cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
“Just because Somebody Is in a White Jacket and Has a Medical Degree doesn’t Mean they’re Not a Drug Dealer”: Law-Enforcement Experiences Investigating Occupational Offenders

In spite of its dangers and prevalence, occupational crime is rarely addressed through criminal-law channels, largely because resource constraints and legal rules or ambiguities hamper criminal investigations and prosecutions. Little empirical research exists into law-enforcement personnel’s attempts to secure arrests and prosecutions of occupational offenders. The present study uses data from in-depth interviews with officers and agents tasked with investigating physicians suspected of profit-motivated overprescribing of opioids, a type of occupational offending. The themes that emerged during data analysis highlight specific challenges to these criminal investigations and the ways police and prosecutors circumvented such obstacles. Discussion of the findings centers on implications for research and policy to further the goal of successfully prosecuting occupational offenders in criminal courts.
Secondary Transition Predictors of Postschool Success: An Update to the Research Base:

Research suggests youth with disabilities are less likely to experience positive outcomes compared to peers without disabilities. Identification of in-school predictors of postschool success can pr...
Interprofessional Collaboration: Training Preservice Adapted Physical Education Teachers to Facilitate Peer Engagement Among Children With Disabilities

Purpose Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and adapted physical education (APE) teachers working in schools have a distinct opportunity to collaborate and serve students with communication and mov...
The Effect of Auditor Litigation Risk on Client Access to Bank Debt: Evidence from a Quasi-Experiment

We exploit staggered state-level shocks to third-party auditor legal liability in the U.S. to test whether auditor litigation risk affects client companies’ access to private debt markets. We find that an exogenous increase in auditor litigation risk leads to an increase in both clients’ likelihood of receiving bank loans and the average amount of the bank loans that clients receive. In support of our proposed mechanism that auditor litigation risk leads to improvements in clients’ audit and financial reporting quality, we find that these same shocks lead to a reduction in accruals, an increase in going-concern opinions, a decrease in restatements, and an improvement in accruals’ ability to predict future cash flows. We also find that increased auditor litigation risk leads to an increase in the contractibility of clients’ accounting numbers, as proxied by the use of debt covenants, and a decrease in the cost of borrowing.
Hyperinsulinemia blunts sympathetic vasoconstriction: a possible role of β-adrenergic activation.

Herein we report in a sample of healthy young men (n = 14) and women (n = 12) that hyperinsulinemia induces time-dependent decreases in total peripheral resistance and its contribution to the maint...
Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma with Lymph Node Metastasis: Treatment-Related Outcomes and the Role of Tumor Genomics in Patient Selection.

Purpose: Lymph node metastasis (LNM) drastically reduces survival after resection of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (IHC). Optimal treatment is ill defined, and it is unclear whether tumor mutational profiling can support treatment decisions. Experimental Design: Patients with liver-limited IHC with or without LNM treated with resection (N = 237), hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC; N = 196), or systemic chemotherapy alone (SYS; N = 140) at our institution between 2000 and 2018 were included. Genomic sequencing was analyzed to determine whether genetic alterations could stratify outcomes for patients with LNM. Results: For node-negative patients, resection was associated with the longest median overall survival [OS, 59.9 months; 95% confidence interval (CI), 47.2–74.31], followed by HAIC (24.9 months; 95% CI, 20.3–29.6), and SYS (13.7 months; 95% CI, 8.9–15.9; P Conclusions: There was no difference in OS for patients with node-positive IHC treated by resection versus HAIC, and both treatments had better survival than SYS alone. The presence of high-risk genetic alterations provides valuable prognostic information that may help guide treatment.
The Future of Latin American and Caribbean Cities: Urban Bias and Political Fragments in Place

In this chapter I provide some reflections on the fragmentation of Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) urban landscapes and some speculations about the future of urban bias and inequalities in the decades to come. Latin American and Caribbean societies will no longer be divided according to the classic urban/rural, industrial/agricultural, worker/peasant, capital city/periphery set of cross-cutting cleavages, but through their fragmentation within and between cities, and a hierarchy of place within urban spaces. Despite the colonial legacy a “triumph” of middle-sized mestizo cities inherited from the colonial era, non-urban areas that are predominantly indigenous will remain increasingly critical to the planetary future. Non-urban areas will be critical due to the interaction of their original peoples with the remaining “wild” spaces in the hemisphere. Rainforests, deserts, and mountains – that up till now had remained relatively untouched by human activity–, will need to be preserved as global public goods, reservoirs of biodiversity, carbon sequestration, climate, and hydrologic regulation. The safekeepers of those natural resources will most likely have to be indigenous and Afro-descendant communities that live in the fringes that surround those wild areas. Indigenous communities will hence remain the custodians, safekeepers and buffers that may prevent cities from overtaking these precious remaining natural environments.
Association between cardio-metabolic risks and depressive symptoms among US adults (NHANES 2013-2018).

