cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Test-case prioritization for configuration testing

Configuration changes are among the dominant causes of failures of large-scale software system deployment. Given the velocity of configuration changes, typically at the scale of hundreds to thousands of times daily in modern cloud systems, checking these configuration changes is critical to prevent failures due to misconfigurations. Recent work has proposed configuration testing, Ctest, a technique that tests configuration changes together with the code that uses the changed configurations. Ctest can automatically generate a large number of ctests that can effectively detect misconfigurations, including those that are hard to detect by traditional techniques. However, running ctests can take a long time to detect misconfigurations. Inspired by traditional test-case prioritization (TCP) that aims to reorder test executions to speed up detection of regression code faults, we propose to apply TCP to reorder ctests to speed up detection of misconfigurations. We extensively evaluate a total of 84 traditional and novel ctest-specific TCP techniques. The experimental results on five widely used cloud projects demonstrate that TCP can substantially speed up misconfiguration detection. Our study provides guidelines for applying TCP to configuration testing in practice.
In Flight between Geneva and Rome: Abandoning Choice of Law Systems for Substantive Legal Principles in International Aircraft Finance

This paper briefly describes the author's view of the practical legal issues surrounding the current proposal to implement "one of the most significant international conventions ever to be made in the field of private transnational commercial law, the Unidroit Convention on International Interests in Mobile Equipment." 1 This paper is practical, rather than scholarly, in approach. The author believes that by addressing the practicalities of completing international transactions for the financing of aircraft, as well as their legal and theoretical touchstones, a workable and beneficial result will be obtained for an enhanced legal regime that reduces costs, enhances certainty in contracts, and is worthy of widespread support. This article first will identify the current practical legal framework for completing cross-border financings of large, intercontinental transport category aircraft and then will identify certain drawbacks with the current framework. Next, the article will compare the current framework with commercial practices
A framework for estimating the transaction costs of alternative mechanisms for water exchange and allocation

[1] Alternative mechanisms for water transfers will differ in the types of transaction costs incurred as well as their magnitudes and incidence. This article presents a framework for including transaction costs as well as transfer costs in the evaluation of alternative mechanisms. The work on measurement of transaction costs associated with water markets has underestimated these costs by only focusing on the costs incurred once a market exists. The framework presented here also includes the costs associated with the development of a market mechanism. Once the appropriate framework has been developed, there are a number of measurement issues involved with incorporating transaction costs in the overall assessment of the efficiency of water allocation mechanisms. While the costs involved with the final transaction are relatively easy to measure, those involved with the initial information gathering, policy enactment, and design and implementation of a formal market mechanism are rarely documented. Similarly, it is much easier to measure transaction costs after the policy is implemented; however, it is necessary to predict costs to inform decision-making and improve policy design.
Comparison of time-integrated measurement of salivary corticosteroids by oral diffusion sink technology to plasma cortisol.

We report preliminary data on the standardization of a device used in the recently developed “Oral Diffusion Sink” (ODS) technology for the timeintegrated measurement of salivary corticosteroids. The concentrations of corticosteroids collected with the ODS devices were compared to plasma cortisol and saliva corticosteroid levels measured simultaneously.Six volunteers installed the ODS devices into their mouths during unstimulated and ACTH (250 μ) stimulated periods. Blood and saliva samples were also collected during these periods. The integrated plasma cortisol response and saliva corticosteroid levels were strongly correlated with the time-integrated total corticosteroid measurement of the ODS devices as well as with the cortisol and cortisone fractions.This preliminary data suggests that the accuracy of assessing adrenocortical activity by the measurement of salivary corticosteroids collected with the ODS device is high in both normal and stimulated conditions in normal volunteers. Continued standardiz...
Neuropeptide Y (NPY) Receptor Assays

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is a very abundant neuropeptide that has been implicated in the regulation of a wide variety of physiological functions such as vascular tone, food ingestion, mood, and hormone secretion. In the kidney, NPY is a potent vasoconstrictor, localized predominantly in adrenergic nerve terminals supplying the afferent arteriole and the juxtaglomerular apparatus. Therefore, isolated rat kidney provides a convenient model for examining the vasoconstriction produced by NPY and its analogs. This unit describes a general method for the preparation, handling, and perfusion of the isolated rat kidney, along with measurement of the tissue response upon exposure to NPY (or its analogs) and NPY antagonists. Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is a very abundant neuropeptide that has been implicated in the regulation of a wide variety of physiolog.
Geographic Patterns of Prostate Cancer in the United States

Age-adjusted rates of mortality from prostate cancer during 1950-69 were correlated by race with demographic, industrial, and agricultural data from 3,056 U.S. countries. Mortality among nonwhites was 50% higher than that among whites in all parts of the country where blacks comprise most of the nonwhite population. The rising rate associated with population density among nonwhites, but not whites, suggested that environmental exposures related to urban living may account for the predisposition of American blacks to prostate cancer. Despite a clustering of counties with elevated mortality in certain North Central and Northeastern States, the geographic variation among whites with prostate tumors was considerably less than that among whites with other tumors. Mortality was elevated in counties with a high percentage of residents of Scandinavian descent, in counties with metal-using and textile industries, and in regions with high consumption of high-fat foods.
PHARMINTERCOM - 7–11 September 2008: Part 1

