cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Meridional volume transport in the South Pacific: Mean and SAM-related variability

The large increase in upper-ocean sampling during the past decade enables improved estimation of the mean meridional volume transport in the midlatitude South Pacific, and hence of the climatically important Meridional Overturning Circulation. Transport is computed using Argo float profile data for geostrophic shear and trajectory data for reference velocities at 1000 m. For the period 2004-2012, the mean geostrophic transport across 32S is 20.6 ± 6.0 Sv in the top 2000 m of the ocean. From west to east, this includes the southward East Australian Current (23.3 ± 2.9 Sv), its northward recirculation (16.3 ± 3.6 Sv), the broad interior northward flow (18.4 ± 4.1 Sv), and the net northward flow (9.2 ± 2.2 Sv) in opposing currents in the eastern Pacific. The basin-integrated geostrophic transport includes 7.3 ± 0.9 Sv of surface and thermocline waters, 4.9 ± 1.0 Sv of Subantarctic Mode Water, and 4.9 ± 1.4 Sv of Antarctic Intermediate Water. Interannual variability in volume transport across 32S in the South Pacific shows a Southern Annual Mode signature characterized by an increase during the positive phase of the Southern Annular Mode and a decrease during the negative phase. Maximum amplitudes in geostrophic transport anomalies, seen in the East Australian Current and East Australian Current recirculation, are consistent with wind stress curl anomalies near the western boundary. Key Points Improved meridional volume transport in the South Pacific using Argo EAC transport variability tied to the SAM © Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Automatic scalable size selection for the shape of a distributed robotic collective

A collective of robots can together complete a task that is beyond the capabilities of any of its individual robots. One property of a robotic collective that allows it to complete such a task is the shape of the collective. One method to form that shape is to form it at a size proportional to the number of robots in that collective, i.e. scalably. In our previous work, scalably forming the shape of the collective required that each robot know the total number of robots in the collective. In this work we present a method called S-DASH, which now allows a collective to scalably form a shape without knowing how many robots are in the collective. Furthermore, S-DASH will change the size of the shape to reflect the addition or removal of robots from the collective. This paper also provides demonstrations of S-DASH running on a simulated collective of robots.
Two-Stage Wilcoxon Tests of Hypotheses

Abstract Two-stage Wilcoxon signed ranks tests and Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney tests are presented for general one-sided alternatives. A probability recurrence relation is given for the two-stage signed ranks statistics under the null hypothesis. For each test the limiting bivariate distribution of the standardized statistics is normal. With certain restrictions on the sample sizes, the null limiting distributions are both the one considered by Owen [8], so large sample tests can be formed using existing tables. Monte Carlo results suggest that these tests can considerably reduce the expected number of observations without reducing power relative to the usual one-stage tests.
Modeling and quantification of security attributes of software systems

Quite often failures in network based services and server systems may not be accidental, but rather caused by deliberate security intrusions. We would like such systems to either completely preclude the possibility of a security intrusion or design them to be robust enough to continue functioning despite security attacks. Not only is it important to prevent or tolerate security intrusions, it is equally important to treat security as a QoS attribute at par with, if not more important than other QoS attributes such as availability and performability. This paper deals with various issues related to quantifying the security attribute of an intrusion tolerant system, such as the SITAR system. A security intrusion and the response of an intrusion tolerant system to the attack is modeled as a random process. This facilitates the use of stochastic modeling techniques to capture the attacker behavior as well as the system's response to a security intrusion. This model is used to analyze and quantify the security attributes of the system. The security quantification analysis is first carried out for steady-state behavior leading to measures like steady-state availability. By transforming this model to a model with absorbing states, we compute a security measure called the "mean time (or effort) to security failure" and also compute probabilities of security failure due to violations of different security attributes.
Health Disparities, Communication Inequalities, and eHealth