Abstract Objectives To elucidate the association between cardio-metabolic risk factors and depressive symptoms among US adults. Methods Data on 9,477 adults ≥ age 18 from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2013-2018 were used. Number of cardio-metabolic risk (CMR) factors, from 0-5, was based on BMI, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, and lipid levels. Depressive symptoms by Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) scores were categorized “no to mild symptoms” (0-9) and “clinically-significant depressive (CSD) symptoms” (10-27). Logistic regression analysis tested associations between CMR factors and CSD symptoms, adjusted for age, gender, education, income, race/ethnicity and smoking status. Results CSD symptoms were significantly associated with low HDL, abdominal obesity, and high triglycerides. Increased numbers of CMR factors were associated with increased odds of CSD symptoms, from 1.45 times for 1 CMR to 2.55 times for 5 CMRs. The cross-sectional nature of the present study has resulted in some limitations like the inability to determine the direction and causality of the effects between depression and CMR. The study data was subject to response bias and recall errors as the participants self-reported the use of medications. Conclusions In US adults, cardio-metabolic risk factors were associated with clinically-significant depressive symptoms. Public health and clinical programs should include screening for both health issues, intervention for modifiable risk factors, and support for social determinants of health.
Potassium channel receptor site for the inactivation gate and quaternary amine inhibitors

Many voltage-dependent K+ channels open when the membrane is depolarized and then rapidly close by a process called inactivation. Neurons use inactivating K+ channels to modulate their firing frequency. In Shaker-type K+ channels, the inactivation gate, which is responsible for the closing of the channel, is formed by the channel's cytoplasmic amino terminus. Here we show that the central cavity and inner pore of the K+ channel form the receptor site for both the inactivation gate and small-molecule inhibitors. We propose that inactivation occurs by a sequential reaction in which the gate binds initially to the cytoplasmic channel surface and then enters the pore as an extended peptide. This mechanism accounts for the functional properties of K+ channel inactivation and indicates that the cavity may be the site of action for certain drugs that alter cation channel function.
The Peterson Institute for International Economics

The Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE) is the only think tank in the United States devoted to global economic policy issues. Its staff of 50 includes two dozen Senior Fellows who address the entire range of international trade and financial topics as well as all key countries and regions. The first comprehensive survey of the world’s 5,465 think tanks recently ranked the PIIE as tied for “Top Think Tank in the World” (with the Brookings Institution, whose budget is eight times as large). Another survey indicated that the Institute has recently been quoted more widely in the quality media than any other economics think tank and that its Director, C. Fred Bergsten, has been the most quoted think-tank economist in the world since 1997.
Cutting Edge: Type I IFNs Provide a Third Signal to CD8 T Cells to Stimulate Clonal Expansion and Differentiation

In this study, we show that IFN-αβ can have a direct role in linking innate and adaptive responses by providing the “third signal” needed by naive CD8 T cells responding to Ag and costimulatory ligands. Stimulation of CD8 T cells in the absence of a third signal leads to proliferation, but clonal expansion is limited by poor survival and effector functions do not develop. We show that IFN-αβ can provide the third signal directly to CD8 T cells via a STAT4-dependent pathway to stimulate survival, development of cytolytic function, and production of IFN-γ. Provision of the third signal by either IFN-αβ or IL-12 results in regulation of the expression of a number of genes, including several that encode proteins critical for effector function.
The Novelty Paradox & Bias for Normal Science: Evidence from Randomized Medical Grant Proposal Evaluations

Central to any innovation process is the evaluation of proposed projects and allocation of resources. We investigate whether novel research projects, those deviating from existing research paradigms, are treated with a negative bias in expert evaluations. We analyze the results of a peer review process for medical research grant proposals at a leading medical research university, in which we recruited 142 expert university faculty members to evaluate 150 submissions, resulting in 2,130 randomly-assigned proposal-evaluator pair observations. Our results confirm a systematic penalty for novel proposals; a standard deviation increase in novelty drops the expected rank of a proposal by 4.5 percentile points. This discounting is robust to various controls for unobserved proposal quality and alternative explanations. Additional tests suggest information effects rather than strategic effects account for the novelty penalty. Only a minority of the novelty penalty could be related to perceptions of lesser feasibility of novel proposals.
Nuclear physics: Weighing up the superheavies.