Part 1 of the Pharmintercom report deals with pharmacy in Australia, Canada, Ireland and New Zealand. Part 2 will deal with the United Kingdom and the United States of America, as well as discussing some of the topics discussed at the Conference.
The Simulator of the Timing and Magnitude of Pollen Season (STaMPS) model: a pollen production model for regional emission and transport modeling

Abstract. A pollen model that simulates the timing and production of wind-dispersed allergenic pollen by terrestrial, temperate vegetation has been developed to quantify how pollen occurrence may be affected by climate change and to investigate how pollen can interact with anthropogenic pollutants to affect human health. The Simulator of the Timing and Magnitude of Pollen Season (STaMPS) model is driven by local meteorological conditions and is designed to be sensitive to climate shifts, as well as flexible with respect to the vegetation species and plant functional types (trees, grasses, etc.) represented and the climate zones simulated. The initial focus for the model is the simulation of the pollen emission potential of important allergenic tree and grass species that typically flower between March–June in Southern California (S. CA), which is characterized by moderate Mediterranean and oceanic climate zones as well as regions of arid desert and arid steppe. Vegetation cover and species composition data are obtained from numerous datasets and a database of allergenic vegetation species, their pollen production potential and relative allergenicities has been developed. For the selected allergenic species and spring-early summer simulation period, temperature is the main driver controlling the timing of pollen release, while precipitation (and temperature, for some species) controls the magnitude of pollen produced. The model provides species-specific pollen potential maps for each day of the simulation period; these are then used by a pollen transport model to simulate ambient pollen concentrations as described in a companion paper (Zhang et al., 2013a), which also presents model evaluation results for the S. CA model domain. The STaMPS model was also used to quantify the possible impact of climate change on pollen season under the IPCC SRES A1B scenario as simulated by the ECHAM5 global climate model. Current (1995–2004) and future (2045–2054) meteorological conditions downscaled using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model were used to drive STaMPS and generate estimates of the relative magnitude and timing of pollen season for important allergenic tree and grass species that bloom from March through June in a larger domain that covers all of CA and Nevada. Differences in the simulated timing and magnitude of pollen season for the selected allergenic species under current and future climate scenarios are presented. The results suggest that across all of the simulated species, pollen season starts an average of 5–6 days earlier under predicted future climatic conditions with an associated average annual domain-wide temperature increase of about 1°C compared to simulated current conditions. Differences in the amount of pollen produced under the two scenarios vary by species and are affected by the selected simulation period (1 March–30 June). Uncertainties associated with the STaMPS model and future model development plans are also discussed.
The future of pastoral theology

Paper reviews proceedings of colloquim in which present status and future prospects of Pastoral Theology were discussed. Notes uncertainty about the term as well as about the status and existence of field. Reviews themes by distinguishing two ways a discipline may be defined: humanly and descriptively in professional terms and ideally in terms of the area's problematic and procedures. Proposes Pastoral Theology as practical knowledge whose task is to develop a body of practical theological knowledge of how to care for human beings. Reconsiders Seward Hiltner's writings from this perspective.
Low energy electron attenuation length studies in thin amorphous carbon films

Abstract The results of experiments on low energy electrons passing through thin amorphous carbon films are reported. For electron energies between 50 and 3000 eV, electron attenuation lengths were determined by electron transmission measurements through carbon films of thicknesses between 81 and 210 A. The density of these amorphous carbon films was also obtained by a sink—float method and found to be 1.90 ± 0.05 g cm −3 . The electron attenuation length for inelastic scattering was found to increase monotonically from approximately 10 to 55 A over the 50 to 3000 eV range. Over the 500–3000 eV energy region, the results are in good agreement with mean free paths calculated using optically measured dielectric functions.
Tunable Line Node Semimetals

Weyl semimetals are examples of a new class of topological states of matter, which are gapless in the bulk with protected surface states. Their low-energy sector is characterized by massless chiral fermions, which are robust against translationally invariant perturbations. A variant of these systems has two nondegenerate bands touching along lines rather than points. A proposal to realize such a phase involves alternating layers of topological insulators and magnetic insulators, where the magnetization lies perpendicular to the symmetry axis of the heterostructure. The shape, size, and the dispersion in the vicinity of the nodal lines varies with the strength of the magnetization, offering a new knob to control the properties of the system. In this paper, we map out the evolution of the nodal lines and the dependence of the conductivity on magnetization and identify signatures of the low-energy sector in quantum oscillation measurements.
Spatial Covariation of Mutation and Nonsynonymous Substitution Rates in Vertebrate Mitochondrial Genomes