Advances in communication and computer technologies have revolutionized the way health information is gathered, disseminated, and used by healthcare providers, patients, citizens, and mass media, leading to the emergence of a new field and new language captured in the term “e-health.” As exciting as these technologic changes are, they have led to sometimes overly optimistic prognostications about what e-health can do to improve the health of patients and the public and the quality of care available from providers. While conceding the significant advantages bestowed by the technologic developments and their adoption into the healthcare system, we contend that without careful and systematic research and policy, e-health may work primarily to the advantage of individuals and communities with greater resources and healthcare systems that serve them. This could have the effect of deepening disparities in health status between population subgroups. There are some significant challenges that must be addressed by the research community to assure that advances in e-health will help eliminate, not exacerbate, health disparities. These include identifying and clearly articulating specific disparity issues that affect different domains of e-health, enhancing survey sampling and measurement in e-health research to better understand and address disparities, and critically examining e-health and communication-related policies that may affect health disparities.
Changes of the receptor-binding properties of influenza B virus B/Victoria/504/2000 during adaptation in chicken eggs.

Abstract Selection of high-growth virus variants of strain B/Victoria/504/2000 by serial passage in eggs resulted in three amino acid substitutions, G141E, R162M, and D196Y, in the vicinity of the receptor-binding pocket of viral hemagglutinin. Virus variants containing the identified amino acid substitutions, individually or in various combinations, were constructed using reverse genetics and analyzed for their receptor-binding properties using glycan microarray platform. Three different patterns of virus binding were revealed. A low-growth virus variant, corresponding to the original egg-derived virus B/Victoria/504/2000 prior to acquisition of amino acid changes G141E, R162M, and D196Y, had a clear preference for the oligosaccharide chains terminated with α2-6-linked sialic acid with very weak binding of the glycans terminated with α2-3-linked sialic acid. Amino acid substitutions R162M and D196Y had similar effects, resulting in viruses that bound with high efficiency almost all terminally sialylated glycans represented on the array regardless of the type of glycosidic linkage. In contrast, substitution of G141E alone, or in combinations with the other two amino acid substitutions, significantly restricted virus glycan-binding capabilities. All virus variants possessing this substitution lost the ability to bind glycans with α2-6 glycosidic linkage as well as most of the glycans with α2-3 glycosidic linkage. Linear penta- and heptasaccharide chains represented at the non-reducing end by α2-3 sialylated Type-II motif (LacNAc) were the only structures bound with high affinity by the virus variants with G141E substitution. In all cases when the effects on virus binding of individual amino acid substitutions differed, the effect of R162M was subordinate to the effect of either G141E or D196Y.
The Impact of Specific Preoperative Organ Dysfunction in Patients Undergoing Aortic Valve Replacement

Background Optimizing treatment strategies to risk profile patients undergoing aortic valve replacement remains a priority. The role that specific and combinations of preoperative organ dysfunction (OD) plays in informing these decisions remains uncertain. This study sought to determine the relative effect that OD in particular systems has on short- and long-term outcomes. Methods A total of 1,759 aortic valve replacement cases with and without coronary artery bypass grafting performed from January 2002 to June 2010 at Emory University are the basis for this retrospective analysis. Patients were classified by the presence or absence of preoperative OD: (1) cardiac: congestive heart failure (ejection fraction Results A total of 513 patients (29.2%) had at least one OD, including 95 patients (5.4%) with more than one OD. Organ dysfunction in each organ system was associated with poorer survival. Renal (hazard ratio, 3.90) and pulmonary (hazard ratio, 2.40) OD patients had poorer long-term survival, including 30-day mortality. Seven-year survival for OD patients is as follows: prior stroke, 48.6%; severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, 30.8%; congestive heart failure, 55.9%; and chronic renal failure, 11.7%. The sequential addition of OD systems was a powerful predictor of poorer long-term survival. Conclusions The presence of chronic renal failure most profoundly decreases survival, followed by severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and prior stroke. Furthermore, multiple OD systems significantly decrease short- and long-term survival.
Pretreatment of donors with interleukin-18 attenuates acute graft-versus-host disease via STAT6 and preserves graft-versus-leukemia effects

