cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Air quality information tools

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed two tools that let computer users “see” air quality information on a virtual globe by combining EPA air data with Google mapping tools. The first tool is part of the agency's new “Air Emission Sources” Web site, which is designed to make emissions data for six common pollutants easy to find and understand. Based on the latest EPA National Emissions Inventory, the site uses charts and Google Earth files to answer user questions about overall emissions, emissions by type of industry, or emissions by largest polluter. The EPA also is providing Air Quality Index (AQI) information in the Google Earth format to quickly see air quality across the country. For more information, visit the following Web sites: http://www.epa.gov/air/emissions and http://www.airnow.gov.
Increased levels of transforming growth factor β receptor type I and up‐regulation of matrix gene program: A model of scleroderma

Objective Previously published studies have demonstrated that a majority of systemic sclerosis (SSc) fibroblasts exhibit elevated levels of transforming growth factor β type I receptor (TGFβRI). An experimental model that recapitulates this condition was established in control dermal fibroblasts by titrating the dose of adenovirus vector expressing TGFβRI (AdTGFβRI). The present study was undertaken to determine the functional consequences of increased levels of TGFβRI in SSc. Methods Gene array analysis of control dermal fibroblasts transduced with AdTGFβRI was performed using GeneChip expression arrays. Gene validation was done by Northern blot, quantitative reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction, and Western blot techniques. TGFβ blockade was performed using soluble TGFβ receptor. TGFβRI kinase/activin receptor–like kinase 5 was inhibited with pharmacologic inhibitors. TGFβRI and TGFβRII protein levels and collagen production were examined by Western blotting in primary dermal fibroblasts from 9 SSc patients and 9 healthy adults. Endogenous TGFβRI levels were suppressed in control and SSc fibroblasts using specific small interfering RNA (siRNA). Results Global gene analysis indicated that a 2-fold increase in TGFβRI levels in control fibroblasts resulted in profibrotic changes that closely resembled the phenotype of SSc fibroblasts. A total of 125 genes were up-regulated, including COL1A1, COL1A2, and connective tissue growth factor, and 206 genes were down-regulated. Elevated production of collagen in cells transduced with AdTGFβRI was dependent on the autocrine TGFβ, but not TGFβRI kinase activity. Eight of the 9 SSc strains exhibited increased levels of TGFβRI protein, which correlated with increased collagen synthesis. Treatment of SSc and matched control fibroblasts with siRNA that normalizes TGFβRI levels reverted collagen protein production in SSc fibroblasts to the levels observed in control fibroblasts. Conclusion Our findings demonstrate that aberrantly expressed TGFβRI may drive an autocrine loop involved in the up-regulation of collagen and other matrix-related genes in SSc fibroblasts.
Variations in the Natural History of HIV Infection

In general, the natural history of HIV infection as revealed by prospective cohort studies such as the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS) is consistent with our current understanding of the immun...
An early Cambrian rift to post-rift transition in the Cordillera of Western North America

The upper Proterozoic and lower Palaeozoic wedge of miogeoclinal strata in the North American Cordillera is widely regarded as evidence for a proto-Pacific passive margin1–3. The rifting history of this margin appears to have been protracted, possibly spanning >200 Myr in a tectonic setting that is not well understood3. Quantitative subsidence analyses of lower Palaeozoic strata between British Columbia and Utah, however, provide indirect evidence that the transition from rifting to post-rift cooling occurred within a relatively short interval of time, although probably not synchronously, between 600 and 555 Myr (refs 4–6). This age is significantly younger than that implied in previous studies1,2. We describe here new field data, which, together with published geological data, provide direct evidence of a latest Proterozoic or early Cambrian age for the rift to post-rift transition. The data support recent arguments for widespread initiation of passive margins around the edge of the North American craton close to the Cambrian–Precambrian boundary7.
Design of high performance pattern matching engine through compact deterministic finite automata

Pattern matching relies on deterministic finite automata (DFA) to search for predefined patterns. While a bit-DFA method is recently proposed to exploit the parallelism in pattern matching, we identify its limitations and present two schemes, label translation table (LTT) and CAM-based lookup table (CLT), to reduce the DFA memory size by 85%, and simplify the design by requiring only four processing elements of bit-DFA instead of thousands.
Scaling of Nanowire Transistors

This paper considers the scaling of nanowire transistors to 10-nm gate lengths and below. The 2-D scale length theory for a cylindrical surrounding-gate MOSFET is reviewed first, yielding a general guideline between the gate length and the nanowire size for acceptable short-channel effects. Quantum confinement of electrons in the nanowire is discussed next. It gives rise to a ground-state energy and, therefore, a threshold voltage dependent on the radius of the nanowire. The scaling limit of nanowire transistors hinges on how precise the nanowire size can be controlled. The performance limit of a nanowire transistor is then assessed by applying a ballistic current model. Key issues such as the density of states of the nanowire material are discussed. Comparisons are made between the model results and the published experimental data of nanowire devices.
A survey of steroid-related osteoporosis diagnosis, prevention and treatment practices of pediatric rheumatologists in North America