Mitochondrial genomes encode fundamental subunits of the basic energy producing machinery of eukaryotic cells that are under strong functional constraint. Paradoxically, these genes evolve rapidly in general, and there is substantial variation in evolutionary rates among genes within genomes. In order to investigate spatial variation in selection intensity, we conducted tests of neutrality using ratios of synonymous to nonsynonymous substitutions (dN/dS = omega) on numerous protein gene segments from fishes and mammals. Values of omega were very low for nearly all genomic regions. However, values of both omega and dN varied in a clinal pattern with increasing distance from the light-strand origin of replication. Spatial heterogeneity of nonsynonymous substitution rates exhibits a significantly positive correlation with variation in mutation rates that are related to the mode of mitochondrial DNA replication. The finding that nonsynonymous substitution rates are proportional to mutation rates is expected if a majority of substitutions are selectively neutral or slightly deleterious. Spatial patterns of among-gene variation in nonsynonymous rates were highly similar between fishes and mammals, suggesting that forces governing mitochondrial gene evolution have remained relatively constant over 450 Myr of vertebrate evolution. Conservation of substitution patterns despite major shifts in thermal habit and metabolic demands among taxa implicates a conserved replication mechanism controlling relative mutation rates as a major determinant of mitochondrial protein evolution.
Risk categorization for oversight of laboratory-developed tests for inherited conditions

This document represents the proposed approach of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) to classify laboratory-developed tests for inherited conditions. Risk classification has been the determinant of whether or not medical tests are overseen and regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Therefore, because laboratory-developed tests for germline mutations continue to proliferate without sound regulatory frameworks in place, an ACMG-appointed workgroup of laboratorians and clinicians considered the medical risks and implications resulting from germline mutation analysis in a variety of contexts to develop the proposed approach. It is expected that the expert opinion represented in this proposed classification system will be used to guide federal agencies, policymakers, and other stakeholders. The ACMG has categorized testing for inherited conditions by utilizing the three-tiered risk-based system (Table 1), as Risk categorization for oversight of laboratory-developed tests for inherited conditions
I Know There Is No Justice: Palestinian Perceptions of Higher Education in Jordan.

This qualitative study utilizes critical ethnography methods to illustrate Palestinian refugee perceptions of higher education in Jordan. Participants addressed their assimilation to the Jordanian national identity as a means of obtaining education. Content and access to education were more important than assimilation, maintenance of ethnic identity, and a homogeneous national identity. The more immediate need for academic access and social or professional capital thwarted their desire to infuse their ethnic identity in academia.
Differential Expression of c-fos In Vitro by All Anterior Pituitary Cell Types During the Estrous Cycle: Enhanced Expression by Luteinizing Hormone but Not by Follicle-stimulating Hormone Cells:

C-fos expression appears in some activated cell types. Because of dynamic changes in gonadotropes during the estrous cycle, this study was initiated to determine if fos might be expressed in gonado...
Essential is not irreplaceable: fitness dynamics of experimental E. coli RNase P RNA heterologous replacement.

While critical cellular components—such as the RNA moiety of bacterial ribonuclease P—can sometimes be replaced with a highly divergent homolog, the cellular response to such perturbations is often unexpectedly complex. RNase P is a ubiquitous and essential ribonucleoprotein involved in the processing of multiple RNA substrates, including tRNAs, small non-coding RNAs and intergenic operons. In Bacteria, RNase P RNAs have been subdivided—based on their secondary and tertiary structures—into two major groups (A and B), each with a distinct phylogenetic distribution. Despite the vast phylogenetic and structural gap that separates the two RNase P RNA classes, previous work suggested their interchangeability. Here, we explore in detail the functional and fitness consequences of replacing the endogenous Type-A Escherichia coli RNase P RNA with a Type-B homolog derived from Bacillus subtilis, and show that E. coli cells forced to survive with a chimeric RNase P as their sole source of RNase P activity exhibit extremely variable responses. The chimeric RNase P alters growth rates—used here as an indirect measure of fitness—in unpredictable ways, ranging from 3- to 20-fold reductions in maximal growth rate. The transcriptional behavior of cells harboring the chimeric RNAse P is also perturbed, affecting the levels of at least 79 different transcripts. Such transcriptional plasticity represents an important mechanism of transient adaptation which, when coupled with the emergence and eventual fixation of compensatory mutations, enables the cells to overcome the disruption of this tightly coevolving ribonucleoprotein.
New teachers of color and culturally responsive teaching in an era of educational accountability: Caught in a double bind

