cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Can Lawyers Find Happiness

Reviews literature on lawyers’ unhappiness. Posits that the opportunity to interact and help others is a source of job satisfaction for many lawyers. Autonomy and choice of assignments, as well as ability to take on creative tasks offer some respite from routine, formulaic work. Suggests ways to restructure legal education and practice and decrease the pressure of paying back student loans. Urges bar journals and law reviews to devote more pages to exploring workplace satisfaction.
Climate change in China: A study of news diversity in party-sponsored and market-oriented newspapers:

Chinese news publications potentially play a crucial role in mitigating global climate change. Presently, the majority of scholars treat the Chinese news media system as one single entity. We expec...
Racial differences in employment and cost-management behaviors in patients with metastatic breast cancer

Little is known about racial variations in the financial impact of cancer care. Using data from a national survey of racially diverse patients with metastatic breast cancer, we examined racial/ethnic patterns in employment and cost-management (i.e., financial coping) behaviors. We conducted an online survey of patients with metastatic breast cancer. Participants reported on socio-demographic characteristics, employment, and financial coping behaviors. We employed adjusted modified Poisson regressions to evaluate racial/ethnic differences in changes in work for pay and financial coping. Our analysis included 1052 respondents from 41 states, including Non-Hispanic Blacks (NHB, 9%), Hispanics (7%), Asians/Pacific Islanders/Native Hawaiians (API/NH, 10%), American Indians/Alaskan Natives (AI/AN, 8%), and Non-Hispanic Whites (NHW, 66%). In adjusted analyses comparing NHWs with patients of color, patients of color were more likely to take unpaid leave (NHB Adjusted Risk Ratio [ARR] = 2.27; 95% CI 1.54, 3.34), take paid leave (Hispanic ARR = 2.27; 95% CI 1.54, 1.29), stop work (AI/AN ARR = 1.22; 95% CI 1.05, 1.41), and reduce work hours (AI/AN ARR = 1.33; 95% CI 1.14, 1.57). Patients of color were more likely than NHWs to stop treatment (NHB ARR = 1.22; 95% CI 1.08, 1.39), borrow money from friends/family (Hispanic ARR = 1.75; 95% CI 1.25, 2.44), skip other medical bills (API/NH ARR = 2.02; 95% CI 1.54, 2.63), and skip non-medical bills (AI/AN ARR = 1.67 95% CI 1.06, 2.63). Non-Hispanic Whites more commonly reported using savings or skipping a vacation to help manage costs. Racial/ethnic differences exist in employment changes and financial coping among metastatic breast cancer patients, with patients of color experiencing worse consequences. Equity must be a guiding principle in strategies addressing financial burden during cancer care.
Formal Methods for Android Banking Malware Analysis and Detection

The Android operating system has been dominating the smart devices market in recent years. Smart home devices are populating our houses and smartphones are indispensable companions in daily life activities. In such a technological environment, the amount of data and user information shared across these devices is enormous and attractive for every malicious user. Consequently, developing good malware detection techniques is a crucial open problem to keep using these devices safely. This paper proposes the application of a formal methods based approach to detect banking malware in the Android environment. The experimental results are really promising, as demonstrated by the evaluation on real-world Android applications, where we reached precision and recall equal to 1.
Deliberation and Valence as Dissociable Components of Counterarguing among Smokers: Evidence from Neuroimaging and Quantitative Linguistic Analysis

Counterarguing is a key obstacle to successful persuasion. However, the difficulty of directly measuring counterarguing during message exposure limits knowledge of the underlying mechanisms. The cu...
Monte Carlo Calculations of the Detection Efficiency of Composite Scintillator Arrays for Fast and Moderated Neutrons, and for Gamma-Ray Spectroscopy

Fissionable materials can be distinguished from normal materials by their emission of fast neutrons and neutrons moderated by surrounding materials. Radioisotopes can often be identified by their gamma-ray spectra. In this work, we use the nuclear physics Monte Carlo package MCNP6.2 to compare the detection efficiencies of different detector designs for the triple-mode detection of fast and moderated neutrons, and gamma-ray spectroscopy. For each design, we tabulate the detection efficiencies for neutrons from 0.1 eV to 5 MeV and for the full absorption of gamma rays from 0.1 to 5 MeV. All designs use 100 scintillators 1 cm $\times $ 1 cm $\times $ 5 cm. Of these, 36 are Cs2 LiLaBr6:Ce (90% 6Li) (CLLB) and 64 are polyvinyl toluene (PVT). The first design uses separate arrays of $6\times 6$ CLLB and $8\times 8$ PVT scintillators. Three other designs are $10\times 10$ composite arrays using all 100 scintillators combined in different ways. PVT is a fast scintillator that can be used to detect fast neutrons by time-separated multiple proton recoils and discriminate against gammas. PVT in the three composite designs serves to moderate neutrons of all energies for capture by the 6Li in the CLLB. Gamma rays interact in the PVT and CLLB by Compton scattering and pair production; full energy absorption requires photoelectric absorption in the CLLB. The energy deposited by each gamma ray can be determined from a weighted sum of the CLLB and PVT signals from separate photodetectors. We find that for a fixed number of neutrons/cm2, one of the composite arrays has much higher 6Li detection efficiencies than the design that uses separate CLLB and PVT arrays, and has similar detection efficiencies for fast neutrons and gammas. We also find that in all cases, the average energy of the neutrons at capture by 6Li is well above the 25-meV thermal energy.
Insights into How Spinosad Seed Treatment Protects Onion From Onion Maggot (Diptera: Anthomyiidae)

