbonate sediments indicate that submarine burial diagenesis has played an important role in the induration of sediments at this site. Metastable carbonates, high-magnesium calcite (HMC) and aragonite, convert to low-magnesium calcite (LMC) rapidly, within 1.1 and 6.0 Ma, respectively. Strontium concentrations in carbonate decrease with depth as the result of the burial diagenesis of calcium carbonate, primarily aragonite, with excess strontium being expelled into pore waters. The formation of celestite at depth indicates that sufficient diagenesis of carbonate sediments has occurred to saturate or supersaturate pore waters with respect to this authigenic mineral. Sodium also decreases monotonically with depth as a result of the burial diagenesis of calcium carbonate. Magnesium and carbon and oxygen isotopic curves are remarkably similar. Carbon isotopic compositions record inputs of 13C-enriched components from shallow carbonate banks. Magnesium concentrations vary widely, recording enhanced episodes of cementation by LMC with slightly elevated magnesium contents. Positive shifts in oxygen isotopic composition also record episodes of cementation during burial diagenesis. Intervals with increased accumulation rates of metastable components have undergone more rapid diagenesis than intervals with predominately pelagic deposition.
Multiple Ligand and Cell-Dependent States of Lateral Mobility of Plasmalemmal G Protein-Coupled Cholecystokinin Receptors

Lateral movement of receptor molecules in the plane of the plasmalemma has important implications for signal transduction and receptor regulation, yet mechanisms affecting such movement are not well understood. We have studied the lateral mobility of the G protein-coupled cholecystokinin (CCK) receptor expressed in the natural milieu of the rat pancreatic acinar cell and in a model cell system, the CHO-CCKR cell, after occupation with fluorescent agonist and antagonist. Lateral diffusion characteristics were distinct in each type of cell and for receptors occupied by each type of ligand, fluorescent agonist, rhodamine-Gly-[(Nle28,31)CCK-26-33], and fluorescent antagonist, rhodamine-Gly-[(D-Trp30,Nle28,31)CCK-26-32]-phenethyl ester. Multiple states of mobility were detected for CCK receptors. The slowest population of mobile receptors on the CHO-CCKR cells moved at similar rates when occupied by both antagonist and agonist, while the faster-moving populations moved at a faster rate when occupied with antagonist than with agonist. The fastest component of mobile receptors may reflect unconstrained interactions of the antagonist-occupied receptors with signaling or anchoring structures, while the slowest component may represent the fraction of ligand-occupied receptors that ultimately undergo internalization. The intermediate mobility states may reflect receptor interactions with signal transduction and regulatory machinery. While only a single population of mobile receptors was demonstrable on the acinar cells, increased ligand concentrations (agonist and antagonist) resulted in increased percentages of mobile receptors, suggesting a stoichiometric limitation of immobilizing molecular constraints. Inhibition of protein kinase C had no significant effect on the lateral mobility of agonist-occupied CCK receptors.
mTOR disruption causes intestinal epithelial cell defects and intestinal atrophy postinjury in mice

Intestinal stem cells (ISCs) drive small intestinal epithelial homeostasis and regeneration. Mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) regulates stem and progenitor cell metabolism and is frequently dysregulated in human disease, but its physiologic functions in the mammalian small intestinal epithelium remain poorly defined. We disrupted the genes mTOR, Rptor, Rictor, or both Rptor and Rictor in mouse ISCs, progenitors, and differentiated intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) using Villin-Cre. Mutant tissues and wild-type or heterozygous littermate controls were analyzed by histologic immunostaining, immunoblots, and proliferation assays. A total of 10 Gy irradiation was used to injure the intestinal epithelium and induce subsequent crypt regeneration. We report that mTOR supports absorptive enterocytes and secretory Paneth and goblet cell function while negatively regulating chromogranin A-positive enteroendocrine cell number. Through additional Rptor, Rictor, and Rptor/Rictor mutant mouse models, we identify mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 as the major IEC regulatory pathway, but mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 2 also contributes to ileal villus maintenance and goblet cell size. Homeostatic adult small intestinal crypt cell proliferation, survival, and canonical wingless-int (WNT) activity are not mTOR dependent, but Olfm4(+) ISC/progenitor population maintenance and crypt regeneration postinjury require mTOR. Overall, we conclude that mTOR regulates multiple IEC lineages and promotes stem and progenitor cell activity during intestinal epithelium repair postinjury.
Engineered Ionizable Side Chains.

