cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of a new source localization method in a simulated dispersive plate

The problem of estimating the location of an impact force in a dispersive medium is complicated given the dispersion-related distortion of the generated traveling wave. The problem cannot be solved, with reasonable accuracy, using conventional time difference of arrival (TDOA) techniques. A building floor is an example of a dispersive medium that is being loaded by occupant footsteps. If more accurate localization algorithms are obtained, then they can be used to localize and track occupants in a building using floor vibration sensors measuring the footstep-induced traveling waves. This paper presents the evaluation of a new localization approach, in a simulated aluminum plate (dispersive waveguide), using a network of sensors measuring the plate's vibration. Average signal power is calculated for all the sensors over a fixed time period, and then used to generate a location estimate. Two different location estimation solutions are presented and compared; a constrained least squares solution (CLS), and a non-linear root finding solution generated using the Levenberg-Marquardt (LM) algorithm. A finite element (FE) thin plate model is used as a testbed to evaluate the performance of the developed localization algorithm by estimating the location of virtual hammer impacts acting on the plate. The results encourage further future development.
Excitatory Conditioning to A Vibrotactile Stimulus Using Rats in a CER Paradigm

The design of a vibrotactile CS which can be used with a standard operant-conditioning chamber is described. An experiment using rats in a CER paradigm demonstrated that the vibrotactile CS was effectively orthogonal to an auditory CS and that it had no special prepared relationship to the electric foot-shock US.
Crosscutting Preferences Over Federal Spending on Rival and Non-Rival Public Goods and Services: Measuring Citizen Ideology with Results from an Interactive Questionnaire on Public Spending Preferences

This paper analyzes the relationship between fiscal preferences and ideology using an innovative survey methodology. An interactive questionnaire presented respondents with the President's requested budget for FY 2006 and asked them to adjust spending levels with respect to their personal preferences. By incorporating tradeoffs between spending dimensions, the responses capture the non-separable nature of the issue space and do so without compromising cardinality. As a result, each personally crafted budget has a straightforward interpretation as an ideal point. I first use the data to establish a relationship between fiscal preferences and self-reported ideology. I then perform dimensional analysis. Preferences scale to two substantive dimensions. The first measures the trade-off between security and non-security spending and is highly correlated with self-identification on the liberal-conservative dimension. The second dimension reveals a crosscutting cleavage that has attracted little, if any, attention in previous research. Specifically, it measures each respondent's relative preference for rival and non-rival government goods and services.
A study of microstrip transmission lines on substrates created using additive manufacturing and flexible or semi-rigid filaments

Additive manufacturing is becoming more affordable and in recent years new techniques on implementing this emerging technology into microwave circuits are being developed. Therefore, understanding the propagation behavior of printed microstrip transmission lines implemented with these manufacturing techniques is needed. In this paper, the use of flexible and semi-rigid filaments to create substrates using additive manufacturing for printed microstrip transmission lines is presented. In particular, NinjaFlex, PLA and Armadillo filaments are used to manufacture 1.57 mm thick grounded substrates for 50Ω microstrip transmission lines. The dielectric properties (i.e., complex permittivity) of these newly manufactured substrates are determined by comparing the following three results: (1) measurements with a Keysight N1501A-101 high temperature dielectric probe; (2) measurements of a known transmission line problem and (3) full-wave simulations. The results in this paper show a good comparison between the three aforementioned techniques and that a 50Ω printed microstrip transmission line can be created on substrates manufactured using the NinjaFlex, PLA and Armadillo filaments up to 3.0 GHz.
Wideband Isolation by Frequency Conversion in a Josephson-Junction Transmission Line

When making a quantum measurement, one must be careful not to disturb the system. Nonreciprocal elements called isolators allow microwave signals to propagate in one direction but not the reverse, and so can mitigate disturbance, but commercial isolators require strong permanent magnets that cannot be placed close to superconducting amplifiers or qubits. To this end, the authors demonstrate a microwave isolator with directionality provided by a strong, traveling ``pump'' wave. Its simple construction and large bandwidth afford this isolator integrability with existing superconducting quantum hardware.
Factors influencing morning report case presentations.

BACKGROUND One of the most widely accepted didactic conferences among residency training programs is morning report. This study examines several factors that may influence the content of case presentations at morning report. METHODS This prospective survey is of cases presented over a 1-year period at two morning reports--a university hospital and its affiliated Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital. RESULTS Of 286 morning reports, 227 questionnaires (79%) were completed. The most common subspecialty categories represented in the cases were cardiology (20.3% of cases), infectious disease (13.2%), gastroenterology (11.5%), pulmonary (11.0%), hematology (10.1%), and general medicine (6.2%). The case mix was not significantly different by type of hospital nor by chief resident. The discussion was inpatient oriented in 88.6% of cases. CONCLUSION Morning report case mix was similar at a university and its affiliated VA hospital and was predominantly inpatient oriented.
Selecting Better Crops from Cultured Cells