Onion maggot, Delia antiqua (Meigen), is a serious pest of onion Allium cepa L. in northern temperate regions. Over the last decade, D. antiqua has been managed principally using a pesticide seed treatment package containing the reduced-risk insecticide spinosad. While spinosad protects onion seedlings from D. antiqua, very little is known regarding how protection occurs. The main objectives of this study were to assess susceptibility of 1- and 2-wk-old larvae to spinosad through two different modes of exposure: ingestion and contact, and to evaluate larval feeding behavior in choice and no-choice tests with onion seedlings grown from treated and untreated seeds. Results showed that spinosad was more than twice as lethal to 1-wk than 2-wk-old larvae when it was ingested, but was equally toxic to both larval ages via contact exposure. In choice assays, larvae preferred feeding on untreated plants; however, without a choice, larvae fed and survived equally well on untreated and treated plants, suggesting that spinosad may have a deterrent effect. In a field study, levels of spinosad within young onion plants and in the soil around roots were monitored in addition to the cumulative number of onion seedlings killed by D. antiqua. Spinosad was detected in the soil and in both aboveground and belowground plant tissue, indicating that spinosad translocates into foliage, but declines in plant tissue and soil as plant mortality from D. antiqua feeding increases. Together, these results provide valuable insight into how spinosad protects onion seedlings and reveal key areas in need of further investigation.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis: A Review.

Importance Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune-mediated neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system characterized by inflammatory demyelination with axonal transection. MS affects an estimated 900 000 people in the US. MS typically presents in young adults (mean age of onset, 20-30 years) and can lead to physical disability, cognitive impairment, and decreased quality of life. This review summarizes current evidence regarding diagnosis and treatment of MS. Observations MS typically presents in young adults aged 20 to 30 years with unilateral optic neuritis, partial myelitis, sensory disturbances, or brainstem syndromes such as internuclear ophthalmoplegia developing over several days. The prevalence of MS worldwide ranges from 5 to 300 per 100 000 people and increases at higher latitudes. Overall life expectancy is less than in the general population (75.9 vs 83.4 years), and MS more commonly affects women (female to male sex distribution of nearly 3:1). Diagnosis is made based on a combination of signs and symptoms, radiographic findings (eg, magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] T2 lesions), and laboratory findings (eg, cerebrospinal fluid–specific oligoclonal bands), which are components of the 2017 McDonald Criteria. Nine classes of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs), with varying mechanisms of action and routes of administration, are available for relapsing-remitting MS, defined as relapses at onset with stable neurologic disability between episodes, and secondary progressive MS with activity, defined as steadily increasing neurologic disability following a relapsing course with evidence of ongoing inflammatory activity. These drugs include interferons, glatiramer acetate, teriflunomide, sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor modulators, fumarates, cladribine, and 3 types of monoclonal antibodies. One additional DMT, ocrelizumab, is approved for primary progressive MS. These DMTs reduce clinical relapses and MRI lesions (new T2 lesions, gadolinium-enhancing lesions). Efficacy rates of current DMTs, defined by reduction in annualized relapse rates compared with placebo or active comparators, range from 29%-68%. Adverse effects include infections, bradycardia, heart blocks, macular edema, infusion reactions, injection-site reactions, and secondary autoimmune adverse effects, such as autoimmune thyroid disease. Conclusions and Relevance MS is characterized by physical disability, cognitive impairment, and other symptoms that affect quality of life. Treatment with DMT can reduce the annual relapse rate by 29% to 68% compared with placebo or active comparator.
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health, access to care, and health disparities in the perinatal period.

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic has affected mental health and created barriers to healthcare. In this study, we sought to elucidate the pandemic's effects on mental health and access to care for perinatal individuals. Methods This cross-sectional study of individuals in Massachusetts who were pregnant or up to three months postpartum with a history of depressive symptoms examined associations between demographics and psychiatric symptoms (via validated mental health screening instruments) and the COVID-19 pandemic's effects on mental health and access to care. Chi-square associations and multivariate regression models were used. Results Of 163 participants, 80.8% perceived increased symptoms of depression and 88.8% of anxiety due to the pandemic. Positive screens for depression, anxiety, and/or PTSD at time of interview, higher education, and income were associated with increased symptoms of depression and anxiety due to the pandemic. Positive screens for depression, anxiety, and/or PTSD were also associated with perceived changes in access to mental healthcare. Compared to non-Hispanic White participants, participants of color (Black, Asian, Multiracial, and/or Hispanic/Latinx) were more likely to report that the pandemic changed their mental healthcare access (aOR:3.25, 95%CI:1.23, 8.59). Limitations Limitations included study generalizability, given that participants have a history of depressive symptoms, and cross-sectional design. Conclusions The pandemic has increased symptoms of perinatal depression and anxiety and impacted perceived access to care. Self-reported increases in depression and anxiety and changes to healthcare access varied by education, race/ethnicity, income, and positive screens. Understanding these differences is important to address perinatal mental health and provide equitable care.
National Security, Personal Insecurity, and Political Conspiracies: The Persistence of Americans’ Beliefs in 9/11 Conspiracy Theories

