cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Low-Income Homeownership: Does It Necessarily Mean Sacrificing Neighborhood Quality to Buy a Home?

ABSTRACT: Questions have been raised about the wisdom of low-income homeownership policies for many reasons. One potential reason to be skeptical: low-income homebuyers perhaps may be constrained to purchase homes in disadvantaged neighborhoods. This is a potential problem because home purchases in such neighborhoods: (1) may limit appreciation; (2) may reduce quality of life for adults; and (3) may militate against reputed advantages of homeownership for children. Our study examines the neighborhood conditions of a group of 126 low-income homebuyers who purchased their first home with assistance from the Home Ownership Program (HOP) operated by the Denver Housing Authority. Our approach is distinguished by its use of a comprehensive set of objective and subjective indicators measuring the neighborhood quality of pre-move and post-move neighborhoods. Do low-income homebuyers sacrifice neighborhood quality to buy their homes? Our results suggest that the answer to this question is more complex than it might at first appear. On the one hand, HOP homebuyers purchased in a wide variety of city and suburban neighborhoods. Nonetheless, a variety of neighborhood quality indicators suggest that these neighborhoods, on average, were indeed inferior to those of Denver homeowners overall and to those in the same ethnic group. However, our analyses also revealed that their post-move neighborhoods were superior to the ones they lived in prior to homeownership. Moreover, very few HOP destination neighborhoods evinced severe physical, environmental, infrastructural, or socioeconomic problems, as measured by a wide variety of objective indicators or by the homebuyers' own perceptions. Indeed, only 10% of HOP homebuyers perceived that their new neighborhoods were worse than their prior ones, and only 8% held pessimistic expectations about their new neighborhoods' quality of life. Finally, we found that Black homebuyers fared less well than their Latino counterparts, on average, in both objective and subjective measures.
Fallacies in the Textual Analysis of the Communibiological Literature

As a result of Nelson's (2004) textual analysis of the communibiological literature, he concluded that the motive of the scholars contributing to the literature was the desire for status. In this essay, I expose the fallacious nature of Nelson's analysis and raise questions about the approach he employed.
The chemistry of fuel reprocessing: Present practices, future trends

The chemistry of reprocessing, the recovery and purification of plutonium from uranium and fission products produced in the fuel of a nuclear reactor, was surveyed and is described. Reprocessing presented unique chemical problems because of the intense radioactivity, the extreme degree of separation required, and the diversity of elements present. These challenges were met, and improved processes have evolved with time. After 50 years, improvements are still being introduced into the classical solvent extraction processes. In the future, integration of process steps across the entire fuel cycle and increased attention to waste management and environmental considerations are anticipated.
Predator cues and an herbicide affect activity and emigration in an agrobiont wolf spider.

Animals use chemical cues for signaling between species. However, anthropogenic chemicals might interrupt this natural chemical information flow, with potential impacts on predator–prey interactions. Our goal was to explore how Buccaneer® Plus, a common herbicide similar to Round-up® (active ingredient glyphosate), affected the interactions between intraguild predators. The wolf spider Pardosa milvina (Hentz, 1844) is numerically dominant in agricultural systems across the eastern United States, and often falls prey to or competes with the larger wolf spider, Hogna helluo (Walckenaer, 1837) and/or the carabid beetle, Scarites quadriceps (Chaudoir, 1843). We tested the effects of chemical cues from these intraguild predators and exposure to herbicide on the activity, emigration, and survival of P. milvina using a full-factorial laboratory experiment. Both predator cues and herbicide led to a decrease in movement by P. milvina. However, although H. helluo cues alone decreased movement, S. quadriceps cues only decreased movement when combined with herbicide. These results indicate that predation risk and herbicide application likely interact in complex ways to affect the movement of a major arthropod predator in agricultural systems, and thus may have complex effects on the food web.
Barriers to Implementation of Skin-to-Skin Care

Poster Presentation Objective To determine the perceptions of perinatal nurses of barriers to implementation of skin-to-skin care (SSC) in the acute care setting. Design Quantitative, descriptive, correlational study. Setting Two Northern California hospitals that have committed to breastfeeding and SSC with similar delivery rates and geographical location, but different Baby-Friendly certification status. Sample The sample consisted of 76 labor and delivery and neonatal intensive care unit registered nurses from the two medical centers. Methods Nurses were anonymously surveyed using a 20-question Likert-style survey developed by the researcher. The survey's reliability was established by performing a pilot study of ten perinatal nurses. Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient was applied with a result of a .76 reliability coefficient, indicating that the survey would reflect fine discriminations in the levels of the construct. The Mann-Whitney U test was applied to the sample with further calculations of z and p values to determine significance of responses. Results Using standard values to reject the null hypothesis, calculations revealed that 15 of the 17 nondemographic questions demonstrated a more favorable response to the implementation of SSC per Baby-Friendly standard from nurses employed at the Baby-Friendly certified facility. Conclusion/Implications for Nursing Practice As hospitals make a commitment to assist mothers with successful breast feeding, additional research is needed to examine the effect of nursing culture on this goal. We examined hospital practices, procedures, and routines that affect SSC and ultimately the question Does having a Baby-Friendly Hospital Certification affect the nursing culture on the perinatal unit ? Our results hold implications for facilities attempting to implement SSC and change practice from task-oriented to evidenced-based nursing care. By first evaluating the nursing culture, educators can implement training specific to the needs of the group they serve. Any successful attempt to promote evidence-based practice must consider research that addresses barriers and facilitators to the adoption of the practice by nurses. Therefore, identifying barriers should be considered a primary step in implementing evidence-based practice changes.
microRNA Regulation of Synaptic Plasticity

