cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Probing the roots of Arps hyperbolic relation and assessing variable-drive mechanisms for improved DCA

Abstract This paper explores the relationship between the natural form of pressure buildup/falloff response to Arps hyperbolic formula in conventional reservoir systems. The primary motivation stems from the fact that semianalytical proof exists for obtaining average-reservoir pressure from either pressure buildup or falloff response with the rectangular hyperbola method (RHM), whereas the Arps hyperbolic relation is anchored in empiricism. Despite its origin, the hyperbolic relationship has served the industry very well in performance predictions under diverse reservoir-drive mechanisms since its inception in 1945. Most reserves estimation in conventional reservoirs is anchored in Arps decline-curve analysis (DCA) to meet regulatory guidelines. We show that the Arps hyperbolic parameters b and D can be estimated from the RHM, thereby giving credence to its basis. Note that the RH method is a semianalytical proof of pressure-buildup/falloff relation. We also show that Arps hyperbolic parameter b is tied to the energy support available for production and can be estimated using a type curve instead of the parameter-regression approach. Besides, we point out that well shut-in periods need to be collapsed to obtain valid b and D parameters; otherwise, optimistic b values are estimated, leading to performance overprediction. Synthetic examples verified the approach presented here, and several field examples with diverse b-factors validated the overall methodology as espoused here.
Genetic testing of various eye disorders

Abstract A significant number of individuals suffer from hereditary ocular disorders and age-related vision impairments and that number is expected to double as the population ages. With the recent advancements in gene therapy shown to be effective in treating some forms of eye disease, it has become clinically relevant to provide accurate genetic diagnosis in these cases. However, considerable genetic overlap between clinical phenotypes necessitates tailored genetic testing approaches to identify the underlying causes. Furthermore, multiple classes of pathogenic variants have been associated with ocular disorders, which include coding and non-coding changes, copy number variation (CNV), and chromosomal aberrations each requiring specific sequencing strategies, while follow-up experimentation is required to fully assess their pathogenicity. This chapter discusses current methods to detect and analyze genetic variants leading to eye disease with the ultimate goal of identifying therapeutic targets for treatment.
Effects of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use upon male gonadal function: A national, population-based study.

Recent data have suggested that short-term NSAID use induces a state of compensated hypogonadism. Our aim was to investigate the association between chronic, regular NSAID use and compensated hypogonadism in a large, nationally representative cohort, the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database. Men 20-80 years who answered the analgesic use questionnaire and underwent hormonal testing were included. Multivariable regression was utilised to determine the relationship between NSAID use and serum testosterone (T), anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) and T:AMH ratio. Among 3,749 men, 505 (13.5%) reported regular NSAID use and 3,244 (86.5%) did not. Regular users had lower T (440.7 ± 27.0 vs. 557.0 ± 24.9 ng/dl, p = .005) and albumin (43.8 ± 0.2 vs. 45.1 ± 0.1, p < .001) compared to nonregular users. On multivariable analysis, only active smoking was significantly associated with T, AMH and T:AMH ratio (p < .001, p = .036 and p = .005 respectively). Regular NSAID use was not associated with T, AMH or T:AMH ratio (p = .523, p = .974, and p = .872 respectively). In this nationally representative sample of US men, regular and chronic NSAID use was not associated with alterations in T or compensated hypogonadism. These data should reassure patients and clinicians regarding the safety of NSAID use with respect to the risk of alteration in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis.
Design and evaluation of intelligent agent prototypes for assistance with focus and productivity at work

Current research on building intelligent agents for aiding with productivity and focus in the workplace is quite limited, despite the ubiquity of information workers across the globe. In our work, we present a productivity agent which helps users schedule and block out time on their calendar to focus on important tasks, monitor and intervene with distractions, and reflect on their daily mood and goals in a single, standalone application. We created two different prototype versions of our agent: a text-based (TB) agent with a similar UI to a standard chatbot, and a more emotionally expressive virtual agent (VA) that employs a video avatar and the ability to detect and respond appropriately to users' emotions. We evaluated these two agent prototypes against an existing product (control) condition through a three-week, within subjects study design with 40 participants, across different work roles in a large organization. We found that participants scheduled 134% more time with the TB prototype, and 110% more time with the VA prototype for focused tasks compared to the control condition. Users reported that they felt more satisfied and productive with the VA agent. However, The perception of anthropomorphism in the VA was polarized, with several participants suggesting that the human appearance was unnecessary. We discuss important insights from our work for the future design of conversational agents for productivity, wellbeing, and focus in the workplace.
Revisiting Jean Renoir and Marguerite Duras: time, space and spectatorship

Barry Nevin’s Cracking Gilles Deleuze’s Crystal: Narrative Space-Time in the Films of Jean Renoir is an impressive display of theoretical knowledge coupled with very strong readings of many films f...
222 The spatial relationship between violent crime, blighted housing, and emergency department utilization in Houston, TX