One of the great challenges of mechanistic ion-channel biology is to obtain structural information from well-defined functional states. In the case of neurotransmitter-gated ion channels, the open-channel conformation is particularly elusive owing to its transient nature and brief mean lifetime. In this Chapter, we show how the analysis of single-channel currents recorded from mutants engineered to contain single ionizable side chains in the transmembrane region can provide specific information about the open-channel conformation without any interference from the closed or desensitized conformations. The method takes advantage of the fact that the alternate binding and unbinding of protons to and from an ionizable side chain causes the charge of the protein to fluctuate by 1 unit. We show that, in mutant muscle acetylcholine nicotinic receptors (AChRs), this fluctuating charge affects the rate of ion conduction in such a way that individual proton-transfer events can be identified in a most straightforward manner. From the extent to which the single-channel current amplitude is reduced every time a proton binds, we can learn about the proximity of the engineered side chain to the lumen of the pore. And from the kinetics of proton binding and unbinding, we can calculate the side-chain’s affinity for protons (pKa), and hence, we can learn about the electrostatic properties of the microenvironment around the introduced ionizable group. The application of this method to systematically mutated AChRs allowed us to identify unambiguously the stripes of the M1, M2 and M3 transmembrane α-helices that face the pore’s lumen in the open-channel conformation in the context of a native membrane.
Bridges and Boundaries: Transnational Issue Networks and the Origins of Anti-Discrimination Policy

During the Second World War, President Franklin Roosevelt created the President's Committee on Fair Employment Practices (FEPC), the first federal anti-discrimination agency. While designed to assist African Americans, the FEPC was given the pluralist mission to combat discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color or natinal origin. In this paper I was focus on the way people of Mexican origin were incorporated into the FEPC. I argue that a transnational issue network of Mexican government officials, FEPC bureaucrats and Mexican American community leaders worked to shape the way the FEPC provided services to people of Mexican origin. Lacking a history of organizing or a broad-based movement, people of Mexican origin were included through the efforts of this issue network. With the needs of wartime giving Mexico newfound leverage, transnational issue networks worked to influence the activities of the FEPC in a way that provides insight into the further development of anti-discrimination policy, the role of transnationalism in American institutional development, and the strange history of U.S.-Mexican relations.
Inexpensive Rib Phantom for Myocardial Infarct Scintigraphy

A rib phantom is constructed from polyvinyl irrigation pipes to simulate rib activity in myocardial infarct scintigraphy using 99mTc-pyrophosphate. It is useful to evaluate the effects of radionuclide concentrations and locations of the myocardial infarct in relation to the delectability of the lesion.
Radiative and nonradiative properties of single plasmonic nanoparticles and their assemblies.

A surface plasmon is the coherent oscillation of the conduction band electrons. When a metal nanoparticle is excited to produce surface plasmons, incident light is both scattered and absorbed, giving rise to brilliant colors. One available technique for measuring these processes, ensemble extinction spectroscopy, only measures the sum of scattering and absorption. Although the spectral responses of these processes are closely related, their relative efficiencies can differ significantly as a function of nanoparticle size and shape. For some applications, researchers may need techniques that can quantitatively measure absorption or scattering alone. Through advances in single particle spectroscopy, researchers can overcome this problem, separately determining the radiative (elastic and inelastic scattering) and nonradiative (absorption) properties of surface plasmons. Furthermore, because we can use the same sample preparation for both single particle spectroscopy measurements and electron microscopy, this...
The Model Stock Plan in Small Stores