The purpose of our study is to assess practices of North American pediatric rheumatologists regarding monitoring, prevention, and treatment of low bone mineral density (BMD) in children on long-term glucocorticoid treatment. Long-term glucocorticoid therapy is associated with accelerated bone loss. Children with JIA and lupus have low baseline BMD and incident vertebral fractures commonly occur in these groups of patients even after a relatively short period of time being on systemic glucocorticoids. There are no established guidelines for identification, prevention, and treatment of glucocorticoid-induced bone loss in children. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted with 199 physicians who were listed in the ACR database as practicing pediatric rheumatology in North America. 86 physicians (43%) responded; 87% were board-certified in pediatric rheumatology. 95% used dual energy X-ray absorptiometry as their primary modality for assessing BMD. 79% “rarely” or “never” obtained a baseline BMD measurement prior to initiation of glucocorticoid therapy. 42% of respondents followed BMD annually. 93% “frequently” or “always” prescribed calcium for patients on long-term corticosteroid therapy; 81% “frequently” or “always” prescribed vitamin D. In patients diagnosed with osteoporosis, 35%-50 % of the practitioners “sometimes”, “frequently” or “always” prescribed bisphosphonates. Bisphosphonates are prescribed at similar rates for male and female patients, and slightly more frequently for pubertal than for pre-pubertal patients. 96% of respondents “rarely” or “never” prescribed calcitonin for patients on long-term glucocorticoid therapy; 92% “rarely” or “never” prescribe this medication for patients with known osteopenia or osteoporosis. Utilization of DXA in children on long-term corticosteroid therapy varies greatly among North American pediatric rheumatologists. Most respondents do not screen for low BMD on a regular basis despite acknowledging the risks of bone loss in this population. Broad consensus appears to be present among practitioners favoring the prescription of calcium and vitamin D for patients receiving long-term corticosteroid therapy. Relatively few respondents consistently recommend bisphosphonate therapy, even for patients with known low bone density; calcitonin is rarely used. These data underscore the need for studies to acquire specific data on bone loss, and its prevention and treatment in young patients on long-term glucocorticoid therapy.
Changes in heart rate elicited by vagal activity: a model study

The cellular mechanisms responsible for changes in sinus cycle length elicited by vagal stimulation were studied by means of a mathematical model. The model incorporated a stimulation-mediated depletion of the releasable pool of acetylcholine in the nerve endings, degradation of acetylcholine in the neuroeffector junction, and a model of the electrical activity of a pacemaker cell based on the kinetics of six membrane ionic channels. The results obtained explain the underlying mechanisms of experimentally observed phenomena such as the linear increase in sinus cycle length with frequency of vagal stimulation, the shape of the phase response curve, oscillations in sinus cycle length (sinus arrhythmia), and synchronization (entrainment) of the sinus node by constant-frequency vagal stimulation. >
Screening for medical disease--nervous system disorders.

Abstract Narrative Review In general, nervous system disorders present with changes in sensation, strength, and cognitive function that must be recognized early for the timely referral often needed for optimal outcome. This article summarizes screening for nervous system disorders in patients who present to the hand therapist and the typical findings associated with common neurologic disorders. Recommendations for referral by the hand therapist of patients with a screening examination consistent with a nervous system disorder are also presented. Central nervous system (CNS) disorders discussed in this article include stroke, traumatic brain and spinal cord injury, CNS tumors, Parkinson disease, dementia, epilepsy, and multiple sclerosis. This is followed by a discussion of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) disorders of acquired and hereditary polyneuropathies, Guillain–Barre syndrome and myasthenia gravis. Lastly, there is a brief discussion of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a disorder affecting both the CNS and PNS. Level of Evidence 5.
Acyclic orientations and chromatic generating funtions

Abstract Let P(k) be the chromatic polynomial of a graph with n⩾2 vertices and no isolated vertices, and let R(k)=P(k+1)/k(k+1) . We show that the coefficients of the polynomial (1−t) n−1 ∑ k=1 ∞ R(k)t k are nonnegative and we give a combinatorial interpretation to R(k) when k is a nonpositive integer.
Presentation of the 2008 Harrell L. Strimple Award of the Paleontological Society To Thomas C. Witherspoon