It is now well-established that populations of cultured plant cells are genetically variable and that new plant genotypes can be obtained from such cells, both by the selection of phenotypic variants with subsequent plant regeneration and by screening populations of plants regenerated from cultured cells. A critical question remains, however. Can this variability really contribute to the genetic improvement of crop plants?
Evaluating Biodiversity Metric Response to Forecasted Land Use Change in the Northern Rio Grande Basin

The effects of future land use change on arid and semi-arid watersheds in the American Southwest have important management implications. Seamless, national-scale land-use-change scenarios for developed land were acquired from the US Environmental Protection Agency Integrated Climate and Land Use Scenarios (lCLUS) project and extracted to fit the Northern Rio Grande River Basin, New Mexico relative to projections of housing density for the period from 2000 through 2100. Habitat models developed from the Southwest Regional Gap Analysis Project were invoked to examine changes in wildlife habitat and biodiversity metrics using five ICLUS scenarios. The scenarios represent a US Census base-case and four modifications that were consistent with the different assumptions underlying the A1, A2, B1, and B2 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change global greenhouse gas emission storylines. Habitat models for terrestrial vertebrate species were used to derive metrics reflecting ecosystem services or biodiversity aspects valued by humans that could be quantified and mapped. Example metrics included total terrestrial vertebrate species richness, bird species richness, threatened and endangered species, and harvestable species (e.g., waterfowl, big game). Overall, the defined scenarios indicated that the housing density and extent of developed lands will increase throughout the century with a resultant decrease in area for all species richness categories. The A2 Scenario, in general, showed greatest effect on area by species richness category. The integration of the land use scenarios with biodiversity metrics derived from deductive habitat models may prove to be an important tool for decision makers involved in impact assessments and adaptive planning processes.
MR Arthrogram Features That Can Be Used to Distinguish Between True Inferior Glenohumeral Ligament Complex Tears and Iatrogenic Extravasation

Author(s): Wang, Wilbur; Huang, Brady K; Sharp, Matthew; Wan, Lidi; Shojaeiadib, Niloofar; Du, Jiang; Chang, Eric Y | Abstract: ObjectiveThe purpose of this study is to identify features seen at shoulder MR arthrography that distinguish between iatrogenic contrast material extravasation and inferior glenohumeral ligament (IGHL) complex tears.Materials and methodsMR arthrograms (n = 1740) were screened for extravasation through the IGHL complex. Cases were defined on the basis of surgical findings or definitive lack of extravasation in a fully distended joint immediately after contrast agent injection. The location of the disruption and the morphologic features of the torn margin were assessed and compared between groups.ResultsAnterior band disruption was present in eight of 16 patients with true tears and in zero of 19 patients with iatrogenic contrast material extravasation (p l 0.001). Isolated extravasation through the posterior half of the axillary pouch was present in 12 patients with iatrogenic extravasation, compared with none of the patients with true tears (p l 0.001). Thick ends were present in 10 of the true tears, whereas none of the cases of iatrogenic extravasation showed this finding (p l 0.001). Scarred margins were seen in eight true tears and none of the iatrogenic extravasation cases (p l 0.001). The presence of a torn anterior band, thick ligament, reverse-tapered caliber, and scarred appearance of the torn margin were shown to be 100.0% specific, and a torn posterior band showed 84.2% specificity for true tears. The presence of isolated involvement of the posterior portion of axillary pouch showed 63.2% sensitivity and 100.0% specificity for iatrogenic extravasation.ConclusionA torn anterior band, a thickened ligament (g 3 mm), reverse-tapered caliber, and scarred margin were 100.0% specific for a tear. Isolated disruption of the posterior axillary pouch was 100.0% specific for iatrogenic extravasation.
IMAT: Intelligent Mobile Agent

With the evolution from a web of documents to a web of data, it is important we change the way we search for data among the huge amounts made available through social media, IoT devices, mobile devices, etc. A user should be able to express what he is searching for, in natural language or even through voice recognition, and be able to get the result he is seeking for, even if his search involves data of different nature and format: web pages, RSS feeds, RDF triples, web services calls, sensors data, etc. Another fact to consider is that Internet access is mainly done nowadays via mobile devices. In this paper, we propose a framework to answer those challenges by enabling the user to make a search from a Google-like simple interface, and thus create from his search keywords, an intelligent personalized mashup, without needing any programming skills, and yet integrating calls to REST web services, RSS feeds, RDF triples or any other data available on the web. In order to achieve this goal, we designed an ontology that can hold the description of any web resource, and implemented an automated service composition engine that takes advantage of this ontology. The engine has two main execution phases: The startup phase, implemented for performance improvement, which scans the semantically defined resources in order to create a HashMap linking each output to one or more chains of potential matching services. Matching services are services having an output linked by an inferred similarity to another service input. The processing phase, where a query analyzer inspects the ontology, and checks with Dbpedia and WordNet, in order to decompose the user request into input and output parameters. A type-based score model is used to decide which chain among the available chains to execute. The usefulness of our approach, was validated by developing a mobile client application which was used to test the implemented engine.
The association between post-treatment surveillance testing and survival in stage II and III colon cancer patients: An observational comparative effectiveness study.