A MODEL stock plan for buying merchandise for all sorts of stores will become increasingly significant as we pass into a buyers' market. At the present time we are in a sellers' market and have been for a considerable period. During this era, consumers are, and have been, fortunate to buy any merchandise offered them by retailers. But as the supply of goods expands in both quantity and variety, consumers will have more choices. Merchants then will have to buy more wisely to obtain wanted merchandise. Since there is a good deal of literature on the model stock plan for large merchants and scarcely none for small retailers, this article will consider the model stock plan as a buying aid for small stores.
Hydrological Model Simulations and Physical Impacts of a Tundra Watershed Affected by Wildfire, Seward Peninsula, Alaska

To be able to quantify the impacts of a climate change in an arctic region, we need knowledge about the properties of the area. Water is of decisive importance in shaping the ecosystem. Due to dynamic changes in the hydrology, promoted by indirect or direct disturbance, a site can evolve to a drastically altered state. The climate is shown to strongly influence the frequency of wildfires (Burn, 1998), which is both caused by and creates an altered hydrological system. The aim of the study is to investigate how the hydrological dynamics and the physical impacts of a tundra watershed are affected by a wildfire that occurred August 2002 at the central part of Seward Peninsula, Alaska. Yoshikawa et al. (2003) has shown that a fire can, in the long term (more than a decade), cause an increased thickness of the active layer in permafrost regions. Between mid June and mid September 2004, field measurements have shown a 60-meter increase of an eroded streambed in Niagara Creek, a phenomenon first observed after the fire. A hydrologic computer model, TopoFlow, will be used to investigate the wildfire’s impact in this sub-arctic hydrological system where the increased thaw depth and changed evapotranspiration are important parameters. Air and soil temperatures, precipitation, net radiation, wind speed, snow and thaw depth field measurements are available during the years 1999 2004. TopoFlow will be calibrated with pre-fire field data of discharge. The result of the modeling will be discussed together with observed physical impacts and earlier spatial and temporal hydrological modeling in the area. An investigation of the effects of a fire on a tundra environment can result in a better understanding of the impact a warming climate and its secondary effects on the arctic ecosystem and its morphology.
A retrospective mathematical analysis of controlled release design and experimentation.

The development and performance evaluation of new biodegradable polymer controlled release formulations relies on successful interpretation and evaluation of in vitro release data. However, depending upon the extent of empirical characterization, release data may be open to more than one qualitative interpretation. In this work, a predictive model for release from degradable polymer matrices was applied to a number of published release data in order to extend the characterization of release behavior. Where possible, the model was also used to interpolate and extrapolate upon collected released data to clarify the overall duration of release and also kinetics of release between widely spaced data points. In each case examined, mathematical predictions of release coincide well with experimental results, offering a more definitive description of each formulation’s performance than was previously available. This information may prove particularly helpful in the design of future studies, such as when calculati...
Targeting Long Noncoding RNA with Antisense Oligonucleotide Technology as Cancer Therapeutics

Recent annotation of the human transcriptome revealed that only 2 % of the genome encodes proteins while the majority of human genome is transcribed into noncoding RNAs. Although we are just beginning to understand the diverse roles long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play in molecular and cellular processes, they have potentially important roles in human development and pathophysiology. However, targeting of RNA by traditional structure-based design of small molecule inhibitors has been difficult, due to a lack of understanding of the dynamic tertiary structures most RNA molecules adopt. Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) are capable of targeting specific genes or transcripts directly through Watson-Crick base pairing and thus can be designed based on sequence information alone. These agents have made possible specific targeting of "non-druggable targets" including RNA molecules. Here we describe how ASOs can be applied in preclinical studies to reduce levels of lncRNAs of interest.
Modulated Synthesis of Metal-Organic Frameworks through Tuning of the Initial Oxidation State of the Metal