The 2016 US presidential elections witnessed a resurgence of interest in conspiracy theories with the then candidate Donald Trump often airing allegations against his opponent, Hillary Clinton, that most political observers characterized as conspiracy theories. Notwithstanding such a characterization of his claims, Donald Trump’s election points to a wider acceptance or at least, tolerance, for conspiracy theories among a non-trivial section of the American population. A prime example of such an acceptance or tolerance of conspiracy theories is the enduring belief among a significant number of Americans that the terrorist attack on New York City on September 11, 2001 was an “inside job” that was either orchestrated or tacitly permitted by the administration of then President George W Bush. It is intellectually puzzling that belief in these theories persist even a decade after these attacks and despite these theories being adequately and scientifically debunked. To understand the factors associated with this belief, we undertook a sample survey of Americans living in the Philadelphia- New Jersey-New York area a decade after the 9/11 attacks. Results from our statistical analyses demonstrate a combination of political, socioeconomic, and psychological factors as being associated with the belief in 9/11 conspiracy theories.
Gray matter volumes discriminate cognitively impaired and unimpaired people with HIV.

Abstract Background Current diagnostic criteria of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) rely on neuropsychological assessments. The aim of this study was to evaluate if gray matter volumes (GMV) can distinguish people with HAND, neurocognitively unimpaired people with HIV (unimpaired PWH), and uninfected controls using linear discriminant analyses. Methods A total of 231 participants, including 110 PWH and 121 uninfected controls, completed a neuropsychological assessment and an MRI protocol. Among PWH, HAND (n = 48) and unimpaired PWH (n = 62) designations were determined using the widely accepted Frascati criteria. We then assessed the extent to which GMV, corrected for intracranial volume, could accurately distinguish the three groups using linear discriminant analysis. Sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio, area under the curve (AUC), and accuracy were computed for each model using the classification results based on GMV compared to the neuropsychological assessment. Results The best performing model was comprised of bilaterally combined GMV and was stratified by sex. Among males, sensitivity was 85.2% (95% CI: 66.3%–95.8%), specificity was 97.0% (95% CI: 91.6%-99.4%), and the AUC was 0.91 (95% CI: 0.83–0.99). Among females, sensitivity was 100.0% (95% CI: 83.9%–100.0%), specificity was 98.8% (95% CI: 93.4%-100.0%), and the AUC was 0.99 (95% CI: 0.98–1.00). Conclusions GMV accurately discriminated HAND from unimpaired PWH and controls. Measures of GMV may be highly sensitive to HAND, and revisions to the Frascati criteria should consider including GMV in conjunction with a neuropsychological assessment to diagnose HAND.
SEM/EDX and Raman Chemical Imaging of Pharmaceutical Tablets: A Comparison of Tablet Surface Preparation and Analysis Methods

Abstract A better understanding of a pharmaceutical tablet’s microstructure has the potential to unlock the black box between material attributes, process parameters and the critical quality attributes. Microstructure determination requires measuring the spatial-, particle size-distributions (absolute and relative) of the ingredients, and the void space, which is the overt goal of chemical Imaging (CI). Reliable quantitative results can be obtained by imaging multiple layers per tablet, with each layer having a minimal surface roughness. This study utilized scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDX) and Raman chemical imaging (RCI) to provide a comparative discussion of results obtained when determining the microstructure of commercial zinc sulfate tablets, using three methods of tablet surface preparation: scoring & hand-fracturing, microtoming, and grating. A description of the working principles of the measurement and surface preparation methods is followed by a comparison of microstructure (particle size distribution and homogeneity of distribution) using chemical images. A comparison of the general advantages and disadvantages of SEM/EDX and RCI and the common errors in analyzing microstructure are also discussed. The results indicate that in addition to selecting the correct tablet surface preparation method, chemical imaging method, and the subsequent microstructural analyses method, correct problem formulation is also critical.
Super-Resolution Using Sub-Band Self-Similarity

