cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Psychosocial Acute Treatment in Early-Episode Schizophrenia Disorders

Objective: This article reviews evidence on the treatment of early episode schizophrenia spectrum disorders that contradicts, in some cases, the American Psychiatric Association’s generic recommendation of antipsychotic medication treatment for at least a year. Method: Evidence on lack of diagnostic validity, absence of demonstrated long-term benefit from initial antipsychotic treatment, and existence of a large subgroup of early episode clients that may be successfully treated without antipsychotic medications is reviewed. Results: A time-limited initial trial of psychosocial intervention without antipsychotics may benefit many clients, especially by reducing long-term medication dependence and side effect exposure. Evidence suggests this can be done without substantial risk to those later found to need medications. A risk-benefit comparison of current practice to two alternate treatment protocols is presented. Conclusions: Developing and evaluating a psychosocial intervention for early episode psychosis...
Novel genetic instability associated with a developmentally regulated glycosyltransferase locus in Chinese hamster ovary cells.

LEC10 is a dominant glycosylation mutant of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells that expresses a developmentally regulated glycosyltransferase (GlcNAc-TIII) not detectable in parental CHO cells. Several mutagens were found to increase the frequency of LEC10 mutants up to 10-fold over the spontaneous frequency of ≤10−7, while 5azaC treatment had no effect. Revenants were obtained at high frequency (∼10−4) and were found to belong to two classes. Three independent revertants gave rise to new LEC10 mutants at high frequency (∼10−4) while seven others gave new LEC10 mutants at the low frequency typical of unmutagenized parental CHO cells. No evidence of a general mutator phenotype was found in the revenant lines with a high rereversion frequency. The combined data suggest a novel form of genomic instability at the LEC10 locus in CHO cells. Genetic events that affect the expression of developmentally regulated glycosyltransferases may be identified by further studies of LEC10 and other dominant CHO glycosylation mutants.
Buckling of axially compressed cylinders with eccentric longitudinal stiffeners.

Longitudinal stiffeners eccentricity /one- sidedness/ effect on buckling strength of axially compressed cylinders
Prevention of hydrogen embrittlement by a TiO 2 surface layer

This article discusses the problem of hydrogen embrittlement of steels and its prevention, particularly by surface coatings. Preventive methods to date have largely been directed toward microstructure control. Because of the absence of data on prevention of hydrogen embrittlement by TiO/sub 2/ films, and because of the data that indicate that hydrogen diffusion in TiO/sub 2/ films is very low, the authors explore here the effect of a titanium oxide film on hydrogen embrittlement of 15-5 PH (an ARMCO Steel Corp. product) stainless steel.
“Forbidden” character in the 3200-Å transitions of pyrazine-h4 and -d4 vapors

Abstract It is shown that all strong vibronic bands of the 3200-A absorption region of pyrazine (1,4-diazine) must be assigned to one electronic transition of mixed polarization. The allowed bands show polarization perpendicular to the plane of the molecule and the somewhat weaker “forbidden” bands show polarization along the line of the nitrogen atoms. A second allowed electronic transition, polarized along the line of the nitrogen atoms, loans the intensity, while an out-of-plane hydrogen-bending motion is active in the “borrowing.” Mass dependence of the “forbidden” intensity and the Raman intensity of the active vibration offer unique manifestations of the Herzberg-Teller theory of vibronic transitions.
Chemical heterogeneity of protofilaments forming the outer doublets from sea urchin flagella.

Abstract Upon subjecting isolated outer doublets from S. purpuratus sperm tails to heat and increasing concentrations of detergent Sarkosyl (SLS), the microtubules are partially solubilized. Electron microscopy shows that the B tubule is solubilized at 37 °C or low SLS concentrations; solubilization of tubule A requires higher temperature (60 °C). High concentrations of SLS solubilize parts of the A tubule until only a detergent-resistant fraction composed of three protofilaments is left. Solubilized and unsolubilized fractions contain the same two major protein components (α and β) as do the untreated outer doublets when examined by gel electrophoresis. The ratio of the two components throughout the extraction sequences remains 1:1 ± 0.1 as determined on the basis of dye binding.
Transcriptional activation of the testis-specific histone H1t gene by RFX2 may require both proximal promoter X-box elements.

The rat testis-specific linker histone H1t gene is transcribed in pachytene primary spermatocytes during spermatogenesis. Our previous work using transgenic mice demonstrated that spermatocyte-specific transcription of the H1t gene is dependent upon a proximal promoter element designated the TE element. TE is composed of two adjacent and inverted imperfect repeat sequences designated TE1 and TE2 and both of these palindromic elements are similar in sequence to the X-box, a DNA consensus sequence that binds regulatory factor X (RFX). RFX2 is the major enriched protein derived from rat testis nuclear extracts when using the TE1 element as an affinity chromatography probe. Co-expression of RFX2 together with an H1t promoted reporter vector in transient expression assays activates the H1t promoter in the GC-2spd germinal cell line, and mutation of either X-box significantly represses activity. However, RFX2 partially reactivates the promoter when either of the X-box elements is independently mutated. In order to totally block reactivation by RFX2, it is necessary to mutate both X-boxes simultaneously. Therefore, RFX2 appears to be able to bind to either X-box independently to partially activate the promoter of the testis-specific histone H1t gene, but simultaneous binding of RFX2 to both X-box elements may be required for maximal promoter activation. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Vertical externalities in cigarette taxation: Do tax revenues go up in smoke?