The purpose of this article is to examine how and to what extent schools’ responses to accountability policies in the United States influence the ability of new teachers of color to draw on their own and their students’ cultural resources to engage in culturally responsive teaching. A 5-year study of 17 new teachers of color reveals that these teachers identified three principal tensions which correspond to the three dimensions of culturally responsive teaching: (a) cultural and linguistic relevance versus standardization, (b) community of learners versus teacher transmission, and (c) social justice versus enhanced test scores. The teachers also described two mechanisms by which accountability-based programs and policies were enforced: fear of monitoring and internalizing the link between testing and educational opportunity. We applied the metaphor of “double bind” to explain the tensions and enforcement mechanisms encountered by these teachers. The “double bind” forced the new teachers of color to enact contradictory systemic demands promoted by government policy and the teaching profession and exacted an individual toll. We conclude with implications for policy, practice, and research.
The Use of Low Protein Diets for Turkeys on Range

Abstract THE value of poultry pasture for decreasing feed costs has been reviewed by Heuser, Norris and Bruckner (1943), Kennard (1951) and Payne and Gish (1943). Reports by Darrow and Morgan (1944) have indicated an appreciable saving from the use of pasture with turkeys. Thomas (1937) found that the protein level in the diet affected the ultimate botanical composition of the range and that chicks on a low protein diet grazed better than chicks fed a diet adequate in protein. Recent field reports have questioned the value of range in poultry rearing. The possibility existed that the diets were becoming more complete, and therefore the pasture did not fulfill as critical a need as it had formerly. Pasture produces high amounts of protein-containing materials which can be used easily by the turkey because of its grazing habits. The nitrogen content of this material varies with maturity. Generally speaking, the more mature…
Possible effect of radiation produced hydrogen peroxide on post-irradiation aversion in mice.

Es wird gezeigt, dass rontgenbestrahlte Mause Saccharin- und Sucrose-Losungen gleicherweise vermeiden wie Losungen, denen minimale Mengen von H2O2 zugesetzt wurden. Es wird angenommen, dass der Effekt auf der radiolytischen Produktion von H2O2 in der Losung zuruckzufuhren ist.
Toxicology of Quinone-Thioethers

Cytotoxicity associated with exposure to quinones has generally been attributed to either redox cycling, and the subsequent development of "oxidative stress," and/or to their interaction with cellular nucleophiles, such as protein and non-protein sulfhydryls. Glutathione (GSH) is the major non-protein sulfhydryl present in cells, and conjugation of potentially toxic electrophiles with GSH is usually associated with detoxication and excretion. However, this review discusses the biological (re)activity of quinone-thioethers. For example, quinone-thioethers are (1) capable of redox cycling (2) substrates for, and inhibitors of, a variety of enzymes (3) methemoglobinemic (4) potent nephrotoxicants (5) DNA reactive and (6) may contribute to quinone-mediated carcinogenicity and neurotoxicity. The ubiquitous nature of quinones, and the high intracellular concentrations of GSH, ensures that cells and tissues will be exposed to quinone-thioethers. The toxicological importance of quinone-thioethers in quinone-mediated toxicities therefore deserves further attention.
Quality of service differentiation measurements in 4G networks

Quality of Service (QoS) differentiation measurement provides the ability to evaluate different level of QoS support in 4G networks such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) and Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX). Many research studies around the world have addressed the QoS Differentiation (QoS-Diff) considerations, however, to the best of our knowledge, only a few have attempted to make measurements and evaluate the level at which each QoS solution could provide differentiated services to users and applications in demand. In this study, we provide a method to evaluate such differentiated level of service by means of User as well as Service Provider satisfaction levels, and use a new parameter to measure them. By simulation results, we show that this parameter could provide detailed information about QoS-Diff measurements and how users and service providers perceive their service delivery experience.
Digital Booktalk: Creating a Community of Avid Readers, One Video at a Time

In this article the author presents a meta-analysis of the findings from several studies conducted over multiple years with various types of learners that investigated exemplar/signature pedagogical practices incorporating video to motivate otherwise reluctant and struggling learners. Noting that newer technologies are making today's learners less dependent on text-based media to express themselves and to acquire knowledge, this author discovered that selecting appropriate video-based deliverables can play a significant role in affecting student motivation and outcomes. Assessing learning in this way is, in this author's opinion, at the core of signature pedagogy.
Inherited ventricular arrhythmias and sudden death in German shepherd dogs

Abstract Objectives. This report describes a unique group of German shepherd dogs with inherited ventricular arrhythmias and sudden death. Before death, these dogs have no evidence of cardiovascular failure. Background. There are few spontaneous animal models of sudden death that permit intensive investigation. Methods. To determine the temporal evolution of ventricular arrhythmias and to characterize ihe syndrome of sudden cardiac death in these dogs, 24-h ambulatory electrocardiographic (ECG) monitoring, echocardiograms, electrophysiologic testing and breeding studies were conducted. Results. The 24-h ambulatory ECGs from dogs that died showed frequent ventricular arrhythmias with rapid polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (rates > 480 beats/min). Affected dogs had a window of vulnerability for arrhythmias, with the highest incidence and severity of arrhythmias between 20 to 30 and 40 to 50 weeks of age. Affected dogs that died did not have prolongation of the QT interval over a spectrum of heart rates compared with unaffected dogs. The clinical arrhythmia was not induced in dogs during programmed electrical stimulation. Severely affected dogs monitored > 5 years did not develop any evidence of heart failure or cardiomyopathy, and no histopathologic abnormalities existed. Seventeen dogs died suddenly (age 4 to 30 months) and were either 1) found dead at first observation in the morning (n = 8), 2) observed to die during sleep (n = 4), 3) observed to die while resting after exercise (n = 3), or 4) observed to die during exercise (n = 2). All sudden deaths occurred between the end of September and April, with most (n = 11) during January and February. Conclusions. The cause of the inherited severe ventricular arrhythmias and sudden death in these young German shepherd dogs is still undetermined. A purely arrhythmic disorder is supported by the lack of cardiac pathology. Moreover, the window of vulnerability to ventricular arrhythmias and the age and circumstances of death invite speculation about the role of the autonomic nervous system.
Rehabilitation of Walking After Stroke