A popular approach for single image super-resolution (SR) is to use scaled down versions of the given image to build an internal training dictionary of pairs of low resolution (LR) and high resolution (HR) image patches, which is then used to predict the HR image. This self-similarity approach has the advantage of not requiring a separate external training database. However, due to their limited size, internal dictionaries are often inadequate for finding good matches for patches containing complex structures such as textures. Furthermore, the quality of matches found are quite sensitive to factors like patch size (larger patches contain structures of greater complexity and may be difficult to match), and dimensions of the given image (smaller images yield smaller internal dictionaries). In this paper we propose a self-similarity based SR algorithm that addresses the abovementioned drawbacks. Instead of seeking similar patches directly in the image domain, we use the self-similarity principle independently on each of a set of different sub-band images, obtained using a bank of orientation selective band-pass filters. Therefore, we allow the different directional frequency components of a patch to find matches independently, which may be in different image locations. Essentially, we decompose local image structure into component patches defined by different sub-bands, with the following advantages: (1) The sub-band image patches are simpler and therefore easier to find matches, than for the more complex textural patches from the original image. (2) The size of the dictionary defined by patches from the sub-band images is exponential in the number of sub-bands used, thus increasing the effective size of the internal dictionary. (3) As a result, our algorithm exhibits a greater degree of invariance to parameters like patch size and the dimensions of the LR image. We demonstrate these advantages and show that our results are richer in textural content and appear more natural than several state-of-the-art methods.
Fairness and Good Faith as a Precept in the Law of Corporations and Other Business Organizations

In my first class, teaching Business Organizations at Notre Dame, I had an unsettling experience. This was at a time when opposition to the Vietnam War was running high, and many students were radicalized. Just as I began to offer a perspective on the course, a student raised his hand and essentially announced: “I am opposed to this class and do not like being here.” As a young professor, this was not exactly how I thought my teaching experience would begin. As I tried to recover my aplomb, I asked why, and he replied that he was a communist. I responded that, if that were the case, he must be a person who was concerned about people and values; he replied affirmatively. This gave me my opening, and I responded: “Business Organizations is about values—ethical values and economic values—so you should appreciate this course.” Let us explore the foregoing premise. Matters like fairness, good faith, loyalty, conflicts of interest, and other fiduciary duty concerns implicate ethical values. But persons who engage in unethical behavior generally do not do so for the fun of it. Their motivations generally involve money or power and, thus, a course in Business Organizations also deals with economics, broadly defined as what people are seeking to accomplish, why they are so motivated, and what procedures they employ. The law is not just a set of rules. Unless the rules are in basic accord with the community’s sense of values, they will not be respected. People instinctually believe that the law, in general, should be fair. Should the same not be true for the law affecting business organizations? For some reason, the answer to this question may not be as obvious. Consider another student vignette. One day, my wife arrived at the law school to meet me for lunch after class. As the students were filing out of the classroom, she heard one student remark: “Can you believe that guy? What’s all this stuff about fairness? I want
Methodology for Dynamic Data-Driven Online Flight Capability Estimation

United States. Air Force Office of Scientific Research. Dynamic Data-Driven Application Systems Program (Grant FA9550-11-1-0339)
Verification of vibration data in electromachine systems using neural-network software

Verification of vibration data in electromachine systems using neural network software is described. Due to a number of factors, the data are often corrupted and therefore it has been usually verified by a visual inspection. The developed neural networks were trained to screen out glitched and clipped waveforms. Satisfactory results were obtained, indicating the feasibility of neural networks for vibrational diagnostics. >
Ultrasound-Guided Botulinum Toxin Type A Salivary Gland Injection in Children for Refractory Sialorrhea: 10-Year Experience at a Large Tertiary Children's Hospital.

Abstract Background Sialorrhea is problematic for neurologically impaired children, and botulinum toxin A salivary gland injection has been reported as effective in reducing sialorrhea. This article assesses the success and safety of ultrasound-guided weight-based botulinum toxin A injection for the management of sialorrhea in children. Methods A total of 111 patients (63 males; 48 females; average age 7 years) with refractory sialorrhea were treated with ultrasound-guided botulinum toxin type A salivary gland injections (144 procedures) from July 1, 2004, to July 1, 2014, using a single weight-based protocol. Patient history, procedural records, and clinical follow-up documents were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical data were compared with reported effectiveness and complications using odds ratios. Results A total of 144 procedures were performed in 111 patients with refractory sialorrhea. Cerebral palsy was the most common underlying etiology for sialorrhea (29%), whereas others included encephalopathy (5%), anoxic brain injury (4%), and a variety of chromosomal anomalies (5%). There was a 100% technical success rate. Overall treatment effectiveness was 68%. Repeat injections were not associated with increased clinical success. No procedure-related deaths or major complications were identified; the minor complication rate was less than 2%. Conclusions The protocol used for ultrasound-guided injection of botulinum toxin A proved to be safe and effective in children suffering from sialorrhea. Image guidance technique may lead to a reduction in rates of adverse events reported in other series. Subsequent procedures do not improve upon initial efficacy.
Involvement of α2-Adrenoreceptors and G Proteins in the Modulation of Platelet Secretion in Response to Streptococcus sanguis