To discover superheavy elements and study their properties, we need to know the masses of the isotopes of elements heavier than uranium. Weighing these isotopes in an electromagnetic trap has now become possible.
Metal complexes in solvent extraction studies—III Preparation and investigation of binary and ternary complexes

Abstract Some ternary complexes of the type M(chelate) 2 S x [M = UO 2 2+ , Cu 2+ , Zn 2+ , Ni 2+ , Co 2+ , chelate = TTA (thenoyltrifluoroacetone anion), S = TBP (tri-n-butyl phosphate), TBEP (tri-n-butoxyethyl phosphate, TOPO (tri-n-octyl phosphine oxide), 4-me-py (4-methyl pyridine), TPPO (tri-phenyl-phosphine oxide)] have been prepared and investigated. Preliminary work has also been carried out with HFacac (hexafluoroacetylacetone anion), TFacac (trifluoroacetylacetone anion) and acac (acetylacetone anion) as chelates. The compounds Zn(HFacac) 2 · x H 2 O ( x = 1 and 2), Zn-(HFacac) 2 (TOPO) 2 , Cu(HFacac) 2 TOPO, Co(acac) 2 (4-me-py) 2 , UO 2 (acac) 2 ·4-me-py and UO 2 (acac) 2 (TPPO) 3 have also been isolated. Solvent extraction studies show that the synergistic extraction of 65 Zn depends upon the nature of the chelate and of S. It is suggested that the phenomenon of synergism involves both the stability of M(chelate) 2 · x H 2 O and M(chelate) 2 S x and further, that the bonding of S, which is directly to the metal, is weak and comparable to solvation or adduct formation.
Doubt and the Values of an Ignorance-Based World View for Restoration: Coastal Louisiana Wetlands

Embracing doubt, a signature strength of science, is an essential core component of an ignorance-based-world view (IBWV) that assumes the areas of certainty are small relative to the large field of ignorance. The contrasting knowledge-based world view (KBWV) assumes that small and mostly insignificant knowledge gaps exist. When the KBWV is combined with a sense of urgency to “do something,” then the intellectual landscape is flattened, the introduction of new ideas is impeded, monitoring and adaptive management is marginalized, risky behaviors continue, and social learning is restricted. The history of three coastal Louisiana land-uses (agricultural impoundment, marsh management, and dredging) is one of ignored and untested assumptions that might have provided a cause-and-effect means to avoid catastrophic land losses—the result of a KBWV that remains the primary perspective of Louisiana’s current coastal restoration and management program that includes river diversions and a proposed expansion of hurricane protection levees into wetlands. I argue from the pathology of results that willful adoption of an IBWV in the administration, management, and implementation of restoration will reduce the scale and diversity of significant missteps in the future, improve project efficiencies, and cause fewer unintended consequences that cannot (again) be retracted.
Using mobile agents and overlay networks to secure electrical networks

The use of wandering, mobile agents can provide a robust approach for managing, monitoring, and securing electrical distribution networks. However, the topological structure of an electrical network can affect the agents' ability to monitor the network. For example, if the multi-agent system relies on a regular inspection rate (on average, points of interest are inspected with equal frequency), then locations that are not well connected within the network will on average be inspected less frequently. This results in lower observability into network operations and it also allows issues, either simple faults or adversarial actions, to persist longer in the network before they can be identified and addressed.This paper discusses creation and use of overlay networks that create a virtual grid graph that can provide faster coverage and a more uniform average agent sampling rate. Using overlays, agents wander a virtual neighborhood consisting of points of interest that are interconnected in a regular fashion (each point has the same number of neighbors). Experimental results show that using an overlay can often provide better network coverage and a uniform inspection rate, which can improve cyber security by providing a faster detection of threats.
MODULATION OF IN VITRO RELEASE OF CRYSTAL VIOLET FROM A BINARY POLYMER HYDROGEL SYSTEM

A macromolecular vehicle entrapping crystal violet (CV) as a model drug was developed by crosslink polymerization of acrylamide and styrene in the presence of a hydrophilic polymer poly(vinyl alcohol). The loaded polymer matrix was monitored for the controlled release of the crystal violet by a spectrophotometric method. The dynamics of the release process was investigated as a function of the composition of the gel and pH of the release medium. The mechanism of the release process was examined kinetically in terms of the quantitative parameters such as the diffusional exponent n and diffusion constant D evaluated using the Ficks equations.
Relaxation and magnetic clusters in mictomagnetic copper-manganese alloys

Abstract Quantitative data were obtained on the average giant moment and the concentration of the magnetic clusters in CuMn alloys. For aged Cu 75 Mn 25 the magnitude of the giant moment is consistent with the size of the small, atomically-ordered regions, determined by Sato et al . by means of nuclear diffuse neutron scattering. Contrary to an early model, the results do not indicate that the concentration of giant moments is measurably affected either by cooling in a magnetic field or by isothermally increasing the applied magnetic field. The relaxation of the giant moments in the applied field is responsible for most of the alternating low field susceptibility at its peak and this relaxation also gives rise to the “quasi-viscous” time-dependence of the steady field magnetization in a certain temperature range below the peak. At very low temperatures, where the relaxation effects are frozen out, it is the “quasi-elastic” response of the giant moments that is responsible for the exceedingly high steady field susceptibility.
Infected Puncture Wounds in Diabetic and Nondiabetic Adults

