cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Clinical decision-making of rural novice nurses.

Available: http://www.rrh.org.au A B S T R A C T Introduction: Nurses in rural settings are often the first to assess and interpret the patient's clinical presentations. Therefore, an understanding of how nurses experience decision-making is important in terms of educational preparation, resource allocation to rural areas, institutional cultures, and patient outcomes. Methods: Theory development was based on the in-depth investigation of 12 novice nurses practicing in rural critical access hospitals in a north central state. This grounded theory study consisted of face-to-face interviews with 12 registered nurses, nine of whom were observed during their work day. The participants were interviewed a second time, as a method of member checking, and during this interview they reviewed their transcripts, the emerging themes and categories. Directors of nursing from both the research sites and rural hospitals not involved in the study, experienced researchers, and nurse educators facilitated triangulation of the findings. Results: 'Sociocentric rationalizing' emerged as the central phenomenon and referred to the sense of belonging and agency which impacted the decision-making in this small group of novice nurses in rural critical access hospitals. The observed consequences, which were conceptualized during the axial coding process and were derived from observations and interviews of the 12 novice nurses in this study include: (1) gathering information before making a decision included assessment of: the credibility of co- workers, patients' subjective and objective data, and one's own past and current experiences; (2) conferring with co-workers as a direct method of confirming/denying decisions being made was considered more realistic and expedient than policy books and decision trees; (3) rural practicum clinical experiences, along with support after orientation, provide for transition to the rural nurse role; (4) involved directors of nursing served as both models and protectors of novice nurses placed in high accountability positions early in their careers. These novice nurses were often working with a limited staff, while managing an ever-changing census and acuity of patients. The significance of interdependence and welcoming relationships with their co-workers and directors of nursing was pivotal in the clinical decision-making process.
The Effect of Federal Debt-Management Policy on Corporate Bond and Equity Yields

In theory, Federal debt-management policy potentially plays an important role in determining Treasury and private security yields. However, empirical studies have been unable to detect any significant effects from Federal debt-management. In large part the insignificance of relative asset supply effects associated with Federal debt-management policy may result from the use of unrestricted reduced-form models of interest rate determination. Using a disaggregated structural model of the markets for corporate bonds, equities, and four distinct maturity classes of Treasury securities, Federal debt-management policy is found to affect Treasury and private security yields significantly. Furthermore, the yields on corporate bonds and equities are influenced disproportionately.
On Learning, Lower Bounds and (un)Keeping Promises

We extend the line of research initiated by Fortnow and Klivans [6] that studies the relationship between efficient learning algorithms and circuit lower bounds. In [6], it was shown that if a Boolean circuit class \(\mathcal{C}\) has an efficient deterministic exact learning algorithm, (i.e. an algorithm that uses membership and equivalence queries) then \(\mathsf{EXP}^{\mathsf{NP}} \not \subseteq \mathsf{P/poly}[\mathcal{C}]\). Recently, in [14] EXP NP was replaced by DTIME(n ω(1)). Yet for the models of randomized exact learning or Valiant’s PAC learning, the best result so far is a lower bound against BPEXP (the exponential-time analogue of BPP). In this paper, we derive stronger lower bounds as well as some other consequences from randomized exact learning and PAC learning algorithms, answering an open question posed in [6] and [14]. In particular, we show that
Differences in Pain Coping Between Black and White Americans: A Meta-Analysis.

Abstract Compared with white individuals, black individuals experience greater pain across clinical and experimental modalities. These race differences may be due to differences in pain-related coping. Several studies examined the relationship between race and pain coping; however, no meta-analytic review has summarized this relationship or attempted to account for differences across studies. The goal of this meta-analytic review was to quantify race differences in the overall use of pain coping strategies as well as specific coping strategies. Relevant studies were identified using electronic databases, an ancestry search, and by contacting authors for unpublished data. Of 150 studies identified, 19 met inclusion criteria, resulting in 6,489 participants and 123 effect sizes. All of the included studies were conducted in the United States. Mean effect sizes were calculated using a random effects model. Compared with white individuals, black individuals used pain coping strategies more frequently overall (standardized mean difference [d] = .25, P Perspective Results of this meta-analysis examining race differences in pain-related coping indicate that, compared with white individuals, black individuals use coping strategies more frequently, specifically those involving praying and catastrophizing. These differences in coping may help to explain race differences in the pain experience.
Variable Star Signature Classification using Slotted Symbolic Markov Modeling