Background To identify the relationship between the proximity of crime and blighted housing, and the influence on emergency department (ED) utilization. Methods/Approach Blighted housing violations and violent physical crime offenses from 2010 were used for spatial analysis of ED utilization. Blight and crime data were taken through open access Houston records, and the ED data was collected in a prior study. Clustering measures (nearest neighbor ratio), frequencies of events within location buffer zones, and spatial autocorrelation calculations were used for analysis. Results There were 11,741 violent physical crimes, with majority of being aggravated assault (92.34%). There were 2,969 blight violations, with the largest proportion being ‘visual damage is dangerous to life’ (32.06%). The average number of emergency department visits per month was 15.71 visits per 1000 persons in population (SD=26.35). Blighted housing and violent crime both displayed clustering of the location points (NNR=0.23, NNR=0.31 respectively). As the number of ED visits per month increases, both the number of blighted properties and crimes increased at a similar rate. Sixty-five percent of all violent physical crimes in Houston occurred within 500 meters of a blighted property (N=7595). Of all the murders which occurred in Houston in 2010, 83.2% occurred within approximately five blocks of a blighted house (N=208). Conclusions This study provides evidence of the relationship of both factors (e.g. violent crime and blighted housing) on the use of emergency department (ED) services. Future research should look to dissect the reasons for high utilization of emergency services, and the results of criminal actions within Houston. Significance Although there are many factors that will inevitably influence crime, the blight of the housing in the community may be a large contributor in the perpetuation of violent physical crime. This research supports a link in the blighted housing of the community providing an opportunity for crime and subsequent injury.
What it means to say "I Don't have any money to buy health insurance" in rural Vietnam: How anticipatory activities shape health insurance enrollment.

Abstract Cost is a well-established barrier to health insurance uptake. Although iterations of the phrase “I don’t have any money to buy health insurance” are pervasive in research on the determinants of health insurance enrollment, its meaning is not universal. Through ethnographic immersion in Vinh Long Province and 34 semi-structured interviews collected from August 2015-September 2016, I show that being uninsured is not merely about the financial cost of an insurance card. Instead, the use of money in this phrase signals “anticipatory activities,” which refer to projects undertaken in the service of a projected future. If participation in insurance is fundamentally about planning for the future, then people weighed the risk management aspect of insurance against other more pressing anticipatory activities. Cash was key as it facilitated one’s ability to adjust to rapidly changing circumstances engendered by Vietnam’s ongoing marketization and global integration. For informal sector workers in this rural district, the value of health insurance was judged against five primary anticipatory activities where cash had instrumental and cultural dimensions: anticipating care responsibilities following the life course, anticipating changing economic and environmental risks, cultivating relationships as a form of anticipation, anticipating uncertain health vulnerabilities, and anticipating the inequalities of the health care system. By bringing attention to how anticipation is articulated in financial and health-seeking practices, I show how my interlocutors view their decision to remain uninsured as morally worthwhile. This study moves beyond utilitarian frameworks for understanding the uninsured. It also advances the anthropological agenda to study the “social life of health insurance” across the globe.
An Honest Drug Offender Sentencing Letter

A sentencing letter in a federal drug case that explores the causes (fictions) that have transformed sentencing in such cases into more performance theater than an exercise in dispensing justice and punishment.
Tobacco Imagery in the 20 Best-Selling Video Games of 2018.

Author(s): Forsyth, Susan R; McDaniel, Patricia A | Abstract: IntroductionVideo games are played by the majority of American adolescents. A small body of research has shown that video games expose users to tobacco imagery, potentially influencing subsequent smoking behavior. We examine the presence, type, and quantity of tobacco imagery in recent popular video games.MethodsAfter identifying 20 best-selling US video games of 2018 and selecting each YouTube video of all cut scenes and bridging game play, we coded each video for the presence of five types of tobacco imagery. We also recorded the length of time tobacco content was visible during the video.ResultsSeven of the top 20 video games contained tobacco imagery, which comprised between 7 seconds and 38 minutes of game play. All five types of tobacco imagery were accounted for: visible tobacco paraphernalia, tobacco products used to further game play, background characters using tobacco products, and main characters (playable and nonplayble) using tobacco products. Visible tobacco paraphernalia was the most common type of tobacco imagery and included both real and fictionalized tobacco brands that sometimes drew on real cigarette brand imagery. Three games allowed players to control tobacco-using characters.ConclusionsPopular video games continue to expose players to tobacco imagery. Because video games are played repeatedly, the potential exists for adolescents to experience even more tobacco imagery than the baseline exposure established here, further increasing the potential for harm. Existing voluntary and regulatory approaches to policing tobacco content are inadequate; thus, policymakers should consider further interventions to minimize tobacco content in video games.ImplicationsVideo games, popular among youth and young adults, are known to contain tobacco imagery. Less is known about the quantity and type of this imagery among recent popular games. We found that 7 of the 20 best-selling video games of 2018 in the United States contained a variety of tobacco imagery and exposed players to as much as 38 minutes of tobacco content. Given the established link between exposure to tobacco marketing in media such as films and subsequent smoking behavior, policies to minimize tobacco imagery in video games that exceed the scant protections offered by the Master Settlement Agreement could help reduce smoking prevalence among youth.
A Novel Metric for Developing Easy-to-Use and Accurate Clinical Prediction Models: The Time-cost Information Criterion.