It is my honor and great pleasure to introduce Thomas C. Witherspoon, recipient of this year's Strimple Award for outstanding accomplishment in paleontology by an amateur. This award recognizes his prolific collection, preparation, documentation, and donation of hundreds of thousands of invertebrate fossils to dozens of schools, colleges, universities and museums. Tom Witherspoon is an enthusiastic, tireless, and lifelong champion of paleontology and of elementary, secondary, and collegiate education. He is richly deserving of this recognition by the Paleontological Society. The Strimple Award is often given to individuals who have made contributions in a specific area of paleontology, focused on a particular time interval or systematic group, or who have had a close association with one or more professional paleontologists. The winner this year, Tom Witherspoon, fits a slightly different model, what we may call the “Johnny Appleseed” model of accomplishment in paleontology. Tom Witherspoon was born in 1921. As a boy, he moved to Dearborn, Michigan, where he and Catherine, his wife of 64 years, reside to this day. Tom graduated from the University of Detroit in 1955 with a Bachelor's degree in Education. After earning his Master's degree a few years later, Tom continued his teaching career at the John C. McDonald Elementary School in Dearborn. There, for the next 29 years, Tom taught science to fifth and or sixth graders. Tom became interested in fossils and the history of life on Earth from the textbook he used in these classes. To learn more, he went to the Cranbrook Institute of Science Museum …
Rethinking Recovery From Eating Disorders: Spiritual and Political Dimensions

In this article, we portray women's experiences of long-term recovery from anorexia and compulsive overeating. Semistructured interviewing and an interpretive biographical method were used to coconstruct accounts of each participant's transition to wellness. Thick descriptions of self-identified turning points on the path to recovery are framed in terms of the concept of personal positioning in relation to cultural master narratives. The narratives suggest that long-term recovery involves spiritual or political commitment and purposeful engagement with communities larger than the self.
Phosphorylation state of tyrosine hydroxylase in the stalk-median eminence is decreased by progesterone in cycling female rats.

Progesterone has the capacity to suppress hypothalamic dopaminergic neuronal activity on proestrous afternoon and prolong or amplify the preovulatory prolactin surge in rats. In the present study, we examined enzyme activity and phosphorylation state of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in the stalk-median eminence of cycling female rats on proestrus and estrus and related these to circulating progesterone levels. Phospho-TH levels were evaluated by Western blot analysis. TH activity was determined from the rate of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) accumulation. Phospho-TH levels at Ser-19, Ser-31, and Ser-40 were similar at 1100, 1300, and 1500 h on proestrus but declined at 1700, 1900, and 2200 h, coincident with rising serum progesterone levels. Similarly, DOPA accumulation was 30–50% lower at 1700, 1900, and 2200 h as compared with 1100–1500 h on proestrus. Ser-31 and Ser-40 phosphorylation states were increased by 1100 h on estrus to a level similar to 1100 h on proestrus, whereas DOPA accumulation was 30% g...
Interaction of Antithrombin with Sulfated, Low Molecular Weight Lignins OPPORTUNITIES FOR POTENT, SELECTIVE MODULATION OF ANTITHROMBIN FUNCTION

Antithrombin, a major regulator of coagulation and angiogenesis, is known to interact with several natural sulfated polysaccharides. Previously, we prepared sulfated low molecular weight variants of natural lignins, called sulfated dehydrogenation polymers (DHPs) (Henry, B. L., Monien, B. H., Bock, P. E., and Desai, U. R. (2007) J. Biol. Chem. 282, 31891–31899), which have now been found to exhibit interesting antithrombin binding properties. Sulfated DHPs represent a library of diverse noncarbohydrate aromatic scaffolds that possess structures completely different from heparin and heparan sulfate. Fluorescence binding studies indicate that sulfated DHPs bind to antithrombin with micromolar affinity under physiological conditions. Salt dependence of binding affinity indicates that the antithrombin-sulfated DHP interaction involves a massive 80–87% non-ionic component to the free energy of binding. Competitive binding studies with heparin pentasaccharide, epicatechin sulfate, and full-length heparin indicate that sulfated DHPs bind to both the pentasaccharide-binding site and extended heparin-binding site of antithrombin. Affinity capillary electrophoresis resolves a limited number of peaks of antithrombin co-complexes suggesting preferential binding of selected DHP structures to the serpin. Computational genetic algorithm-based virtual screening study shows that only one sulfated DHP structure, out of the 11 present in a library of plausible sequences, bound in the heparin-binding site with a high calculated score supporting selectivity of recognition. Enzyme inhibition studies indicate that only one of the three sulfated DHPs studied is a potent inhibitor of free factor VIIa in the presence of antithrombin. Overall, the chemo-enzymatic origin and antithrombin binding properties of sulfated DHPs present novel opportunities for potent and selective modulation of the serpin function, especially for inhibiting the initiation phase of hemostasis.
Is observation dead in follicular lymphoma? Still appropriate.