OBJECTIVE To evaluate bone and soft tissue pathogens resulting from puncture wounds among diabetic and nondiabetic adults. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We used a case-control design to compare bacterial pathogens in diabetic and nondiabetic subjects with foot infections precipitated by puncture injuries. We used ICD-9-CM code E920.8 to identify 77 diabetic and 69 nondiabetic patients admitted to the hospital for infected puncture wounds. We identified surgical bone and soft tissue cultures and number and type of organisms per culture. RESULTS Nondiabetic subjects had significantly less osteomyelitis (13 vs. 35%, P P P P P P P CONCLUSIONS Puncture wounds in diabetic subjects were commonly associated with polymicrobial infections. Pseudomonas was the most common cause of nondiabetic osteomyelitis. These results have implications for differential emergent and chronic treatment of puncture wounds in diabetic versus nondiabetic subjects.
Lunar cartography with the Apollo 17 ALSE radar imagery

Lunar position differences between thirteen craters in Mare Serenitatis were computed from VHF radar-imagery obtained by the Lunar Sounder instrument flown on the Apollo 17 command module. The radar-derived position differences agree with those obtained by conventional photogrammetric reductions of Apollo metric photography. This demonstrates the feasibility of using the Apollo Lunar Sounder data to determine the positions of lunar features along the Apollo 17 orbital tracks. This will be particularly useful for western limb and farside areas, where no Apollo metric camera pictures are available.
Broadening public access to data through the development of tools for data novices

In this article, the authors describe three new resources aimed at bringing scientific data, data analysis, and data interpretation to nonexperts (e.g., high school students; undergraduates; health practitioners) through innovative web-based and CD-ROM-based tools. In the first resource, original survey questions and answers are used as the basis for searching through data collections instead of analytic software-generated variables and response codes. Search results are presented as data tables, allowing novices to access survey findings without having to conduct data analysis themselves. A second set of tools is aimed at reaching an even larger audience of nonexperts through the development of a research-based data and Internet literacy curriculum, along with associated training materials. Finally, a third approach is looking at bringing math concepts and statistical data to high school students through the use of real-world DataStories that come to life with the help of computer-based story scripts, animation, audio, and interactive exercises.
Cultural Activities, Identities, and Mental Health Among Urban American Indians with Mixed Racial/Ethnic Ancestries

Focus groups were conducted to appreciate the voices of Urban American Indians (UAI) who have mixed ancestries residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Participants (15 women and 10 men, 19–83 years of age) with a variety of Native ancestries coming from different nations (i.e., blackfeet, blackminkwa, Cherokee, Creek, Delaware, Lakota, Powhatan, Seminole, and Shawnee) reported to also have a Non-Native racial/ethnic ancestry such as African/black, Hispanic, and/or Caucasian/white. Specifically, this study provided evidence about (a) the complexity and challenge of being “mixed” UAI (e.g., “living a culture” as opposed to blood quantum in determining a personal identity) (b) the linkage of cultural identities to mental health (c) contributions of cultural activities to identities and mental health (e.g., therapeutic and healing functions of cultural activities), and (d) very limited urban Native-oriented mental health service (e.g., visions for Native American-centered mental health clinic in an urban setting). Building on those UAI’s voices, this paper provides a context for the need of a culturally respectful transformation of urban mental health system by highlighting the clinical significance of cultural identity and mental health promotion for UAI.
Regression tools for CO2 inversions: Application of a shrinkage estimator to process attribution

In this study we perform an atmospheric inversion based on a shrinkage estimator. This method is used to estimate surface fluxes of CO 2 , first partitioned according to constituent geographic regions, and then according to constituent processes that are responsible for the total flux. Our approach differs from previous approaches in two important ways. The first is that the technique of linear Bayesian inversion is recast as a regression problem. Seen as such, standard regression tools are employed to analyse and reduce errors in the resultant estimates. A shrinkage estimator, which combines standard ridge regression with the linear ‘Bayesian inversion’ model, is introduced. This method introduces additional bias into the model with the aim of reducing variance such that errors are decreased overall. Compared with standard linear Bayesian inversion, the ridge technique seems to reduce both flux estimation errors and prediction errors. The second divergence from previous studies is that instead of dividing the world into geographically distinct regions and estimating the CO 2 flux in each region, the flux space is divided conceptually into processes that contribute to the total global flux. Formulating the problem in this manner adds to the interpretability of the resultant estimates and attempts to shed light on the problem of attributing sources and sinks to their underlying mechanisms. DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0889.2006.00189.x
The Dispersion of Kinship Ties in Modern Society: Contemporary Data and Historical Speculation