Background Guidelines recommend that clinicians use clinical prediction models to estimate future risk to guide decisions. For example, predicted fracture risk is a major factor in the decision to initiate bisphosphonate medications. However, current methods for developing prediction models often lead to models that are accurate but difficult to use in clinical settings. Objective The objective of this study was to develop and test whether a new metric that explicitly balances model accuracy with clinical usability leads to accurate, easier-to-use prediction models. Methods We propose a new metric called the Time-cost Information Criterion (TCIC) that will penalize potential predictor variables that take a long time to obtain in clinical settings. To demonstrate how the TCIC can be used to develop models that are easier-to-use in clinical settings, we use data from the 2000 wave of the Health and Retirement Study (n=6311) to develop and compare time to mortality prediction models using a traditional metric (Bayesian Information Criterion or BIC) and the TCIC. Results We found that the TCIC models utilized predictors that could be obtained more quickly than BIC models while achieving similar discrimination. For example, the TCIC identified a 7-predictor model with a total time-cost of 44 seconds, while the BIC identified a 7-predictor model with a time-cost of 119 seconds. The Harrell C-statistic of the TCIC and BIC 7-predictor models did not differ (0.7065 vs. 0.7088, P=0.11). Conclusion Accounting for the time-costs of potential predictor variables through the use of the TCIC led to the development of an easier-to-use mortality prediction model with similar discrimination.
Evaluation of a Tactical Surface Metering Tool for Charlotte Douglas International Airport via Human-in-the-Loop Simulation

NASA has been working with the FAA and aviation industry partners to develop and demonstrate new concepts and technologies that integrate arrival, departure, and surface traffic management capabilities. In March 2017, NASA conducted a human-in-the-loop (HITL) simulation for integrated surface and airspace operations, modeling Charlotte Douglas International Airport, to evaluate the operational procedures and information requirements for the tactical surface metering tool, and data exchange elements between the airline controlled ramp and ATC Tower. In this paper, we focus on the calibration of the tactical surface metering tool using various metrics measured from the HITL simulation results. Key performance metrics include gate hold times from pushback advisories, taxi-in-out times, runway throughput, and departure queue size. Subjective metrics presented in this paper include workload, situational awareness, and acceptability of the metering tool and its calibration.
Single photon generation and manipulation in silicon photonic integrated circuits

We present recent results from work conducted in the RIT Integrated Photonics Group in collaboration with the Air Force Research Laboratory. We will discuss the generation of high-brightness TM-polarized photon pairs which were generated via nonlinearly coupled resonators. This source produces high quality heralded single photons and provides enhanced tunability to compensate for self-phase modulation and dispersion. Additionally, we will present a two-photon interference experiment using a resonant hong-ou-mandel interferometer, which has a compact footprint when compared to standard Mach-Zehnder interferometers. This new design is capable of high visibility. We conclude with some recent results related to low-loss, high-dimensional packaging for entangled photon applications.
In Situ Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy of AA 2024-T3 Corrosion Metrology II. Trench Formation around Particles

The mechanism of trench formation next to cathodic intermetallic compound particles (IMC) on bare polished AA 2024-T3 was studied in situ using confocal laser scanning microscopy. Trenches formed at the interface between the matrix and some IMC of the Al-Cu-Mn-Fe and Al-Cu types in all electrolyte solutions studied, including 0.1 M Na 2 SO 4 + 0.005 M NaCI with pH adjusted to 3, 6, and 10 as well as in near-neutral 0.5 M NaCl (pH 6). The trenches in the acidic solution were narrower, and not every cathodic IMC examined developed trenches. Two models for trench formation are compared in their ability to rationalize the experimental observations. The alkaline model ascribes the trenching completely to the effects of local pH increase and is unable to rationalize trenching at low pH, the dependence of trenching on particle type, and the effect of chloride ion content on trenching rate. An anodic trench model combines the influences of IMC cathodic kinetics, galvanic coupling, and anodic dissolution of the matrix, and particle/matrix metallurgy on the trenching behavior. The latter model is able to rationalize the effects of chloride content, bulk pH, as well as the observation that not all particles of a given type undergo trenching.
Parallel computation of 2-D wavelet transforms

Both from a mathematical as well as a biological perspective, wavelet transforms present a themselves as an attractive means for extracting low-level information from an image. The authors present a processor-time optimal algorithm to implement wavelet transforms on a VLSI implementable parallel digital architecture. >
Semiconductor-semiconductor transition in Mg [ Ti 2 ] O 4