Given the incurable yet indolent nature of follicular lymphoma (FL) and the lack of a survival benefit seen with the early treatment of patients with a low tumor burden, watchful waiting has been the predominant strategy for treating asymptomatic patients with newly diagnosed FL for more than 2 decades. The success and tolerability of rituximab for the treatment of this disease, however, has led to challenges for this treatment paradigm and the consideration of early upfront treatment with rituximab monotherapy, with or without rituximab maintenance. These strategies have resulted in improvements in quality of life with a low incidence of toxicity and have led some to practice changes. However, based on uncertainty about how early treatment affects response to second treatment, the differential cost of treatment, and the lack of a survival benefit, observation remains an appropriate and viable strat egy for select patients. (J Natl Compr Canc Netw 2015;13:367–370)
Role of the Pharmacist in Achieving Performance Measures to Improve the Prevention and Treatment of Venous Thromboembolism

Current prescribing practices for venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis and treatment are suboptimal, particularly regarding the use of appropriate prophylaxis in accordance with evidence-based guidelines. Failure to prevent avoidable VTE is associated with a substantial clinical and economic burden, due not only to the initial event, but also to VTE recurrence and long-term sequelae. Quality improvement initiatives such as the Surgical Care Improvement Project, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the National Quality Forum, and The Joint Commission have developed performance measures to address the shortfall and improve adherence with best-practice recommendations. Several studies have highlighted the benefits of pharmacist-led anticoagulation services for reducing the occurrence of VTE and bleeding complications while reducing excess hospitalization and health care costs. By assuming responsibility for anticoagulation management, pharmacists can ensure that at-risk patients receive the correct drug at the correct dose for the correct duration, from initial presentation to outpatient follow-up. Increasing continuity of care in this manner will ultimately improve patient outcomes and reduce costs. Pharmacists can also play a key role in helping hospitals achieve performance measures by aiding in the development and implementation of local VTE guidelines, policies, and other quality improvement initiatives; by helping to establish critical pathways with protocols; and by providing valuable education for other health care professionals and patients alike. Pharmacists are in an ideal position to facilitate achievement of VTE-related performance measures and can thus substantially contribute to the much-needed improvement in current VTE prevention and care.
Cyber-Archaeology: Notes on the simulation of the past

Thirteen years after the book “Virtual Archaeology” (Forte, 1996, 97) it is time to re-discuss the definition, the key concepts and some new trends and applications. The paper discusses the introduction of the term “cyber-archaeology” in relation with the simulation process deriving from the inter-connected and multivocal feedback between users/actors and virtual ecosystems. In this new context of cyber worlds, it is more appropriate to talk about simulation of the past rather than reconstruction of the past. The multivocality of the simulation opens new perspectives in the interpretation process, not imposing the final reconstruction, but suggesting, evocating, simulating multiple output, not “the past” but a potential past. New epistemological models of cyber archaeology have to be investigated: what happens in a immersive environment of virtual archaeology where every user is "embodied” in the cyber space? The ontology of archaeological information, or the cybernetics of archaeology, refers to all the interconnective relationships which the datum produces, the code of transmission, and its transmittability. Because it depends on interrelationships, by its very nature information cannot be neutral with respect to how it is processed and perceived. It follows that the process of knowledge and communication have to be unified and represented by a single vector. 3D information is regarded as the core of the knowledge process, because it creates feedback, then cybernetic difference, among the interactor, the scientist and the ecosystem. It is argued that Virtual Reality (both offline and online) represents a possible ecosystem, which is able to host top-down and bottom-up processes of knowledge and communication. In these terms, the past is generated and coded by “a simulation process”. Thus, from the first phases of data acquisition in the field, the technical methodologies and technologies that we use, influence in a decisive way all the subsequent phases of interpretation and communication. In the light of these considerations, what is the relationship between information and representation? How much information does a digital model contain? What sorts of and how many ontologies ought to be chosen to permit an acceptable transmittability? Indeed, our Archaeological communication ought to be understood as a process of validation of the entire cognitive process of understanding and not as a simple addendum to research, or as a dispensable compendium of data.
Effect of whole-body hyperthermia on pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of doxorubicin.

The effect of whole-body hyperthermia (41.5°c, 2 h) on doxorubicin (DOX) tissue distribution and plasma pharmacokinetics was examined in rats bearing a subcutaneous fibrosarcoma. Tumour response to the hyperthermia regimen alone was minimal, but the combination of heat with DOX (5.0 mg/kg, i.v.) enhanced tumour growth delay. The combined therapy, however, showed increased toxicity to normal tissue (especially renal and cardiac). Although DOX levels in spleen tissue were higher in rats exposed to hyperthermia than in control normothermic rats, both groups had comparable levels of drug in tumour, heart, kidney, and small intestine tissue at all time-points examined. Compared with normothermic animals, hyperthermia-treated rats showed decreased DOX in the mean area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) and decreased plasma DOX t1/2 but increased plasma drug clearance. These heat-mediated alterations in DOX pharmacokinetic parameters, however, do not account for the significant increases in thermochemother...
Regulation of polymeric immunoglobulin receptor expression by reovirus.