Rehabilitation of walking after stroke has been investigated with a variety of interventions, which will be outlined in this review. To date, the majority of interventions have demonstrated a positive, but similar effect in the primary clinical outcome of self-selected walking speed. Consistent among the most successful interventions is a focus on the intensity of the intervention and the ability to progress rehabilitation in a structured fashion. Successful progression of rehabilitation of walking likely lies in the ability to combine interventions based on an understanding of contributing underlying deficits (eg, motor control, strength, cardiovascular endurance, and dynamic balance). Rehabilitation programs must account for the need to train dynamic balance for falls prevention. Lastly, clinicians and researchers need to measure the effects of rehabilitation on participation and health related quality of life.
White tail spots and tail-flicking behavior enhance foraging performance in the Hooded Warbler

ABSTRACT Many species of insectivorous birds have contrasting plumage patches that are often displayed during foraging. Although such displays are widely hypothesized to flush potential prey and enhance foraging performance, experimental evidence that they function in this way was previously available only from redstarts (Myioborus spp.). I provide additional evidence from an experimental study of the Hooded Warbler (Setophaga citrina) in northwestern Pennsylvania, USA. Hooded Warblers regularly flick their tails while foraging, revealing large white spots on the outer tail feathers. I tested the function of the white tail spots with plumage manipulation experiments. At nests containing 5-day-old nestlings, the attending adults were captured and assigned to one of two treatment groups. For experimental birds, I temporarily darkened the white tail spots with a brown marking pen; for sham-darkened controls, I applied a comparable amount of ink to the dark inner rectrices. Experimental birds with darkened ta...
Effect of gonadotrophins and of testosterone on organ weights and zinc-65 uptake in the male rat☆

Abstract The effects of HCG, LH, FSH, prolactin, prolactin plus FSH, and testosterone on zinc-65 uptake and organ weights were investigated in intact male hooded rats. HCG increased while FSH decreased zinc-65 uptake of reproductive and nonreproductive structures. HCG also increased weights of accessory reproductive organs. FSH plus prolactin yielded results similar to those obtained with FSH only, while prolactin alone had no effect on zinc-65 uptake. The effect of LH was to lower weights and increase zinc-65 uptake per gm of tissue in the accessory reproductive structures. Increasing the dose of testosterone 20-fold raised the weights and zinc-65 uptake of the accessory reproductive structures, but doubling the dose caused no further increase.
Mechanisms of ventricular fibrillation.

Transition from a regular supraventricular or ventricular mechanism to fibrillation was recorded utilizing 2 ultramicroelectrodes.Fibrillation in the hypothermic dog heart was preceded by asynchronous repolarization of individual fibers. An early premature beat caused incomplete depolarization of some fibers (local block) and irregular spread of excitation, rapidly disorganizing the ventricles. A similar sequence of events was demonstrated in the development of ventricular fibrillation due to desacetyl lanatoside C. Focal injection of aconitine engendered a sustained, regular ventricular tachycardia characterized by a decreased rate of depolarization and electrical alternation in some fibers. A gradual transition to fibrillation occurred when the timing and configuration of individual action potentials became irregular.Common factors observed at the onset of ventricular fibrillation were the development of local block and an irregular spread of excitation, demonstrating electrophysiologic inhomogeneity of the ventricles.During spontaneous ventricular fibrillation in isolated puppy hearts, the Purkinje-ventricular muscle junction was shown to be a possible site of conduction failure in the genesis of local block and irregular spread of excitation.
Sidewall Amino-Functionalization of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes through Fluorination and Subsequent Reactions with Terminal Diamines

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) with the N-alkylidene amino groups covalently attached to their side walls have been prepared starting from colloidal solutions of fluorinated SWNTs (fluoronanotubes) in terminal alkylidene diamines followed by heating at 70−170 °C. On the basis of data from thermal gravimetric and energy-dispersive X-ray analyses, the degree of SWNT functionalization achieved was estimated to be as high as 1 in 8 to 12 sidewall carbons. The demonstrated new C−N functionalization method provides a synthetic tool for binding amino acids, DNA, and polymer matrices to the side walls of the SWNTs as well as yields sidewall amino-functionalized nanotube precursors for the preparation of nylon−SWNT polymer materials.
Ski patrollers: Reluctant role models for helmet use