Preparation of a nearly stoichiometric $\mathrm{Mg}[{\mathrm{Ti}}_{2}]{\mathrm{O}}_{4}$ spinel with a transition at ${T}_{t}=260\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K}$ has been accomplished by solid-state reaction. Schmidt et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 92, 056402, 2004] have shown a tetragonal $(c∕al1)$-cubic transition at ${T}_{t}=260\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K}$ with the formation of long-range ordering of $\mathrm{Ti}--\mathrm{Ti}$ dimers. We report transport measurements on cold-pressed samples that show a $p$-type thermoelectric power $\ensuremath{\alpha}(T)$ above ${T}_{t}$ that drops sharply on cooling below ${T}_{t}$ to become $n$-type below $170\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K}$. The $p$-type conductivity requires a correlation splitting of the ${\mathrm{Ti}}^{4+}∕{\mathrm{Ti}}^{3+}$ and ${\mathrm{Ti}}^{3+}∕{\mathrm{Ti}}^{2+}$ redox couples and a ratio $\mathrm{Mg}∕\mathrm{Ti}\ensuremath{\ne}1∕2$ to introduce holes into the ${\mathrm{Ti}}^{4+}∕{\mathrm{Ti}}^{3+}$ couple. Above ${T}_{t}$, holes are increasingly trapped out at acceptor sites as the temperature is lowered; below ${T}_{t}$, the holes occupy one-electron dimers that may act as mobile $p$-type polarons or as donors to create three-electron dimers that act as $n$-type polarons. The transition at ${T}_{t}$ is, therefore, a semiconductor-semiconductor transition $\mathrm{Ti}--\mathrm{Ti}$ associated with dimerization instabilities. The dimerization is caused by lattice instabilities resulting from a double-well $\mathrm{Ti}--\mathrm{Ti}$ bond potential at a crossover from localized to itinerant electronic behavior. The spin-$1∕2$ odd-electron dimers give a Curie component to the magnetic susceptibility; this component is not due to impurities. A drop in $\ensuremath{\chi}(T)$ on cooling through ${T}_{t}$ reflects formation of spin-paired dimers, but short-range dimer fluctuations also reduce $\ensuremath{\chi}(T)$ in an extended temperature range above ${T}_{t}$. With increasing $x$ in $\mathrm{Mg}[{\mathrm{Mg}}_{x}{\mathrm{Ti}}_{2\ensuremath{-}x}]{\mathrm{O}}_{4}$, the introduction of ${\mathrm{Mg}}^{2+}$ and ${\mathrm{Ti}}^{4+}$ ions on the octahedral sites disrupts long-range ordering of dimers, and the temperature interval of the transition is broadened and lowered. Although evidence for the transition is washed out in the $\ensuremath{\rho}(T)$ and $\ensuremath{\chi}(T)$ data for $x\ensuremath{\geqslant}0.24$, the $\ensuremath{\alpha}(T)$ and low-temperature $\ensuremath{\chi}(T)$ data show the formation of disordered $\mathrm{Ti}--\mathrm{Ti}$ dimers for all $xl0.3$.
Radio frequency selection and interference prevention

Successful radio communication between spacecraft and earth stations depends upon the use of appropriate radio frequencies and upon having sufficient freedom from interference. Radio frequencies for deep-space research may be chosen from bands that are allocated for that purpose. The choice of particular frequencies within those bands is guided mostly by the need to avoid interference between deep-space missions. Interference may also result from terrestrial sources making transmissions not related to space research.
Controlled Transformation and Sintering of a Boehmite Sol-Gel by α-Alumina Seeding

The transformation, microstructural development, and densification of an α-alumina-seeded boehmite sol-gel was studied. α-Alumina particles are shown to act as nuclei for the trans- formation of θ- to α-alumina and to result in an increase in the transformation kinetics and lowering of the transformation temperature by as much as 170°C. By increasing the seed concentration (i.e., nucleation frequency), a submicrometer aggregate-free microstructure develops, rather than the vermicular microstructure that usually characterizes the α-alumina transformation. As a result, the transformed α-alumina sinters to full density with a submicrometer grain size at 1200°C. It is believed that seeding may represent a unique method for microstructure control in the many ceramic systems that transform by nucleation and growth.
Effects of Difluhenzuron Wettable Powder on Caged Honey Bee Colonies

A 25% wettable powder formulation of diflubenzuron (100 ppm active ingredient) supplied in water to colonies of honey bees, Apis mellifera L. , almost eliminated production of brood. Treated bees consumed significantly less water and pollen cake and produced significantly less comb, brood, and new workers. Treated bees had more eggs in the combs.
The trans-Pacific Chinook Trough megatrend

Abstract The Chinook Trough is a trans-Pacific megatrend. By using heretofore unpublished bathymetry and geophysical data, the trend of the Chinook Trough megatrend has been determined from the Juan de Fuca Ridge in the Gulf of Alaska to the Izu-Bonin trench. The feature passes through the Emperor Fracture Zone, intersects the Krusenstern Fracture Zone at the Hess Rise, passes through the Emperor Seamounts, intersects the Mamua Fracture Zone and several unnamed NNW–SSE-trending fractures at the Shatskiy Rise. After an undetermined passage through Nadeshda Basin, it intersects another NNW–SSE-trending fracture zone, Kashima Fracture Zone, at Nelson Guyot, and ends as Uyeda Ridge. Instead of being a trough, the feature is a fracture zone, herein called a megatrend. The feature is colinear to the Mendocino and Clipperton Fracture Zones.
Crystallization of heavy metal fluoride glasses