Abstract With the advent of digital astronomy, new benefits and new challenges have been presented to the modern day astronomer. No longer can the astronomer rely on manual processing, instead the profession as a whole has begun to adopt more advanced computational means. This paper focuses on the construction and application of a novel time-domain signature extraction methodology and the development of a supporting supervised pattern classification algorithm for the identification of variable stars. A methodology for the reduction of stellar variable observations (time-domain data) into a novel feature space representation is introduced. The methodology presented will be referred to as Slotted Symbolic Markov Modeling (SSMM) and has a number of advantages which will be demonstrated to be beneficial; specifically to the supervised classification of stellar variables. It will be shown that the methodology outperformed a baseline standard methodology on a standardized set of stellar light curve data. The performance on a set of data derived from the LINEAR dataset will also be shown.
Turbulence/shock wave interactions in chemically reacting flows

Physical interactions between turbulence and shock waves are very complex phenomena. If these interactions take place in chemically reacting flows, the degree of complexity increases dramatically. Examples of applications may be cited in the area of supersonic combustion, in which the controlled generation of turbulence and/or large scale vortices in the mixing and flame-holding zones is crucial for efficient combustion. Equally important, shock waves interacting with turbulence and chemical reactions affect the combustor flowfield resulting in enhanced relaxation and chemical reaction rates. Chemical reactions in turn contribute to dispersion of shock waves and reduction of turbulent kinetic energies. Computational schemes to address these physical phenomena must be capable of resolving various length and time scales. These scales are widely disparate and the most optimum approach is found in explicit/implicit adjustable schemes for the Navier-Stokes solver. This is accomplished by means of the generalized Taylor-Galerkin (gtg) finite element formulations. Adaptive meshes are used in order to assure efficiency and accuracy of solutions. Various benchmark problems are presented for illustration of the theory and applications. Geometries of ducted rockets, supersonic diffusers, flame holders, and hypersonic inlets are included. Merits of proposed schemes are demonstrated through these example problems.
Financial Frictions and Unconventional Monetary Policy in Emerging Economies

We analyze conventional and unconventional monetary policies in a dynamic small open-economy model with financial frictions. In the model, financial intermediaries or banks borrow from the world market and lend to domestic households. Banks can borrow abroad up to a multiple of their equity; in turn, there is a limit to how much bank equity households can hold. The combination of external and domestic frictions results in an economy-wide credit constraint and an endogenous interest rate spread. It also magnifies the amplitude and persistence of aggregate responses to exogenous shocks. In response to external balance shocks, fixed exchange rates are contractionary and flexible exchange rates expansionary (although less so in the presence of currency mismatches); the opposite is true in response to increases in the world interest rate. Unconventional policies, including central bank direct credit, discount lending, and equity injections to banks, have real effects only if financial constraints bind. Because of bank leverage, central bank discount lending and equity injections are more effective than direct credit. Sterilized foreign exchange intervention is equivalent to lending directly to domestic agents. Unconventional policies are feasible only to the extent that the central bank holds a sufficient amount of international reserves.
Incoherent magnetization dynamics in strain mediated switching of magnetostrictive nanomagnets

Micromagnetic studies of the magnetization change in magnetostrictive nanomagnets subjected to stress are performed for nanomagnets of different sizes. The interplay between demagnetization, exchange and stress anisotropy energies is used to explain the rich physics of size-dependent magnetization dynamics induced by modulating stress anisotropy in planar nanomagnets. These studies have important implications for strain mediated ultralow energy magnetization control in nanomagnets and its application in energy-efficient nanomagnetic computing devices.
Berger Measure for Some Transformations of Subnormal Weighted Shifts

A subnormal weighted shift may be transformed to another shift in various ways, such as taking the p-th power of each weight or forming the Aluthge transform. We determine in a number of cases whether the resulting shift is subnormal, and, if it is, find a concrete representation of the associated Berger measure, directly for finitely atomic measures, and using both Laplace transform and Fourier transform methods for more complicated measures. Alternatively, the problem may be viewed in purely measure-theoretic terms as the attempt to solve moment matching equations such as \({(\int t^n \, d\mu(t))^2 = \int t^n \, d\nu(t)}\) (\({n=0, 1, \ldots}\)) for one measure given the other.
Parameter identifiability and identifiable combinations in generalized Hodgkin-Huxley models

The use of Hodgkin-Huxley (HH) equations abounds in the literature, but the identifiability of the HH model parameters has not been broadly considered. Identifiability analysis addresses the question of whether it is possible to estimate the model parameters for a given choice of measurement data and experimental inputs. Here we explore the structural identifiability properties of a generalized form of HH from voltage clamp data. Through a scaling argument, we conclude that the steady-state gating variables are not identifiable from voltage clamp data, and then further show that their product together with the conductance term forms an identifiable combination. We additionally show that these parameters become identifiable when the initial conditions for each of the gating variables are known. The time constants for each gating variable are shown to be identifiable, and a novel method for estimating them is presented. Finally, the exponents of the gating variables are shown to be identifiable in the two-gate case, and we conjecture these to be identifiable in the general case. These results are broadly applicable to models using HH-like formalisms, and show in general which parameters and combinations of parameters are possible to estimate from voltage clamp data. HighlightsWe consider the structural identifiability of the Hodgkin-Huxley equations.The product of all steady-state parameters with conductance is identifiable.When initial conditions are known, the steady-state parameters can be identified.The time constants of the generalized model are identifiable.The input-output equation can be used to compute the time constants.
Skewness preferences, asset prices and investor sentiment