In the presence of plasma, human platelets secrete the contents of their dense granules and then aggregate in response to certain strains of Streptococcus sanguis. After 2 to 5 min of incubation with streptococci, platelets from fast-responding donors will begin to aggregate. Slow responders aggregate after a longer delay. Platelets may secrete after a short (fast responder) or long (slow responder) delay because of differences in the basal levels or responses to potentiating catecholamines. To test this hypothesis in vitro, endogenous basal catecholamine levels in platelets and plasma from fast and slow responders were analyzed by HPLC with electrochemical detection. The total basal concentration of epinephrine in platelets plus plasma was fourfold higher in fast responders, with the platelet compartment showing the greatest difference. The basal affinity of α2-adrenoreceptors in platelets from both groups was similar when estimated using a specific antagonist, [3H]-yohimbine. Platelets from all donors s...
Bottom water export from the western Ross Sea, 2007 through 2010

Bottom water export from the Ross Sea, February 2007 to January 2011, exhibits seasonal and interannual variability. Temperature minima coupled to salinity maxima in late austral summer, into the fall, indicate input from High-Salinity Shelf Water (HSSW). Secondary temperature minima lacking the high-salinity trait, characteristic of Low-Salinity Shelf Water (LSSW), appear in the spring. Warmer bottom water similar to modified Circumpolar Deep Water (mCDW) is observed in winter and in early summer. The LSSW and mCDW may be drawn from the Drygalski Basin, as the HSSW pool retreats poleward from the shelf break in response to increased winter polar easterlies allowing these less dense overlying waters to spill into the deep ocean within the benthic layer. Bottom salinity decreased from 2007 to 2011 by 0.007 year−1 significantly higher than regional decadal trends, which we propose is a result of HSSW retreat induced by strengthening polar easterlies.
Identification of the MLL2 Complex as a Coactivator for Estrogen Receptor α

A novel estrogen receptor (ER)alpha coactivator complex, the MLL2 complex, which consists of MLL2, ASH2, RBQ3, and WDR5, was identified. ERalpha directly binds to the MLL2 complex through two LXXLL motifs in a region of MLL2 near the C terminus in a ligand-dependent manner. Disrupting the interaction between ERalpha and the MLL2 complex with small interfering RNAs specific against MLL2 or an MLL2 fragment representing the interacting region with ERalpha significantly inhibited the ERalpha transcription activity. The MLL2 complex was recruited on promoters of ERalpha target genes along with ERalpha upon estrogen stimulation. Inhibition of MLL2 expression decreased the estrogen-induced expression of ERalpha target genes cathepsin D and to a lesser extent pS2. In addition, MCF-7 cell growth was also inhibited by the depletion of MLL2. These results demonstrate that the ERalpha signaling pathway is critically dependent on its direct interaction with the MLL2 complex and suggest a central role for the MLL2 complex in the growth of ERalpha-positive cancer cells.
The Trimethylamine Methyltransferase Gene and Multiple Dimethylamine Methyltransferase Genes of Methanosarcina barkeri Contain In-Frame and Read-Through Amber Codons

ABSTRACT Three different methyltransferases initiate methanogenesis from trimethylamine (TMA), dimethylamine (DMA) or monomethylamine (MMA) by methylating different cognate corrinoid proteins that are subsequently used to methylate coenzyme M (CoM). Here, genes encoding the DMA and TMA methyltransferases are characterized for the first time. A single copy of mttB, the TMA methyltransferase gene, was cotranscribed with a copy of the DMA methyltransferase gene,mtbB1. However, two other nearly identical copies ofmtbB1, designated mtbB2 and mtbB3, were also found in the genome. A 6.8-kb transcript was detected with probes to mttB and mtbB1, as well as tomtbC and mttC, encoding the cognate corrinoid proteins for DMA:CoM and TMA:CoM methyl transfer, respectively, and with probes to mttP, encoding a putative membrane protein which might function as a methylamine permease. These results indicate that these genes, found on the chromosome in the ordermtbC, mttB, mttC, mttP, and mtbB1, form a single transcriptional unit. A transcriptional start site was detected 303 or 304 bp upstream of the translational start of mtbC. The MMA, DMA, and TMA methyltransferases are not homologs; however, like the MMA methyltransferase gene, the genes encoding the DMA and TMA methyltransferases each contain a single in-frame amber codon. Each of the three DMA methyltransferase gene copies from Methanosarcina barkeri contained an amber codon at the same position, followed by a downstream UAA or UGA codon. The C-terminal residues of DMA methyltransferase purified from TMA-grown cells matched the residues predicted for the gene products of mtbB1,mtbB2, or mtbB3 if termination occurred at the UAA or UGA codon rather than the in-frame amber codon. ThemttB gene from Methanosarcina thermophilacontained a UAG codon at the same position as the M. barkeri mttB gene. The UAG codon is also present in mttBtranscripts. Thus, the genes encoding the three types of methyltransferases that initiate methanogenesis from methylamine contain in-frame amber codons that are suppressed during expression of the characterized methyltransferases.
Modeling of a Fuel Cell Hybrid Electric Vehicle