The best strategy for surveillance testing in stage II and III colon cancer patients following curative treatment is unknown. Previous randomized controlled trials have suffered from design limitations and yielded conflicting evidence. This observational comparative effectiveness research study was conducted to provide new evidence on the relationship between post-treatment surveillance testing and survival by overcoming the limitations of previous clinical trials. This was a retrospective cohort study of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database combined with Medicare claims (SEER-Medicare). Stage II and III colon cancer patients diagnosed from 2002 to 2009 and between 66 to 84 years of age were eligible. Adherence to surveillance testing guidelines—including carcinoembryonic antigen, computed tomography, and colonoscopy—was assessed for each year of follow-up and overall for up to three years post-treatment. Patients were categorized as More Adherent and Less Adherent according to testing guidelines. Patients who received no surveillance testing were excluded. The primary outcome was 5-year cancer-specific survival; 5-year overall survival was the secondary outcome. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) using generalized boosted models was employed to balance covariates between the two surveillance groups. IPTW-adjusted survival curves comparing the two groups were performed by the Kaplan-Meier method. Weighted Cox regression was used to obtain hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the relative risk of death for the Less Adherent group versus the More Adherent group. There were 17,860 stage II and III colon cancer cases available for analysis. Compared to More Adherent patients, Less Adherent patients experienced slightly better 5-year cancer-specific survival (HR = 0.83, 95% CI 0.76–0.90) and worse 5-year noncancer-specific survival (HR = 1.61, 95% CI 1.43–1.82) for years 2 to 5 of follow-up. There was no difference between the groups in overall survival (HR = 1.04, 95% CI 0.98–1.10). More surveillance testing did not improve 5-year cancer-specific survival compared to less testing and there was no difference between the groups in overall survival. The results of this study support a risk-stratified, shared decision-making surveillance strategy to optimize clinical and patient-centered outcomes for colon cancer patients in the survivorship phase of care.
Costs and hazard ratios of commonly used drugs in advanced/metastatic lung cancer at Cancer Free Foundation, Dana Point, California.

e20508Background: The American Cancer Society of Clinical Oncology used hazard ratios (HR) in its value framework as indicators of clinical response. Bevacizumab (Bev) and Pemetrexed (Peme) were in...
Evidence for auxiliary anaerobic metabolism in obligately aerobic Zetaproteobacteria

Zetaproteobacteria are obligate chemolithoautotrophs that oxidize Fe(II) as an electron and energy source, and play significant roles in nutrient cycling and primary production in the marine biosphere. Zetaproteobacteria thrive under microoxic conditions near oxic-anoxic interfaces, where they catalyze Fe(II) oxidation faster than the abiotic reaction with oxygen. Neutrophilic Fe(II) oxidizing bacteria produce copious amounts of insoluble iron oxyhydroxides as a by-product of their metabolism. Oxygen consumption by aerobic respiration and formation of iron oxyhydroxides at oxic-anoxic interfaces can result in periods of oxygen limitation for bacterial cells. Under laboratory conditions, all Zetaproteobacteria isolates have been shown to strictly require oxygen as an electron acceptor for growth, and anaerobic metabolism has not been observed. However, genomic analyses indicate a range of potential anaerobic pathways present in Zetaproteobacteria. Heterologous expression of proteins from Mariprofundus ferrooxydans PV-1, including pyruvate formate lyase and acetate kinase, further support a capacity for anaerobic metabolism. Here we define auxiliary anaerobic metabolism as a mechanism to provide maintenance energy to cells and suggest that it provides a survival advantage to Zetaproteobacteria in environments with fluctuating oxygen availability.
Identification of Pathogenicity Island Genes Associated with Loss of Type IV Secretion Function During Murine Infection with Helicobacter pylori.

Chronic Helicobacter pylori colonization in animal models often leads to downregulation of the type IV secretion system (T4SS), typically by recombination in cagY, which is an essential T4SS gene. However, 17 other cag pathogenicity island (cagPAI) genes, as well as some non-cagPAI genes, are also essential for T4SS function. To get a more complete picture of how H. pylori regulates the T4SS during animal colonization, we examined cagY in 534 mouse-passaged isolates that lost T4SS function, defined as a normalized interleukin-8 (IL-8) value of <0.3 relative to the input H. pylori strain PMSS1. In order to analyze the genetic changes in the strains with unchanged cagY, we sequenced the entire pathogenicity island of 60 such isolates using single-molecule, real-time (SMRT) sequencing technology (PacBio, Menlo Park, CA), and we compared the results to the PMSS1 wild type (WT). Of the 534 strains, 271 (51%) showed evidence of recombination in cagY, but we also found indels or nonsynonymous changes in 13 other essential cagPAI genes implicated in H. pylori T4SS function, most commonly cag5, cag10, and cagA While cagY recombination is the most common mechanism by which H. pylori downregulates T4SS function during murine infection, loss of function is also associated with changes in other essential cagPAI genes.
Association of subjective olfactory dysfunction and 12-item odor identification testing in ambulatory COVID-19 patients.