The kinetics of crystallization of a number of fluorozirconate glasses were studied using isothermal and dynamic differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction. The addition of the fluorides LiF, NaF, AlF3, LaF3 to a base glass composition of ZrF4-BaF2 reduced the tendency to crystallize, probably by modifying the viscosity-temperature relation. ZrF4-BaF2-LaF3-AlF3-NaF glass was the most stable against devitrification and perhaps is the best composition for optical fibers with low scattering loss. Some glasses first crystallize out into metastable beta-BaZr2F10 and beta-BaZrF6 phases, which transform into the most stable alpha-phases when heated to higher temperatures. The size of the crystallites was estimated to be about 600 A from X-ray diffraction.
Novel acetylated flavonoid glycosides from the leaves of Allium ursinum

Abstract Seven flavonoid glycosides, kaempferol 3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1→2)-[3-O-acetyl]-β-D-glucopyranoside (1), kaempferol 3-O-α-L-rhamnopyronosyl (1→2)-[6-O-acetyl]-β-D-glucopyranoside (2), kaempferol 3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)-β-D-glucopyranoside (3), kaempferol 3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (4), kaempferol 3,7-di-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (5), 7-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl kaempferol 3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)-β-D-glucopyranoside (6), kaempferol 3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1→2)-β-D-glucopyranoside-7-O-[2-O-(trans-p-coumaroyl)]-β-D-glucopyranoside (7) were isolated from the n-butanol fraction of Allium ursinum L. and the structures of these compounds were elucidated on the basis of mass spectrometry, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, HMQC and HMBC data. Among them, 1 and 2 are novel compounds and compounds 4 and 5 were isolated from this plant species for the first time.
Aspects of core gender identity

Stoller proposes two fundamentally contradictory conceptions of core gender identity. This paper urges that we accept the first, a relational conception: Core gender identity develops in the context of unambiguous sex ascription at birth and the virtually infinite number of daily infant‐parent interactions permeated by all the conscious and unconscious meanings the child's gender has for its parents. The implications of this conception are explored in four contexts. The first shows that a recent case of sex reassignment, purporting to demonstrate a neurological base for gender experience, does not do so. The second argues that children's core gender identities as “girls”; or “boys”; are as diverse as the meanings that their genders have had for their interaction partners (usually the parents). The third emphasizes the priority of infant‐parent interactions in core gender identity development and in the gendered meanings that children's genitals have for them. The fourth argues for the rejection of the “di...
Teleomorph Formation of Phaeoacremonium aleophilum, Cause of Esca and Grapevine Decline in California

ABSTRACT Phaeoacremonium is a recently described genus of the hyphomycetes and includes species associated with grapevine (Vitis vinifera) declines worldwide. Spores of Phaeoacremonium spp. have been trapped in infested vineyards, but neither asexual nor sexual fruiting structures have been observed in the field. Mating studies were carried out to determine if California P. aleophilum isolates are capable of forming a teleomorph in vitro. Sterilized grapevine shavings were placed on the surface of water agar plates with pairs of different California isolates of P. aleophilum, an isolate from the holotype of P. aleophilum, plus other related Phaeoacremonium spp. After approximately 28 to 35 days, perithecia were seen forming on wood chips and agar of many pairings. Upon maturation, fertile perithecia had gelatinous droplets of ascospores oozing from their ostioles. Successful crosses, resulting in mature perithecia, corresponded to a heterothallic mating type system. When F1 progeny were backcrossed with t...
The Early Effects of Medicare's Mandatory Hospital Pay-for-Performance Program

Objective To evaluate the impact of hospital value-based purchasing (HVBP) on clinical quality and patient experience during its initial implementation period (July 2011–March 2012). Data Sources Hospital-level clinical quality and patient experience data from Hospital Compare from up to 5 years before and three quarters after HVBP was initiated. Study Design Acute care hospitals were exposed to HVBP by mandate while critical access hospitals and hospitals located in Maryland were not exposed. We performed a difference-in-differences analysis, comparing performance on 12 incentivized clinical process and 8 incentivized patient experience measures between hospitals exposed to the program and a matched comparison group of nonexposed hospitals. We also evaluated whether hospitals that were ultimately exposed to HVBP may have anticipated the program by improving quality in advance of its introduction. Principal Findings Difference-in-differences estimates indicated that hospitals that were exposed to HVBP did not show greater improvement for either the clinical process or patient experience measures during the program's first implementation period. Estimates from our preferred specification showed that HVBP was associated with a 0.51 percentage point reduction in composite quality for the clinical process measures (p > .10, 95 percent CI: −1.37, 0.34) and a 0.30 percentage point reduction in composite quality for the patient experience measures (p > .10, 95 percent CI: −0.79, 0.19). We found some evidence that hospitals improved performance on clinical process measures prior to the start of HVBP, but no evidence of this phenomenon for the patient experience measures. Conclusions The timing of the financial incentives in HVBP was not associated with improved quality of care. It is unclear whether improvement for the clinical process measures prior to the start of HVBP was driven by the expectation of the program or was the result of other factors.
Laparoscopic drainage of postappendectomy- retained fecalith and intra-abdominal abscess in the pediatric population.