Interleukin-18 (IL-18) is a unique cytokine that modulates both T(H)1/T(H)2 responses, but its ability to modulate diseases through induction of T(H)2 cytokines is unclear. It has been shown to play an important role in allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Because immune responses of allogeneic BM donors may affect acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), we investigated the effect of pretreating BM transplant donors with IL-18 on the severity of acute GVHD using a well-characterized experimental BMT model (BALB/c-->B6). Pretreatment of allogeneic BM transplant donors with IL-18 significantly improved survival (80% vs 0%; P <.001), and reduced clinical, biochemical, and pathologic indices of acute GVHD in BM transplant recipients. IL-18 pretreatment was associated with reduced interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) and greater IL-4 secretion by donor T cells after BMT. Acute GVHD mortality was reduced when IL-18 was administered to donors deficient in IFN-gamma and signal transducer and activator of transcription 4 (STAT4) but not STAT6 signaling molecules, suggesting a critical role for STAT6 signaling in IL-18's protective effect. IL-18 treatment did not alter donor CD8(+) cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) activity and preserved graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effects after allogeneic BMT (70% vs 10%; P <.01). Together these data illustrate that pretreatment of donors with IL-18 prior to allogeneic BMT attenuates acute GVHD in a STAT6-dependent mechanism while preserving GVL effects.
Quantization for classification accuracy in high-rate quantizers

Quantization of signals is required for many transmission, storage and compression applications. The original signal is quantized at the encoder side. At the decoder side, a replica of the original signal that should resemble the original signal in some sense is recovered. Present quantizers make an effort to reduce the distortion of the signal in the sense of reproduction fidelity. Consider scenarios in which signals are generated from multiple classes. The encoder focuses on the task of quantizing the data without any regards to the class of the signal. The quantized signal reaches the decoder where not only the recovery of the signal should take place but also a decision is to be made on the class of the signal based on the quantized version of the signal only. In this paper, we study the design of such scalar quantizer that is optimized for the task of classification at the decoder. We define the distortion to be the symmetric Kullback-Leibler (KL) divergence measure between the conditional probabilities of class given the signal before and after quantization. A high-rate analysis of the quantizer is presented and the optimum point density of the quantizer for minimizing the symmetric KL divergence is derived. The performance of this method on synthetically generated data is examined and observed to be superior in the task of classification of signals at the decoder.
Strain composition of the ehrlichia Anaplasma marginale within persistently infected cattle, a mammalian reservoir for tick transmission.

Tick-borne ehrlichial pathogens of animals and humans require a mammalian reservoir of infection from which ticks acquire the organism for subsequent transmission. In the present study, we examined the strain structure of Anaplasma marginale, a genogroup II ehrlichial pathogen, in both an acute outbreak and in persistently infected cattle that serve as a reservoir for tick transmission. Using the msp1α genotype as a stable strain marker, only a single genotype was detected in a disease outbreak in a previously uninfected herd. In contrast, a diverse set of genotypes was detected in a persistently infected reservoir herd within a region where A. marginale is endemic. Genotypic diversity did not appear to be rapidly generated within an individual animal, because only a single genotype, identical to that of the inoculating strain, was detected at time points up to 2 years after experimental infection, and only a single identical genotype was found in repeat sampling of individual naturally infected cattle. Similarly, only a single genotype, identical to that of the experimentally inoculated St. Maries or South Idaho strain, was identified in the bloodmeal taken by Dermacentor andersoni ticks, in the midgut and salivary glands of the infected ticks, and in the blood of acutely infected cattle following tick transmission. The results show that mammalian reservoirs harbor genetically heterogeneous A. marginale and suggest that different genotypes are maintained by transmission within the reservoir population.
Silencing the Sounds of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is an autosomal dominant disease characterized by an asymmetric enlargement of the left ventricle, which obstructs blood flow and generates a prominent murmur on physical examination. Patients with HCM are at high risk for sudden cardiac death because the underlying
Friends with benefits: On the positive consequences of pet ownership.