Abstract In federal systems, where tax bases are joint property, the tax policy of one level of government affects the tax base of the other. This paper examines the interdependence of US federal and state cigarette tax rates. Our results suggest that states may reduce their cigarette tax rate by as much as 48 cents per dollar increase in the federal tax rate. Thus, a federal tax hike may reduce the amount of generated state tax revenues both directly (the overall tax rate rises and the state tax base declines), and indirectly (the state tax rate declines).
Pregnancy outcomes after change in dose delivery of prostaglandin F2α and time of gonadotropin-releasing hormone injection in a 5-day timed artificial insemination program in lactating dairy cows1

We demonstrated that 50 mg of PGF2α on d 6 successfully induced luteolysis in lactating dairy cows enrolled in a traditional 5-d Ovsynch-72 program [GnRH injection 5 d before (d 0; GnRH-1) and 56 (p.m. on d 7; GnRH-2) or 72 h (d 8; GnRH-2) after a 25-mg injection of PGF2α (d 5 and 6 after GnRH injection); timed artificial insemination (AI) on d 8]. Our current objective was to determine pregnancy outcomes in lactating dairy cows after a 50-mg injection of PGF2α on d 6 or a 25-mg injection of PGF2α on d 5 and 6 in a 5-d Ovsynch program. Cows in herd 1 diagnosed not pregnant between 30 and 36 d since last AI were enrolled to receive either a 50-mg injection of PGF2α on d 6 (1 × 50; n = 134) or a 25-mg injection of PGF2α on d 5 and 6 (2 × 25; n = 139) after GnRH-1 (d 0), with GnRH-2 at 72 h after PGF2α injection (d 5), concurrent with timed AI (d 8). Cows in herd 2 diagnosed not pregnant between 34 and 40 d were treated similarly: even-tagged cows received the 2 × 25 (n = 422) treatment, and odd-tagged cows received the 1 × 50 (n = 450) treatment, except that GnRH-2 was administered at 56 h. Blood collected from cows in herd 1 at d 0, 5, 6, and 8 was assayed for progesterone. Luteolysis was defined to occur when progesterone concentration was ≥1 ng/mL on d 5, and 72 h later (d 8) was either <0.5 ng/mL or <1 ng/mL. Progesterone concentrations did not differ between treatments on pretreatment d 0 and 5, but were greater in 1 × 50 than 2 × 25 cows on d 6 (4.7 ± 0.2 vs. 1.1 ± 0.2 ng/mL) and d 8 (0.43 ± 0.04 vs. 0.19 ± 0.04 ng/mL), respectively. Luteolysis was greater in the 2 × 25 versus 1 × 50 treatment when the cut point was 0.5 ng/mL, whereas no difference was detected when the cut point was <1 ng/mL on d 8. Lack of complete luteolysis was greater in cows classified as early cycle on d 0 or having a new corpus luteum after d 0 because progesterone concentration was greater on d 5 and 6 than for cows classified as late cycle on d 0 or cows having low progesterone on d 0 and 5. Pregnancy per AI at 30 to 40 d did not differ between 2 × 25 and 1 × 50 cows having luteolysis by d 8 or in all cows (37.2 vs. 33.3%) in herd 1, respectively, but differed in herd 2 (24.7 vs. 19.5%; no treatment by herd interaction). We conclude that incomplete luteolysis by d 8 was greater in 1 × 50 cows using a cut point of <0.5 ng/mL at AI. The difference in pregnancy outcome in herd 2 may have resulted from insufficient time for complete luteolysis before GnRH-2 at 56 h compared with GnRH-2 at 72 h (at AI) in herd 1.
Maspin binds to urokinase-type and tissue-type plasminogen activator through exosite-exosite interactions.

Abstract Maspin is a member of the serpin family with a reactive center loop that is incompatible with proteinase inhibition by the serpin conformational change mechanism. Despite this there are reports that maspin might regulate uPA-dependent processes in vivo. Using exogenous and endogenous fluorescence, we demonstrate here that maspin can bind uPA and tPA in both single-chain and double-chain forms, with Kd values between 300 and 600 nm. Binding is at an exosite on maspin close to, but outside of, the reactive center loop and is therefore insensitive to mutation of Arg340 within the reactive center loop. The binding site on tPA does not involve the proteinase active site, with the result that maspin can bind to S195A tPA that is already complexed to plasminogen activator inhibitor-1. The ability of maspin to bind these proteinases without involvement of the reactive center loop leaves the latter free to engage in additional, as yet unidentified, maspin-protein interactions that may serve to regulate the properties of the exosite-bound proteinase. This may help to reconcile apparently conflicting studies that demonstrate the importance of the reactive center loop in certain maspin functions, despite the inability of maspin to directly inhibit tPA or uPA catalytic activity in in vitro assays through engagement between its reactive center loop and the active site of the proteinase.
Strategies for building faculty research programs in institutions that are not research intensive.