This essay uses a 1977 survey of social networks to describe "modern" California kinship. Respondents' active relations with kin outside the household— relations involving existing or likely exchanges-tend to be geographically dispersed and focused on immediate kin, especially parents and adult children; extended kin ties are largely latent. The degree of dispersion varies systematically with respondent characteristics; notably, the more educated respondents tended to have the most dispersed networks and to be least dependent on kin. Assuming that this pattern is indeed a "modern" development, the article examines alternative explanations for its appearance and speculates that it may have been most stimu lated by twentieth-century developments in space-transcending technologies.
A comparison of teachers' and school psychologists' perceptions of the importance of CHC abilities in the classroom†

The broad cognitive abilities defined by the Cattell–Horn–Carroll (CHC) theory have been shown to predict school achievement. However, the ecological validity of these constructs has not been studied in classroom settings. This study compares ratings by a sample of teachers (n = 53) and school psychologists (n = 86) of the importance of the CHC cognitive abilities in the classroom. The scale demonstrated adequate reliability (total scale α = .93, median α = .74), although evidence of construct validity varied between teachers and school psychologists. Both teachers and school psychologists rated quantitative ability, crystallized knowledge, and fluid reasoning as most important to school success. However, school psychologists rated short-term memory and quantitative ability as more important than did the teachers. Importance of these differences for consultation is discussed. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
In vivo incorporation of 3H-choline in murine pulmonary adenoma cells: an electron microscopic radioautographic study;.

Abstract A study of the in vivo incorporation of tritiated choline indicates that adenoma cells similar in structure to type II cells are involved in the synthesis of phosphatidylcholine. These cells were found to have incorporated more labeled choline than type II cells of normal lung, denoting that they were metabolically more active. Cells within the adenoma, which deviated from the type II cell structure, did not incorporate choline to any great extent. These cells may be in the process of differentiating into the type II cells or are cells that have been altered during proliferation and may represent an entirely different cell population.
Interview with Britton Stephens

“The amount of knowledge about our earth and the climate system that has been gained from sustained measurements of atmospheric CO2 and other gases is immeasurable, yet these programmes are required to justify themselves as hypothesis-driven experiments every 3 years to funding agencies with oscillating budgets and priorities.“
School-Based Condom Availability Programs

The repercussions of sexual activity among teens continue to be a significant issue in the United States. Detrimental consequences to unprotected sexual activity among teens include unintended pregnancy and acquiring a sexually transmitted disease (STD) or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). It is estimated that each year approximately 3 million teens acquire an STD and 860,000 become pregnant. A variety of programs have been implemented in school systems in an attempt to reduce the STDs, HIV, and pregnancy among teens. One program is the distribution of condoms in the school. There are many factors that the school nurse must consider in the development of a school-based condom disbursement program. This article addresses school-based condom availability programs as well as issues for the school nurse to consider when implementing such a program.
Proof of the Seymour conjecture for large graphs

Paul Seymour conjectured that any graphG of ordern and minimum degree of at leastk/k+1n contains thekth power of a Hamiltonian cycle. Here, we prove this conjecture for sufficiently largen.
Body composition in neonates: relationship between measured and derived anthropometry with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry measurements.

This study examined the relationship between measured and derived anthropometric measurements with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry measured lean and fat mass at 3.0 ± 2.8 (SD) days in 120 neonates with birth weights appropriate (AGA; n = 74), large (LGA; n = 30); or small (SGA, n = 16) for gestational age. Anthropometric measurements, including total body weight and length, and regional measurements, including circumferences of head, chest, abdomen, midarm, and midthigh and dynamic skinfold thickness (15 and 60 s) at tricep, subscapular, suprailiac, and midthigh, were performed. Derived anthropometry included muscle and fat areas, and ratios were calculated from direct measurements. The skinfold thickness measurements between 15 and 60 s were highly correlated (r = 0.973–0.996, p 97% of the variance of lean mass in AGA and SGA infants and 46% of the variance in LGA infants and for 80, 82, and 84% of the variance of fat mass in SGA, AGA, and LGA infants, respectively, whereas midarm:head circumference ratio and arm muscle and fat areas are the most important derived anthropometry in the prediction for body composition. They independently accounted for up to 16.5 and 10.2%, respectively, of the variance in body composition depending on the state of in utero growth. Thus, total body weight and length and some selected regional and derived anthropometry accounted for the vast majority of the variance of body composition.
Vancomycin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Isolates Associated with Inc18-Like vanA Plasmids in Michigan

Five of the seven cases of vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA) infection identified to date have occurred in southeastern Michigan. VRSA isolates from the four most recent cases (all from Michigan) were characterized. The vanA gene was localized to a single plasmid in each VRSA isolate. The pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns of chromosomal DNA and the restriction profile of the plasmid demonstrated that the four isolates were unique and differed from the first three VRSA isolates. Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) isolates, all of which were Enterococcus faecalis, were recovered from case patients 4 to 6. Each VRE isolate transferred vancomycin resistance to E. faecalis JH2-2 by conjugation. PCRs for vanA and the Inc18-like plasmid genes traA and repR confirmed the presence of an Inc18-like vanA plasmid in all VRE isolates and transconjugants. An Inc18-like vanA plasmid was identified in the VRSA isolate from case patient 7. These findings suggest a role of Inc18-like plasmids as vanA donors.
Plasma science in the limit of the small: Recent advances in microcavity plasmas and their applications