ABSTRACTPrior research has found that investors have strong preferences for stocks with positive skewness. These preferences have been shown to lead to price premiums and subsequent underperformance. This study extends this growing body of literature by testing whether the underperformance of stocks with positive skewness is driven by periods of high investor sentiment. The motivation for these tests is based on a broad literature in Psychology that an individual’s mood can directly affect the individual’s subjective probability assessments. In the framework of our tests, more optimism among investors may strengthen investors’ skewness preferences. The empirical results in this study support this idea as the underperformance of positively skewed stocks is shown to be primarily driven by periods of high investor sentiment.
Technology transfer with moral hazard

Abstract This paper develops an incomplete contract model of the licensing relationship that is susceptible to the moral hazard problem. The optimal contractual form of licensing derived in the model generates predictions that seem to be consistent with actual practice. For instance, the introduction of inputs that are not contractible and costly explains the prevalence of royalty contracts in the licensing relationship. Moreover, the model is able to relate the size of the royalty rate to the parameters that represent the environments under which the concerned parties operate. Finally, the model can be naturally extended to analyze the choice of a technology holder between direct investment and licensing in an attempt to serve a foreign market.
Autonomous mobile robot exploration based on the generalized Voronoi graph in the presence of localization error

Sensor based exploration is a task which enables a robot to explore and map an unknown environment, using sensor information. The map used in this paper is the generalized Voronoi graph (GVG). The robot explores an unknown environment using an already developed incremental construction procedure to generate the GVG using sensor information. This paper presents some initial results which uses the GVG for robot localization, while mitigating the need to update encoder values. Experimental result verify the described work.
Interpolating between truthful and non-truthful mechanisms for combinatorial auctions

We study the communication complexity of combinatorial auctions via interpolation mechanisms that interpolate between non-truthful and truthful protocols. Specifically an interpolation mechanism has two phases. In the first phase, the bidders participate in some non-truthful protocol whose output is itself a truthful protocol. In the second phase, the bidders participate in the truthful protocol selected during phase one. Note that virtually all existing auctions have either a non-existent first phase (and are therefore truthful mechanisms), or a non-existent second phase (and are therefore just traditional protocols, analyzed via the Price of Anarchy/Stability).The goal of this paper is to understand the benefits of interpolation mechanisms versus truthful mechanisms or traditional protocols, and develop the necessary tools to formally study them. Interestingly, we exhibit settings where interpolation mechanisms greatly outperform the optimal traditional and truthful protocols. Yet, we also exhibit settings where interpolation mechanisms are provably no better than truthful ones. Finally, we apply our new machinery to prove that the recent single-bid mechanism of Devanur et. al. [DMSW15] (the only pre-existing interpolation mechanism in the literature) achieves the optimal price of anarchy among a wide class of protocols, a claim that simply can't be addressed by appealing just to machinery from communication complexity or the study of truthful mechanisms.
Concerns regarding "2015 ACR/ACC/AHA/AATS/ACEP/ASNC/NASCI/SAEM/SCCT/SCMR/SCPC/SNMMI/STR/STS: Appropriate Utilization of Cardiovascular Imaging in Emergency Department Patients with Chest Pain".

The American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American College of Radiology (ACR) recently published appropriate use criteria (AUC) directed at patients presenting to the emergency department with chest pain, providing guidance regarding the first imaging test to be ordered. This AUC document addresses use of echocardiographic, nuclear, computed tomography, magnetic resonance, and invasive angiography imaging. The Society for Cardiovascular for Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) and the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) have declined to endorse the document due to concerns that it would adversely impact the care of patients both by suggesting that entirely guideline-based care is ‘‘less than appropriate’’ and by inviting payers to limit patient access to tests that are labeled M (for ‘‘May be appropriate’’) in clinical scenarios where other tests are labeled A (for ‘‘Appropriate’’). The editor of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC) has declined to publish our concerns, stating that letters to the editor are instead referred to the AUC writing committee for consideration in the next version of the AUC document. Thus SCAI and ASE have taken the unusual step of publishing this joint statement detailing our concerns. First, a word about the generation of AUC. The modified Delphi method has been described in many situations and is the method used for generating the criteria. Initially, a writing panel composes a group of clinical scenarios, thought to cover most of the common presentations for the issue at hand. Members of a separate ranking panel individually vote on the indications, then meet to discuss the votes, and subsequently individually re-rank the indications. The appropriateness rankings reported in the final document are the medians of individual members’ rankings. There are a number of steps where the process can go awry, as we believe happened with this AUC document. First and perhaps most importantly, many common clinical scenarios are not included in this AUC document. As a result, the sce-
Magnetic Moment and hfs Anomaly for He 3