Modulated solvothermal synthesis and other alterations of synthetic conditions have been used to control metal-organic framework (MOF) crystallinity, porosity, and other properties. However, so far these changes have mostly been limited to changes in solvent, pH, or modulating acid type or concentration. In this work, we introduce a new method for the tuning of MOF synthesis: modulation through alteration of the metal source's initial oxidation state. By choosing a metal source that should be reduced or oxidized at high temperature in the solvent, metal concentration can be started at zero for initially insoluble starting materials and then increased as the metal reacts with the solvent, slowing and altering crystallization compared to standard MOF solvothermal synthesis. This concept is demonstrated through the synthesis of PCN-47, PCN-48, and PCN-49, MOFs with distinct structures and porosities synthesized from the same metal and ligand with the metal initially in different oxidation states.
The antiketogenic action of an anabolic steroid administered to ketotic cows.

The effects of an anabolic steroid, trienbolone acetate, in healthy early lactatiug cows and cows suffering from primary ketosis or an experimental ketosis are described. Four out of four cows with primary ketosis were restored to normal health following a single injection of 120 mg of anabolic steroid, and 2/3 cows responded to a single dose of 60 mg steroid, a third cow requiring a further injection of 60 mg steroid. Three out of three cows with a severe experimentally induced ketosis responded to a single injection of 60 mg steroid. In the ketotic cows treated with 120 mg steroid, significant decreases were observed in the blood concentrations of 3-hydroxybutyrate and acetoacetate 24 h and 48 h after treatment. However, no hyperglycemic effect was observed in ketotic cows after the steroid therapy. The changes in hepatic metabolites following anabolic steroid administration were greater in healthy cows than ketotic COWS. In healthy cows there were significant increases in hepatic concentrations of citrate, 2-ketoglutarate, and some glucogenic amino-acids. In the ketotic liver, there was a tendency for some improvement towards normal values for intermediates of both the citric acid cycle and the Embden-Meyerhof pathway. An interesting effect of the steroid in ketotic cows was the immediate improvement of appetite. Trienbolone acetate has no significant effect on milk yield of healthy cows over a 1-week period. Although complicated by the effects of a liver biopsy, the administration of an anabolic steroid improved the milk yield of ketotic cows.
Alternatives to Orchiopexy

AbstractWith improved surgical techniques orchiopexy has become possible in patients with cryptorchidism who previously were forced to alternatives, including no treatment at all, a trial of hormonal therapy or orchiectomy. However, the mere presence of a testis in the scrotum may not benefit some patients, that is neither enhancing fertility nor reducing malignancy. A prosthesis may provide comparable appearance and psychologic support.No treatment is indicated in cases of severe mental retardation, ejaculatory failure (as with the prune belly syndrome) and certain endocrine syndromes. Hormonal therapy, helpful in bilateral prepubertal cases, also may be useful in certain endocrine disorders. Orchiectomy is indicated in unilateral cases with severe neurogenic disturbances that preclude ejaculation, in prepubertal patients with 1 abdominal testis and in postpuberal boys with unilateral cryptorchidism at any site. If risk versus benefit is assessed for each patient these alternatives may be better for him ...
Postpartum Depressive Symptoms Following Consecutive Pregnancies: Stability, Change, and Mechanisms

Postpartum depression is a major mental health issue for women and society. We examined stability and change in symptoms of depression over two consecutive pregnancies and tested life stress as a potential mechanism. The Community Child Health Network followed an ethnically/racially diverse sample from one month after a birth for two years. A subset of 228 women had a second birth. Interview measures of depression symptoms (EPDS) and life stress (life events, perceived stress, chronic stress, interpersonal aggression) were obtained during home visits. Three-quarters of the sample showed intra-individual stability in depressive symptoms from one postpartum period to the next, and 24% of the sample had clinically significant symptoms after at least one pregnancy (9% first, 7.5% second, 3.5% both). Each of the four life stressors significantly mediated the association between depressive symptoms across two postpartum periods. Stress between pregnancies for women may be an important mechanism perpetuating postpartum depression.
Reproductive Healthcare Needs of Sex Workers in Rural South Africa: A Community Assessment