Abstract Retained fecalith after an appendectomy is an uncommon complication frequently associated with intra-abdominal abscess. Treatment options include percutaneous, open, or laparoscopic draina...
Question-begging and infinite regress

InMetaphysics Γ, Ch. 4, Aristotle speaks of both infinite regress and question-begging, but does not explicitly relate them. We get the impression that he thinks that to use one of these arguments to avoid the other is to jump from the frying-pan into the fire. This relationship is illustrated in terms of the ignorant belief that everything can be proved, and of attempts to prove the Law of Noncontradiction.
Use of stable isotopes to quantify flows between the Everglades and urban areas in Miami-Dade County Florida

An isotopic study was performed to assess the movement of groundwater for a site located in Miami-Dade County, Florida. The site encompasses portions of a protected wetland environment (northeast Everglades National Park) and suburban residential Miami, incorporating municipal pumping wells and lakes formed by rock mining. Samples of ground, surface, and rainwater were analyzed for their isotopic composition (oxygen-18 and deuterium). Various analytical and graphical techniques were used to analyze this data and two conceptual box models were developed to quantify flows between different regions within the site. Results from this study indicate that the aquifer underlying the study site (the Biscayne aquifer) is highly transmissive with the exception of two semi-confining layers of reduced hydraulic conductivity. Everglades surface water infiltrates into the aquifer and migrates east toward residential areas. In these urban areas, ‘shallow’ groundwater (above the deeper semi-confining layer) is substantially affected by urban rainfall while ‘deep’ groundwater (below the deeper semi-confining layer) maintains a composition similar to that of Everglades water. Rock mining lakes in the area provide ‘breaks’ in the semi-confining layers that allow for mixing of shallow and deep groundwater. As water travels eastward, municipal well intakes, screened to a depth below the deeper semi-confining layer, draw upon not only shallow urban water (predominantly comprised of urban rainfall) and lake water (having influences from both urban rainfall and Everglades water) but also deep water that originated in the Everglades. Results from one of the box models estimate that over 60% of the water being removed by municipal pumping originated in the Everglades. These conclusions suggest that Everglades water, both directly through deep groundwater flow and indirectly through mixing with rock-mining lakes, is being drawn into the operating municipal wellfield.
Benzene and Leukemia: The 0.1 ppm ACGIH Proposed Threshold Limit Value for Benzene

Abstract The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) has proposed a threshold limit value (TLV) for benzene of 0.1 ppm. Individuals representing the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the Chemical Manufacturers Association (CMA) have argued that 1) the risk assessment by Rinsky et al. which ACGIH partially relied upon for its proposed TLV overestimates the risk; however, at the exposures levels of interest (e.g., 0.1 to 1.0 ppm) for establishing a benzene TLV, the Rinsky et al. assessment provides lower estimates of leukemia risk than most others; 2) ACGIH should not use the Dow study for direct observational evidence of leukemia risk associated with low-level benzene exposure because of confounding exposure; however, it is unlikely that confounding exposures played a role in the excess of leukemia demonstrated in the study, and the Dow cohort was exposed to an average benzene concentration of about 5.5 ppm benzene for 7.0 years (38.5 ppm-years), while some of the individuals...
Determination of carrier and impurity profiles in doped n-type quantum well structures

Abstract Because of the inherent potential profile in multiple-quantum-well and superlattice structures, there is an effective redistribution of carriers between barriers and wells. In this work it is shown that through a combination of capacitance-voltage ( C-V ), deep-level transient spectroscopy, photoluminescence and Hall effect measurements a comprehensive evaluation of the carrier profiles and barrier purity in n-type material can be obtained. A detailed theoretical analysis of the ( C-V ) data is also presented which includes the effects of barrier depletion, the Debye tail and penetration of the electron wavefunction into the barrier layers.
Legal Framework for Environmental Co-operation in Latin America: An Overview

Sumario America Latina constituye una region que ha dado expresion juridica, de conformidad con los principios del Derecho International, a la necesidad de cooperar en materia ambiental. En este sentido, los Estados que conforman la region han confeccionado una serie de tratados de caracter bilateral y subregional a fin de proporcionar un sustento legal a la cooperacion en este rubro. Los comprornisos asumidos a traves de los documentos que emanaron de la Conferencia de Rio d e Janeiro en 1992, cuentan con el reconocimiento de su validez por parte de los Estados latinoamericanos. Ante todo, America Latina fundamenta sus acciones en el Bmbito ambiental mediante: consultas a nivel politico; cooperacion en las esfaras legal y politica; y, sobre la firme convicci6n que la cooperacion ambiental es solo un aspecto, entre varios, que componen la prioridad de lograr el desarrollo sostenible.
EFFECT OF MODIFIED ATMOSPHERE PACKAGING ON THE QUALITY OF SMOKED CATFISH