Summary form only given. The last decade has witnessed the rapid emergence of microcavity plasmas, a new subfield of plasma science and technology that pursues the fundamental physics and applications of low temperature, nonequilibrium plasma confined in at least one dimension to nominally &#60; 1 mm. By melding plasma science with photolithography and other micro/nanofabrication techniques adapted from the integrated circuits and materials science communities, it has become possible to observe plasma behavior and realize electronic/photonic/chemical devices that were inaccessible previously. With all due respect to Captain Kirk, plasmas are now able “to go where no [plasma] has gone before.” This presentation will highlight several recent developments that vividly illustrate the potential of microplasma science. These include interfacing a gas phase (e - ion) plasma with an e - hole plasma to yield a plasma bipolar junction transistor (PBJT). Other examples are efficient microchemical reactions based upon massively parallel processing in arrays of microchannel plasmas and, secondly, a new form of thin flat lighting (“light tiles”) available in sheets as large as 30 X 30 cm2.
Assessing risk of large-scale habitat conversion in lightly settled landscapes

Abstract Conversion of relatively “wild” areas constitutes a rising threat to the ecological integrity of North American landscapes. As developers seek unprotected, amenity-rich lands, conservation planners require methods to recognize risk and prioritize actions. Most development models and processes are incremental, accumulating change over time and space. By contrast, large-scale amenity development can be rapid and extensive, necessitating “rapid assessment” techniques. For undeveloped lakeshores in the Northern Appalachian/Acadian ecoregion (330 000 km2), we developed a geospatial screening process based on four factors: (1) urban area proximity, (2) attractiveness of amenity (size), (3) regulatory gaps in protection, and (4) likelihood that owners will develop. To assess conversion risk, we added developable zones to the 10 783 large lakes and ponds in the ecoregion and assessed risk to these lands based on four factors at two distances from 15 major urban areas in the region. Thirty-eight of 387 landowners were classified most likely to convert their lands through development, and 11 of these accounted for 97.5% of the total high-risk habitat area (625–1118 km2). Nearly all of the at-risk land (94.6%) lay outside of currently settled areas and most (69.1%) under the purview of a single regulatory agency, the Land Use Regulatory Commission of Maine (LURC). Without rigorous planning by such agencies large-scale, highly dispersed, and rapid conversion of lightly settled, amenity-rich forestland threatens habitat degradation at multiple spatial scales, i.e., local ecosystems themselves (e.g., lakes), surrounding landscapes, and regions.
Restricted duty hours for surgeons and impact on residents quality of life, education, and patient care: a literature review

Work-hour limitations have been implemented by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) in July 2003 in order to minimize fatigue related medical adverse events. The effects of this regulation are still under intense debate. In this literature review, data of effects of limited work-hours on the quality of life, surgical education, and patient care was summarized, focusing on surgical subspecialities. Studies that assessed the effects of the work-hour regulation published following the implementation of ACGME guidelines (2003) were searched using PubMed database. The following search modules were selected: work-hours, 80-hour work week, quality of life, work satisfaction, surgical education, residency training, patient care, continuity of care. Publications were included if they were completed in the United States and covered the subject of our review. Manuscrips were analysed to identify authors, year of publication, type of study, number of participants, and the main outcomes. Twenty-one articles met the inclusion criteria. Studies demonstrate that the residents quality of life has improved. The effects on surgical education are still unclear due to inconsistency in studies. Furthermore, according to several objective studies there were no changes in mortality and morbidity following the implementation. Further studies are necessary addressing the effects of surgical education and studying the objective methods to assess the technical skill and procedural competence of surgeons. In addition, patient surveys analysing their satisfaction and concerns can contribute to recent discussion, as well.
The Past Tense and Temporal Verb Meanings in a Contextual Frame

The learning of English past tense meanings and uses has been recognized as a complex issue in the acquisition of an L2. Temporal discourse frames require particular verb tenses, but if the contextual linguistic features of a discourse event are framed differently by members of various cultures, different interpretations of the meanings situated in the frame may result. Based on students' writing and responses to cloze passages framed for past tense, this study examines how speakers of American English, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, and Indonesian establish and maintain contextual temporality in discourse. The findings of this study indicate that what represents a past-time discourse frame is not always obvious and that emphasizing the past-time adverbial markers may not be sufficient to effectively teach the uses and contexts of the past tense. Although it is probably true that nonnative speakers (NNSs) need to acquire new ways of expressing temporal relationships, it appears that NNSs may also need to develop new conceptualizations of the extent and boundaries of time and tense within contextual frames.
Quality issues in hospitality web site design and operation.