microRNAs play an important role in regulating synaptic plasticity. For example, microRNAs target (and are targeted by) plasticity mediators such as CREB, MECP2, and FMRP. As well, specific microRNAs have been shown to be expressed within dendrites, where they regulate protein translation of targets mediating dendritic growth. Components of the RISC machinery have been implicated in long-term memory in Drosophila. Here, we review evidence from studies of adult mouse forebrain supporting a model wherein synaptic stimulation (above a threshold value) increases calcium within dendritic spines, activates calpain, and activates and releases dicer from the postsynaptic density. Dicer processes local pre-miRs into mature miRNAs that are incorporated into RISC complexes within or near the dendritic spine, and that bind available target mRNAs in the vicinity. These may repress protein translation under resting conditions, yet permit a phasic burst of translation to occur transiently following subsequent synaptic activity. Loaded RISC complexes that are not bound to local mRNAs may serve to bind and trap mRNAs that are being transported down dendrites. Thus, locally formed microRNAs may mark the location of previously activated synapses and perform a type of synaptic tagging and capture.
Temperature dependence of the energy gap and resonant enhancement of the Raman cross-section in CdCr2Se4

Abstract The 154 cm-1 Raman line in the ferromagnetic (Tc = 130°K) semiconductor CdCr2Se4 has been studied using a Nd3+YAG laser (hΩL = 1.16 eV). The CdCr2Se4 energy gap varies with temperature from 1.0 → 1.2 eV. The magnitude of the Stokes line was measured as a function of temperature and lifted using a theory that assumes parabolic bands.
Nonlinear dynamical law governs magnetic field induced changes in lymphoid phenotype.

The results of many different types of animal and human studies dealing with the biological effects of exposure to low frequency electromagnetic fields (EMFs) have consistently been both positive and negative. We addressed the question of why this pattern had occurred so commonly in biological studies involving exposure to EMFs and hypothesized that it stemmed from the prevalent use of a linear model to characterize what are inherently nonlinear input-output relationships. The hypothesis was tested by analyzing biological data using a novel statistical procedure that could be adjusted to detect either nonlinear or linear effects. The reliability of the procedure was established using positive and negative controls and by comparison with the results obtained from sampling a known nonlinear system. In four independent experiments, male and female mice were exposed continuously to 0.1 or 0.5 mT, 60 Hz, for 175 days, and the effect on 20 immune parameters was measured using flow cytometry and functional assays. In each experiment, EMF exposure resulted in statistically significant changes in lymphoid phenotype when and only when the response of the animals to the fields was analyzed as if it were governed by nonlinear laws. Our results suggest that the pattern of inconsistency in the EMF bioeffects studies is an artifact resulting from an incorrect choice of the conceptual model for the relation between the field and the biological effect it causally determines.
Verification of post permanently manned configuration Space Station elements

An account is given of the techniques and ground systems designed to fulfill post permanently manned configuration (PMC) Space Station verification tasks. Consideration is given to analysis using computer math models and computer-aided interface verification systems, testing using simulators and interface mixtures, and special inspection. It is noted that an initial Space Station design that accommodates and facilitates verification is crucial to an effective verification program as well as proper instrumentation, built-in test capability, and a precise configuration management, control and record system. It is concluded that post PMC verification should be accounted for both in the initial Space Station design and in the subsequent development of initial assembly flight verification techniques and capabilities.
Involvement of inducible nitric oxide synthase in the inflammatory process of myocardial infarction

Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), which catalyzes the reaction of L-arginine to L-citrulline and nitric oxide (NO), plays an important role in immune-mediated cardiac disorders. The present report summarizes and discusses findings on the induction of NOS in myocardial infarction of rabbits. iNOS was significantly increased in infarcted myocardium 48 h after coronary artery ligation. The effect persisted for 14 days and declined thereafter. Immunohistochemical localization revealed macrophages as a major source of iNOS expression; iNOS expression was also present in infarcted human myocardium. Increased iNOS activity appeared to be related to the induction of apoptosis in infiltrating macrophages and cardiomyocytes. Moreover, preferential inhibition of iNOS by S-methylisothiourea sulfate (SMT) resulted in significant improvement of left ventricular performance and increased regional myocardial blood flow. These findings suggest that selective inhibition of iNOS activity may provide a therapeutic strategy in cardiac disorders such as myocardial infarction.
High-resolution MRI vessel wall imaging in varicella zoster virus vasculopathy

Contrast-enhanced vessel wall imaging high-resolution MRI (HRMR) has revealed vessel wall thickening and enhancement in multiple intracranial vasculopathies, including varicella zoster virus (VZV) vasculopathy. We retrospectively reviewed a database of patients with virologically-verified VZV vasculopathy, who underwent initial and follow-up HRMR between April 2011 and May 2014. Six patients were identified. Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics were collected, including stroke risk factors, history of VZV-related disorders, neurological presentation, course and antiviral treatment. Initial HRMR in patients with VZV vasculopathy demonstrated various patterns of stenosis, vessel wall thickening and enhancement, predominantly in terminal internal carotid artery segments and the M1 segment of the middle cerebral arteries. Follow-up HRMR showed improvement of stenosis, with reduced vessel wall thickening and enhancement at multiple times after treatment. HRMR has the potential to assist in diagnosis and treatment of VZV vasculopathy.
Environmental control of teleost reproductive cycles: a brief review

Reports concerned with the environmental regulation of teleost reproductive cycles are critically reviewed. Photoperiod and temperature have been the most frequently studied environmental factors with respect to control of sexual cycling. Photoperiod may exert the dominant regulatory role in the salmonid family, but few species have been examined so no conclusive statement is presently possible. Both photoperiod and temperature may be important controlling factors in the cyprinid family, but inadequate controls prohibit meaningful interpretation. Temperature may be extremely important in regulating reproductive cycles in the cyprinodontiform fishes. Although the data are inconclusive, it appears that changes in daylength play some role in reproductive cycling in the gasterosteids. Photoperiod and temperature seem to interact in regulating the sexual cycles in the 2 periform species investigated. It is concluded that short term laboratory studies may lead to erroneous statements concerning the importance of exogenous factors in controlling annual reproductive cycles. Although photoperiod has been credited as the dominant environmental regulatory factor in many previous investigations, photoperiodism seems to be temperature sensitive in a majority of the teleost species studied. Responsiveness to exogenous factors appears to depend on the gonadal condition of the beginning controls (effects vary with season). Considerable variation is seen in the reproductive timing mechanisms among the teleosts and few generalizations can be made with regard to phylogenetic, geographic or ecological relationships of the fishes studied.
Analytically Modelling Mean Wind and Stress Profiles in Canopies

An analytical model for mean wind profiles in sparse canopies (W. Wang, Boundary-Layer Meteorol 142:383–399, 2012) has been further developed, with (1) an explicit solution being derived, and (2) a linear term being added to the \(K\)-closure scheme to improve the shear-stress parametrization when the contribution of non-local transport is significant. Results from large-eddy simulations and from laboratory experiments are used to evaluate the model and adjust model parameters, showing that the model can well simulate canopy wind and stress profiles not only for sparse-canopy scenarios, but also for dense-canopy scenarios. The analytical solution converges exactly to the standard surface-layer logarithmic wind profile in the case of zero canopy density, and tends to an exponential wind profile for a dense canopy.
Fast Strong Planning for FOND Problems with Multi-root Directed Acyclic Graphs

We present a planner for addressing a difficult, yet under-investigated class of planning problems: Fully Observable Non-Deterministic planning problems with strong solutions. Our strong planner employs a new data structure, MRDAG (multi-root directed acyclic graph), to define how the solution space should be expanded. We further equip a MRDAG with heuristics to ensure planning towards the relevant search direction. We performed extensive experiments to evaluate MRDAG and the heuristics. Results show that our strong algorithm achieves impressive performance on a variety of benchmark problems: on average it runs more than three orders of magnitude faster than the state-of-the-art planners, MBP and Gamer, and demonstrates significantly better scalability.
Shear-wave splitting : A diagnostic tool to monitor fluid pressure in geothermal fields

An experiment on the uses of shear-wave splitting as an imaging tool in fracture-controlled geothermal reservoirs was conducted at Krafla, Iceland. Fifteen days after the beginning of the seismic recording the injection was stopped for eleven days and then restarted, a sequence designed to determine whether shear-wave splitting measurements can detect the transient response of the subsurface crack system to changes in fluid pressure. It was observed that time delays between the fast and slow split shear waves changed significantly and promptly with the stoppage and resumption of injection. Large time delays occurred only during injection, decreased substantially during the stoppage phase, and increased again as injection restarted. Comparisons of these results with similar observations at the Coso geothermal field in California strongly suggest that the time delay of split shear waves can be a useful proxy to monitor fluid pressure in the cracks and changes in crack density.
A Layout Designer's Data Projection Reticle