Background: In the Limpopo province of South Africa, access and availability of women’s health services are limited and many challenges exist for a growing population of transient sex workers. This study was developed to place communities at the forefront to more specifically understand regional barriers and attitudes regarding reproductive health care needs. Objective: To build strong community partnerships, gain understanding of issues in women’s health services, and collaborate with community members to address those issues. Methods: A mixed-methods study approach was used in rural South Africa. Participants were recruited through voluntary interest from a local health clinic performing outreach for migrant female sex workers. We (1) created partnerships and built trust within the community and (2) worked collaboratively to collect both qualitative and quantitative data, using community groups to discuss health needs as well as “knowledge, attitude, and practice” (KAP) surveys. Findings: Ninety-four sex workers participated. The survey data identified risk factors to poor reproductive healthcare outcomes, including limited education, young age at first sexual contact, large number of sexual partners, little knowledge of sexually transmitted infections, distrust in the use of healthcare facilities, and limited use of contraception. Community discussion groups revealed a desire for easier and more accessible healthcare, showing the biggest barriers to care are lack of money and transportation, and safety concerns related to profession, including fear of violence from partner and/or client. With input from civic leaders, public interest, and community outreach groups, a community advisory board was successfully formed for future collaboration. Conclusion: By working with local stakeholders and sex workers, we created an interactive and tailored assessment to discuss healthcare disparities. We helped foster community ownership, setting the stage for future implementation of sustainable and cooperative health programming.
Teaching the Atypical Student

The image a profession has of itself involves not only the kind and quality of work performed, but also the characteristics of those who enter the profession. During recent years the group of people entering nursing has become much more diverse than it formerly was. Factors that have brought about this change include: A general movement toward lack of discrimination in selecting applicants for education and employment. The growing recognition that exclusion of nursing-school applicants for such reasons as age, sex or race deprives them of opportunity and deprives society of the contribution they could make to nursing. The persistent demand for greater quantity and quality of nursing services. The realization that limiting the recruitment of nurses to young single girls intensifies the problems associated with interrupted practice and part-time practice, since most nurses recruited from this group will later combine responsibilities to home and family with professional activities. The increasing tendency to place nursing programs in colleges and universities, which tends to lead to the admission of a more diverse group than usually enters the diploma schools (for example, many associate degree programs have a particularly diverse group of students). The increase in geographic mobility, with the result that students from other parts of this country and from other lands are likely to be found in schools whose enrollments were previously limited to residents of nearby communities.
Lost in Translation: Delivering Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Interventions to Hispanic Populations

Hispanics became the United States' largest minority in 2012. Lack of culturally and linguistically appropriate interventions in the Hispanic population at the health-care and community levels increases the risk of negative health outcomes, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. Delivering nutrition education can modify cultural traditions associated with food and decrease diseases associated with food habits. Barriers faced by many Hispanics include, but are not limited to, limited English proficiency and/or immigration status. Developing interventions to improve Hispanics' health outcomes requires understanding of Hispanics' cultural values and diversity. Active recruitment and training of Hispanics into food system fields is crucial to developing and implementing culturally sensitive and language-oriented intervention.
The Bureaucracy of Race: Enforcement of Civil Rights Laws and its Impact on people, Process, and Organization

This paper deals with bureaucracy, race, and civil rights in what I term "the racial bureaucracy." These are the municipal, county, state, and federal civil rights agencies. The racial bureaucracy includes such federal agencies as the U.S. Civil Rights Commission, the Community Relations Service of the Department of Justice, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; state agencies including the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, the Michigan Civil Rights Commission, the California Fair Employment Practices Commission; city agencies such as the Pittsburgh Commission on Human Relations and the Detroit Commission on Community Relations. The first federal racial
Adaptive and maladaptive neural compensatory consequences of sensory deprivation—From a phantom percept perspective