BACKGROUND: Acute loss of smell and taste are well-recognized symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), yet the correlation between self-reported and psychophysical olfactory function remains unclear. Understanding the reliability of self-reported smell loss in ambulatory cases can assess the utility of this screening measure. METHODS: A prospective, longitudinal study evaluating patient-reported and measured olfactory function using the validated 12-item Brief Smell Identification Test (BSIT) was conducted on adult outpatients with COVID-19. Patient-reported olfaction scores using a visual analog scale (VAS) were obtained at baseline, time of COVID-19 testing, and time of BSIT completion. Linear associations between VAS and BSIT were evaluated using Spearman's correlation coefficient and the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of VAS scores were calculated. Logistic regression identified characteristics associated with accurate assessment of olfactory function. RESULTS: A total of 81 polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-confirmed COVID-19 positive subjects, of whom 54 self-reported smell loss, were prospectively recruited ≤5 days from diagnosis date between May 8, 2020, and July 8, 2020. Self-reported smell loss had good discriminative ability in identifying abnormal BSIT (area under receiver operating curve [AUC] 0.82, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.71 to 0.92). A VAS <5 demonstrated sensitivity of 0.62 and specificity of 0.94 for predicting hyposmia (BSIT ≤8) with accuracy of 82.7%, whereas a VAS <9 had highest sensitivity at 0.86. Moderate bivariate linear associations were found between VAS and BSIT scores (rs = 0.59, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Self-reported olfactory loss associated with COVID-19 has a strong ability to predict abnormal olfactory function though the 2 measures are moderately correlated. Subjective olfactory assessment is useful in screening olfactory dysfunction at early disease time points when psychophysical testing cannot be conducted.
Bitter Melon (Momordica charantia L.) Supplementation Has No Effect on Hypercholesterolemia and Atherosclerosis in Mice.

Bitter melon (BM; Momordica charantia L.) has been reported to ameliorate diet-induced obesity and dyslipidemia. However, the effects of BM on atherosclerosis have not been determined. This study investigated the effects of BM diet-induced atherosclerosis in LDL receptor-deficient mice. A total of 30 female mice (aged 6-8 wk) were fed a saturated fat-enriched diet. In group 1 (n = 10), mice were fed this diet alone, whereas mice in groups 2 and 3 (n = 10/group) were fed the diet supplemented with BM either 0.1% or 1% by weight. After 12 wk, body weight, plasma cholesterol, and atherosclerotic plaque areas were analyzed. No significant differences in body weight and plasma cholesterol concentrations were observed among the groups. Also, BM supplementation did not affect atherosclerosis development. In conclusion, dietary BM has no effect on plasma cholesterol concentration and atherogenesis in hypercholesterolemic mice.
The 2021 Asia and South Pacific Design Automation Conference (ASPDAC)

ASP-DAC was founded in 1995, and over the years it has become one of the primary conferences in the electronic design automation (EDA) field. Now, it has established itself as a prestigious conference along with her sister conferences, which include Design Automation Conference (DAC), International Conference on Computer-Aided Design (ICCAD), Design, Automation and Test in Europe Conference (DATE), and Embedded Systems Week (EWEEK). It has continuously offered opportunities to explore the latest advances in the design techniques and provide face-to-face connections and networking opportunities for research and EDA professionals all over the world.
Teleoncology for Veterans: High Patient Satisfaction Coupled With Positive Financial and Environmental Impacts.

PURPOSE:There was rapid adoption of teleoncology care in the Veterans Health Administration during the COVID-19 pandemic. One third of 9 million Veterans Health Administration enrolled Veterans liv...
Problem Statement, Classical Approaches, and Adaptive Learning

This chapter contains sections titled: Formulation of the Learning Problem Classical Approaches Adaptive Learning: Concepts and Inductive Principles Summary
Isolation and Culture of Pulmonary Alveolar Epithelial Type II Cells

Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, Adj. Cardiovascular Research Institute and Departments of Medicine and Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco, Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California San Francisco *Corresponding author: Leland G. Dobbs, Suite 150, University of California Laurel Heights Campus, 3333 California Street, San Francisco, CA 94118. dobbs@itsa.ucsf.edu
Noninvasive measurement of rat intraocular pressure with the Tono-Pen