Social support is critical for psychological and physical well-being, reflecting the centrality of belongingness in our lives. Human interactions often provide people with considerable social support, but can pets also fulfill one’s social needs? Although there is correlational evidence that pets may help individuals facing significant life stressors, little is known about the well-being benefits of pets for everyday people. Study 1 found in a community sample that pet owners fared better on several well-being (e.g., greater self-esteem, more exercise) and individual-difference (e.g., greater conscientiousness, less fearful attachment) measures. Study 2 assessed a different community sample and found that owners enjoyed better well-being when their pets fulfilled social needs better, and the support that pets provided complemented rather than competed with human sources. Finally, Study 3 brought pet owners into the laboratory and experimentally demonstrated the ability of pets to stave off negativity caused by social rejection. In summary, pets can serve as important sources of social support, providing many positive psychological and physical benefits for their owners.
Micro-Geometry of 3-D Braided Tubular Preform

The micro-geometry of three-dimensional (3-D) braided tubular preform is more complex than that of rectangular one, and it is more difficult to analyze its architecture and mechanical properties theoretically as well. Through the advantage of digital element approach for textile technology, 3-D circular braiding process could be simulated dynamically using different parameters like yarn tension, yarn properties, the size of yarn and mandrel, pitch length etc. Yarns in 3D tubular preform were found to be nearly straight when projected onto r – plane, which is similar to those in rectangular preform on x – y plane. And yarns on x – y plane were smooth curvy lines, which could be described quantitatively. Unit-cell at the interior of the preform was isolated out based upon same topology consideration for rectangular preform. But the size of unit-cells and the yarn inclination in them varied with its radial position though their shape and micro-structures are analogous. Three important parameters of unit-cell...
Emerging vaccines for influenza

Background: Influenza remains one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The available vaccines are least effective in the populations at greatest risk – children, the elderly, and the immunocompromised. Furthermore, avian influenza and other novel strains have the potential to cause the next influenza pandemic. Research efforts have accelerated worldwide to develop new vaccines to provide better immunity against annual epidemics and a potential pandemic. Objective: To summarize the global research efforts at developing new influenza vaccines, adjuvants, and delivery devices. Method: MEDLINE and Pharmaprojects databases were searched for publications and continuing research on new influenza vaccine technologies. Results/conclusions: Technologies such as DNA vaccines, live recombinant viral vector vaccines, and virus-like particles have shown significant promise for immunogenicity and protection from experimental challenge to influenza. New modalities for vaccine delivery and methods f...
The impact of the nonpeptide corticotropin-releasing hormone antagonist antalarmin on behavioral and endocrine responses to stress.

The nonpeptide CRH antagonist antalarmin has been shown to block both behavioral and endocrine responses to CRH. However, it's potential activity in blunting behavioral and endocrine sequelae of stressor exposure has not been assessed. Because antagonism of central CRH by alpha-helical CRH attenuates conditioned fear responses, we sought to test antalarmin in this regard. In addition, it remains unclear as to whether this is a result of receptor blockade during conditioning or during testing. Thus, we explored whether CRH mediates the induction or expression of conditioned fear (freezing in a context previously associated with 2 footshocks; 1.0 mA, 5 sec each). Furthermore, because rats previously exposed to inescapable shock (IS; 100 shocks, 1.6 mA, 5 sec each), demonstrate enhanced fear conditioning, we investigated whether this effect would be blocked by antalarmin. Antalarmin (20 mg/kg x 2 ml i.p.) impaired both the induction and expression of conditioned fear. In addition, antalarmin blocked the enhancement of fear conditioning produced by prior exposure to IS. Despite the marked behavioral effects observed in antalarmin-treated rats, antalarmin had no effect on IS-induced rises in ACTH or corticosterone. However, antalarmin did block the ACTH response produced by exposure to 2 footshocks.
The laminar wall-jet over a curved surface