Polymeric immunoglobulin receptor (pIgR) transcytoses dimeric IgA and IgA-coated immune complexes from the lamina propria across epithelia and into secretions. The effect of reovirus infection on regulation of pIgR expression in the human intestinal epithelial cell line HT-29 was characterized in this report. Both replication-competent and UV-inactivated reovirus at m.o.i. equivalents of 1–100 p.f.u. per cell upregulated pIgR mRNA by 24 h post-infection and intracellular pIgR protein was increased at 48 h following exposure to UV-inactivated virus. Binding of virus to HT-29 cells was required, as pre-incubating virus with specific antiserum, but not non-immune serum, inhibited reovirus-mediated pIgR upregulation. Endosomal acidification leading to uncoating of virus is a required step for pIgR upregulation, as ammonium chloride or bafilomycin A1 pre-treatment inhibited virus-induced pIgR upregulation. Inhibition experiments using the calpain inhibitor N-acetyl-leucyl-leucyl-norleucinal suggested that calpains are involved in reovirus-mediated pIgR upregulation. Upregulation of pIgR following virus infection appears to be an innate immune response against invading pathogens that could help the host clear infection effectively. Signalling induced by microbes and their products may serve to augment pIgR-mediated transcytosis of IgA, linking the innate and acquired immune responses to viruses.
Translucid contracts for modular reasoning about aspect-oriented programs

Several proposals have advocated notion of aspect-oriented (AO) interfaces to solve modular reasoning problems, but have not shown how to specify these interfaces to facilitate modular reasoning. Our work on translucid contracts shows how to specify AO interfaces which allow modular understanding and enforcement of control flow interactions.
Middle aortic syndrome: surgical treatment in a child with neurofibromatosis.

A 9-year-old boy was referred to our institution for management of severe renovascular hypertension (controlled with 6 antihypertensive medications), postprandial abdominal pain, and bilateral lower-limb claudication. He was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis at age 6, manifested by multiple cafe-au-lait macules ( 5cm), axillary and inguinal freckling, and brain lesions on magnetic resonance imaging consistent with neurofibromas. Physical findings included a midepigastric bruit and attenuated lower limb arterial pulses (ankle-brachial index (ABI), 0.67[Rt]/0.7[Lt]). Digital subtraction angiography revealed segmental narrowing of the abdominal aorta frombelowtheceliac to the inferiormesenteric artery (meanpressuregradient 30mmHg)andorificial stenoses ( 75%)of the right renal (A)andsuperiormesenteric arteries (A, insert). Investigation excluded a pheochromocytoma. Surgery, through a midline incision, entailed an aortoaortic bypass (14-mm gelatin-coated polyester) from the supraceliac to distal infrarenal aorta, tunneled posterior to the left kidney, and a retrograde bypass to the superior mesenteric (end-to-side) and right renal (end-to-end) arteries, using 6-mm collagen-coated polyester grafts from the infrarenal aorta (B [Cover]). The patient was discharged on the fifth post-operative day on a single antihypertensive medication, with normal pulses and pressure indexes (ABI, 1.07[Rt]/1.09[Lt]), and a serum creatinine of 0.86. Four months postoperatively the child was normotensive on no drug treatment, free of abdominal pain and claudication, with all of his grafts patent and stenosis-free, as depicted in 3-dimensional contrast computed tomography imaging of the reconstructed aortovisceral circulation (C). Segmental narrowing of the abdominal aorta, designated middle aortic syndrome (MAS), represents an uncommon variety (0.5%-2%) of aortic coarctations attributable to acquired or congenital etiologies. Acquired etiologies include non-specific (Takayasu’s) and giant cell arteritis and neurofibromatosis, whereas congenital aortic hypoplasia is ascribed to a developmental anomaly in the fusion and maturation of the paired embryonic dorsal aortas. 1-4
Individual Differences in Working Memory Capacity: More Evidence for a General Capacity Theory

The causes of the positive relationship between comprehension and measures of working memory capacity remain unclear. This study tests three hypotheses for the relationship by equating the difficulty, for 48 individual subjects, of processing demands in complex working memory tasks. Even with difficulty of processing equated, the relationship between number of words recalled in the working memory measure and comprehension remained high and significant. The results favour a general capacity view. We suggest that high working memory span subjects have more limited-capacity attentional resources available to them than low span subjects and that individual differences in working memory capacity will have implications for any task that requires controlled effortful processing.
Do These News Videos Portray a News Event from Different Ideological Perspectives

Television news has been the predominant way of understanding the world around us, but individual news broadcasters can frame or mislead audience's understanding about political and social issues. We aim to develop a computer system that can automatically identify highly biased television news and encourages audience to seek news stories from contrasting viewpoints. But can computers identify news videos produced by broadcasters holding differing ideological beliefs? We developed a method of identifying differing ideological perspectives based on a large-scale visual concept ontology, and the experimental results were promising.
Development and implementation of an automated wafer transport system