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the Tono-Pen 2 tonometer for measuring intraocular pressure (IOP) in the living rat eye. Methods. One eye from each of 20 adult, anesthetized brown Norway rats (group 1) was cannulated and simultaneously connected to a syringe and a pressure transducer with a chart recorder. We increased IOP from 15 to 45 mmHg in 5-mmHg increments and obtained 15 consecutive readings (ignoring instrument-generated averages) at each pressure increment with a Tono-Pen 2 tonometer. To test the tonopen's ability to measure unknown IOP, transducer pressures were varied randomly in 20 additional animals (group 2), and tonopen readings were obtained in masked fashion. Results. Plotting the mean tonopen readings for each animal against transducer IOP produced a regression formula of y = 4.54 + 0.79x (r = 0.98). Mean group 2 tonopen values plotted against transducer IOP yielded a regression formula of y = 4.75 + 0.78x (r = 0.94). A method comparison analysis showed that the tonopen significantly overestimates pressures at low IOP ( 30 mmHg). Using two-way analysis of variance, it was determined that the group 2 data did not differ significantly from the group 1 data (P> 0.76). Because of this consistency, we generated a correction factor with 95% prediction intervals for Tono-Pen readings. Conclusions. The Tono-Pen 2 can be used reliably to measure IOP in the normal rat eye. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1993;34:363-369.
"Masculine love," Renaissance writing, and the "new invention" of homosexuality: an addendum.

Joseph Cady's recent article, "Masculine Love," Renaissance Writing, and the "New Invention' of Homosexuality," Journal of Homosexuality 23.1-2 (1992): 9-40, did much to shed new light on the controversial issue of whether homosexual identity is a relatively late phenomenon (late seventeenth- or early eighteenth-century at the earliest according to scholars of the "constructivist" persuasion) or already existed in the age of the Renaissance and before. Cady argues that homosexual identity is at least as old as the Elizabethan age, and cites from widely divergent sources several early modern instances of the term "masculine love," a term that seems to have been used exclusively to refer to the sexual preference of men for members of their own gender. The present note adds a further example to buttress Cady's case-namely the term "masculine conversation" from Arthur Wilson's History of Great Britain (1653), an account of the reign of James I (who was widely recognized to be sexually attracted to men). The term "conversation" often referred to sexual intercourse, being used in legal discourse to define adultery, and therefore constitutes an even more explicit example of denotative language than those Cady cites. Since Wilson discusses Sir Francis Bacon as well as James I, this brief article explores the historically documentable sexual preferences of these two figures in addition to that of the dramatist Christopher Marlowe and of Bacon's brother Anthony, a diplomat, all of whom seem to have been strongly oriented to "masculine love" and "masculine conversation".
The oxidation-reduction potential of aqueous soil solutions at the Mars Phoenix landing site

[1] Results from the Mars Phoenix mission Wet Chemistry Laboratory (WCL) are used to determine the oxidation-reduction potential (Eh) of the Phoenix WCL Rosy Red sample soil solution. The measured Eh of the Rosy Red sample in the WCL aqueous test solution was 253 ± 6 mV at a pH of 7.7 ± 0.1. Measured solution Eh changes correspond to changes in solution H+ activity, which is controlled mainly by changes in headspace PCO2 and solution CO32−, HCO3−, and CO2 concentrations. If measured at a PCO2 of 8 mbar in water, rather than in WCL test solution, the Eh of the Rosy Red soil solution would be ∼300 mV. The results of laboratory experiments using analog salt mixtures are compatible with the possible presence of low levels (ppm) of metal peroxides or other oxidants and indicate that levels of readily soluble ferrous iron in the soil are below 1 ppm.
The integration of studio cycling into a worksite stress management programme.

High stress is a prevalent problem in the worksite. To reduce stress, improve productivity, reduce absenteeism, and lower healthcare costs, many companies offer exercise classes or stress management programmes. Although physical activity is an important component of stress management, few worksites have integrated physical activity into their comprehensive stress reduction programmes. The purpose of this single-arm pilot project was to examine the potential effectiveness of an integrated exercise (studio cycling) and cognitive–behavioural stress management programme. Eighty-four adults, 75% female, mostly aged 40+ years, participated in an integrated 12-week cycling studio and cognitive–behavioural stress management programme. Participants experienced a significant and clinically meaningful reduction on the Perceived Stress Scale (p < 0.01), rating of current stress level and confidence to manage stress at the programme's end and at a 1-month follow-up. Participants also reported having significantly improved overall health, improved nutritional habits, higher physical activity level, greater confidence in their ability to follow a healthy diet, higher spiritual well-being, improved sleep, receiving more support for maintaining healthy living and improved quality of life at the completion of the 12-week programme and 1-month follow-up. These findings provide further support for an integrated exercise and stress management programme. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
CRIMINAL INVOLVEMENT OF FEMALE OFFENDERS