Ski helmets reduce the risk of traumatic brain injury (TBI), but usage rates are low. Ski patrollers could serve as role models for helmet use, but little is known about their practices and beliefs. A written survey was distributed to ski patrollers attending continuing education conferences. The questions addressed included helmet use rates, prior TBI experiences, perceptions of helmet risks and benefits and willingness to serve as safety role models for the public. To assess predictors of helmet use, odds ratios (OR) were calculated, after adjusting for skiing experience. Ninety-three ski patrollers participated and the main outcome was self-reported helmet use of 100% while patrolling. Helmet use was 23% (95% CI 15-32%). Common reasons for non-use included impaired hearing (35%) and discomfort (29%). Most patrollers believed helmets prevent injuries (90%; 95% CI 84-96%) and that they are safety role models (92%; 95% CI 86-98%). However, many believed helmets encourage recklessness (39%; 95% CI 29-49%) and increase injury risks (16%; 95% CI 7-25%). Three factors predicted 100% helmet use: perceived protection from exposure (OR = 9.68; 95% CI 3.14-29.82) or cold (OR = 5.68; 95% CI 1.27-25.42); and belief that role modelling is an advantage of helmets (OR = 4.06; 95% CI 1.29-12.83). Patrollers who believed helmets encourage recklessness were eight times less likely to wear helmets (OR = 0.13; 95% CI 0.03-0.58). Ski patrollers know helmets reduce serious injury and believe they are role models for the public, but most do not wear helmets regularly. To increase helmet use, manufacturers should address hearing- and comfort-related factors. Education programmes should address the belief that helmets encourage recklessness and stress role modelling as a professional responsibility.
Effects of a cognitive intrusion manipulation on the sleep-onset latency of good sleepers

Thirty-eight female good sleepers were instructed to go to sleep as quickly as possible in a daytime nap session under one of three instructional sets designed to manipulate the likelihood of cognitive intrusions. Subjects informed that they would be required to present a speech after their sleep period and told the topic of the speech required significantly longer to fall asleep and obtained less sleep than subjects in two control conditions. Analysis of heart rate and skin conductance measures failed to support the mediational role of autonomic activity in retarding sleep-onset.
Aerodynamic and acoustic performance of a contracting cowl high throat Mach number inlet installed on NASA quiet engine C

The approach and takeoff performance was evaluated of a contracting cowl variable geometry design inlet installed on a high-bypass-ratio turbofan engine. The design was finalized after consideration of aerodynamic, acoustic, and mechanical factors which would lead to a viable flight worthy concept. The aerodynamic results are presented in terms of inlet recovery and distortion parameter as functions of throat Mach number, and acoustic results in terms of Perceived Noise Level. The contracting cowl high throat Mach number inlet is shown to be an attractive means to reduce forward radiated noise from a high bypass ratio turbofan engine.
A computer method for stability analysis of caverns in jointed rock

A simple rigid block model has been developed for analysing the stability of caverns and tunnels in jointed rock. Rigid block interactions are idealized as linear edge-to-edge contacts with a zero joint tension constraint and a mohr-coulomb friction law. In the method, the minimum friction angle for stability is determined by sequentially eliminating tension and then minimizing the shear. It is demonstrated through examples that the minimum joint friction angle which results in a stable configuration is independent of the stiffness of the joint, and depends only upon the loading and geometry of the jointing and cavern. This insensitivity of stability to the normal and tangential joint stiffnesses, which can be difficult to obtain, is very useful for design purposes. (Author/TRRL)
The radial distribution of galaxies in Λ cold dark matter clusters

We study the radial distribution of subhalos and galaxies using high-resolution cosmological simulations of galaxy clusters formed in the concordance Λ cold dark matter cosmology. In agreement with previous studies, we find that the radial distribution of subhalos is significantly less concentrated than that of the dark matter, when subhalos are selected using their present-day gravitationally bound mass. We show that the difference in the radial distribution is not a numerical artifact and is due to tidal stripping. The subhalos in the cluster core lose more than 70% of their initial mass since accretion, while the average tidal mass loss for halos near the virial radius is ≈30%. This introduces a radial bias in the spatial distribution of subhalos when the subhalos are selected using their tidally truncated mass. We demonstrate that the radial bias disappears almost entirely if subhalos are selected using their mass or circular velocity at the accretion epoch. The comparisons of the results of dissipationless simulations to the observed distribution of galaxies in clusters are therefore sensitive to the selection criteria used to select subhalo samples. Using simulations that also include cooling and star formation, we show that the radial distribution of subhalos is in reasonable agreement with the observed radial distribution of galaxies in clusters over the entire radial range probed by the simulations, 0.1 < R/R200 < 2.0, if subhalos are selected using the stellar mass of galaxies that they harbor. The radial bias is minimized in this case because the stars are located in the centers of dark matter subhalos and are tightly bound. The stellar mass of an object is therefore approximately conserved as the dark matter is stripped from the outer regions. Nevertheless, the concentration of the radial distribution of simulated galaxies is systematically lower than that of the dark matter. Finally, we find that the baryon dissipation does enhance the survival of subhalos, especially in the cluster cores. However, the effect is relatively weak because the baryon dissipation affects the density distribution only at small radii.
Extension of the engineering model for wear to plastics, sintered metals, and platings