The designer's projection reticle is a modified surplus weapons sighting device consisting of a 3.5 cm diameter, 8.9 focal length coated objective lens. It is placed 1.5 cm in front of a clear flat glass plate on which the aluminized reflective pattern has been deposited. Reflected light passes through the objective lens, off the front surface of the coating, and off the rear coated surface of the objective lens. Several reticle patterns have been designed and tested, and other patterns are in the planning stage. The device may be used for a variety of applications including determining the optimum locations on a cockpit panel for luminous warning indicators requiring rapid manual responses.
An artificial intelligence approach to the 1994 AUVS Unmanned Ground Robotics Competition

This paper describes the artificial intelligence (AI) approach taken by the CSM team to the Second Annual AUVS International Unmanned Ground Robotics Competition held in Rochester, Michigan, May 20-22, 1994. Using this approach, the CSM entry Omnibot won first place for the six student team members. The AI approach relied on a reactive architecture to decompose the robot's functions into a set of reflexive behaviors, and the principle of action-oriented perception to guide the design of each individual behavior and its relationship to the others. The major contribution of this paper is a case study of a successful reactive behavioral design for an autonomous mobile robot.
The Cape Ann, Massachusetts Earthquake of 1755: A 250th Anniversary Perspective

Th e earthquake of November 18, 1755, was experienced over a wide area along the East Coast of North America. It caused considerable damage to masonry chimneys and walls in eastern Massachusetts, eastern New Hampshire, and southern Maine. A reexamination of the felt reports, immediate aft ershocks and modern seismicity indicate that the most likely epicenter was about 40 km ENE of Cape Ann, Massachusetts, within a cluster of recent earthquake epicenters. Based on the attenuation of MMI with epicentral distance, the Lg-wave magnitude of the earthquake was about M Lg 6.2, corresponding to a moment magnitude of M 5.9. From analyses using modern groundmotion attenuation relations, conversions from MMI, and estimations from the number and severity of damaged chimneys, it is estimated that in Boston this earthquake caused peak ground accelerations of about 0.08 g–0.12 g on soil sites, while the 5%-damped response spectral value at a period of 0.3 sec in Boston may have been as small as 0.09 g or as large as 0.21 g. Th e Boston ground-motion estimates in this study correspond approximately to the 5% in 50 yr ground motions on the 1996 and 2002 USGS National Seismic Hazard Maps.
Branching morphogenesis: Rac signaling “PIX” tubulogenesis. Focus on “Pak1 regulates branching morphogenesis in 3D MDCK cell culture by a PIX and β1-integrin-dependent mechanism”

branching morphogenesis mechanisms are regulated during organogenesis, tissue maintenance, and repair ([17][1]). We are also beginning to understand the broad influence of these morphogenesis signaling mechanisms during physiological processes and disease progression. Branching morphogenesis
Nuclear-spectroscopy based, first-generation, computerized tomography scanners

A number of inexpensive, nuclear-spectroscopy-based, first-generation, computerized tomography (CT) scanners have been built to satisfy most Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) CT inspection requirements. The authors describe these CT scanners in detail and discuss their advantages and disadvantages when compared to the more common and more recent current-integration-based scanners. The major advantage of nuclear-spectroscopy-based scanners is that they can be used to determine all internal, spatially distributed, effective-atomic-number and density map within the object. It is also shown, how these scanners can be used to acquire meaningful chemical information for nondestructive characterization of materials and dimensional information for evaluating assembled components. >
Spectral and physical characterization of the inverted terminal repeat DNA structure from adenoassociated virus 2

An oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) that includes elements found in secondary structures at the 5'- and 3'- ends of adenoassociated virus 2 virion DNA was synthesized by ligation of three overlapping ODNs. The most stable secondary structure was calculated to be branched, with a 61 bp duplex stem, terminating in a three-way junction with 9 bp arms. The electrophoretic mobility of the ODN is slower than expected for normal duplex DNA of the same size, suggesting a bent or branched conformation. CD spectra indicate that the ITR structure is largely B form DNA, although there is a slight blue shift compared to the spectra of the isolated stem and loop elements. Thermal melting experiments indicate that the hairpin is significantly more stable than the isolated stem and loop elements. Singular value decomposition of UV spectra obtained as a function of temperature indicates that four species contribute to changes in the spectra upon denaturation, indicating that the melting is not a simple two-state process. Characterization of the branched ODN by differential scanning calorimetry permits estimation of the enthalpy of melting by a model-free analysis, yielding DeltaHcal= 614 kcal mol-1. This value agrees with the enthalpy computed for the most stable secondary structure.
Bayesian ML Sequence Detection for ISI Channels