Abstract Colleges and universities without the resources of research-intensive universities face a special challenge to support faculty research. If doctorally prepared faculty are to assume. leadership roles in developing nursing science, deans must be responsive to faculty members' individual and collective responsibility to be active researchers. This article describes efforts on the part of two nursing programs, one in a private and one in a public university, to create an environment that nurtures scholarship of nursing faculty members at these institutions. J Prof Nurs 18:140-146, 2002. Copyright 2002, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.
High School Teachers' Perceptions of Cyberbullying Prevention and Intervention Strategies.

Recent meta-analyses indicate that bully prevention programs produce minimal change in student behavior. This study examined 66 high school teachers' perceptions regarding the effect of cyberbullying on students, which intervening strategies teachers would use when dealing with cyberbullying, and which prevention strategies would assist in preventing cyberbullying. Almost one fourth of teachers indicated cyberbullying does not have long-lasting negative effects and that cyberbullying “prepares students for life.” Fewer than half of teachers favored implementing a formal cyberbully prevention program. Teachers perceived the following strategies as most helpful in addressing cyberbullying: increasing parental involvement, warning students about consequences for cyberbullying, and increasing consequences for cyberbullying. School administrators should consider teachers' perceptions before implementing prevention programs that target cyberbullying. Additionally, strategies should consider fostering greater teacher buy-in, thus improving intervention fidelity and creating a unified effort focused on decreasing student cyberbullying. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Graded compression ultrasonography in the assessment of the “tough decision” acute abdomen in childhood

The diagnosis of acute appendicitis in childhood is frequently difficult. In some situations the need to operate is clear, but in others the decisions may be much “tougher” because the clinical findings are equivocal. This is a retrospective study of a consecutive series of 253 children presenting with “acute abdominal pain? appendicitis” who had graded compression ultrasonography (GCUS) because the clinical scenario did not warrant immediate laparotomy. This represents 30% of all cases seen in the study period. The aim of the study was to examine the role of GCUS and a clinical scoring system (the Alvarado score) in patients in whom the diagnosis is uncertain.
A study of hardware-friendly methods for gradient domain tone mapping of high dynamic range images

A large class of techniques for image processing is based on manipulation of the gradient field of an image. These techniques have high computational complexity, due to the need to solve an inverse problem, taking the form of a Poisson equation, to find the output image that best matches a manipulated gradient field. This work studies hardware-friendly techniques, appropriate for implementation on a field-programmable gate array implementation and embeddable inside a camera, for approximating this solution. Fattal's operator for the dynamic range compression of high dynamic range images is studied as a representative example application. A family of methods, inspired by Fattal's operator but with significantly lower computational complexity, solves the inverse problem in a moving window of small size. In this paper, a study is conducted to understand the role that the boundary conditions and the size of the window play in the quality of the resulting output image and the size of the hardware. The impact of using single-scale and multi-scale approaches to compute the attenuation factors needed for Fattal's operator is also considered.
Inactivation of Human Immunodeficiency Virus by a Medical Waste Disposal Process Using Chlorine Dioxide

Objective: To study the ability of a medical waste disposal process using chlorine dioxide to inactivate human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV 1). Design: Stock HIV-1 (HTLV-IIIB strain) was treated with chlorine dioxide under the following settings: cell culture medium alone, culture medium with 25% blood, culture medium with medical supplies treated by the Condor machine (Winfield Environmental Corp., Escondido, CA). MT-2 cells in 96-well tissue culture plates were inoculated with serial tenfold dilutions of treated and untreated HIV-1. Cytopathic effect was read on day five, and the TCID 50 (50% tissue culture infectious dose) was calculated. Results: Treatment of HIV-1 with chlorine dioxide in culture medium alone resulted in a 5.25 log 10 reduction in TCID 50 . Treatment of HIV-1 with chlorine dioxide in the presence of 25% blood caused a 6.25 log 10 reduction in HIV-1 infectivity Treatment of HIV-1 with chlorine dioxide in the presence of medical supplies treated in the Condor machine resulted in a 4.75 log 10 reduction in HIV infectivity. Conclusions: Chlorine dioxide inactivated HIV-1 in vitro. Chlorine dioxide inactivated HIV-1 in the presence of blood and in the presence of medical supplies under conditions that simulated the conditions existing in the Condor machine.
Resident uncertainty in clinical decision making and impact on patient care: a qualitative study