Abstract In order to attract and retain online visitors, a hospitality enterprise needs to be mindful of and consider the quality of web site design and interactivity. The fact that the Internet development cycle has given rise to the concept of an “Internet Year” as a three-month period, illustrates the rapidity of technological advancement and underscores the need for benchmarks of quality. Although web sites debuted as a static display of text and images, advanced web authoring tools offer designers an array of dynamic, interactive, and multimedia techniques. The hospitality business web site, once developed as an electronic brochure, has likewise emerged into an interactive collection of important business productivity applications designed to complement the firm's strategic plan. A web site is deemed more effective if it: avoids clutter, restricts extraneous and irrelevant content, and minimizes download time. As the industry seeks to solidify one-to-one customer relationships, through invigorated br...
Cruel nature: Harmfulness as an important, overlooked dimension in judgments of moral standing.

Entities that possess moral standing can be wronged and deserve our moral consideration. Past perspectives on the folk psychology of moral standing have focused exclusively on the role of “patiency” (the capacity to experience pain or pleasure) and “agency” (usually defined and operationalized in terms of intelligence or cognitive ability). We contend that harmfulness (i.e., having a harmful vs. benevolent disposition) is an equally if not more important determinant of moral standing. We provide support for this hypothesis across four studies using non-human animals as targets. We show that the effect of harmfulness on attributions of moral standing is independent from patiency and intelligence (Studies 1–2), that this effect pertains specifically to an animal’s harmful disposition rather than its capacity to act upon this disposition (Study 3), and that it primarily reflects a parochial concern for human welfare in particular (Study 4). Our findings highlight an important, overlooked dimension in the psychology of moral standing that has implications for real-world decisions that affect non-human animals. Our findings also help clarify the conditions under which people perceive patiency and agency as related versus truly independent dimensions.
Investigation of Side-View Mirror Flow-Induced Vibration Phenomena

The primary objective of this research is to develop an understanding of the flow mechanisms which induce side-view mirror vibrations. The unsteady nature of the flow over side-view mirrors causes unsteady aerodynamic load distributions and flow-induced vibrations on the mirror assembly. These vibrations generate blurred rear-view images and higher noise levels, affecting the safety and comfort of the passengers. Geometrical design features of side-view mirrors exacerbate the flow-induced vibration levels of the mirror assembly significantly. This work quantifies the impact of these design features on the vibration amplitude; develops a methodology for testing mirror vibrations in a small, low-speed wind tunnel using only the mirror of interest; and delves into the interactions between the bluff body mirror geometry and its wake. Two similar side-view mirror designs, a baseline design and a turn-signal design, were investigated. The baseline mirror has a sharp-edged corner near the trailing edge, while the turn-signal design has an edge with an increased radius of curvature for the tip profile. A laser-based vibration measurement technique was developed and used to quantify vibration levels. Flow visualization, Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV), Constant Temperature Anemometry (CTA), and Surface Stress Sensitive Film (S3 F) techniques were used to understand the separation characteristics over the mirrors since the time-dependent changes in separation location directly affect the unsteady loading on the mirror. The flow over the turn signal mirror with larger tip radius has larger excursions in the separation location, a wider wake, increased unsteadiness, and higher vibration levels. Results at the high Reynolds numbers for these test conditions indicate the absence of a discrete vortex shedding frequency. However, vortical structures in the wake are correlated with unsteady movement of the separation location.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
A novel command signal for motor neuroprosthetic control.

Background. Neuroprostheses can restore functions such as hand grasp or standing to individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) using electrical stimulation to elicit movements in paralyzed muscles. Implanted neuroprostheses currently use electromyographic (EMG) activity from muscles above the lesion that remain under volitional control as a command input. Systems in development use a networked approach and will allow for restoration of multiple functions but will require additional command signals to control the system, especially in individuals with high-level tetraplegia. Objective. The objective of this study was to investigate the feasibility of using muscles innervated below the injury level as command sources for a neuroprosthesis. Recent anatomical and physiological studies have demonstrated the presence of intact axons across the lesion, even in those diagnosed with a clinically complete SCI; hence, EMG activity may be present in muscles with no sign of movement. Methods. Twelve participants with m...
Risk premium and fair option prices under stochastic volatility: the HARA solution

Abstract We have solved the problem of finding (HARA) fair option price under a general stochastic volatility model. For a given HARA utility, the ‘risk premium’, i.e., the ‘market price of volatility risk’ is determined via a solution of a certain nonlinear PDE. Equivalently, the fair option price is determined as a solution of an uncoupled system of a non-linear PDE and a Black–Scholes type PDE. To cite this article: S.D. Stojanovic, C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. I 340 (2005).
Strategies for Enhancing Expansion in Starch-Based Microcellular Foams Produced by Supercritical Fluid Extrusion