The laminar flow of a wall jet over a curved surface is considered. A unique similarity solution is obtained for both concave and convex surfaces when the local radius of curvature is proportional to x3/4. This solution satisfies a similar invariant condition to the one derived by Glauert for the wall jet over a plane surface. The variation of the shape of the velocity profile, the skin friction, and the surface pressure as a function of curvature is given.
Accrual Index: A Real‐Time Measure of the Timeliness of Clinical Study Enrollment

Background Achieving timely accrual into clinical research studies remains a challenge for clinical translational research. We developed an evaluation measure, the Accrual Index (AI), normalized for sample size and study duration, using data from the protocol and study management databases. We applied the AI retrospectively and prospectively to assess its utility. Methods Accrual Target, Projected Time to Accrual Completion (PTAC), Evaluable Subjects, Dates of Recruitment Initiation, Analysis, and Completion were defined. AI is (% Accrual Target accrued/% PTAC elapsed). Changes to recruitment practices were described, and data extracted from study management databases. Results December 2014 (or final) AI was analyzed for 101 studies initiating recruitment from 2007 to 2014. Median AI was ≥1 for protocols initiating recruitment in 2011, 2013, and 2014. The AI varied widely for studies pre-2013. Studies with AI > 4 utilized convenience samples for recruitment. Data-justified PTAC was refined in 2013–2014 after which the AI range narrowed. Protocol characteristics were not associated with study AI. Conclusion Protocol AI reflects the relative agreement between accrual feasibility assessment (PTAC), and accrual performance, and is affected by recruitment practices. The AI may be useful in managing accountability, modeling accrual, allocating recruitment resources, and testing innovations in recruitment practices. Clin Trans Sci 2015; Volume #: 1–7
Nonacademic Characteristics of Dental School Applicants

The purpose of this study was to characterize the average dental school applicant's participation in four nonacademic areas: shadowing, extracurricular activities, volunteer experiences, and research. Demographic, academic, and nonacademic information was compared for 12 percent of all applicants to U.S. dental schools in 2005. Applicants had an average GPA of 3.23 and DAT Academic Average of 18.6. Applicants participated in an average of 3.7 extracurricular activities, 3.2 volunteer experiences, and 0.8 research projects. The average nondental employee applicant shadowed 172 hours. As shadowing hours increased, GPA declined. While academically similar, women reported significantly greater (p<.05) participation in all four nonacademic areas than males. Overall, Hispanic students reported the most shadowing hours and had the greatest percentage of parents as dentists, while black students had the least in both areas. Black students reported the most extracurricular activities. More than 90 percent of all applicants participated in three or four of the major nonacademic areas. Participation in extracurricular activities, volunteer experiences, and research projects was correlated; however, there was no relationship between shadowing hours and the other areas. Applicants with the most shadowing tended to be less academically qualified. The typical applicant reported a total of approximately eight extracurricular, volunteer, and research endeavors and 170 or more hours of shadowing. Results of this study can assist dental admissions committees in making qualitative comparisons between applicants with similar academic qualifications and aid health career counselors in advising predental students.
The effects of supplementing dried distillers grains to steers grazing cool-season meadow1

ABSTRACT Two summer experiments were conducted with 28 (BW = 291 ± 22 kg; Exp. 1) and 48 (BW = 280 ± 22 kg; Exp. 2) steers to determine the effect of supplementing dried distillers grains plus solubles (DDGS) on growth when grazing subirrigated Sandhills meadow. Steers were stratified by BW and assigned randomly to a treatment. In Exp. 1, there were 2 treatments: nonsupplemented or 0.6% of BW (1.75 kg) DDGS supplementation daily. In Exp. 2, there were 3 treatments: 0, 0.6 (1.68 kg), or 1.2% of BW (3.36 kg) DDGS supplementation daily. In both experiments, steers were individually supplemented for the duration of the study (Exp. 1 = 92 d; Exp. 2 = 91 d). Both experiments were analyzed as completely randomized designs with individual steer as the experimental unit. In Exp. 1, ending BW (P = 0.52) and ADG (P = 0.16) were not different. In Exp. 2, ADG (P 0.06). However, in Exp. 2, supplementing DDGS to steers grazing subirrigated Sandhills meadow increased carcass weight (P = 0.02) with increasing level of DDGS supplementation. In Exp. 2, supplementing DDGS during summer grazing did not affect QG or YG. Results from Exp. 2 indicate that supplementing DDGS at levels greater than 0.6% of BW during summer meadow grazing increases ADG, with BW maintained through finishing.
Is It Necessary to Demonstrate Changes in Left Ventricular Hypertrophy in the Evaluation of Antihypertensive Drugs