Background: Little is known regarding how internal medicine residents manage uncertainty during decision making and subsequent effects on patient care. The aims of this study were to describe types of uncertainty faced by residents, strategies employed to manage uncertainty and effects on patient care. Methods: Using critical incident technique, residents were asked to recall important clinical decisions during a recent call night, with probes to identify decisions made during uncertainty. They were also asked to report who they approached for advice. Three authors independently coded transcripts using the constant comparative method. Results: The 42/50 (84%) interviewed residents reported 18 discrete critical incidents. Six categories emerged and mapped to the domains of the Beresford Model of Clinical Uncertainty: technical uncertainty (procedural skills, knowledge of indications); conceptual uncertainty (care transitions, diagnostic decision making and management conflict) and personal uncertainty (goals of care). In managing uncertainty, residents report a “hierarchy of assistance”, using colleagues and literature for initial management, followed by senior residents, specialty fellows and, finally, the attending physician. Barriers to seeking the attending physician’s input included the existence of a defined hierarchy for assistance and fears of losing autonomy, revealing knowledge gaps, and “being a bother”. For 12 of the 18 cases reported, patient care was compromised: delay in procedure or escalation of care (n = 8); procedural complications (n = 2); and cardiac arrest (n = 2). Conclusion: Resident uncertainty results in delays of indicated care and, in some cases, patient harm. Despite the presence of a supervisory figure, residents adhere to a hierarchy when seeking advice in clinical matters.
Dalbavancin: an investigational glycopeptide.

Glycopeptide antimicrobials have been a component of our therapeutic armamentarium for nearly 50 years. Although vancomycin, and more recently teicoplanin, have performed yeoman service over the years, the specter of bacterial resistance among Gram-positive aerobes has created doubts concerning how long they will continue to be useful antimicrobial agents. In an attempt to prolong the utility of the glycopeptides, efforts are underway to create new derivatives with improved pharmacologic and pharmacokinetic properties. One example of an improved glycopeptide from the pharmacokinetic perspective is dalbavancin (BI397) – a teicoplanin analog currently undergoing human testing. Elimination of this compound from the body occurs extremely slowly, with terminal disposition half-lifes of up to 200 h in healthy volunteers, thus allowing once-weekly dosing. Although not generally considered to be a potential alternative for the treatment of infections due to glycopeptide-resistant Gram-positive pathogens, dalbavan...
Evolution and Medicine

The potential impact of an evolutionary approach to medicine and public health is enormous, informing areas of research and providing predictions and guidance for novel interventions. Conversely, evolutionary researchers have much to gain from exploring human health data. This convergence of evolution and medicine has been called “Darwinian medicine” and “evolutionary medicine,” neither of which seems adequate to encompass the breadth and potential of the collaboration. The field has progressed substantially since the initial paper by Williams and Nesse (1991) and the book by Nesse and Williams (1994) Why We Get Sick, which provided a look at the evolutionary factors behind a variety of illnesses. Since then, researchers have applied an evolutionary approach to a broad range of health-related issues and successfully described many human phenotypes, both healthy and diseased, in terms of their evolutionary or ultimate causes. An overview of this work may be found in multi-authored volumes edited by Stearns and Koella (2007) and Trevathan et al. (2008), a special issue of PNAS (Stearns et al. 2010), and a recent textbook by Gluckman et al. (2009). The value of this insight cannot be overlooked in the ongoing battle with old and new pathogens, malfunctions of the human body such as cancer, and in addressing the health issues that plague industrial and post-industrial societies. For example, an evolutionary viewpoint is the only way to understand the spread of antibiotic resistance in bacteria and to develop effective methods for stopping or slowing it. Defining the evolutionary process of cancers is leading to new, more targeted approaches in cancer treatment. The obesity epidemic and associated metabolic syndromes may be best explained by the mismatch to modernity theory (Stearns and Koella 2008), an understanding that may lead to better prevention and treatment. An evolutionary approach to medical and public health problems can provide powerful insights and inspire novel solutions.
Multi-Resolution Bayesian Compressive Sensing for Cognitive Radio Primary User Detection

Current Cognitive Radios are limited in their operational bandwidth by existing hardware devices, much of the extensive theoretical work on spectrum sensing is impossible to realize in practice over a wide frequency band. To alleviate the sampling bottleneck, some researchers have begun to use a technique called Compressive Sensing (CS), which allows for the acquisition of sparse signals at sub-Nyquist rates, in conjunction with CRs. These researchers have sequentially combined the two techniques: first acquiring compressed samples, then reconstructing the Nyquist rate signal, and lastly performing CR spectrum sensing on the reconstructed signal. While CS alleviates the bandwidth constraints imposed by front-end ADCs, the resulting increase in computation/complexity is non-trivial, especially in a power-constrained mobile CR. In addition, the computation time of the signal reconstruction introduces significant delay into the spectrum sensing operation. This motivates us to look at different ways to reduce computational complexity while achieving the same goals. In this paper, we will demonstrate how utilizing a Bayesian Compressive Sensing (BCS) framework can achieve the sampling reduction advantage of Compressive Sensing with significantly less computational complexity. Our key observation is that the CR does not have to reconstruct the entire signal because it is only interested in detecting the presence of Primary Users. Our BCS PU detection algorithm takes advantage of this observation by estimating signal parameters directly from the compressed signal, thereby eliminating the reconstruction stage and reducing the computational complexity. In addition, the BCS framework provides a measure of the quality of estimation allowing the system to optimize its data acquisition process to always acquire the minimum number of compressed measurements, even in a dynamic spectral environment.
Myofibroblastoma of the Axilla