The ratio of the nuclear magnetic moments of ${\mathrm{He}}^{3}$ and ${\mathrm{H}}^{1}$ has been measured by NMR techniques using a gaseous sample. The result is $\ensuremath{-}\frac{{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{{\mathrm{He}}^{3}}(\mathrm{He})}{{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{p}({\mathrm{H}}_{2})}=0.76178685$ (\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.1 ppm), uncorrected for magnetic shielding in He and ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$, and with these shielding corrections, $\ensuremath{-}\frac{{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{{\mathrm{He}}^{3}}}{{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{p}}=0.76181237\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.6$ ppm. With this new value for the magnetic moment ratio the hfs anomaly is found to be ${\ensuremath{\delta}}_{{\mathrm{He}}^{3}}=+(217\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}3)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}6}$. By comparison with the theory for ${\ensuremath{\delta}}_{{\mathrm{He}}^{3}}$ the contribution of exchange currents to ${\ensuremath{\delta}}_{{\mathrm{He}}^{3}}$ is calculated to be +(15\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}15)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}6}$.
Making wine and making successful wineries: resource development in new ventures

Purpose – Most research on new organizations drawing on resource-based theory examines firms in discrete development stages with resources that already exist. The purpose of this paper is to articulate a broader view of changing resource requirements over the life of new organizations. The authors propose four phases of resources development, arguing that new resources and capabilities must develop as new strategic challenges emerge. The paper identifies salient resources in these phases and finds that internal resource development is context dependent, interacting with the external stage of industry development. Design/methodology/approach – After developing the theoretical model, the authors use an exploratory qualitative study involving extensive case studies of new ventures in the wine industry. Key personnel at a sample of firms were interviewed, supplemented with secondary data from published reports. Findings – The paper finds that a linear stage development model for new organizational ventures is inappropriate. The various combinations of early/later new ventures in a formative/developed industry suggest that some may proceed rapidly in a linear fashion through phases of development, while others may find progress slow, difficult, stalled or occasionally regressive. A combination of resources developed simultaneously in a non-linear pattern appears to be critical to the success of new ventures. In other words, combinations must evolve as the strategic challenges evolve, thus bringing an important contextual view to the examination of dynamic resource development efforts for new organizations. Attempts to focus in a piecemeal fashion on individual aspects of resource development, without accounting for resource interactions at a systemic level or the nature of the strategic demands, is likely to leave researchers and practitioners with incomplete insights. Originality/value – Existing studies have failed to grasp the dynamic and interactive process of resource development as organizations evolve in a new industry setting. The model presented in this paper provides a heuristic device for conceptualizing these changes.
Justice and Research on Controlled Substances With HIV+ Persons

Andreae and colleagues (2016) argue in defense of research involving the use of controlled substances for pain and other symptom control in HIV+ patients by raising and defusing selected ethical an...
Conic degeneration and the determinant of the Laplacian

We investigate the behavior of various spectral invariants, particularly the determinant of the Laplacian, on a family of smooth Riemannian manifolds Ωge that undergo conic degeneration, i.e., that converge in a particular way to a manifold with a conical singularity. Our main result is an asymptotic formula for the determinant up to terms that vanish as ∈ goes to 0. The proof proceeds in two parts: we study the fine structure of the heat trace on the degenerating manifolds via a parametrix construction, and then use that fine structure to analyze the zeta function and determinant of the Laplacian.
Neoclassical Models in Macroeconomics

Abstract This chapter develops a toolkit of neoclassical macroeconomic models, and applies these models to the US economy from 1929 to 2014. We first filter macroeconomic time series into business cycle and long-run components, and show that the long-run component is typically much larger than the business cycle component. We argue that this empirical feature is naturally addressed within neoclassical models with long-run changes in technologies and government policies. We construct two classes of models that we compare to raw data, and also to the filtered data: simple neoclassical models , which feature standard preferences and technologies, rational expectations, and a unique, Pareto optimal equilibrium, and extended neoclassical models , which build in government policies and market imperfections. We focus on models with multiple sources of technological change, and models with distortions arising from regulatory, labor, and fiscal policies. The models account for much of the relatively stable postwar US economy, and also for the Great Depression and World War II. The models presented in this chapter can be extended and applied more broadly to other settings. We close by identifying several avenues for future research in neoclassical macroeconomics.
Investigation into the optimum dimensions of cement keyholes