The ideal requirement for any new antihypertensive drug is that it should be shown to lower cardiovascular morbidity as well as blood pressure. In practice, this is unlikely to be achieved. The large scale clinical studies of the benefits of treating hypertension have produced findings that are both confusing and disappointing (1). While there is general consensus that any effective antihypertensive drug is likely to lower the prevalence of strokes, conclusive evidence that they prevent heart attacks is lacking, although this may be true of beta blockers in some patients. The costs involved in organizing and conducting a clinical trial where cardiovascular morbidity is the end-point makes it highly improbable that the newer agents such as calcium antagonists or angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors will be tested in this way.
Selective stimulation of jugular ganglion afferent neurons in guinea pig airways by hypertonic saline

Pedersen, Karen E., Sonya N. Meeker, Margerita M. Riccio, and Bradley J. Undem. Selective stimulation of jugular ganglion afferent neurons in guinea pig airways by hypertonic saline. J. Appl. Physi...
Neural network-based finite horizon optimal adaptive consensus control of mobile robot formations

Summary In this paper, a novel NN-based optimal adaptive consensus-based formation control scheme over finite horizon is presented for networked mobile robots or agents in the presence of uncertain robot/agent dynamics. The uncertain robot formation dynamics are approximated online by using an NN-based identifier and a suitable weight tuning law. In addition, a novel time-varying value function is derived by using the augmented error vector, which consists of the regulation and consensus-based formation errors of each robot. By using the value function approximation and the identified dynamics, the near optimal control input over finite horizon is derived. This finite horizon optimal control leads to a time-varying value function, which becomes the solution of the Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman equation, and control input is approximated by a second NN with time-varying activation function. A novel weight update law for the NN value function is developed to tune the value function, satisfy the terminal constraint, and relax an initial admissible controller requirement. The Lyapunov stability method is utilized to demonstrate the consensus of the overall formation. Finally, simulation results are given to verify theoretical claims. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An Interpretation of an Adolescent Treatment Center's Use of Alcoholics Anonymous' 12-Step Program and Its Parallel to Classical Rites of Passage

ABSTRACT An interpretative analysis is presented of an adolescent substance abuse treatment center. The Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) 12-step program is examined against Van Gennep's (1960) model of “Rites of Passage.” Parallels are drawn between Van Gennep's model and the A. A. model of treatment. Suggestions for treatment and for further inquiry are provided.
Foraging Behavior of Bark-Foraging Birds in the Sierra Nevada

Data on foraging behavior are often used for examining use of habitat and describing community structure among co-occurring species of birds using the same resource base (e.g., Johnson 1966, Eckhardt 1979, Rusterholz 1981). Differences in tree species, foliage morphology, and bark structure may influence the types of prey taken and the species of bird using the substrate (e.g., Jackson 1979, Holmes and Robinson 1981, Robinson and Holmes 1984). Elucidation of foraging behaviors and tree species preferences is important if we are to determine the role of birds in forest ecosystems, and make informed decisions regarding management of these forests. In this study we describe the use of tree species, foraging modes, and foraging substrates by a group (or "guild," sensu Root 1967) of bark-foraging birds breeding in the western Sierra Nevada. A similar study on foliage insectivores was conducted previously near our study area (see Airola and Barrett 1985). The species analyzed, in order of decreasing abundance, were: Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis), Brown Creeper (Certhia americana), Red-breasted Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus ruber), White-headed Woodpecker (Picoides albolarvatus), Hairy Woodpecker (P. villosus), and Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) (see Morrison et al. 1986). All are typical inhabitants of coniferous forests in the Sierra Nevada (Grinnell and Miller 1944). The Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) and Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) occurred rarely in our study area and are not analyzed herein. STUDY AREA
Wrist and Forearm Postures and Velocities in Repetitive Precision Tasks