The move to 300 mm wafers has prompted IC manufacturers to demand a reliable automated material handling system (AMHS). Hewlett Packard's Inkjet Supplies Business Unit has worked with a supplier to develop a system using overhead rails and vehicles with hoist mechanisms to perform direct-to-tool delivery of 200 mm podded wafers. The system is intended to increase throughput by providing just-in-time material delivery and improve safety by minimizing manual handling. The system has a near zero footprint, leaving valuable floor space for process tools. While the system was built specifically for 200 mm material, most of this effort is directly applicable to 300 mm systems, and tests on the new system are very promising. Tool-to-tool delivery time was approximately 38 s, and pod placement accuracy was satisfactory regardless of pod load or vertical hoisting distance. Long term reliability tests indicated mean cycles between interrupts (MCBI) per vehicle of approximately 3,286 cycles (where a cycle is a pod move from between tools). All but one of the incidents encountered during reliability testing were recovered in 1 minute or less. A third party failure mode analysis identified a small number of potential safety hazards, which the supplier is addressing. Our study also identified issues to be addressed prior to production implementation, including improved vehicle maintenance procedures and better methods of identifying, troubleshooting and resolving system errors. Further modeling and scenario testing may need to be performed to better estimate system benefits and potential integration issues for specific applications.
Enhancing Foster Parent Training with Parent-Child Interaction Therapy: Evidence from a Randomized Field Experiment.

AbstractObjective: Research indicates that foster parents often do not receive sufficient training and support to help them meet the demands of caring for foster children with emotional and behavioral disturbances. Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is a clinically efficacious intervention for child externalizing problems, and it also has been shown to mitigate parenting stress and enhance parenting attitudes and behaviors. However, PCIT is seldom available to foster families, and it rarely has been tested under intervention conditions that are generalizable to community-based child welfare service contexts. To address this gap, PCIT was adapted and implemented in a field experiment using 2 novel approaches—group-based training and telephone consultation—both of which have the potential to be integrated into usual care. Method: This study analyzes 129 foster-parent-child dyads who were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 conditions: (a) waitlist control, (b) brief PCIT, and (c) extended PCIT. Self-report and...
Creep Damage Quantification and Post-fire Residual Strength of 5083 Aluminum Alloy

One of the major concerns regarding the use of lightweight materials in ship construction is the response of those materials to fire scenarios, including the residual structural performance after a fire event. This paper presents a study on creep damage evolution in 5083 marine-grade aluminum alloy and its impact on residual mechanical behavior. Samples were tested at 400 ° C and at different stress levels and times selected to achieve specified creep strain levels. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and high resolution optical microscopy were utilized to characterize the creep damage. The damage is primarily manifested as cavitation, grain elongation, and dynamic microstructural evolution. The cavitation morphology, orientation and grain structure evolution were investigated on three perpendicular sample surfaces (rolling, transverse, and normal faces). The competing process between cavitation and grain structure evolution were studied to develop an understanding of the creep damage mechanism. The post-fire residual strength of the Al5083 at 400 °C reveals that the cavitation counteracts the strengthening by grain elongation.
Anomalous Origin of the Right Vertebral Artery: Incidence and Significance

Objective Detailed knowledge about anatomic variations of the aortic arch and its multiple branches is extremely important to endovascular and diagnostic radiologists. It is often hypothesized that anomalous origin and distribution of large aortic vessels may alter the cerebral hemodynamics and potentially lead to a vascular pathology. Methods In this article, we describe a case of anomalous origin of the right vertebral artery, which was detected during an intervention. We further reviewed the available literature of anomalous origin of the right vertebral artery. The probable embryologic development and clinical significance are discussed. Results The incidence of anomalous origin of a vertebral artery seems to be underestimated in recent literature. A careful review of the literature shows more than 100 such cases. The right vertebral artery can arise from the aortic arch or one of its branches. Dual origin of the vertebral artery is not uncommon. The embryologic developmental hypotheses are contradictory and complex. Conclusions Anomalous origin of the right vertebral artery may not be the sole reason behind a disease process. However, it can certainly lead to a misdiagnosis during diagnostic vascular studies. Detailed information is essential for any surgery or endovascular intervention in this location.
Evaluation of Soil Class Proxies for Hydrologic Performance of In Situ Bioinfiltration Systems

AbstractThe hydrologic performance of in situ bioinfiltration systems (bioretention systems with no fill media or underdrain) is quantified and soil classes are evaluated as proxies for design requirements. A one-dimensional (1D) Richard’s equation model of a bioinfiltration system is used in combination with a dataset of soil hydraulic properties to conduct a Monte Carlo analysis of the effect of soil hydraulic properties; the results are summarized both by soil textural class and by hydrologic soil group (HSG), showing that textural class is generally a poor proxy for estimating the infiltration performance of in situ bioinfiltration cells (R2=0.40). Because infiltration measurements are required to estimate the HSG, they are a better proxy for bioinfiltration performance (R2=0.89). It is found that soil proxies do provide certain reliable guidelines: HSG-D soils always require engineered fill media with an underdrain; whereas underdrains are not necessary for sand, loamy sand, HSG-A, and HSG-B native s...
Effects of truncated neurofilament proteins on the endogenous intermediate filaments in transfected fibroblasts