Abstract The engineering model for wear developed previously for metals 1 has been found to be applicable to different plastics, sintered metals and platings. The results of 137 tests for various combinations of sliding materials, with and without lubricants, have shown that wear can be prevented for a given number of cycles if the maximum shear stress is kept below a certain fraction of the yield point in shear of the weaker of the two materials. This fraction is equal to 0.5 for all the plastic-metal combinations that have been investigated under dry and boundary lubricated conditions. However, with respect to the sintered metals and the plated surfaces, this fraction is equal to either 0.5 or 0.2 depending upon the composition of each of the sliding materials as well as the type of lubricant used.
Attitudes and preferences on the use of mobile health technology and health games for self-management: interviews with older adults on anticoagulation therapy.

Background: Older adults are at substantial risk for cardiovascular disorders that may require anticoagulation therapy. Those on warfarin therapy report dissatisfaction and reduced quality of life (QOL) resulting from the treatment. Advances in the area of mobile health (mHealth) technology have resulted in the design and development of new patient-centric models for the provision of personalized health care services to improve care delivery. However, there is a paucity of research examining the effectiveness of mHealth tools on knowledge, attitudes, and patient satisfaction with treatment, as well as self-management, adherence to therapy, and QOL in older adults with chronic illness conditions requiring long-term warfarin therapy. Objective: The objective of the study was to explore the attitudes and preferences of older adults on warfarin therapy regarding the use of mHealth technology and health games to gain skills for self-management. Methods: We conducted group and individual interviews with patients (60 years or older) on warfarin therapy at two anticoagulation clinics affiliated with an academic medical center. We held 4 group and 2 individual interviews, resulting in 11 patient participants and 2 family caregiver participants. We used structured questions on three topic areas including medication self-management strategies, mHealth technology use, and health games for exercise. We demonstrated some commercial health apps related to medication management, vitamin K content of food, and a videogame for balance exercise. Discussions were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. Common themes were drawn using content analysis. Results: The participants reported awareness of the importance of staying on schedule with warfarin therapy. They also acknowledged that negative experiences of friends or family members who were taking warfarin influenced their desire to keep on schedule with warfarin therapy. In addition, the participants expressed that the use of mHealth technology may be helpful for medication management. They also expressed the need for family support in the use of health technology devices. Moreover, the participants discussed concerns and challenges to use health technology and health games, and provided suggestions on ways to make mHealth technology and health games elder-friendly. Conclusions: These findings indicate that our older adults on warfarin therapy are interested in mHealth technology specific to warfarin medication management and health games. Further research needs to be done to validate these findings. Elder-friendly designs, technology support, and physical safety using mHealth technology may be useful in this population. These findings can be used to inform a larger study to design and test an elder-centered mHealth technology in this target population.
The protein nature of the substance inducing female monogamy in Aedes aegypti

Abstract Virgin females of Aedes aegypti are inseminated only once. Subsequent insemination is inhibited by a substance from the male accessory gland that is transferred to the female in seminal fluid at the initial mating. This substance, called ‘matrone’, can be extracted from the whole bodies of male mosquitoes. Injection of matrone into females renders them sterile for life. Gel filtration chromatography with Sephadex G-10, G-25, G-50, and G-100 indicates matrone activity can be separated into at least two components, both macro-molecules. The active material is temperature and pH sensitive and is completely inactivated by treatment with 5% trichloroacetic acid or an amyl-alcohol-chloroform mixture. In addition treatment with the proteolytic enzyme, protease, will result in a complete loss of activity. On the basis of these observations it was concluded at least one of the molecular components which make up active matrone is a protein. Partial purification was achieved by extraction methods using cold acetone and butanol, ammonium sulphate, manganous chloride, gel filtration chromatography with Sephadex, and ion-exchange chromatography with diethylaminoethanol-cellulose.
NUCLEAR MIGRATION IN GERMINATING SPORES OF ONOCLEA SENSIBILIS: THE PATH AND KINETICS OF MOVEMENT'