Creating cement keyholes (i.e. drilling simple holes in cancellous bone to allow cement filling) is a practice used in multiple scenarios in orthopaedic surgery to ensure improved fixation between the bone-cement interface and as such between bone and prosthesis. It is most commonly used in hip arthroplasty to secure fixation of the cup to the acetabulum by drilling keyholes in acetabulum. However very little research has been conducted into what the dimensions of such cement keyholes should be. The following laboratory based research was performed to provide insight into the optimum dimensions of cement keyholes. The investigator designed a novel arrangement to enable testing of keyholes. Beechwood block models were then made to this design testing keyholes of varying diameters and depths. These were cemented with acrylic bone cement and then loaded to failure. A finite system analysis was also performed. Results show that stresses are concentrated at the base of the keyhole. As such increasing diameter of keyhole infers greater strength, but there is no relationship between depth and strength. This has been further confirmed with finite element analysis. We suggest the width of cement keyholes bears more importance than the depth and propose drilling wide but shallow keyholes.
Rationale for sperm banking in men with cancer

As treatment for malignant and nonmalignant diseases increases survival, the ability to preserve spermatozoa for long periods of time by low-temperature freezing has opened the possibility of preserving fertility in men who would otherwise be made subfertile or sterile by various treatments and disease processes. Mechanisms of reduction in sperm number or function may include surgery, irradiation, chemotherapy, or the disease process itself. Sperm banking technique is discussed, and recent data are presented on sperm cryopreservation from men with various diseases who were seen at the Cleveland Clinic. Sperm banking remains a promising technique for restoring fertility in some men with cancer.
Crystal growth and characterization of the narrow-band-gap semiconductors OsPn2 (Pn = P, As, Sb)

Using metal fluxes, crystals of the binary osmium dipnictides OsPn2 (Pn = P, As, Sb) have been grown for the first time. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction confirms that these compounds crystallize in the marcasite structure type with orthorhombic space group Pnnm. The structure is a three-dimensional framework of corner- and edge-sharing OsPn6 octahedra, as well as [Pn24–] anions. Raman spectroscopy shows the presence of P–P single bonds, consistent with the presence of [Pn2–4] anions and formally Os4+ cations. Optical-band-gap and high-temperature electrical resistivity measurements indicate that these materials are narrow-band-gap semiconductors. The experimentally determined Seebeck coefficients reveal that nominally undoped OsP2 and OsSb2 are n-type semiconductors, whereas OsAs2 is p-type. Electronic band structure using density functional theory calculations shows that these compounds are indirect narrow-band-gap semiconductors. The bonding p orbitals associated with the Pn2 dimer are below the Fermi ...
RADIOACTIVITY'S TWO EARLY PUZZLES

Since the discovery of radioactivity predates the birth of quantum mechanics by nearly thirty years, it was inevitable that the most fundamental aspect of radioactive processes, its spontaneity, was also the most baffling one to physicists during the first quarter of the twentieth century. The ensuing struggles in that period with regard to the origins of the radioactive energy release, and to the significance of the life time concept are discussed.
Dielectric Constant, Power Factor, and Conductivity of the System Rubber-Calcium Carbonate

Abstract The results obtained in this investigation indicate that either the formula developed by Wiener (Formula 7) or the exponent formula (Formula 9) may be used for the computation of the dielectric constants of mixtures of calcium carbonate and rubber. Formula 7 may be preferred, since it gives some indication of the shape of the particles and state of dispersion of the powder. There was little difference between values of the dielectric constant and loss tangent at 1 kilocycle per second and at 100 kilocycles per second. The change of the loss tangent with the content of calcium carbonate was not large, but a direct relationship between loss tangent and percentage of calcium carbonate was indicated. The 1-minute-conductivity values increased continuously with increasing content of calcium carbonate when Vistanex was used as the base, but passed through a minimum when natural rubber was used.
Anionic Polymerization of Isoprene

The polymerization of isoprene with butyllithium in cyclohexane has been studied. The initiation reaction was found to be complex; plots of conversion of butyllithium against time are sigmoidal. Th...
The Crystallization of Modified Cis-Polybutadiene

From a sample of polybutadiene of high cis-1,4 content, the microstructure is modified by cis-trans isomerization or by crosslinking. Measurements of rates of crystallization and melting point are made on the modified samples. An increase in trans content or crosslink density markedly decreases the rate of crystallization at a fixed temperature. It is found, however, that this retardation in rate may usually be accounted for by the depressed melting point of the modified samples.
Main group supramolecular chemistry.