The expression and assembly characteristics of carboxyl- and amino-terminal deletion mutants of rat neurofilament low Mr (NF-L) and neurofilament middle Mr (NF-M) proteins were examined by transient transfection of cultured fibroblasts. Deletion of the carboxyl-terminal tail domain of either protein indicated that this region was not absolutely essential for co-assembly into the endogenous vimentin cytoskeleton. However, deletion into the alpha-helical rod domain resulted in an inability of the mutant proteins to co-assemble with vimentin into filamentous structures. Instead, the mutant proteins appeared to be assembled into unusual tubular-vesicular structures. Additionally, these latter deletions appeared to act as dominant negative mutants which induced the collapse of the endogenous vimentin cytoskeleton as well as the constitutively expressed NF-H and NF-M cytoskeletons in stably transfected cell lines. Thus, an intact alpha-helical rod domain was essential for normal IF co-assembly whereas carboxyl-terminal deletions into this region resulted in dramatic alterations of the existing type III and IV intermediate filament cytoskeletons in vivo. Deletions from the amino-terminal end into the alpha-helical rod region gave different results. With these deletions, the transfected protein was not co-assembled into filaments and the endogenous vimentin IF network was not disrupted, indicating that these deletion mutants are recessive. The dominant negative mutants may provide a novel approach to studying intermediate filament function within living cells.
Testing the limits of deinstitutionalization

OBJECTIVE From 1978 to 1993, under favorable administrative and political conditions and protected by a court-ordered consent decree, a comprehensive community-based mental health system was established in western Massachusetts that entirely replaced Northampton State Hospital. This paper examines that experience to describe the characteristics and comparative department of mental health expenditures on alternative treatment settings and to explore whether the need for state hospitals can be eliminated. METHODS Data on distribution and department of mental health funding of services in western Massachusetts were compared with similar data from the rest of the state, where state hospital utilization remained relatively high. RESULTS Between 1978 and 1992, department of mental health expenditures on noninpatient community services in western Massachusetts increased from 15 percent to 74 percent of total expenditures on adult mental health services. In 1992 per capita expenditures on such services in western Massachusetts and the rest of the state were similar. However, per capita expenditures for inpatient services constituted 27 percent of total expenditures in western Massachusetts, compared with 53 percent in the rest of the state. Western Massachusetts spent approximately twice as much per capita on residential and emergency services and one and a half times as much on case management services and support. Very few Northampton patients were transferred to nursing homes, and the inpatient census per 100,000 population supported by the department of mental health in western Massachusetts was one-third of that in the rest of the state. CONCLUSION Under certain conditions, the role and functions of state hospitals can be completely replaced by a system of comprehensive community services.
Producing Adult Readers: 1930–50

The right material for the right reader. This essay explores the large-scale organization of reading in the United States before, during, and after World War II but particularly during the depression, when unemployment or “enforced leisure” created a new and, to some, dangerous population of adults with time on their hands — time, it was felt, that might best be spent with a book. There were adult readers, of course, before the adult reader became a key term in a diverse program of research and instruction. For my purposes in this essay, the “adult reader” is a figure of speech, a character in the professional literature whose name is invoked to justify a research agenda, the expense of public funds, or the organization of a curriculum.
Seismic constraints on caldera dynamics from the 2015 Axial Seamount eruption.

Seismic observations in volcanically active calderas are challenging. A new cabled observatory atop Axial Seamount on the Juan de Fuca ridge allows unprecedented real-time monitoring of a submarine caldera. Beginning on 24 April 2015, the seismic network captured an eruption that culminated in explosive acoustic signals where lava erupted on the seafloor. Extensive seismic activity preceding the eruption shows that inflation is accommodated by the reactivation of an outward-dipping caldera ring fault, with strong tidal triggering indicating a critically stressed system. The ring fault accommodated deflation during the eruption and provided a pathway for a dike that propagated south and north beneath the caldera’s east wall. Once north of the caldera, the eruption stepped westward, and a dike propagated along the extensional north rift.
The SIMPLE methodology for developing and evaluating cross-cultural virtual training systems SIEDS 2017