This paper explains the method by which a small “Neighborhood” fuel cell hybrid electric vehicle (FCHEV) was modeled using Matlab/Simulink and validated using National Instruments Data Acquisition equipment and a chassis dynamometer. The vehicle is a modified four-passenger Global Electric Motorcar (GEM), which was designed for city or neighborhood operation where maximum speed limits do not exceed 35 mph. The stock 72-Volt shunt wound GE motor is powered by six 12-Volt Trojan lead-acid batteries. The vehicle was converted to a FCHEV by integrating a Ballard Nexa™ fuel cell module and a Spectrodyne Systems DC-DC converter. These devices act as a constant current range extending supplemental power source. The goals of the creation of the model include predicting motor and battery performance while driving under transient conditions and predicting the range of the vehicle while using one or several fuel cell stacks.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Reduced incidence of ventricular ectopy with a 4F Halo catheter during pediatric cardiac catheterization.

Catheter-induced ventricular ectopy can limit assessment of contractility or anatomy. We compared the incidence of ventricular ectopy in infants and children undergoing left ventriculography using a 4F Halo catheter or a 4F pigtail catheter. For each group, 17 patients had 19 ventriculograms. Iopamidol 76% was used for each study. There was no statistical difference between the Halo and pigtail groups (mean ± SEM) for age (16.2 ± 3.8 vs. 12.9 ± 1.8 mo), weight (8.1 ± 1.0 vs. 8.0 ± 0.7 kg), gender, left ventricular end diastolic pressure (9.6 ± 1.1 vs. 9.8 ± 1.3 mm Hg), catheter location in the ventricle, or volume of contrast (1.31 ± 0.06 vs. 1.35 ± 0.06 cc/kg). The Halo group had a more rapid injection rate (1.42 ± 0.15 vs. 0.99 ± 0.10 cc/kg/sec, P 1 beat (1 vs. 10 studies, P < 0.002), and ventricular couplets or tachycardia (1 vs. 9 studies, P < 0.008). The 4F Halo catheter is associated with less ventricular ectopy than a 4F pigtail catheter and should be considered for use during pediatric catheterization. Cathet. Cardiovasc. Diagn. 43:55–57, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Light scattering of semitransparent sintered polytetrafluoroethylene films

Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is a strongly scattering material and has been regarded to have optical properties similar to biological tissues. In the present study, the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) and the bidirectional transmittance distribution function (BTDF) of several PTFE films, with thicknesses from 0.11 to 10 mm, are measured using a laser scatterometer at the wavelength of 635 nm. The directional-hemispherical reflectance (R) and transmittance (T) were obtained by integrating BRDF and BTDF for normal incidence. Comparison of the ratio of the measured R and T with that calculated from the adding-doubling method allows the determination of the reduced scattering coefficient. Furthermore, the effect of surface scattering is investigated by measuring the polarization-dependent BRDF and BTDF at oblique incidence. By analyzing the measurement uncertainty of BTDF in the near-normal observation angles at normal incidence, the present authors found that the scattering coefficient of PTFE should exceed 1200 cm−1, which is much greater than that of biological tissues. On the other hand, the absorption coefficient of PTFE must be less than 0.01 cm−1, much smaller than that of biological tissues, a necessary condition to achieve R0.98 with a 10-mm-thick slab.
Managing stress in health social work roles today.

Stress on social workers in health settings is of increasing professional interest and concern. This article suggests individual and system sources of such stress and outlines pathways for nurture of the authentic and creative self in health careers. Replenishing measures include empowerment through teamwork, stress management techniques, consciousness raising to alter self defeating cognitions, and activities within and outside the setting to enrich defition and use of self.
Osmotic stability of bacterial protoplasts related to molecular size of stabilizing solutes

Abstract The solute requirements for osmotic stabilization of bacterial protoplasts have puzzled many investigators. Weibull (1956) concluded from his work with Bacillus megaterium protoplasts that “the stabilization phenomenon can hardly be explained in exclusively osmotic terms.” Membrane permeability appears to play a major role in the phenomenon ( Mitchell and Moyle, 1956a , Mitchell and Moyle, 1956b ), and solutes that can readily penetrate the protoplast membrane, e.g., glycerol, do not serve as stabilizers. Other solutes that enter the cell by respiration-coupled mechanisms, e.g., sucrose and aminoisobutyrate, serve as stailizers for nonrespiring protoplasts but not for respiring ones ( Weibull, 1955 , Weibull, 1956 ; Marquis and Gerhardt, 1964 ). Further, solutes vary widely in regard to their effective osmolalities ( Weibull, 1955 ), and noncolligative properties appear to be important for stabilization. This report presents evidence, derived from experiments with mono-, di-, tri- and tetra-saccharides, that molecular size is an important factor in the stabillizing capacity of sugars for nonresporing protoplasts. Sugars with larger molecular radii were found to be more effective stabilizers, and this finding was interpreted as an indication that the protoplast membrane may be perforated with small, aqueous channeis.
Chronic gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist treatment suppresses ovulation and sexual behavior in group-living female rhesus monkeys.