We propose a Bayesian technique for blind detection of coded data transmitted over a dispersive channel. The Bayesian maximum likelihood sequence detector views the channel taps as stochastic quantities drawn from a known distribution and computes the probability of any transmitted sequence by averaging over the tap values. The resulting path metric requires memory of all previous symbols, and hence a tree-based algorithm is employed to find the most likely transmitted sequence. Simulation results show that the Bayesian detector can achieve bit error rates within 1/4 dB of the conventional known-channel maximum likelihood (ML) sequence detector.
Dual mode nonlinear adaptive control and stabilization of an elastic robotic arm

Control of elastic robotic systems with rotational joints is considered. The control system design treats the large joint-angle maneuver problem separately from the terminal stabilization problem. First, a nonlinear adaptive control law is derived such that in the closed-loop system the joint-angles are precisely controlled to track reference trajectories. Once the joint angle enters the vicinity of the desired terminal value, a stabilizer designed using a linear model of the arm is switched to accomplish the final capture of the desired state. Extensive simulation results showed that in the closed-loop system accurate trajectory tracking and elastic mode stabilization can be accomplished. >
Properties of endogenous, membrane-associated sialidase activity (N-acetylneuraminidase) of the goldfish visual system.

The endogenous sialidase (N-acetylneuraminidase) activity of membranes prepared from goldfish retina and optic tectum displays characteristics similar to those reported for neural plasma membrane sialidases of other organisms. Endogenous membrane sialidase activity was found to be optimal at pH 4.0, and maximal release was obtained at 37–50°C, above which temperature thermal instability of the preparations was observed. Optic nerve crush, which results in regeneration of retinal ganglion cell axons, did not result in significant changes in measured endogenous membrane sialidase activity in either the retina or the optic tectum. Enzymatic hydrolysis of membrane sialoglycolipid (ganglioside) accounted for about 70% of the total sialic acid released. Ganglioside GM1 accumulated as the major lipid product in both retina and tectum, indicating that the inner sialosylgalactosyl linkage in the ganglio oligosaccharide series was resistant to hydrolysis by the endogenous enzyme.
Vapor-liquid equilibrium calculations for concentrated polymer solutions

The free-volume theory of polymer solutions initiated by Prigogine and developed by Flory and Patterson is reduced to practice. This theory, which represents a substantial improvement over the older theory of Flory and Huggins, facilitates calculation of solvent activities in polymer solutions from a minimum of experimental binary data. However, it is necessary to characterize each pure component with three molecular parameters which can be obtained from PVT data; such data, unfortunately, are often unavailable. Nevertheless, using reasonable approximations based on Bondi's correlations as needed, molecular parameters are given for 22 solvents and for 16 polymers. Binary parameters are given for 20 systems. Illustrative examples are presented.
A Distributed Computing Infrastructure for the Evaluation of Climate Models Using NASA Observational Data

We describe and motivate an emerging distributed data analysis environment for the empirical evaluation of climate models. This work has several components, including: model scoring, initialization and parameterization, all of which require massive amounts of NASA observational data. Though the effort is in its nascence, there has been recent success in partnering with the DOE Earth System Grid to unify data from NASA’s AIRS mission and model outputs available from the Program for Climate Model Diagnosis and Intercomparison (PCMDI).
Developments in the scientific understanding of osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is often a progressive and disabling disease, which occurs in the setting of a variety of risk factors – such as advancing age, obesity, and trauma – that conspire to incite a cascade of pathophysiologic events within joint tissues. An important emerging theme in osteoarthritis is a broadening of focus from a disease of cartilage to one of the 'whole joint'. The synovium, bone, and cartilage are each involved in pathologic processes that lead to progressive joint degeneration. Additional themes that have emerged over the past decade are novel mechanisms of cartilage degradation and repair, the relationship between biomechanics and biochemical pathways, the importance of inflammation, and the role played by genetics. In this review we summarize current scientific understanding of osteoarthritis and examine the pathobiologic mechanisms that contribute to progressive disease.
Moxifloxacin for the Treatment of Acute Exacerbations of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Background/purpose The significant impact of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) is now recognized. This recognition has led to increased efforts to provide evidence-based, appropriate treatment of AECOPD, to minimize its negative impact. This article reviews the bacterial etiology of AECOPD and clinical trials (both placebo-controlled and antibiotic comparison trials) that support the use of antibiotics for AECOPD, with an emphasis on the role of newer fluoroquinolones for the treatment of patients with this condition. A discussion of patient stratification that permits identification of those who require initial aggressive antibiotic therapy is presented. Main findings Among the treatment modalities for exacerbations, the role and choice of antibiotics is hotly debated. Current evidence supports the use of antibiotics in the treatment of AECOPD, because bacterial pathogens cause approximately half the exacerbations, and because empirical antibiotics have a significant benefit in most exacerbations. Several recent investigations have aided in the development of a rational antibiotic strategy for AECOPD. These include outcome studies that have identified patients who are likely to have a poor outcome of their exacerbation and, therefore, are candidates for aggressive initial antibiotic therapy. Studies of the new fluoroquinolone agents have shown superior short- and long-term clinical results among patients with AECOPD who are at risk of a poor outcome. Conclusions Theoretical concerns about the emergence of resistance to the fluoroquinolones dictate not only the appropriate use of these drugs but, also, the use of the most-potent agents available in this class, to sustain their usefulness over time. Such selected use of the new fluoroquinolones balances individual benefit with societal concerns regarding the use of these agents for the treatment of AECOPD.
To what extent does a corporate information unit impact upon the company in which it is based