Cross-cultural training is becoming increasingly necessary due to rapid globalization, international education, global business, and worldwide military involvement. Traditional cultural training programs are usually limited to workshops with trained instructors, presentations, and quizzes, all focusing on specific language and actions to avoid. These methods are costly, time consuming, and their effectiveness remains unclear. A possible alternative is to immerse trainees in foreign “stress point” scenarios using video gaming technology, which provide a scalable, immersive solution to the challenge of widespread cross-cultural training. Such stress points can be identified with subject matter experts, using Hofstede's cultural dimensions which characterize multiple cultures on six scales as a basis for designing scenarios. We describe the “SIMPLE” methodology and give an example of such a development via five interactive dialogue scenarios in an avatar-based simulation of a Chinese university. Formal assessments of the dialogue and interactions have been conducted by a team of Chinese language and culture experts from two universities. These dialogues capture the differences between Chinese and American culture based on Hofstede's cultural dimensions. This work can be extrapolated to fit any user group's needs in order to facilitate fluid cross-cultural interactions and understandings around the world.
THE TASKS OF REVIEWING AND FINDING THE RIGHT ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE THEORY

Organizational change is probably the singular most important undertaken that many organizations wish they could do to affect their productivities/profitability performances. This review paper will highlight some of the well-known theories and approaches to organizational change. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, America had one of the best economies in decades and many of her citizens were able to benefit from it both financially and educationally; the economy (and educational aspirations) grew expeditiously and lifted millions of Americans out of poverty. These economical and educational turnarounds were achieved due in part to innovative and transformational leaders who understand that in order for businesses to grow, organizational change has to be an integral part of the process. However, the issue now is that there seems to be too many complex and confusing change theories that profess to have the remedies for ‘fixing’ the organizational problems. Ideally, however, this review paper will try to highlight the essentials of the selected organizational change and leadership theories and simplify them by making them accessible and understandable. Additionally, this review will try to ease some of the confusions of the theories and potentially help guide the change agents to the appropriate organizational change theories.
Five-Membered Ring Systems: Thiophenes and Se/Te Derivatives

Abstract This review covers the literature during 2014 of the chalcogens, thiophene, selenophene, and tellurophenes and their benzoderivatives. Featured in this review are the synthesis and elaborations of the aforementioned chalcogens as well as their uses in materials and medicinal chemistry. Of particular importance is the increasing role of tellurophenes.
Conscience v. Access and the Morality of Human Rights, with Particular Reference to Same-Sex Marriage

Little remains to be said about “conscience v. access” that has not already been said — and often well said. Or so it seems to me. (Not that a consensus has been achieved. Far from it.) But “little” is not “nothing”. My aim in this chapter: to bring the morality of human rights to bear, and to do so with particular reference to conscience-based opposition to same-sex marriage. In particular, my aim is to bring to bear two rights that are fundamental parts of the morality of human rights: the human right to religious and moral freedom and the human right to moral equality. On “the morality of human rights”, see Perry, Michael J., A Global Political Morality: Human Rights, Democracy, and Constitutionalism (April 25, 2017). Emory Legal Studies Research Paper 17-431. Available at: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2956843 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2956843. The intuition of many persons — an intuition I share — is that the conscience-based claim for an exemption from an antidiscrimination law pressed by the florist (baker, photographer, etc.) who is morally opposed to same-sex marriage presents us with a more complex and difficult issue than the conscience-based claim for an exemption pressed by the florist who is morally opposed to interracial marriage. My argument in this chapter serves to provide a rational vindication of that intuition; it serves to explain why as a matter of principle — specifically, as a matter of the human right to moral equality — the two conscience-based claims merit different responses, even if it is not unreasonable for lawmakers, in legislating, or for judges, in adjudicating, to reach the conclusion that, all things considered, the former claim too should be rejected.
How and when do structural deficits reveal themselves? The case of Indiana

Do state governments have the ability to predict the onset, duration, and depth of structural fiscal crisis? The State of Indiana had a particularly difficult time recovering from the recession that began in April 2001. Painful expenditure restraint and substantive revenue increases were necessary simply to "break even" from 2002 through 2006. Could early warning signs have permitted more timely actions to avert the subsequent pain? Using monthly cash receipts and balances, we test whether these data hold predictive value in forecasting the onset and severity of fiscal imbalance. The evidence strongly suggests that the structural character of the 2001-02 deficit and its subsequent depth was discernible in the cash receipts stream early enough to take ameliorating action. That the state did not do so reflects budgetary psychology more than the deficit’s predictability.
The Attention-Based View of Great Strategies

For the attention-based view, the origins of the ideas behind a great strategy are less important than the ability of the organization to sustain focused attention in developing, implementing, and elaborating good ideas into a distinctive strategic agenda for value creation. We propose that the transformation of ideas into a great strategy is shaped by the firm’s identity and corresponding patterns of organizational attention. Furthermore, great strategies focus attention on creating value for the customer—through the firm’s value proposition and business model—relative to capturing value for the shareholders. Finally, we propose that great strategies emerge from a focused, strategic agenda communicated and distributed throughout the organization. We illustrate our propositions by comparing Apple and Motorola, which began with similar ideas for developing a strategy for seamless integration and seamless mobility, with smartphones as the digital hub. Apple sustained focused attention on transforming the id...