Supercritical fluid extrusion (SCFX) is a recent technological development for production of expanded starch-based foams in which formation of a microcellular structure is achieved by injection of supercritical CO2 into the melt. The high effective diffusivity of CO2 in the porous matrix favors escape of the gas to the environment, reducing the amount available for diffusion into the bubbles, thus posing an important challenge. This study utilized two approaches to address this problem: (a) increasing the nucleation rate and thus the final bubble density in the foam, and (b) reducing the melt temperature. The former was achieved by decreasing the nozzle diameter in order to achieve a higher pressure drop rate as the starch-CO2 melt flows through the nozzle. The second approach was evaluated by introducing a cooling zone prior to the entry of the melt into the nozzle. Bubble density increased more than fourfold when the nozzle radius was decreased from 3.00 to 1.50 mm. A higher bubble density led to a grea...
Suicide assessment and evaluation strategies: a primer for counselling psychologists

Suicide is a recognized national health risk in many countries. In order to effectively intervene in suicidal crises, it is important for mental health professionals to understand facts about suicidal behaviour, procedures for assessing an individual's risk of self-harm, and the evaluation of the lethality of a client's suicidal gestures. With updated knowledge and proper training, counselling psychologists can play a vital role in suicide prevention. This paper summarizes for counselling psychologists current statistics about suicide, general and specific risk factors for suicidality, and assessment tools used to evaluate suicidal risk.
Two new species of Vernonia (Asteraceae: Vernonieae) from Peru

Two new species,Vernonia sagasteguii andV. paucartambensis, from Peru are described, illustrated, and their relationships discussed.
Hippocampal sulcal cavities on MRI: Relationship to age and apolipoprotein E genotype

Hippocampal sulcal cavities are usually considered incidental findings on brain MRI. In a group of 92 elderly volunteers, the authors graded the number and size of hippocampal sulcal cavities with brain MRI to obtain a cavity score. Cavity scores increased with age, and were higher in subjects carrying the APOE epsilon4 or epsilon2 alleles than in subjects with the epsilon3/3 genotype. Age-related morphologic changes in the hippocampus may be mediated by the APOE genotype.
Vestibular compensation. An overview.

(1983). Vestibular Compensation: An Overview. Acta Oto-Laryngologica: Vol. 96, No. sup406, pp. 78-82.
Optimizing imperfect cloaks to perfection.

Transformation optics has been an essential tool for designing cloaking devices for electromagnetic and acoustic waves. All these designs have one requirement in common: material singularity. At the interface between the cloak and the cloaked region, some material properties have to approach infinity, while some others approach zero. This paper attempts to answer a central question in physically realizing such cloaks: is material singularity a requirement for perfect cloaking? This paper demonstrates that, through optimization, perfect cloaking can be achieved using a layered cloak construction without material singularity. Two examples are used for this demonstration. In one example, the initial design is based on the Cummer–Schurig prescription for acoustic cloaking that requires mass-anisotropic material. Another example uses the two isotropic layers to achieve the equivalent mass-anisotropy for each anisotropic layer. During the optimization processes, only material properties of cloaks’ constituent layers are adjusted while the geometries remain unchanged. In both examples, the normalized total scattering cross section can be reduced to 0.002 (0.2%) or lower in numerical computations. The capabilities and other characteristics of the optimization in other tasks such as cloaking penetrable objects and isolating strong resonance in such objects are also explored.
The role of interactions in hypothesis testing of ecological scenarios with process models

Hypothesis testing is widely employed for comparing the effect of treatments in field and laboratory experiments. Although comparison of scenarios through process models is also an important aspect in ecological simulation, studies conducted in that area usually do not account for the uncertainty (estimation error) associated with the simulation results. This paper proposes an approach for testing hypotheses through process models accounting for estimation error in values of treatment entities (model factors that characterize the treatments or scenarios) and external entities (remaining model factors) that interact with treatment entities. External entities, as represented by the model, may in turn be thought of as a characterization of the environment in which the simulation experiment is conducted. This approach is a generalization of a previous work developed under the assumption that no external entity interacts with treatment entities. This method focuses on differences between predictions obtained from the treatments, rather than on absolute values predicted for each treatment. Fitting low-order orthogonal polynomials is suggested as a means to identify entity interactions in process models. An example is conducted to indirectly test the effect of tree spacing (through its inverse effect on wood density in some species) on the growth of a forest stand. Specifically, we employed a forest growth process model to test whether the growth of basal area is affected by different wood densities resulting from two initial spacings (3 and 6 m) in a red pine (Pinus resinosa Ait.) stand growing in the Great Lakes region of North America from ages 36 to 60 years. Results of the effect of spacing on wood density were in turn obtained from a field study. The importance of accounting for uncertainty in interacting external entities became evident as the variance of the mean difference between predicted treatment means was six times larger when that source of uncertainty was accounted for. Although basal area for the wider spacing was significantly larger in both tests, the power of the tests was affected considerably by the different levels of uncertainty resulting from these two approaches.