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss the extent to which the impact of the information unit (IU) is felt within the parent organisation.Design/methodology/approach – The paper opted for mixed methods approach combining two survey methods: a quantitative questionnaire with a follow‐up set of qualitative interviews.Findings – The IU was felt to have an impact; however, the definition of impact was very difficult to pin down. There is a need to promote the work of the IU.Research limitations/implications – Because of the chosen research approach, the research results may not be replicable. Additionally, there is a risk of researcher bias.Practical implications – The paper could be used to help study impact in other special libraries.Originality/value – This paper seems to be unique in studying the impact of a corporate library using this approach. It will be of use to other corporate librarians and possibly those looking at mixed methods.
Anaerobic heat production of bivalves (Polymesoda caroliniana andModiolus demissus) in relation to temperature, body size, and duration of anoxia

Anaerobic heat-production rates of two co-occurring species of estuarine bivalves (a clam and a mussel) were measured with double-twin heat-flow calorimeters, one at 20°C, the other at 30°C. There is no significant difference between the two species in metabolic rates. There is evidence of initial aerobic metabolism in some individuals, as shown by high initial rates exponentially decreasing with time, while others had fluctuating but stable average metabolic activity from the beginning. During aerobic as well as anaerobic metabolism, the bivalves showed rhythmic periods of activity and quiescence. The two species differed in their rhythmic pattern of active and resting metabolism. In the case ofPolymesoda caroliniana, periods of resting metabolism tend to be longer and periods of active metabolism shorter at 30°C than at 20°C. There is a similarity between thermograms ofModiolus demissus at 20° and 30°C. Following acute temperature changes from 5° to 20° and 30°C, the bivalves showed stable metabolic rates in a matter of hours. The stabilized average rates [pooled averages for both species of 1.34×10-4 (standard error of the mean=0.17×10-4) W g-1 dry weight of tissue at 20°C and 2.10×10-4 (SE=0.20×10-4) W g-1 at 30°C] signify a temperature coefficient (Q10) of 1.56 between 20° and 30°C, or partial temperature acclimation. Subtracting heat production as a result of physical activity, i.e., considering only resting metabolism, the corresponding means and standard errors of the means are 1.24×10-4 and 0.14×10-4 W g-1 at 20°C and 1.91×10-4 and 0.077×10-4 W g-1 at 30°C. Anaerobic heat production rate at 20°C is proportional to body size (r=0.84, 9 degrees of freedom, DF). ForM. demissus, measured anaerobic heat production is on the order of 7.5% of the level of aerobic respiration reported in the literature.
Indoleamine 2,3-diooxygenase in periaortic fat: mechanisms of inhibition of contraction.

Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) metabolizes l-tryptophan to l-kynurenine, promotes immunosuppression, and has been described as a consumer of superoxide. We discovered IDO expression in periaorti...
Ant Assemblage on a Coffee Farm: Spatial Mosaic Versus Shifting Patchwork

Competition has been recognized as a major organizing process in ant communities, with ant communities frequently forming spatial mosaics of dominant species associated with subdominants. Often, species exhibit tradeoffs in their ability to discover versus dominate resources, suggesting a mechanism for coexistence. Here we describe spatial patterns of dominant ants in two sites within a coffee plantation. Ants were sampled for three consecutive years by using tuna baits set on a grid on the ground and on coffee bushes. In addition, so as to determine which species discovered baits first and which species dominated baits, a separate experiment was set up where baits were observed every minute for 2 hr. The relative abundance of species followed a power law, with coefficients of determination ranging from 92 to 97% explanation. At site I the terrestrial community is dominated by two species, Pheidole synanthropica Longino and Pheidole protensa Wilson, whereas at site II the community exhibits codominance of four species: P. synanthropica, P. protensa, Solenopsis geminata F., and Pheidole 1 group. The spatial pattern formed by these species is distinct for each of the sites, both in terms of generalized appearance and dynamic stability. The terrestrial foraging ants at site I do not maintain a fixed mosaic over time. In contrast, at site II ants maintain a fixed mosaic. The arboreally foraging ants reflect, to some extent, the pattern of the terrestrial foragers. A possible interpretation of these results is that dominant ants at site I contain competitive intransitivities that generate a changing mosaic, whereas dominant ants in site II are organized in a competitive hierarchy that generates a fixed mosaic.
Kind of Litter and Breast Blisters on Broilers