Metal directed self-assembly has yielded a wide array of two- and three-dimensional structures with fascinating new chemical properties. These structures have typically been prepared utilizing transition metals as directing units, owing to the well-defined coordination preferences these metals exhibit. An area of growing research interest involves the preparation of structures containing main group elements as directing units. This tutorial review surveys the wide range of structure types available through this approach, specifically covering unique structure types accessible from the unusual coordination geometries often exhibited by the elements in Groups 12–17 of the periodic table. This review should be of interest to supramolecular and main group chemists, and researchers in the fields of crystal engineering, host–guest chemistry, and molecular recognition.
Microcins, gene-encoded antibacterial peptides from enterobacteria

Covering 1982 to 2006 Microcins are gene-encoded antibacterial peptides, with molecular masses below 10 kDa, produced by enterobacteria. They are secreted under conditions of nutrient depletion and exert potent antibacterial activity against closely related species. Typical gene clusters encoding the microcin precursor, the self-immunity factor, the secretionproteins and frequently the post-translational modification enzymes are located either on plasmids or on the chromosome. In contrast to most of the antibiotics of microbial origin, which are non-ribosomally synthesized by multimodular enzymes termed peptide synthetases, microcins are ribosomally synthesized as precursors, which are further modified enzymatically. They form a restricted class of potent antibacterial peptides. Fourteen microcins have been reported so far, among which only seven have been isolated and characterized. Despite the low number of known representatives, microcins exhibit a diversity of structures and antibacterial mechanisms. This review provides an updated overview of microcin structures, antibacterial activities, genetic systems and biosyntheses, as well as of their mechanisms of action.
Prediction of a Two-Dimensional Organic Topological Insulator

Topological insulators (TI) are a class of materials exhibiting unique quantum transport properties with potential applications in spintronics and quantum computing. To date, all of the experimentally confirmed TIs are inorganic materials. Recent theories predicted the possible existence of organic TIs (OTI) in two-dimensional (2D) organometallic frameworks. However, those theoretically proposed structures do not naturally exist and remain to be made in experiments. Here, we identify a recently experimentally made 2D organometallic framework, consisting of π-conjugated nickel-bis-dithiolene with a chemical formula Ni3C12S12, which exhibits nontrivial topological states in both a Dirac band and a flat band, therefore confirming the existence of OTI.
Effect of Coolant Injection on Heat Transfer for a Simulated Turbine Airfoil Leading Edge

This paper presents an experimental study of the heat transfer on the leading edge of a simulated film cooled turbine airfoil. Previous studies have shown that use of film cooling on the leading edge of an airfoil can significantly increase the heat transfer coefficients around the leading edge which counter-acts the benefits of the adiabatic effectiveness provided by the coolant film. These heat transfer results complement our earlier study of the adiabatic effectiveness for this leading edge and film cooling hole geometry. Heat transfer and adiabatic effectiveness results were combined to determine the overall performance of the film cooling in terms of the net heat flux reduction. Heat transfer coefficients were found to be significantly increased by the film cooling flow in a narrow region which followed the path of the coolant flow. However, heat transfer coefficients were maximum to one side of the coolant jet, consistent with a streamwise vortex flow which is believed to be generated by the interaction of the mainstream with the coolant jet. Overall performance in terms of the net heat flux reduction was found to be unaffected by the large heat transfer coefficients in the vicinity of the holes, but was significantly diminished farther downstream.© 1998 ASME
Generation of Medium-Ring Cycloalkynes by Ring Expansion of Vinylogous Acyl Triflates

Reductive cyclization of aryl and vinyl iodides tethered to vinylogous acyl triflates (VATs) induces a ring-expanding fragmentation to provide cyclic alkynyl ketones, including strained nine-membered cycloalkynes, in fair to excellent yield. The tandem cyclization/C-C bond-cleavage is initiated under carefully optimized conditions by halogen-metal exchange in the presence of carbonyl and vinyl triflate functionality. A modified protocol for alkylation of 1,3-cyclohexanedione is described for preparing the relevant VAT substrates.
The Coagulation of Latex

Abstract The mechanism of the coagulation of latex is a very brief chapter in most treatises on rubber. The theories are numerous and conflicting. The most widely accepted interpretation is one in which the destruction of the stabilization membrane is postulated. Recently, in Haiti, I made an electrophoretic study of latex involving the determination of mobility rates and isoelectric points. The timing of the migration of individual latex particles obviously necessitated the use of a microscope. This permitted constant observation of the globules, so that not only were their rate and direction of movement observed, but their aggregation as well. When latex is put into a buffer mixture of a pH value at or near the isoelectric point of the latex, agglutination of the particles takes place. While observing this incipient coagulation of the latex, I was led to the conclusion that, though pH values of isoelectric points indicate a protein covering on latex particles, electrophoretic behavior points to a surfac...
Direct Aerobic Carbonylation of C(sp2)–H and C(sp3)–H Bonds through Ni/Cu Synergistic Catalysis with DMF as the Carbonyl Source