A mass in the axilla of a 47-year-old woman was biopsied and resected. The mass was composed of a loosely distributed population of spindle cells that were immunoreactive for smooth-muscle actin. Ultrastructurally, the cells possessed abundant endoplasmic reticulum, and some contained peripheral smooth muscle myofilaments, establishing that they were myofibroblasts. Mitotic activity was sparse, there was no cytologic atypia, and by flow cytometry the tumor was diploid with a low S phase. A diagnosis of myofibroblastoma was favored, although the possibility of a low-grade sarcoma could not be excluded. There has not been any indication of recurrence over a 4-month period of follow-up.
Gelation and internal dynamics of colloidal rod aggregates

Abstract The internal dynamics of fractal cluster gels of colloidal boehmite rods with aspect ratios r = 3.9 , 8.6, and 30.1, and colloidal polystyrene spheres ( r = 1 ) are reported. Increasing r decreases the minimum colloid volume fraction for gelation. The behavior of the dynamic structure factor of rod gels is consistent with the internal dynamics of a constrained Brownian fractal object. Colloidal boehmite gels display an abrupt transition from floppy to brittle dynamics at ϕ ∼ 10 −4 . Moreover, the fractal cluster size of rod gels is not the determinant of the relaxation time of density fluctuations as it is in spherical particle gels. Instead, the relative behavior of the magnitude and time scale of the constrained fluctuations suggests that the fractal rod network is viscously coupled only on local, rather than cluster, scales. We hypothesize that noncentral forces between the anisometric particles are responsible for this anomalous behavior.
Percutaneous retrogasserian glycerol rhizotomy for patients with idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia: a prospective analysis of factors related to pain relief.

Object. The goal of this study was to analyze prospectively factors associated with facial pain outcomes after percutaneous retrogasserian glycerol rhizotomy (PRGR) for patients with medically unresponsive idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia. Methods. Between July 1999 and December 2003, 98 patients underwent PRGR in the manner described by Hakanson. The mean patient age was 72.1 years and the average pain duration prior to PRGR was 8.6 years. Fifty patients (51%) had previously undergone surgery. In six patients (6%), the trigeminal cistern could not be defined and the procedure was aborted; six patients were lost to follow-up review. An excellent facial pain outcome was defined as the absence of facial pain without medications. Thirty-two (35%) of 92 patients either received no benefit (17 patients) or experienced recurrent pain (15 patients) and required additional surgery at a mean of 7.5 months after PRGR; the mean duration of follow-up review in the other 60 patients was 28.7 months (range 3–52 months)....
Evaluation of Litter Treatments on Salmonella Recovery from Poultry Litter

Evaluations were conducted to determine the efficacy of two litter amendments in reducing or eliminating Salmonella recovery from kiln-dried pine shaving based broiler litter. The litter had been exposed to one and three flocks of birds for Trials 1 and 2, respectively. Litter was placed at a 2-in. depth in 1-ft 2 baking pans and autoclaved. In Trial 1, the pans were inoculated with 100 mL of 10 4 cfu/mL nalidixic acid-resistant Salmonella typhimurium (NAL-SAL). In Trial 2, all pans were inoculated with 50 mL of 10 5 cfu/mL. In Trial 1, a granulated sulfuric acid litter treatment was applied at 100 and 150 lb/1,000 ft 2 . In Trial 2, a sodium bisulfate amendment, or a granulated sulfuric acid litter treatment, was applied at 25, 50, 75, and 100 lb/1,000 ft 2 . Samples were collected 24 h postinoculation and then enumerated on XLT 4 agar containing nalidixic acid. In Trial 1, the NAL-SAL control recovery rate was 4.4 log 1 0 per sample with zero recovery for the two rates of litter treatment. Litter pH for the control samples was 6.47. Litter treatment decreased the pH to 1.95 and 1.53 for the 100 and 150 lb/1,000 ft 2 rates, respectively. In Trial 2, control levels of NAL-SAL were 2.77 logic per sample. NAL-SAL levels increased to levels greater than those observed for the control at the litter treatment rate of 25 lb/1,000 ft 2 for both treatments. A treatment level of 100 lb/1,000 ft 2 was required for both litter treatments to decrease NAL-SAL to levels significantly different from the control. In Trial 2, the treatment of 100 lb/1,000 ft 2 decreased litter pH to 2.67 and 3.47, respectively, for the granulated sulfuric acid and sodium bisulfate treatments.
Dynamometer power output measurements of piezoelectric actuators