It is suggested that the brain undergoes plastic changes in order to adapt to changing environmental needs. Sensory deprivation results in decreased input to the brain leading to adaptive or maladaptive changes. Although several theories hypothesize the mechanism of these adaptive and maladaptive changes, the course of action taken by the brain heavily depends on the age of incidence of damage. The growing body of literature on the topic proposes that maladaptive changes in the brain are instrumental in creating phantom percepts, defined as the perception of a sensory experience in the absence of a physical stimulus. The current article reviews the mechanisms of adaptive and maladaptive plasticity in the brain in congenital, early, and late-onset sensory deprivation in conjunction with the phantom percepts in the different sensory domains. We propose that the mechanisms of adaptive and maladaptive plasticity fall under a universal construct of updating hierarchical Bayesian prediction errors. This theory of the Bayesian brain hypothesizes that the brain constantly compares its internal milieu with changing environmental cues and either adjusts its predictions or discards the change, depending on the novelty or salience of the external stimulus. We propose that adaptive plasticity reflects both successful bottom-up compensation and top-down updating of the model while maladaptive plasticity reflects failure in one or both mechanisms, resulting in a constant prediction-error. Finally, we hypothesize that phantom percepts are generated by the brain as a solution to this prediction error and are thus a manifestation of unsuccessful adaptation to sensory deprivation.
Promoting Political Participation in War-torn Countries: Microlevel Evidence from Postwar Liberia

This article uses original survey data to study the effects of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) on the political attitudes and behaviors of ordinary Liberians. Three results emerge: (i...
Research on Age-Friendly Community Initiatives: Taking Stock and Moving Forward

ABSTRACTAge-friendly community initiatives (AFCIs) are a promising approach to supporting physical, cognitive, mental, and social health in later life, but to date, there are gaps in our understanding of these initiatives' development, implementation, sustainability, and effectiveness. In this article we describe existing scholarship on age-friendly community initiatives, focusing attention on conceptual and empirical knowledge development regarding what age-friendliness and AFCIs are, as well as AFCIs' inputs (i.e., the process of age-friendly community change), outputs (i.e., organizational and community changes), and outcomes (i.e., changes in individual older adults). We then discuss some of the barriers to integrating research and practice in this field, including AFCIs' multifaceted approach and limited funding for evaluation and research. We conclude with steps to advance knowledge that can help to promote more evidence-informed age-friendly policies and practices. Additional scholarship regarding ...
Are People More Disturbed by Dog or Human Suffering

This research examines whether people are more emotionally disturbed by reports of non-human animal than human suffering or abuse. Two hundred and fifty-six undergraduates at a major northeastern university were asked to indicate their degree of empathy for a brutally beaten human adult or child versus an adult dog or puppy, as described in a fictitious news report. We hypothesized that the vulnerability of victims—determined by their age and not species—would determine participants’ levels of distress and concern for them. The main effect for age but not for species was significant. We also found more empathy for victims who are human children, puppies, and fully-grown dogs than for victims who are adult humans. Age makes a difference for empathy toward human victims, but not for dog victims. In addition, female participants were significantly more empathic toward all victims than were their male counterparts.
Brownfields Remediation: Impact on Local Residential Property Tax Revenue

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Brownfields Program provides grants to assess and clean up brownfields. There are few studies that estimate tax revenue impacts from cleanup beyond those generated directly from within the remediated site’s property lines. This study estimates the increased residential property tax revenue attributable to brownfields cleanup at 48 sites remediated between 2004 and 2011 under the EPA Brownfields Cleanup Grants Program. Findings from a previous study of a 5% to 15.2% property value increase following cleanup at these sites are applied to the assessed values of nearby residential properties along with local tax laws, assessment ratios, and rates to estimate tax revenue gained as a result of brownfields cleanup. The estimated increase in residential property tax revenue for a single tax year from remediating 48 brownfields properties was between $29 million and $97 million (2014 USD).
Predictors of Weight-Related Quality of Life in Adolescents Who Are Overweight or Obese.