The direct carbonylation of aromatic sp2 and unactivated sp3 C–H bonds of amides was achieved via nickel/copper catalysis under atmospheric O2 with the assistance of a bidentate directing group. The sp2 C–H functionalization showed high regioselectivity and good functional group compatibility. The sp3 C–H functionalization showed high site-selectivity by favoring the C–H bonds of α-methyl groups over those of the α-methylene, β- or γ-methyl groups. Moreover, this reaction showed a predominant preference for functionalizing the α-methyl over α-phenyl group. Mechanistic studies revealed that nickel/copper synergistic catalysis is involved in this process.
A C–H Borylation Approach to Suzuki–Miyaura Coupling of Typically Unstable 2–Heteroaryl and Polyfluorophenyl Boronates

A method for the synthesis of biaryls and heterobiaryls from arenes and haloarenes without the intermediacy of unstable boronic acids is described. Pinacol boronate esters that are analogous to unstable boronic acids are formed in high yield by iridium-catalyzed C–H borylation of heteroarenes and fluoroarenes. These boronates are stable in the solid state or in solution and can be generated and used in situ. They couple with aryl halides in the presence of simple palladium catalysts, providing a convenient route to biaryl and heteroaryl products that have been challenging to prepare via boronic acids.
Restructuring the Soviet economic bureaucracy

Foreword James R. Millar Preface 1. Perestroika and bureaucracy 2. Design 3. Organization 4. Bureaucratic behaviour 5. Allocation 6. Construction 7. The party 8. Reform Appendix: interviewing former Soviet economic bureaucrats Index.
Preparation of Rod-like β-Si3N4 Single Crystal Particles

A systematic method of growing rod-like β-Si3N4 single crystals from a melt flux has been developed. β-Si3N4 particles with a diameter of 1-2μm, a length of 10-20μm and a low density of defects were obtained by heating a mixture of α-Si3N4, Y2O3 and SiO2. The residual glassy phase was removed by subsequent acid treatments.
Simulations and generalized model of the effect of filler size dispersity on electrical percolation in rod networks

We present a three-dimensional simulation of electrical conductivity in isotropic, polydisperse rod networks from which we determine the percolation threshold (${\ensuremath{\phi}}_{c}$). Existing analytical models that account for size dispersity are formulated in the slender-rod limit and are less accurate for predicting ${\ensuremath{\phi}}_{c}$ in composites with rods of modest $L/D$. Using empirical approximations from our simulation data, we generalized the excluded volume percolation model to account for both finite $L/D$ and size dispersity, providing a solution for ${\ensuremath{\phi}}_{c}$ of polydisperse rod networks that is quantitatively accurate across the entire $L/D$ range.
Assessment of an Adaptive Driving Beam Headlighting System: Visibility and Glare

Recent developments in solid-state lighting, sensor, and control technologies make new configurations for vehicle forward lighting feasible. Adaptive driving beam (ADB) systems build on systems that automatically switch from high- to low-beam headlights in the presence of oncoming vehicles. ADB systems can detect oncoming headlights and preceding taillights and reduce their intensity only in the direction of the other lights, while they maintain higher levels of illumination throughout the remainder of the field of view. The nominal benefit of ADB systems is the provision of high-beam levels of illumination in the forward scene, while glare is reduced to oncoming and preceding drivers, who perceive low-beam illumination levels. In this study, two dynamic field experiments were conducted: one experiment measured the ability of observers to identify the walking direction of roadside pedestrian targets with and without the use of the ADB system; the other experiment evaluated the discomfort glare elicited by...
Human factors issues in VDT use: Environmental and workstation design considerations

Human factors considerations regarding environmental and workstation design have been shown to be significant determinants of the quantity and quality of visual and muscular complaints in VDT operators. The author reviews research that has examined these human factors considerations.
Circumventing the Zero Lower Bound with Monetary Policy Rules Based on Money

Abstract Discussions of monetary policy rules after the 2007–2009 recession highlight the potential ineffectiveness of a central bank's actions when the short-term interest rate under its control is limited by the zero lower bound. This perspective assumes, in a manner consistent with the canonical New Keynesian model, that the quantity of money has no role to play in transmitting a central bank's actions to economic activity. This paper examines the validity of this claim and investigates the properties of alternative monetary policy rules based on control of the monetary base or a monetary aggregate in lieu of the capacity to manipulate a short-term interest rate. The results indicate that rules of this type have the potential to guide monetary policy decisions toward the achievement of a long-run nominal goal without being constrained by the zero lower bound on a nominal interest rate. They suggest, in particular, that by exerting its influence over the monetary base or a broader aggregate, the Federal Reserve could more effectively stabilize nominal income around a long-run target path, even in a low or zero interest-rate environment.
Predicting dental treatment workload of U.S. military personnel.