Piezoelectric bending actuators are an attractive option for driving microrobots due to their light weight, scalability, ease of integration and high bandwidth. However, the only existing energy or power output measurements for piezoelectric bending actuators have been extrapolated from DC values or unloaded AC values and are most likely overestimates. For microrobot applications such as flapping flight, accurate measures of power density are critical. In this work, to properly measure the energy output of a lOmg piezoelectric actuator, a custom dynamometer is designed and constructed to directly measure the power output at various frequencies and conditions. The dynamometer can simulate a pure resistive load at resonant frequencies from 1 to 100Hz. Due to low internal damping and fracture limits, actuators cannot be run in the matched condition at high fields (> 1 V/mum). Using the device, energy output per cycle at 1.6 V/mum was measured to be a maximum of 19.1 muJ/cycle (232 mum amplitude, 30Hz), giving a delivered energy density per cycle of 1.89J/kg. Internal actuator damping was measured at 1 V/mum to account for an energy loss of only 0.21muJ per cycle (232 mum amplitude, 30Hz).
Are Gangs a Substitute for Legitimate Employment? Investigating the Impact of Labor Market Effects on Gang Affiliation

SUMMARY This paper adds to the literature estimates of local labor market effects on gang participation. The local unemployment rate is a proxy for the availability of legitimate employment. I use data from the 1997 cohort of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY97) to model the probability of gang involvement. The effect of the local unemployment rate is statistically significant and positive. Robustness checks reveal gang participation of individuals less than sixteen years of age (the legal minimum age for most jobs) is not responsive to the local unemployment rate. However, the effect of the local unemployment rate on sixteen- and seventeen-year-olds is statistically significant and positive, which suggests juvenile gang participation depends on economic incentives. Gang participation among individuals with lower ASVAB scores is more sensitive to the local unemployment rate.
The nature of gender

I explain a biosocial model of women's gendered behavior (behavior on which the sexes differ). This model integrates a macro sociological theory with a biological theory derived from primate behavior. The sociological model is designed to explain changes in the relationship between sex and behavior over time or between groups. The biological model is designed to explain individual within-sex variance and between-sex variance in gendered behavior in a cohort. Results from an original study are presented to demonstrate that within-sex variance in women's gendered behavior is explained well by the primate model. I conclude that human nature is gendered. The implications of this conclusion are explored for demographic and other social science research.
Schemaless and structureless graph querying

Querying complex graph databases such as knowledge graphs is a challenging task for non-professional users. Due to their complex schemas and variational information descriptions, it becomes very hard for users to formulate a query that can be properly processed by the existing systems. We argue that for a user-friendly graph query engine, it must support various kinds of transformations such as synonym, abbreviation, and ontology. Furthermore, the derived query results must be ranked in a principled manner.In this paper, we introduce a novel framework enabling schemaless and structureless graph querying (SLQ), where a user need not describe queries precisely as required by most databases. The query engine is built on a set of transformation functions that automatically map keywords and linkages from a query to their matches in a graph. It automatically learns an effective ranking model, without assuming manually labeled training examples, and can efficiently return top ranked matches using graph sketch and belief propagation. The architecture of SLQ is elastic for "plug-in" new transformation functions and query logs. Our experimental results show that this new graph querying paradigm is promising: It identifies high-quality matches for both keyword and graph queries over real-life knowledge graphs, and outperforms existing methods significantly in terms of effectiveness and efficiency.
Technology forecasting using data envelopment analysis

The ability to anticipate future capabilities of technology products has broad implications for organizations. Technological forecasting allows management to improve resource allocation, make better staffing decisions, and more confidently plan facilities and capital expenditures. Technology forecasting may also identify potential new markets and opportunities, such as finding ways to exploit current technology beyond its originally intended purposes. Modern technology forecasters use an array of forecasting methods to predict the future performance of a technology, such as time-series analysis, regression, stochastic methods, and simulation. These quantitative methods rely on the assumption that past behavior will continue. Shortcomings include their lack of emphasis on the best technology available and the fact that they do not effectively address the dynamic nature of ever changing trade-off surfaces. This research proposes a new method to address the shortcomings of common forecasting techniques by extending a well-established management science methodology known as data envelopment analysis (DEA). This new method is referred to as Technology Forecasting with Data Envelopment Analysis (TFDEA). Three case studies are examined to determine the method's validity. The first case study is that of relational database system performance based upon industry benchmarks obtained from the Transaction Processing Performance Council (TPC). The results reveal that TFDEA provides a more accurate picture of the state of the art than basic regression. The second case study expands Moore's law to six dimensions, resulting in a more comprehensive assessment of microprocessor technology. The final case study re-examines hard disk drive data for the years 1994–1999 in order to evaluate the technological progress of multiple technological approaches presented in Christensen's The Innovator's Dilemma. Major contributions include both a new technology forecasting technique and an important extension of the temporal DEA methodology, which together offer a new and more comprehensive method for evaluating and forecasting technology.
Recall of indoor tanning salon warnings and safety guidelines among a national sample of tanners