Abstract The sexual behavior of six adult rhesus females was observed with each of four males prior to, during, and following a 90 day treatment with 20 μg/day of a gonadotropin releasing-hormone (GnRH) agonist (WY-40972). All females ovulated, approached males and copulated during an untreated cycle. No ovulations occured during agonist treatment and all females showed reduced sexual interest during the last 25 treatment days. Three females showed elevated estradiol and copulated during the first 10 days of agonist treatment, but never showed similar levels of estradiol or copulation during the rest of treatment. Within 34 days after agonist treatment, all females initiated proximity to males, copulated, and ovulated. All females became pregnant on their second ovulation after agonist treatment. This demonstration that inhibition of ovulation with a GnRH agonist decreased rhesus female sexual initiation, demonstrates the importance of ovarian hormones to female sexual motivation and suggests that the changes in human female sexual interest should be evaluated during the development of agonist-based contraceptives.
Strategies for early melanoma detection: Approaches to the patient with nevi

Given its propensity to metastasize and the lack of effective therapies for most patients with advanced disease, early detection of melanoma is a clinical imperative. Although there are no noninvasive techniques for the definitive diagnosis of melanoma, and the "gold standard" remains biopsy with histologic examination, a variety of modalities may facilitate early melanoma diagnosis and the detection of new and changing nevi. This article reviews the general clinical principles of early melanoma detection and various modalities that are currently available or on the horizon, providing the clinician with an up to date understanding of management strategies for their patients with numerous or atypical nevi. Learning objective After completing this learning activity, participants should understand the clinical importance of early melanoma detection, appreciate the challenges of early melanoma diagnosis and which patients are at highest risk, know the general principles of early melanoma detection, be familiar with current and emerging modalities that may facilitate early melanoma diagnosis and the detection of new and changing nevi, know the advantages and limitations of each modality, and be able to practice a combined approach to the patient with numerous or clinically atypical nevi.
MANAGING WILDLIFE WITH CONTRACEPTION: WHY IS IT TAKING SO LONG?

Abstract: Biologists have been testing wildlife contraceptives in the field for nearly a half century. Although effective new contraceptive agents have been identified, new delivery technologies developed, and some success with population management demonstrated, progress in this area should be further along. Why is it taking so long? First, the task is complex. Most drugs and vaccines fail in development. The technical leaps from in vitro to in vivo, from controlled studies to field studies, from effectiveness in individuals to management of populations, are all formidable and frequent failures are inevitable. Testing the long-acting contraceptives required for successful population management demands experiments that take 3–5 yr to complete. Development of wildlife contraceptives has been further hampered by the lack of large-scale investment and the complex and shifting regulatory landscape that often greets novel enterprises. But there has also been focused resistance to the implementation of wildlife...
Specialization versus diversification in venture capital investing

Purpose – Modern portfolio theory demonstrates that a well‐diversified portfolio will minimize unsystematic risk. It may be impractical to achieve a well‐diversified portfolio of venture capital (VC) investments due to market imperfections, leading to the decision to specialize. The purpose of this paper is to determine the implications of choosing a strategy of specialization versus diversification in venture investing.Design/methodology/approach – Using a dataset of US VC funds across a 20‐year time period, this paper verifies that there has been a tendency for venture capitalists to pursue a specialization strategy in both industry and stage of development of portfolio firms. A multivariate two‐limit tobit model is constructed to determine the effects of these decisions on venture success rates.Findings – It is found that venture capitalists that diversify across portfolio company stage of development have greater success in bringing companies public and exiting their investments via acquisition. Indus...
Teaching neurology residents in the outpatient setting

Objective: To determine how residency programs are responding to the shift of neurological practice into the outpatient setting. Design: A nine-item questionnaire was sent to the directors of all US neurology residency programs. Each item had two parts, the first describing the current program, and the second describing an "ideal" program designed to optimize resident education. The same questionnaire was also sent to all house officers and faculty associated with a single residency program to assess variability in perceptions. Setting: United States neurology residency programs (mail survey). Participants: Directors of neurology residency programs and all house officers and faculty members at a single residency program. Results: Eighty-one (70%) of the 116 questionnaires distributed were returned. There were four areas of general consensus among the program directors: (1) more time should be devoted to outpatient care during residency training; (2) more continuity at the resident level should be provided for patients seen in subspecialty clinics; (3) faculty should provide more supervision of residents when they see follow-up patients; and (4) conferences specifically directed at outpatient management issues should be developed. Conclusions: Neurology residency directors agree that current approaches to teaching in the outpatient setting fall short of an educationally ideal system. Four areas of perceived deficiency have been identified. Creative solutions will be necessary to correct these perceived deficiencies.
A photographic reinforcement analysis of neurotubules and cytoplasmic membranes.