Smoked catfish were inoculated with Listeria ivanovii then packaged under 80% CO2/20% N2 (M1) and 40% CO2/30%O2/130% N2 (M2) and stored at 2 and 8C. Noninoculated samples packaged under air (A) served as controls. Fillets stored under M2 at 8C showed the fastest growth of L. ivanovii. L. ivanovii counts in samples stored under M1 at both temperatures decreased significantly over time. Listeria growth was observed in samples stored under air at 2 and 8C after 2 weeks. APC results were similar to that of Listeria The highest TBA values were observed in M2-stored samples followed by air-stored samples. Lightness (“L” values) increased significantly, whereas “a” (redgreen) and “b” (blue/yellow) values decreased in all atmospheres at both temperatures over time. The combined use of M1 and 2C improved the quality of smoked catfish by inhibiting microbial growth and minimizing the extent of lipid oxidation.
Diel and seasonal variation in CO2 flux of irrigated rice

Abstract Rice is a primary food source for half the world’s population, but little is known of how temporal changes in the field-scale physical environment affect carbon dioxide exchange rate (CER), biomass accumulation, and crop yield. Experiments were conducted in 1998 and 1999 in a commercial field near El Campo, TX, to evaluate interactions between CER and the physical environment. Tower-based conditional sampling was used to measure CER. Environmental parameters such as photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), net radiation, and temperature were measured along with CER. Whole-plant biomass was also collected throughout both seasons. Fluctuations in diel CER were correlated with changes in PAR, while season-long trends in CER were associated with changes in leaf area index and stage of development. Crop yield was found to be directly related to total carbon-dioxide exchange after heading, and may have been affected by environmental conditions at anthesis, such as temperature and wind speed, or leaf nitrogen status, both of which differed considerably between the two seasons. Data showed a positive correlation between biomass accumulation and cumulative CER for both years of the study.
Morality and machines : perspectives on computer ethics

This text helps students explore the wider field of computer ethics, including discussion of key topics such as privacy, software protection, artificial intelligence, workplace issues, virtual reality, and cybersex.
Hydroxyl space-time correlation measurements in partially premixed turbulent opposed-jet flames

A high repetition-rate, two-point, time-resolved, laser-induced fluorescence technique is used to perform simultaneous two-point OH time-series measurements in a series of turbulent opposed-jet partially premixed flames with varying fuel-side equivalence ratio and bulk Reynolds number. Time scales of OH in these flames have previously been reported; however, the extension to two-point detection permits measurements of new spatial and temporal statistics previously unavailable in such flames. In particular, the simultaneous OH time series are used here to compute spatial and temporal autocorrelation functions. Filtered OH length scales (lr,OH), corresponding to radial OH fluctuations in turbulent stagnation flames, are obtained from the spatial autocorrelation function, including their variation across the stagnation plane. In general, maximum OH fluctuations occur at the stagnation plane, thus minimizing the OH integral length scale at the axial location of peak OH. For all flames of this study, trends in OH length scale follow those of axial time scale (τI,OH). For flames with constant Re, lr,OH decreases with less partial premixing. However, this change in integral length scale appears to be more significant for flames at lower Re in comparison to those at higher Re. Similar to OH integral time scales, for flames with the same fuel composition, lr,OH decreases with increasing Re. Moreover, fuel-lean mixtures appear to be more sensitive to Re variations as compared to fuel-rich mixtures.
High-efficiency optical mixers: Principle, design, and implications for signal processing

Parametric mixers provide unique set of advantages that cannot be easily matched by any electronic technology. Specifically, parametric processor inherent speed, coherent nature and low dissipation are of particular interest in both analog and digital architectures. When combined with rate-matched electronics backplane, coherent parametric preprocessors are likely to lead to high performance ADC and spectral analyzers that exceed performance of presently existing devices.
From Katrina to Pandemic – Business as Unusual – Applications of a Proven Response Model

CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrate that the well-formulated 0.5% Triclosan, foaming hand wash and the four 62-70% alcohol-based hand antiseptics evaluated in this study are in fact capable of rapidly inactivating Avian Influenza A H5N1. Although Influenza A is an enveloped virus, and thus generally considered susceptible to various anti-microbial agents, these data provide scientific support for the CDC and WHO position on hand hygiene as the primary prevention measure for Influenza infection in healthcare and other congregate settings.
Reconstruction of rectovaginal fistula with sphincter disruption by combining rectal mucosal advancement flap and anal sphincteroplasty.

PURPOSE: This study evaluated the effectiveness of combining advancement flap with sphincteroplasty in patients symptomatic with rectovaginal fistula and anal sphincter disruption. METHODS: Twenty patients with rectovaginal fistulas and anal sphincter disruptions after vaginal deliveries underwent combined rectal mucosal advancement flap and anal sphincteroplasty between July 1986 and July 1993. The mean age of the patients was 30 (range, 18–40) years and the mean duration of symptoms was 54.8 weeks (range, 7 weeks to 6 years). In addition to mucosal advancement flap repair, 13 patients underwent two-layer repair of anal sphincters (with reapproximation of the puborectalis in 8 of the patients); 6 patients underwent one-layer overlap repair of anal sphincters (with reapproximation of the puborectalis in 2 of the patients); and 1 patient underwent reapproximation of internal anal sphincter alone because squeeze pressures were adequate, as determined by anal manometry. RESULTS: Postoperatively, vaginal discharge of stool and flatus was eliminated entirely in all 20 patients. Perfect anal continence of stool and flatus was restored in 14 patients (70 percent). Incontinence was improved but not eliminated in six patients (4 incontinent to liquid stool and 2 to flatus), and two patients required perineal pads. Subjectively, 19 patients (95 percent) reported the result as excellent or good. There were no complications. CONCLUSION: The combination of mucosal advancement flap and anal sphincteroplasty is a safe and highly effective procedure for correcting rectovaginal fistula with sphincter disruption after obstetrical injuries.
Dietary intake recorder based upon a single-board microcomputer