As the demographic composition of the U.S. armed forces shifts, so does dental treatment workload (DTW). To date, the effects of such shifts on DTW have been speculative. This study seeks to build regression models to predict the DTW of recruit and active duty military personnel as service demographic factors shift. The data come from a 1994-1995 random sample of 13,050 active duty and 2,711 recruit personnel. Dental treatment needs were charted for all participants. Patient demographic variables--age, sex, race, education, branch of service, and annual dental utilization (for all); home region and marital status (recruits only); and rank (active duty only)--were noted. Treatment needs were converted to composite time values. Respondent demographic factors were regressed on composite time values to determine which factors influence DTW using backward, stepwise, linear regression. Results show that DTW varies across demographic categories. The magnitude and direction of change in DTW as service demographic variables shift can be predicted with linear regression models.
Democratic Republic of Congo : product and market concentration and the vulnerability to exogenous shocks

The high level of exports and their product and market concentration exposes the Democratic Republic of Congo to the economic fluctuations of the country's trade partners. This paper uses the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development trade data set to analyze the Democratic Republic of Congo's export patterns for the period 1960-2014. The data confirm that the country's exports remain highly concentrated. The product concentration on minerals is high and reaches exceptional levels. The geographic concentration is also high, while there is a shift in destinations. Hence, EU27, traditionally the main market destination for the Democratic Republic of Congo, lost its importance to China for most of the past decade. This trend continued to increase in the past few years from 2010 to 2013. The clear prevalence of commodity products within the Democratic Republic of Congo's exports and the higher exposure to the Chinese economic cycle are sources of vulnerability. The empirical analysis indicates that the country's exports appear to be significantly sensitive to foreign demand fluctuations. This exposure increases the volatility of the country's macroeconomic framework to exogenous shocks, with negative consequences on growth in gross domestic product and on external balances. The analysis concludes that increasing the Democratic Republic of Congo's resilience requires product and market diversification of exports. This diversification requires improvements in the investment climate and business environment, with emphasis on skills and infrastructure.
Using whole structure modes in the large-signal modeling of TWTs with arbitrary slow-wave structures

The increasing demand for high-power and broad-band RF sources requires that efficient simulation tools be used in their design and optimization. This demand has led to the development of highly efficient large-signal 2D codes1,2 suitable for fast and accurate modeling of Travelling Wave Tube (TWT) amplifiers based on such different types of slow-wave structures (SWSs) as coupled-cavity1 and serpentine/folded-waveguide2. The success of these 2D models was partially due to the fact that particular code targeted one specific type of slow-wave structure, and this allowed for simplifications in the model description that were specific to the targeted structure. However such simplification becomes a drawback when considering any new type of SWS what requires a new effort to develop a suitable field model and implement it in a large-signal code. To eliminate this drawback we have developed a formulation based on the whole structure modes imported directly from computational electromagnetic codes or generated by using reduced-order simulation approach3.
Assessment of Service Desk Quality at an Academic Health Sciences Library

Due to an identified need for formal assessment, a small team of librarians designed and administered a survey to gauge the quality of customer service at their academic health sciences library. Though results did not drive major changes to services, several important improvements were implemented and a process was established to serve as a foundation for future use. This article details the assessment process used and lessons learned during the project.
Berry's phase in the degenerate parametric amplifier

We discuss the manifestation of Berry’s phase1 in connection with the degenerate parametric amplifier (DPA). Previously,2 Berry’s phase has been discussed in connection with a two-level atom interacting with a resonant electromagnetic field whose phase is varied adiabatically. In the present work we are basically replacirtg the compact system [SU(2) for the two-level atom] by a noncompact system [SU(1,1) for the DPA3].
Future Approaches to the Management of Urinary Tract Infections

Summary A basic hypothesis running through all of these possible future approaches to the treatment of urinary tract infections is the concept that these infections are first initiated by bacterial adherence to mucosal surfaces in the lower urinary tract and that therapy might be devised to lessen this adherence. This hypothesis represents a basic change from the concept that bacteria enigmatically appear in the bladder and kidneys (possibly as a consequence of obstruction) and that antibiotics must inevitably then be given in ever-increasing dosages and types. The concept of bacterial adherence as the initiating event for most ascending urinary tract infections has allowed a new era of excitement in urologic research and, at the same time, expanded the need for broad collaboration of many other disciplines because of the complexities in the immunology and biochemistry of the adherence process. Although many of these research areas will remain experimental, it is to be hoped that some can be brought into clinical application to help the many patients suffering from these infections.