Abstract AS A by-product of the production of corn for grain, more than 12,000 tons of corn cobs are produced annually in Sussex County, Delaware. The major economic use for these cobs is as litter in broiler houses. For a number of years corn cobs have been considered satisfactory and many farmers preferred them to other kinds of litter. Increased competition from other broiler producing areas has resulted in a greater emphasis on quality in the Delmarva area. Some of the buyers concluded that the use of corn cob litter resulted in more breast blisters on broilers. Few, if any, tests were conducted to verify the accuracy of this conclusion. One or two buyers were reported to have offered less for broilers grown on corn cob litter and in some cases they refused to bid on these flocks. Several feed dealers who had been using corn cob litter in their broiler …
CODA: congestion detection and avoidance in sensor networks

Event-driven sensor networks operate under an idle or light load and then suddenly become active in response to a detected or monitored event. The transport of event impulses is likely to lead to varying degrees of congestion in the network depending on the sensing application. It is during these periods of event impulses that the likelihood of congestion is greatest and the information in transit of most importance to users. To address this challenge we propose an energy efficient congestion control scheme for sensor networks called CODA (COngestion Detection and Avoidance) that comprises three mechanisms: (i) receiver-based congestion detection; (ii) open-loop hop-by-hop backpressure; and (iii) closed-loop multi-source regulation. We present the detailed design, implementation, and evaluation of CODA using simulation and experimentation. We define two important performance metrics (i.e., energy tax and fidelity penalty) to evaluate the impact of CODA on the performance of sensing applications. We discuss the performance benefits and practical engineering challenges of implementing CODA in an experimental sensor network testbed based on Berkeley motes using CSMA. Simulation results indicate that CODA significantly improves the performance of data dissemination applications such as directed diffusion by mitigating hotspots, and reducing the energy tax with low fidelity penalty on sensing applications. We also demonstrate that CODA is capable of responding to a number of congestion scenarios that we believe will be prevalent as the deployment of these networks accelerates.
Thermal performance of power packages-single-inline package as a case study

The authors focus on the experimental results obtained from thermal resistance measurements made on 23 lead single-in-line (SIP-23) power packages. The experimental techniques employed in making the measurements are reviewed followed by a presentation of the experimental results. A generalized discussion is included of the effects of the various parameters on the package's thermal performance. These results are compared to other similar power packages such as the TO-218 and TO-220 discrete device packages. Some simple empirical models which may be of value to system designers are included. >
Total cervical spondylectomy for primary osteogenic sarcoma: Case report and description of operative technique

The authors describe a technique for total spondylectomy for lesions involving the cervical spine. The method involves separately staged anterior and posterior approaches and befits the unique anatomy of the cervical spine. The procedure is described in detail, with the aid of radiographs, intraoperative photographs, and illustrations. Unlike in the thoracic and lumbar spine--for which methods of total en bloc spondylectomy have previously been described--a strictly en bloc resection is not possible in the cervical spine because of the need to preserve the vertebral arteries and the nerve roots supplying the upper limbs. Although the resection described in this case is by definition intralesional, it is oncologically sound, given the development of effective neoadjuvent chemotherapeutic regimens for osteosarcoma.
Reliability of high-end flip-chip package with large 45nm ultra low-k die

The ultra low-K (ULK) dielectric material employed in 45 nm process technology is more porous and brittle than low-K dielectric used in prior generations. This paper looks into the effects of packaging materials on the reliability of a 42.5 times 42.5 mm flip-chip package assembled by a 20 times 20 mm ULK daisy chain die with 180 mum bump pitch and organic build-up thin-core substrate. Underfill materials with low Tg and high modulus, high Tg and high modulus, and high Tg and low modulus have been evaluated. In addition the effects of die thickness were studied. Finite element modeling, room temperature coplanarity, component-level and board-level temperature cycling tests have been used to study the different underfill materials and die thicknesses. Results show that room temperature warpage, propensity for ULK delamination, and solder joint reliability were significantly affected by the underfill properties.
Oral Care Interventions in Critical Care: Frequency and Documentation