Two theoretical approaches tend to dominate the literature on the manner in which exoffenders reintegrate into society. These are the structural and subcultural models. The structural model (Merton, 1938; Cloward and Ohlin, 1960: Ohlin, 1970) posits that closing of the legitimate opportunity structure leads to secondary deviation and it also traces initial criminality to a discrepancy between means and ends for achieving success goals. The subcultural model (Cohen, 1955; Pownall, 1969) views the primary factors explaining the failure of the exoffender to adjust to society as influences exerted by the criminal subculture. These have traditionally been treated as competing theoretical models. The research reported here sought to evaluate these two approaches and to combine them in an applied framework called differential integration. Data on 874 exoffenders provided with job placements during 1976 show that structural variables tended to differentiate the employment outcomes of exoffenders much more than subcultural variables and that there is partial support for the differential integration concept.
Measuring the Quality of Employment in the Informal Sector

Our paper explores and measures the quality of employment among urban, low-income households in Ecuador. It hopes to contribute to the literature by raising attention to the diversity of job quality within the informal sector and by highlighting the importance of quality of employment in the context of poverty reduction and development strategies. Building on the previous work on decent work indicators, we propose a job quality index measure and apply this measure to men and women workers in urban poor communities of Ecuador using a 2002 sample survey. We also show that there are differentiated patterns on job quality among women and men in these households. In addressing the importance of employment quality, this paper hopes to provide a better understanding of the issue, especially as it relates to poverty alleviation and to illustrate a way of measuring employment quality.
Hypermutability in Carcinogenesis

The presence of numerous chromosomal changes and point mutations in tumors is well established. At least some of these changes play a role in the development of the tumors. It has been suggested that the number of these genetic changes requires that tumorigenesis involves an increase in mutation rate. However, the presence of numerous changes can also be accounted for by efficient selection. What is required to settle the issue is some measure of nonselected mutations in tumors. In order to determine whether the tumor suppressor TP53 (coding for the protein p53) is hypermutable at some stage of carcinogenesis, the frequency of silent and multiple mutations in this gene has been examined. Silent mutations make up approximately 3% of the total recorded but constitute 9.5% of the mutations found in tumors with multiple mutations. Multiple closely linked mutations are also observed. Such multiple mutations suggest the operation of an error-prone replication process in a subclass of cells. The published data indicate that TP53 is hypermutable at some stage of tumor development. It is not yet clear whether TP53 is unique or whether other genes display a similar pattern of silent and multiple mutations.
Sustainable Thermoplastic Elastomers Derived from Fatty Acids

Vegetable oils are an attractive source for polymers due to their low cost, abundance, annual renewability, and ease of functionalization. Stearyl and lauryl acrylate, derived from vegetable oils such as soybean, coconut, and palm kernel oil, have been polymerized through reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer polymerization, resulting in poly(styrene-b-(lauryl acrylate-co-stearyl acrylate)-b-styrene) (SAS) triblock copolymers. Varying the length of the side chain on the polyacrylate midblock (C18 and C12 in stearyl and lauryl acrylate repeat units, respectively) is a convenient tool for tuning the physical properties of the triblock copolymers. The SAS triblock copolymers exhibit properties appropriate for thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) applications. Small-angle X-ray scattering and transmission electron microscopy experiments have elucidated the microphase-separated morphology of the SAS triblock copolymers, consistent with a spherical morphology lacking long-range order. The physical propertie...
Drug Therapy in Neonatal Sepsis

Despite the remarkable technological advances in neonatal intensive care, bacterial infections continue to be a significant cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. The clinical manifestations of sepsis are frequently subtle and nonspecific. Progression of the disease is rapid and mortality continues to be high. Antimicrobial therapy must be instituted as soon as possible after symptomatic and high risk infants are identified. Empiric broad spectrum antibiotic therapy is initiated to cover the most likely pathogens that are etiologic in neonatal sepsis. Pathogen specific therapy is guided by the isolation and identification of the infecting organism and its susceptibility patterns. The clinical status of the infant must be closely monitored, and basic supportive care provided to optimize the infants chance of survival. The emergence of drug resistance and adverse drug reaction profiles may further dictale which antimicrobial regimen is the safest and most effective. Unconventional therapies should be re...
Element immobilization in refuse incinerator ashes by solidification in glass, ceramic or cement

Abstract Incineration of municipal refuse results in the production of massive quantities of fly ash and bottom ash. Toxic elements in the original refuse may be concentrated up to 40-fold in the resultant ash. There is concern that burial of such ash in landfills could result in leaching of these elements downward into groundwater. In this study, refuse ashes were incorporated into glass, ceramic and cement composites to immobilize such toxic elements. The EP Toxicity Test (1986) was used to show that extraction of such elements by simulated acid rain is effectively blocked in these new solid materials.
Which depressive symptoms are related to which sleep electroencephalographic variables