OBJECTIVE Weight-related quality of life (WRQOL) is a type of health-related QOL that may serve as a patient-reported outcome of the potential burden of overweight. The present study uses structural equation modeling path analysis methods to examine body mass index (BMI) and other potential predictors of WRQOL components among adolescents who were overweight/obese from predominantly low-income, urban households. METHODS Baseline data were obtained from 360 participants (10-13 year olds; 57.8% female; 76.7% black; average BMI of 27.12) and their parents/legal guardians from a randomized, controlled, treatment trial. Youth completed measures of WRQOL, depressive symptoms, and family/friend social support for healthy eating. Parents completed measures of demographics and child social problems. RESULTS The initial model included BMI, gender, parent education, family/friend social support for healthy eating, child social problems, body esteem and social life WRQOL, and depressive symptoms. The final model fit the data well (χ = 27.738; df = 16; p = .034). Higher BMI was indirectly related to lower social life and body esteem WRQOL through greater social problems. Physical comfort and family relations WRQOL were unrelated to BMI and were not included. Lower social life and body esteem related to more depressive symptoms. Family/friend discouragement for healthy eating was associated with lower body esteem; also, family discouragement was related to lower social life. CONCLUSION Body mass index may not directly relate to WRQOL but may be associated through other factors, including child social problems. Interventions should screen for and treat mood and social problems and address family/friend support for healthy eating.
Thresholds, Bifurcations and Mental Control: An Application of Nonlinear Dynamics to Psychotherapy

Mental control paradoxes—those times when we try to control a thought or behavior and the effort at control becomes counterproductive—are both common and enigmatic. Why is it so difficult to stand in a corner and refrain from thinking of a white bear—but only if we have been asked to do so [Wegner, 1989]? Why, when we try to control our thoughts and behaviors, do they so often spin out of control?
Healthcare Access Among Young Adults: Impact of the Affordable Care Act on Young Adults With Hypertension.

Introduction The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act provision implemented policies to improve coverage for young adults. It is not known if it affected access to care among young adults with hypertension. Methods National Health Interview Survey data from 2006 to 2009 and 2011 to 2014 were used. Young adults aged 19–25 years were assessed for potential barriers to access to health care. The authors compared the percentage of each indicator of barriers to access to health care among young adults in general, as well as those with hypertension in the two time periods and estimated the AOR. All data were self-reported. The analyses were conducted in 2016. Results Among young adults, the frequencies of barrier indicators were significantly lower in 2011–2014 than 2006–2009, except “did not see doctor in the past 12 months.” Among those with hypertension, the percentage reporting “no health insurance” (31.3% vs 23.3%, p=0.037); “no place to see a doctor when needed” (30.5% vs 21.6%, p=0.031); or “cannot afford prescribed medicine” (23.0% vs 15.3%, p=0.023) were significantly lower in 2011–2014 compared with that of 2006–2009. The differences maintained statistical significance after adjusting for sex, race/ethnicity, and level of education. Conclusions Significant differences in select access to care measures were found among young adults with hypertension between 2006–2009 and 2011–2014, as was found among young adults generally. Changes in extension of dependent insurance coverage in 2010 may have led to improvements in access to care among this group.
EFFECTS OF SIZE AND GEOMETRY ON STABILITY OF A GEOTHERMAL RESERVOIR CONTAINED BY HOT DRY ROCK

Description of a disc-shaped geothermal reservoir, pressurized and subject to thermal stresses, is given in terms of notions employed in mechanics of ductile fracture. The reservoir is assumed to extend in an infinite isotropic and impermeable medium. Range of the analysis, however, is extended to include a possibility of quasi-static stable cracking occurring along the reservoir circumference prior to spontaneous fracture. Extensive microcracking which takes place in the region adjacent to the crack front prior to the onset of crack growth (and in the presence of high tectonic pressure encountered in a geothermal system) provides a stabilizing effect, similar in its nature to ductility exhibited in metal fracture.
Considerations for the development of a preparation for future learning assessment