Nuclear migration was observed in individual germinating spores of Onoclea sensibilis from the onset of movement to the completion of mitosis. About 16 hr after the initiation of germination, the nucleus migrated from its initial position in the center of the spore to the proximal side. It then appeared to migrate along the raphe to one end of the spore where an asymmetric division occurred. The average velocity of migration was measured at 0.256 ? 0.065 ,um/min. During migration the nucleus underwent changes in shape. No migrations or movement other than that by the nucleus were observed. IN GERMINATING SPORES of the sensitive fern, Onoclea sensibilis, nuclear migration is an important step in a series of events leading to cell differentiation. During early stages of germination the nucleus is in the center of the monolete spore. Approximately 16 hr after initiation of germination the nucleus migrates from the center to one end of the spore where an asymmetric division takes place (Fisher and Miller, 1978). The larger of the two resulting daughter cells develops into a protonema, whereas the smaller cell immediately differentiates into a rhizoid. If nuclear migration to the end of the spore is prevented so that the initial cell division is symmetric, both daughter cells develop into protonema, and a rhizoid is not formed (Miller and Greany, 1976). This indicates that polar nuclear migration to one end of the spore appears to be essential for rhizoid differentiation. In view of the relationship between the movement of the nucleus and rhizoid differentiation, it is desirable to obtain a better understanding of nuclear migration. This paper describes some details of the path of movement of the nucleus and kinetics of movement in individual germinating spores.
Transmission of the Agent of Human Granulocytic Ehrlichiosis by Host-Seeking Ixodus scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) in Southern New York State

Ixodes scapularis Say nymphs collected from a natural focus of human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (HGE) in Westchester County, New York, transmitted the HGE agent to uninfected mice in the laboratory. Infection was demonstrated in 3 of 8 mice by polymerase chain reaction analysis of whole blood and microscopic examination of blood smears for morulae. Two of these mice were also positive by xenodiagnosis. Positive xenodiagnostic larvae maintained infection through molting and transferred infection to 1 of 3 mice. Naturally infected I. scapularis ticks transmit the agent of human granulocytic ehrlichiosis to mice, but both acquisition and transmission of this agent by I. scapularis appear to be less efficient than would be expected for Borrelia burgdorferi Johnson, Schmid, Hyde, Steigerwalt & Brenner, the agent of Lyme disease.
Decreased vaginal disease in J-chain-deficient mice following herpes simplex type 2 genital infection

Abstract J-chain-deficient (Jch−/−) mice were used to study the role of polymeric IgA (pIgA) in primary disease and protective immunity following genital herpes simplex type 2 (HSV-2) infection. Vaginal IgA in the Jch−/− mice was composed primarily of monomeric IgA and was not associated with secretory component (SC). In contrast, vaginal IgA in wild-type (WT) mice was predominantly polymeric and bound to SC. Following HSV-2 genital infection, the Jch−/− mice consistently exhibited fewer vaginal symptoms (P = 0.010) and mortality (P = 0.075) than did the WT mice. The variation in disease expression could not be explained by differences in local viral replication, since titers in vaginal wash fluid were comparable. To assess the effect of J chain deficiency on protective immunity, WT and Jch−/− mice were immunized intravaginally with attenuated HSV-2, challenged intravaginally with wild-type virus 5 weeks later, and evaluated for vaginal infection and neurological disease. Although the Jch−/− mice had reduced vaginal HSV-specific IgA and IgG levels following immunization, both WT and Jch−/− mice were protected from symptoms following wild-type virus challenge. We conclude that pIgA is not required for protective immunity against genital HSV-2 disease and that J chain deficiency offers some protection against symptoms following primary HSV-2 genital infection.
Infection Control for Gene Therapy: A Busy Physician's Primer

Gene therapy is being studied for the treatment of a wide variety of acquired and inherited disorders. Retroviruses, adenoviruses, poxviruses, adeno-associated virus, herpesviruses, and others are being engineered to serve as gene therapy vectors and are being administered to patients in a clinical setting. Infection control professionals will be asked to evaluate the use and safety of these agents in their clinics and hospitals. This review summarizes key aspects of the biotechnology and the vectors involved in gene therapy and makes recommendations for infection control.
A clinical trial to improve high blood pressure care in young urban black men: Recruitment, follow-up, and outcomes

This randomized trial recruited and followed underserved, inner-city, hypertensive (HTN), young black men and investigated whether a nurse-community health worker team in combination with usual medical care (SI) increased entry into care and reduced high blood pressure (HBP), in comparison to usual medical care (UC) alone. Emergency department records, advertising, and BP screenings identified potential participants with HBP. Telephone calls and personal contacts tracked enrollees. Of 1391 potential participants, 803 (58%) responded to an invitation to be screened and scheduled a visit. Of these, 528 (66%) kept an appointment, 207 (35%) were BP eligible, and 204 (99%) consented to enroll. At 12 months 91% of men were accounted for and 85.8% (adjusted for death, in jail, or moved away) were seen. Mean BP changed from 153(16)/98(10) to 152(19)/94(11) mm Hg in the SI group and 151(18)/98(11) to 147(21)/92(14) mm Hg in the UC group (P = NS). High rates of participation are attainable in this population; however, culturally acceptable ways of delivering HBP care are needed.