Sleep complaints and electroencephalographic (EEG) sleep abnormalities are associated with risk for new onset depression, illness severity, treatment outcome, and vulnerability for recurrence of depression. The aim of this study was to evaluate the strength of association between EEG sleep measures and depression symptoms, and to identify the variables that account for the majority of the association. Depression ratings from the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression and the Beck Depression Inventory and polysomnographic measures were examined in 361 adult outpatients with major depressive disorder. Canonical correlation and serial multiple regression analyses were used to determine the associations between depressive symptoms and sleep measures. Canonical correlation showed a unidimensional relationship between depressive symptoms and sleep measures ( R = .55, p
Sleep Spindle Alterations in Patients with Malformations of Cortical Development

Malformations of cortical development are disorders of altered brain anatomy and architecture that arise from abnormalities in the usual processes of cerebral cortical development. Although they often lead to epilepsy, cognitive delay, and motor impairment, little is known about their effect on sleep. Since malformations may anatomically or functionally disrupt the cerebral circuits that mediate sleep spindles, we hypothesized that these disorders would be associated with abnormal spindle characteristics. We analyzed the density, maximum frequency, laterality and distribution of sleep spindles seen in routine and long-term electroencephalographic recordings performed in ten brain malformation subjects and ten matched controls. There were no significant differences in spindle density or maximum frequency between the two groups, but malformation subjects had a significantly lower proportion of bilateral spindles and a significantly higher proportion of anterior and diffuse spindles compared to controls. In addition, unilateral malformations appeared to be associated with a skewing of unilateral spindles toward the contralateral side. Our findings suggest that brain malformations disrupt the thalamocortical circuits responsible for sleep spindle generation, and support the need for further studies on the relationships between cortical maldevelopment and sleep.
Hypothesis testing and problem solving by learning disabled and nondisabled boys.

Because learning disabled students are of average intelligence, they should demonstrate cognitive skills like their nondisabled peers, but specific disabilities interfere with their performance on problem-solving tasks. Information-processing theory suggests that difficulty in selecting and applying strategies to solve problems may be characteristic of this population whatever their individual skill deficits (2, 3). The present study assessed differences in the performance of disabled and nondisabled students on a hypothesis-testing task. Subjects were 30 boys (MCA = 10.9 yr.) of average intelligence (MIQ = 101), 15 enrolled in regular classes and 15 in remedial programs (disabled group) for achievement deficits of two or more years. Tasks were four different problems from the commercial game Mastermind. Time, trials and errors were recorded on protocols later analyxed for strategy scorea with a system based on hypothesis-resting theory (1). Disabled subjects took more time per trial (M = 21.1 sec., SD = 7.4) than nondisabled boys (M = 14.3 sec., SD = 7.1; Pl/?~ = 12.75, p < .01). Disabled boys also obtained lower strategy scores (M = 1.6, SD = 1.0) than nondisabled ones (M = 2.2, SD = 1.1; = 6.68, p < .01). Frequency analysis showed that nondisabled boys used systematic strategies on nearly 50% of trials and guessed on 20% of trials, while disabled boys relied on guessing on over 60% of trials and used strategies on fewer than 20%. No significant group differences were found for trials to completion or errors. Apparently learning disabled boys solve problems as effectively as nondisabled ones, i.e., within the same number of trials and without additional errors, but less efficiently by using unsystematic approaches chat require more time to solution. Training these boys io selection and use of strategies may improve over-all problem solving.
Ecological citizenship, time, and corruption: Aldo Leopold's green republicanism

Environmentalist Aldo Leopold (1887–1948) is situated with respect to Jeffersonian republicanism and conflicting tendencies in his thought are examined. At times Leopold seems to reify stability and virtue in a timeless wilderness and thus follow the Jeffersonians' problematic vision of a virtuous landscape sheltered from history. On the other hand, Leopold often sees the basis of virtue in a more complex mosaic of stability and change across a spectrum of wild and humanised places. Here, Leopold avoids the pitfalls of his republican predecessors and articulates a more promising geography for civic virtue and participation. He also anticipates recent developments in environmentalism.
Sensor Placement Study for Online Flow Monitoring in Liquid Composite Molding

On-line sensing can play an important part in controlling the quality of the final product in any manufacturing environment, including liquid composite molding (LCM). Having a sensor embedded within the part itself is often the most effective means of monitoring its condition at various stages of manufacturing and even throughout its useful life. However, given their intrusive nature, there are practical limitations imposed upon their size, quantity and trajectory within the part. This study explores the possibility of using a single lineal sensor to monitor the resin flow front during the mold filling stage of LCM, and to detect the onset of void formation and the presence of dry spots within the mold. Experiments were conducted to characterize the response of a fiber optic system previously developed for cure monitoring. Simulations were then performed to determine the optimal placement of just one such sensor in a mold to demonstrate that sufficient information on the mold filling process could be obtained. The purpose of the simulation work was to learn how to interpret the sensor response and, subsequently, use it to control the LCM process.
Physics and control of ELMing H-mode negative-central-shear advanced tokamak ITER scenario based on experimental profiles from DIII-D