• BACKGROUND No data have been collected to describe the products, methods, and frequency of oral care needed to reduce dental plaque, oral colonization, and ventilator-associated pneumonia in critically ill patients. • OBJECTIVES To describe the frequency of use of oral care interventions reported by nurses in several intensive care units in a large southeastern medical center. • METHODS Staff members completed a written survey describing their oral care practices, and oral care interventions were recorded from the unit’s flow sheet for the previous 24 hours for all patients at 5 randomly selected times during 1 month. • RESULTS Most respondents (75%) reported providing oral care 2 or 3 times daily for nonintubated patients, and 72% reported providing care 5 times daily or more for intubated patients. However, oral care was documented on the unit’s flow sheet a mean of 1.2 times per patient. Reported use of toothpaste and a toothbrush was significantly greater in nonintubated patients (P < .001), and use of a sponge toothette was significantly greater in intubated patients (P < .001). Nurses’ mean rating of oral care priority was 53.9 on a 100-point scale. • CONCLUSIONS Despite evidence that they are ineffective for plaque removal, sponge toothettes remain the primary tool for oral care, especially in intubated patients in intensive care units. Nurses report frequent oral care interventions, but few are documented. Education and focus on good oral care strategies are required; nursing research to delineate the best procedure for all patients in intensive care units is needed. (American Journal of Critical Care. 2003;12:113-119)
Meningoencephalitis following rubella

Summary Two cases of rubella are reported in which meningoencephalitis appeared as a complication. In one death ensued, and postmortem examination confirmed the clinical diagnosis. It is suggested that meningoencephalitis is not an uncommon complication of rubella when the epidemic is severe.
Objective measurement of quality of life changes after ACE Malone using the FICQOL survey

Abstract Purpose There is little objective data demonstrating improved quality of life after a Malone antegrade continence enema (ACE) despite the dramatic subjective improvements seen by physicians and caretakers. Methods We utilized the FICQOL survey, a reliable and valid instrument for measuring the impact of fecal incontinence and constipation on quality of life (FICQOL) of caregivers and children with spina bifida. Between 2002 and 2009, 23 families were evaluated prospectively before and after an ACE procedure. Items on the survey were compared with Wilcoxon rank sum or signed rank test. Results After an ACE Malone the mean number of bowel movements (BM) per day decreased along with a decrease in number of accidents per week from 3.9 to 0.3. There was no change in the time committed to bowel care. The percentage of patients taking oral laxatives decreased from 44% to 6%. Both parent and child were less often prevented from leaving the house and the caretakers’ bother, anxiety and depression due to bowel care decreased. Although factors regarding the child’s social issues and parent’s employment improved, the changes were not statistically significant. Conclusions Among patients with spina bifida and fecal incontinence who underwent the ACE procedure at our institution, a significant improvement in fecal incontinence and QOL scores was observed using a validated instrument, FICQOL. Without changing the amount of time necessary for bowel care, the ACE procedure decreases the families’ worries and anxieties and allows them to leave home with the confidence that their child will not have leakage of stool.
The multicovering radii of the even weight codes

The multicovering radius is a generalization of the covering radius that was proposed by Klapper (1997) in the course of studying stream ciphers. Given a code of length n, the m-covering radius is the smallest radius such that every m-tuple of vectors in the ambient space of the code is contained in a ball of that radius centered around some codeword. We are interested in the properties of codes with almost minimal m-covering radii. In this paper we study the multicovering radii of the even weight code.
Translational Research – Caregiving Challenges for Parents of Children With Rare Chronic Conditions Due to Genetic Disorders

It is essential for parents and caregivers to balance the caregiving demands of children with chronic conditions with the needs of the family. PARENTS AND FAMILIES are challenged with meeting the caregiving demands of their children with rare chronic conditions due to genetic disorders. Managing the child's chronic condition at home creates overwhelming caregiving demands and stress in parents and families (Christian, 1993, 1998, 2003, 2010). With advances in technology, children with chronic conditions are surviving longer and acute, lifethreatening conditions have become chronic (Perrin, Bloom, & Gortmaker, 2007). Yet providing home care for medicallyfragile children and children with chronic conditions has a negative impact on parents' psychological health and family functioning (Leonard, Brust, & Nelson, 1993; Patterson, Leonard,&Titus, 1993).Key predictors of health andwell-being among parents who provide care for their children with chronic conditions and physical disabilities are caregiving demands, child behavior, and family functioning (Raina, O'Donnell, Rosenbaum, et al., 2005). When compared to parents of healthy children, parents and caregivers of children with chronic conditions and physical disabilities have more emotional and physical health problems related to the demands of caregiving at home (Murphy, Christian, Caplin, & Young, 2007). Thus, it is essential for parents and families to balance the caregiving demands of their children with chronic conditions with the individual needs of each family member to maintain family functioning and quality of life (Christian, 1993, 1998, 2010). Although advances in health care technology, genetics and genomics have expanded knowledge about complex genetic-