Indoor tanning (IT) is a known carcinogen, and regulation has increased across the USA. However, there is minimal point-of-sale regulation for adult users. The purpose of the present study is to explore whether IT users recall being provided with warnings or safety guidelines at tanning salons. A national sample of 273 young adult, female IT users (mean age = 22.26, SD = 2.38) was surveyed regarding the frequency that they recalled being provided with six different warnings and safety guidelines when at tanning salons. Between 65 and 90.1 % of participants reported recalling the various warnings and guidelines. Having very fair skin was reported by 16.8 % of participants, and these high-risk individuals were less likely to recall having read and signed a consent form than other IT users (p = .002). The current level of regulation is insufficient to provide IT users with consistent warnings and safety guidelines at tanning salons.
Leading in the World of Business and Medicine: Putting the Needs of Customers, Employees, and Patients First

MR ERIC BECKER “Treat your customers like family: successful outcomes and kindness can go hand in hand.” When I was younger, my father was in business, and I would frequently accompany him on visits to various customers. Needless to say, I learned more by watching him interact with his customers than I ever did in any classroom or seminar, and the time I spent with my father has had an indelible impact on my own successes as an entrepreneur and investor. Perhaps the most important thing he ever taught me while on those visits was that in order to be successful it was important to treat your customers like family, and if you did that your customers would always be loyal to you and treat you like family. Although this might sound somewhat naive and simplistic in one sense, it proved to be quite true in my father’s case: when his business took a serious turn for the worse and it seemed as if he might have to declare bankruptcy, his customers and friends stood by him and provided their support, enabling the turnaround of his company through a series of loans which he eventually repaid in full. It was his commitment to his
Severe myocardial dysfunction induced by ventricular remodeling in aging rat hearts.

To determine if aging engenders alterations in the functional properties of the myocardium and ventricular remodeling, the hemodynamic performance and structural characteristics of the left ventric...
Supporting the Search for Final Scenarios by the Fuzzy-C-Means Algorithm

In scenario analysis we are looking for some consistent, but quite different pictures of the future concerning a given problem. Not just the pictures themselves but also the way from today to a forward-looking situation shall be explained. Agglomerative methods in classification are already used to find the right number of final scenarios and to determine the final scenarios themselves. Here we examine, whether these questions can better be answered with the help of fuzzy-c-means cluster algorithm or whether fuzzy classification results can support interpretation and decision making in that context.
The Convergence of Normalized Vehicular Rolling Friction Coefficient (Crr) by Dynamic High-Speed Imaging and Least Square Optimization Techniques

The paper describes a simple, small scale and low cost yet comprehensive approach to quantifying the Coefficient of Rolling Resistance/Friction (Crr) also known as the Rolling Resistance Coefficient in automobiles. Crr is usually defined as the amount of force required to overcome the hysteresis of the material during tire rotation, where reduced Crr tires can save 1.5–4.5% of automotive fuel consumption. Automotive Standards from the Society of Automotive Engineers use to quantify Crr namely SAE J2452 and SAE J1269 were briefly introduced. Methods of coast down and speed trap tests were conducted under varying body weighted conditions to find the coefficient value, where a high speed camera monitored the motion of the vehicle. The experiment produced different equations of motion which were then solved analytically by numerical analysis techniques to converge on the rolling friction coefficient. A scaled model was used to run dynamic tests and the Reynolds Number (Re) was used to establish a relationship between model and full scale vehicle velocities. Initial guesses in the least square optimization iterations provided coefficient values where drag forces were normalized by assuming constant drag coefficient (CD of 0.40) and then neglecting its contribution during vehicle motion due to the test model size, resulting in a mean Crr of 0.0116. The study results were compared with 3 studies and also against an automotive Crr model. Schmidt 2010 Dynatest Green Road report shares a high 43% error, while the National Academy of Sciences, 2006 and Research Article British Journal of Applied Science & Technology, 3(3): 609-625, 2013 610 Gillespie, 1992 yielded errors of 10.5% and 7.2%. The recent mathematical model of Ehsani 2009 yielded an average Crr value error of 2.3% (with individual test averages of 0.80%). Direct scaling and multiplying abilities were attributed for quantifying the normalized value in the study.
Can Roadside Vegetation and Soil Act As a Carbon Sink

Stormwater Control Measures (SCMs) have long been understood to clean and treat runoff, but these systems may provide additional ecosystem benefits not currently quantified. The main goal of this project was to determine carbon (C) sequestration potential of common roadside SCMs within the Piedmont and Coastal Plain eco-regions of North Carolina. Along highways vegetated filter strips (VFS) and vegetated swales (VS) or wetland swales (WS) work in conjunction to trap sediment bound pollutants associated with runoff from the roadway. The VFS/VS systems work well in the roadside environment since they are linear and easily border the roadway, additionally they require little maintenance. Roadside VFS/VS systems (ranging in age from 1 to 38 years) within two physiographic regions of NC were sampled to evaluate C accumulation within the soil. Based upon ArcGIS analysis, each site was identified and systematically sampled from May to July 2011. Twenty VFS/VS sites were established in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain region, respectively. An additional 20 wetland swale sites were also sampled in the Coastal Plain region, which allows a comparison between the dry swales and the WSs within the Coastal Plain. Age, regional (i.e. Piedmont versus Coastal Plain), position (sampling distance from roadway), depth, and swale characteristics (i.e. WS versus VS) effects upon C accumulation are being examined in this study.
Age cut-off for reporting endometrial cells on a Papanicolaou test: 50 years may be more appropriate than 45 years.