Key DIII-D advanced tokamak (AT) experimental and modelling results are applied to examine the physics and control issues for ITER to operate in a negative central shear (NCS) AT scenario. The effects of a finite edge pressure pedestal and current density are included based on the DIII-D experimental profiles. Ideal and resistive stability analyses demonstrate that feedback control of resistive wall modes by rotational drive or flux conserving intelligent coils is crucial for these AT configurations to operate at attractive βN values in the range 3.0–3.5. Vertical stability and halo current analyses show that reliable disruption mitigation is essential and mitigation control using an impurity gas can significantly reduce the local mechanical stress to an acceptable level. Core transport and turbulence analyses indicate that control of the rotational shear profile is essential to reduce the pedestal temperature required for high β. Consideration of edge stability and core transport suggests that a sufficiently wide pedestal is necessary for the projected fusion performance. Heat flux analyses indicate that, with core-only radiation enhancement, the outboard peak divertor heat load is near the design limit of 10 MW m−2. Detached operation may be necessary to reduce the heat flux to a more manageable level. Evaluation of the ITER pulse length using a local step response approach indicates that the 3000 s ITER long-pulse scenario is probably both necessary and sufficient for demonstration of local current profile control.
Gated charge sensitive preamplifier

Abstract A charge sensitive preamplifier incorporating an internal linear gate is described. The preamplifier was developed for use with proportional counters subjected to accelerator beam pulses. Many features are incorporated that make it generally useful for othher applications requiring a stable, moderately low-noise gatable preamplifier. Detector arrays with total input capacitance of greater than 10 3 pF may be used with minimal loss in preamplifier charge sensitivity.
Accelerated Ageing and Solderability Testing of Printed Wiring Boards

There is at present much industry activity related to solderability testing. Test methods, test parameters, and accelerated ageing conditions are among the items being studied, but the bulk of the activity relates to component terminations, and not to printed wiring boards (PWBs). At Rockwell International's Collins Defense Communications, test programmes related to PWB ageing and solderability have been ongoing for several years. Data from natural ageing and from a variety of accelerated test methods have been compared. Results from several solderability test methods have also been compared. Recommendations are made for an accelerated ageing method and for solderability testing of PWBs.
Cryptic Species Within the Dendrophidion vinitor Complex In Middle America (Serpentes: Colubridae)

Abstract Snakes previously referred to Dendrophidion vinitor from southern Mexico to eastern Panama comprise three sibling species primarily distinguishable by substantial differences in hemipenial morphology and some subtle aspects of color pattern. Dendrophidion vinitor Smith is here restricted to populations from southern Mexico to Belize. Dendrophidion apharocybe new species is distributed from Honduras to Panama, primarily on the Atlantic versant. Dendrophidion crybelum new species is known from middle elevations of the Rio Coto Brus valley in southwestern Costa Rica (Pacific versant). Hemipenes of D. vinitor and D. apharocybe are similar in overall shape (short, bulbous) but the former has a highly ornate apex with membranous ridges and an unusual apical boss, whereas D. apharocybe has a largely nude apex strongly inclined toward the sulcate side. Dendrophidion crybelum has an elongate cylindrical hemipenis with a large number of spines. In general, these species are not distinguishable by standard ...
Administrative and Financial Aspects of Computers in Education

This paper discusses in a general way the acquisition of computing facilities. Guidelines are given for how to start in computing, what factors to consider in the acquisition of one's own equipment, where to get advice, who should use the facilities, and how to provide security and privacy for the user and for the facility.
TLR sorting by Rab11 endosomes maintains intestinal epithelial‐microbial homeostasis

Compartmentalization of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) in intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) regulates distinct immune responses to microbes; however, the specific cellular machinery that controls this mechanism has not been fully identified. Here we provide genetic evidences that the recycling endosomal compartment in enterocytes maintains a homeostatic TLR9 intracellular distribution, supporting mucosal tolerance to normal microbiota. Genetic ablation of a recycling endosome resident small GTPase, Rab11a, a gene adjacent to a Crohn's disease risk locus, in mouse IECs and in Drosophila midgut caused epithelial cell-intrinsic cytokine production, inflammatory bowel phenotype, and early mortality. Unlike wild-type controls, germ-free Rab11a-deficient mouse intestines failed to tolerate the intraluminal stimulation of microbial agonists. Thus, Rab11a endosome controls intestinal host-microbial homeostasis at least partially via sorting TLRs.
Dynamic interpolation and application to flight control

To simplify the specification of a desired trajectory for some subset of the variables of a dynamic control system, it may be advantageous to designate a set of intercept points that the trajectory is required to pass through. The system controls can then be computed in terms of a spline function to meet these requirements for dynamic interpolation. Optimization of a cost function under continuity constraints can be embedded in the determination of spline coefficients to obtain certain desirable geometric properties of the resulting trajectory.