This paper presents initial findings from on-going research on the development of assessments that measure how students are prepared for future learning in fast changing environments. Issues of assessment are extremely important for measuring the quality of learning and teaching. Typical assessments tend to tell us what students have learned in the past but not necessarily how prepared they are to learn in the future. With this problem in mind, we have begun research on how students are able to use resources (technology-based access to relevant information, social networks, simulations) in order to learn to solve problems. Our goal is to provide more valid measures of students' existing strengths as well as skills and knowledge that they need to learn. Our assessments are designed to be both formative and summative.
Of cubes, DAGs and hierarchical correlations: a novel conceptual model for analyzing social media data

With the advent of social media there is an ever increasing amount of unstructured data that can be analyzed to obtain insights. Two prominent examples are sentiment analysis and the discovery of correlated concepts. A convenient representation of information in such scenarios is in terms of concepts extracted from the unstructured data, and measures, such as sentiment scores, associated with these concepts. Typically, social media analysis reports these concepts and their associated measures. We argue that much richer insights can be obtained through the use of OLAP-style multidimensional analysis. It is fairly straightforward to see how to add traditional dimension hierarchies such as time and geography, and to analyze the data along these dimensions using traditional OLAP operations such as roll-up; for instance, to answer queries of the form "What was the average sentiment for X in Europe during the past month?" However, it is trickier to answer queries of the form "What was the average sentiment for concepts related to X in Europe during the past month?" We introduce a conceptual modeling framework that extends traditional multidimensional models and OLAP operators to address the new set of requirements for data extracted from social media. In this model, we organize data along both traditional dimensions (we call these metadata dimensions) and concept dimensions, which model relationships among concepts using parent-child hierarchies. Specifically: (i) we allow operations on parent-child hierarchies to be treated in a uniform way as operations on traditional dimension hierarchies; (ii) to model the rich relationships that can exist among concepts, we extend the parent-child hierarchies to be rooted level-DAGs rather than simply trees; and (iii) we introduce new equivalence classes that allow us to reason with "similar" concepts in new ways. We show that our modeling and operator framework facilitates multidimensional analysis to gain further insights from social media data than is possible with existing methods.
Ultrathin Polymeric Films as Biomedical Interfaces of Controlled Chemical Architecture

Polysiloxanes derivatized with alkyldisulfide anchors have been grafted with hydrophobic perfluoroalkyl or hydrophilic poly(ethyleneoxide) side chains. These terpolymers chemisorb spontaneously from dilute solution to metal substrates (gold, silver, copper), forming adherent monolayer polymer films expressing the surface chemistry of the grafted chain. High-resolution XPS, SIMS and ToF-SIMS have shown that those polymer films: (1) are stratified monolayers, having distinct regions enriched in each component, (2) are enriched in their outer atomic surface levels by the grafted side chain and (3) can be lithographed and patterned to form spatially tailored films of distinct chemistry. The robust character of these films has several advantages over conventional self-assembled monolayers, particularly for many applications where film oxidation/removal is a problem (e.g., biological environments, sensing, mechanics, friction).
The Cultural Commons of Teen Literacy

While we have placed an emphasis on identifying the skills we should teach teenagers to become information literate (Standards for the 21st century learner, American Association of School Librarians/American Library Association, 2007), there is a gap in our understanding of what literacies teens immersed in an age of unfiltered Internet, cell phones, and social media, already possess. In this study, we looked at teen behaviors in public spaces outside of school. Twenty-one students who were enrolled in a graduate school library course were asked to unobtrusively observe teens in various public locations outside of school. This study analyzed those “snapshots” to uncover patterns regarding teen behaviors. Results present new findings on how teens communicate with each other and the world around them.