Objective The 2001 Bethesda System for Reporting Cervical Cytology includes documenting 'endometrial cells in women ≥40 years of age' (E40) to help identify endometrial carcinoma (EC) on a Papanicolaou (Pap) test. The 2014 Bethesda System for Reporting Cervical Cytology raises the threshold to ≥45 years of age (E45). As many of these women are menstruating, routine biopsy after E40, or even E45, may lead to unnecessary procedures for benign endometrial cells. Establishing a different age threshold in combination with other clinical findings may help to guide management. Methods A retrospective chart review was performed on consecutive EC specimens and E40 Pap tests. Clinical, pathological data such as age, biopsy diagnosis, FIGO grade and the time of the last Pap test, Pap test diagnosis and resection diagnosis, depth of invasion, stage and metastases were recorded. Results Sixty-three EC cases had prior Pap smears, with the following diagnoses: negative for an intraepithelial lesion or malignancy (n = 27), atypical glandular cells, not otherwise specified (AGC, NOS) (n = 14), adenocarcinoma (n = 10) and E40 (n = 1; 51 years). Six hundred and forty-two E40 cases had 138 (21.5%) biopsies and/or hysterectomies. Out of the 138 cases, two (1.4%) had EC (both 51 years; postmenopausal), one had complex hyperplasia with atypia (52 years; abnormal uterine bleeding), and eight had hyperplasia without atypia. Conclusions In asymptomatic women less than 50 years, E40 correlated with benign, non-hyperplastic endometrium. However, post-menopausal women with E40 had a risk of EC. Perhaps endometrial cells should only be reported in post-menopausal women or women greater than or equal to 50 years of age.
A technique for inferring zonal irregularity drift from single‐station GNSS measurements of intensity (S4) and phase (σφ) scintillations

The zonal drift of ionospheric irregularities at low-latitudes is most commonly measured by cross-correlating observations of a scintillating satellite signal made with a pair of closely-spaced antennas. The AFRL-SCINDA network operates a small number of VHF spaced-receiver systems at low-latitudes for this purpose. A far greater number of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) scintillation monitors are operated by the AFRL-SCINDA network (25-30) and the Low Latitude Ionospheric Sensor Network (35-50), but the receivers are too widely separated from each other for cross-correlation techniques to be effective. In this paper, we present an alternative approach that leverages the weak scatter scintillation theory to infer the zonal irregularity drift from single-station GNSS measurements of S4, σϕ, and the propagation geometry. Unlike the spaced-receiver technique, this approach requires assumptions regarding the height of the scattering layer (which introduces a bias in the drift estimates) and the spectral index of the irregularities (which affects the spread of the drift estimates about the mean). Nevertheless, theory and experiment suggest that the ratio of σϕ to S4 is less sensitive to these parameters than it is to the zonal drift. We validate the technique using VHF spaced-receiver measurements of zonal irregularity drift obtained from the AFRL-SCINDA network. While the spaced receiver technique remains the preferred way to monitor the drift when closely-spaced antenna pairs are available, our technique provides a new opportunity to monitor zonal irregularity drift using regional or global networks of widely separated GNSS scintillation monitors.
Civic Engagement Experiences of Students Preparing for Roles as Clinical Nurse Specialists.

Aim Clinical nurse specialist (CNS) students at an urban Midwestern university participated in a study to describe their satisfaction with civic engagement (CE) learning activities. Methods A descriptive and cross-sectional study design housed a faculty-developed CE learning module with four learning activities: (a) gaining interprofessional collaborative practice leadership experience in a mock incident command experience; (b) identifying, researching, and writing a legislative letter about an area of public and/or health policy concern; and (c) developing a professional online network LinkedIn account with experienced CNSs; (d) identifying potential mechanisms for achieving board membership on a civic or professional nursing organization. Faculty developed an online survey to determine student satisfaction through quantitative and qualitative data. Participants completed the survey at the end of the course. Results Satisfaction with CE learning activities ranged from a mean of 6.07 to 6.75 on a 7-point Likert scale, with higher scores indicating more satisfaction. The overall mean score for CE activities was 6.27 (SD = 0.61) and mean score for course objectives' satisfaction was 6.55 (SE = 0.70). Students reported high satisfaction with their learning as a result of the CE activities. Conclusions CNS students perceived high satisfaction with learning from the CE activities in this study.
The Biology of Melanoma

Melanoma is the most deadly form of skin cancer. Currently, the incidence of melanoma in the USA has been extrapolated to 76,690 per year and the incidence is rising. Although somatic mutations such as BRAF and NRAS mutations are crucial for melanomagenesis, the host and tumor microenvironmental factors are also critical to regulate melanoma initiation, melanoma cell intravasation, colonization of distant sites, and formation of macrometastasis. Targeting the tumor microenvironment may increase the antitumor activity of current therapies for melanoma.