The technique of photographic reinforcement has begin applied with positive results to neurotubules, synaptic vesicles, and mitochondrial cristae. Reinforcement occurred at periods of 12, 13, and 14 for neurotubules, 13 for synaptic vesicles, and 9 for the cristae. Other membrane systems gave negative results. Criteria for validity of the technique are presented and the possible significance of such point structure is discussed in each instance.
A biaxial split Hopkinson bar for simultaneous torsion and compression

A biaxial split Hopkinson bar which operates in simultaneous compression and torsion is described. The device utilizes torsional stress waves generated by release of a stored torque and compressive waves generated by mechanical impact of a long rod onto a loading bar. The torque is released by capacitive discharge explosion of a thin foil in a holding adhesive joint. The two stress waves travel in opposite directions toward a specimen sandwiched between two rods, arriving at the specimen within 10 μsec of each other. The machine is used on specimens of compact bone, and it is found that plastic deformation without fracture can be achieved under the combined dynamic torsion and compression, whereas it seldom occurs under either of these loading modes alone.
Comments on cubic equations of state based upon the infinite pressure limit

Abstract We examine a recently proposed modification to equations of state of the Van der Waal's type that involves using an infinite pressure limit of the equation to derive new mixing rules for the attractive term parameter. Results on some example systems including both vapor-liquid and solid-supercritical fluid equilibria show that the proposed modification does not appear to enhance the equation over its conventional one-fluid form. It appears that the fundamental inadequacy of the repulsive force term in such equations, for dense fluids, cannot be easily overcome by added complexity for the attractive term expression. Hard sphere reference systems on the other hand provide a more accurate repulsive force term.
The World is Dead and Cooking's Killed It: Food and the Gender of Memory in Samburu, Northern Kenya

What is frequently construed as women's special relationship to food has provided an important entry point for gender into studies of social memory. Although such studies offer important insights into the relationship of food, femininity, and memory in the Euro-American contexts upon which they often focus, masculine aspects of food-centered memory have received far less attention, despite their importance in many non-Western settings. Focusing here on Samburu pastoralists in northern Kenya, I examine how a shift from a diet oriented around livestock products to one dominated by purchased agricultural foods forms a potent arena of collective memory, particularly in contrasting present forms of masculinity with historically validated and remembered ones. Most importantly, the new-found emphasis on cooking presented by agricultural foods, “foods of the pot,” disrupts social boundaries that are fundamental to patterns of respect that define the most masculinized of Samburu men, the age-grade of bachelor-warr...
miR-181b is a biomarker of disease progression in chronic lymphocytic leukemia

MicroRNAs play a crucial role in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. We investigated whether microRNAs can discriminate patients with a progressive disease from patients with a stable disease. We analyzed microRNA expression on leukemic cells isolated from 358 sequential samples of 114 patients with either stable or progressive disease. We found that during the course of the disease the expression values of miR-181b, the most dysregulated microRNA, decreased in samples of patients with a progressive (P < .001, training and validation sets) but not in samples of patients with a stable disease (P = .3, training set; P = .2, validation set) over time. A drop of ≥ 50% between sequential samples and/or a miR-181b value ≤ 0.005 at the starting time point were significant to differentiate progressive from stable disease (P = .004, training set; P < .001, validation set). These parameters were associated with high risk of requiring treatment (risk ratio, 5.8; 95% confidence interval, 2.5-14.9). We also observed that miR-181b targets Mcl-1 protein and that the decrease of its expression inversely correlated with increased protein levels of MCL1 and BCL2 target genes. We conclude that parameters defined on the basis of the miR-181b expression values specify disease progression in chronic lymphocytic leukemia and are associated with clinical outcome.
The impending transformation of public choice scholarship

As such economists as Ludwig Lachmann (1986), G.L.S. Shackle (1972), and Jack Wiseman (1989) have stressed, we cannot have knowledge of the future but only opinions or beliefs that themselves are based on knowledge we presently possess. However firmly we might believe in the veracity of our present knowledge, statements about future circumstances can only be conjectural acts of imagination. Moreover, any effort to project the character of a field of study a quarter-century into the future will inescapably reflect a good bit of the forecaster’s hopes, and most surely will not represent the ruminations of some impartial, depersonalized forecaster.
Stability Analysis of a Model for the Defect Structure of YBa2Cu3Ox

Unusual microstructures of YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub {ital x}} (123) crystals have been observed. These structures have been shown to pass very high transport currents. A model of the solidification of 123 from a melt with Y{sub 2}BaCuO{sub 5} (211) inclusions indicates that the stability of the 123 interface can depend on the sizes of the 211 inclusions. The observed formations are interpreted in the light of this instability. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}
Patterned Growth of Vertically Aligned Carbon Nanotubes on Pre-patterned Iron/Silica Substrates Prepared by Sol−Gel and Shadow Masking

The sol−gel technique has been used to prepare film-like iron/silica substrates for the large-scale growth of highly aligned carbon nanotubes. Here, we show that by using transmission electron micr...