Abstract A food recording electronic device to simplify the collection of dietary data is described. The need for a subject to maintain a quantitative account of food intake, and for a dietitian to subsequently code this record prior to computer analysis, are both eliminated using this approach. In combination with an electronic kitchen balance, the recorder, which is based upon a single-board computer (SBC) and special keyboard, enables the weight, food type and time of consumption of each food to be recorded automatically in response to simple key entry. The resident program, transparent to the user, allows data from surveys lasting up to three weeks to be stored for subsequent serial downloading to a host computer.
Dynamic strain aging and ductility minima in zirconium

Tensile tests using coarse grained zirconium specimens were conducted at two strain rates, differing by 3 orders of magnitude, between 77° and 1032°K. At each strain rate, peaks were observed when the flow stress was plotted against the temperature. The temperature corresponding to a given peak was observed to rise with increasing strain rate. A pronounced minimum in the strain rate sensitivity of zirconium near 675°K can be explained in terms of the strain rate dependence of these peaks. At each strain rate, the zirconium tensile specimens also showed a minimum elongation at the hardening peak temperature. Since the reduction in area did not pass through a corresponding minimum, the elongation minima do not reflect a true ductility loss. What actually takes place is an increased tendency to neck at the hardening peak temperature. This tendency to promote a neck can be rationalized in terms of variations in the strain rate sensitivity caused by dynamic strain aging.
Bop: a new T-cell-restricted gene located upstream of and opposite to mouse CD8b

In the course of transient expression studies undertaken to determine the location of the mouse CD8b gene promoter, two additional promoter activities were detected within 600 nucleotides upstream of the gene. One activity directs transcription in the same direction as CD8b but fails to transcribe the CAT reporter gene due to an apparent transcription-blocking element lying between it and the gene. The second activity directs transcription opposite to that of the CD8b gene. Northern hybridization with a probe consisting of nucleotides -875 to -550 relative to the site of CD8b transcription initiation revealed hybridizing species of 4 kilobases (kb) and 1.8 kb in poly-A-selected RNA from mouse thymus but not from any other tissues. Similar RNA species were detected in poly-A+ RNA from concanavalin A-stimulated spleen cells and several long-term CTL lines but not from the EL4 or BW5147 T-cell lines or the J558L myeloma. The mRNA species were most abundant in cells of a secondary mixed leukocyte culture which were greater than 95% CD8(+). Northern hybridizations using single-stranded unidirectional probes indicated that these mRNAs represent transcription opposite to the CD8b gene. The tissue and cell type distribution of this newly-discovered gene (designated Bop for CD8b opposite) are consistent with T-cell-specific and possibly CD8-positive T-cell-specific expression. The head-to-head arrangement of the Bop and CD8b genes is reminiscent of the arrangement of the Tap1 and Lmp2 genes, and the expression of the Bop gene in CD8-positive cells raises the possibility that these genes are involved in the same functional pathway.
Integrating instruments for quality control

IN QUALITY-CONTROL work, it is often necessary to determine the mean and the standard deviation of an important parameter, such as a dimension of the product. To accomplish this, a measurement system called an Evenness Integrator, Figure 1, has been developed for applications in which the material is tested while moving continuously. Since most of the necessary calculating functions are performed by two new integrating instruments, the equipment eliminates virtually all of the laborious data-taking and the computations ordinarily associated with the statistical analysis of a large number of discrete measurements.
Studies on Phenolic Steroids in Human Subjects. XX. In Vivo Conjugation and Metabolism of Estradiol-17β in the Human Kidney

Labeled estradiol-17β (E2) was injected into one of the renal arteries of two human subjects. At the same time, an equimolar amount of differently labeled E2 was injected into a peripheral vein. The urinary metabolites were analyzed by DEAE-Sephadex A-25 column chromatography, countercurrent distribution (CCD) and enzyme hydrolyses. Identification was made by statistical analysis of data from CCD, thin layer chromatography (TLC) and co-crystallization upon admixture with authentic compounds. The major urinary metabolites were E2-17-glucosiduronate (E2-17G), E2-3G and estriol-16G (E3-I6G). The E2-17G was excreted immediately following injection of 14C-E2 into the renal artery of subject no. 1, at a rate which decreased gradually with time; whereas 3H-E2-17G did not appear in the urine until 5 min after injection of 3H-E2 into a peripheral vein. The excretion of 14C-E2-17G was very prominent as opposed to that of 3H-E2-17G; however, the excretion of both 14C- and 3H-E2-17G terminated within 30 min. 14C-E2-3...