Precision work has been shown to impose physical demands over and above similar work that does not require precision, but few studies have evaluated the effects of such work on the musculoskeletal stress of the upper extremities. Repetitive tasks that involved moving between a Home disk and a precision target were studied. The movements from the Home to the target were divided into a ballistic phase, followed by a slower homing-in phase. Work in two layouts, with the target in front of, or to the side of the Home disk, and three levels of precision were investigated for each phase of the home-to-target movement. Wrist and forearm postures and joint velocities were significantly different (P < 0.05) during the ballistic and homing in phases of travel for 21 of the 24 indices considered. Postures changed rapidly during the ballistic, but were sustained during the homing-in phase. Work in the forward versus side layouts produced statistically different joint angles and velocities (P < 0.05) for 17 of the 24 ...
Relationship between Scores of Young Adults on Stanford-Binet IV and Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test—Revised

The 1986 Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale: Fourth Edition and the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test—Revised were given to 32 students (16 men, 16 women) in general psychology. The statistically significant correlation of .69 between the two tests suggests the revised Peabody appears to be a satisfactory screening test of intelligence for use with young adults.
Double Shaft ABS Vehicle Brake Bench Application

In the automobile manufacture company,the brake test value on GM testing equipment—DVT(Dynamic Vehicle Test) usually conflicts with the maximum brake value which is required in GB7358-2004.However,DVT is a efficient method to test vehicle ABS system.In order to make the vehicle brake test meet with government standard,and ABS system test,we choose double shaft ABS brake bench.It meets with vehicle brake system testing requirement on function,system,operation.
Chapter 22 – Your Business Plan and Presentation: Articulating Your Journey to Commercialization

Business plans are a wonderful tool to communicate what a new venture is about and the strategies it will use to accomplish targeted goals. Such plans are intended to inform prospective investors and other stakeholders of the opportunities that lie ahead for the proposed venture and how it plans to achieve attractive outcomes. This chapter guides new entrepreneurs through the business plan process enabling them to develop a great business plan. Furthermore, once a great plan is developed, communicating that plan to prospective investors and stakeholders is critical. Today’s marketplace has given way to a variety of presentation types—both oral and written. This chapter discusses these different approaches and provides suggestions on how to best present your business plan and make oral presentations to prospective investors.
[Application of principal component analysis to construct socio-economic status index in a case-control study].

社会经济状况(SES)与健康密切相关.财产,特别是消费型耐用物品的拥有情况能比较准确反映住户的长期生活水平和SES,而收集住户这方面资料较为客观、快速和简易.目前主元分析(principal components analysis,PCA)被越来越多用于SES指数的构建以反映住户的SES水平[1-3].我们在进行副伤寒危险因素病例对照研究时,使用PCA来构建和分析研究对象的SES。
Evaluation of two microbiological methods for detecting residual antibiotics in milk

Two methods described in the AOAC Official Methods of Analysis for the detection of penicillin residues in whole milk were evaluated to determine the capability of each method to detect residues of 12 antibiotics used in the dairy industry. The first method, a cylinder-plate method that uses Sarcina lutea as the test organism, detected levels of 1 ppm of 8 of the 12 antibiotics tested. The second method, using paper disks with Bacillus subtilis as the test organism, detected approximately 1 ppm of only 4 antibiotics. This disk method was unable to detect less than 40 ppm of 5 of the antibiotics tested. The data indicate that the S. lutea cylinder-plate technique is more sensitive to more antibiotics than the B. subtilis disk method and is far superior for screening purposes.
Transactional memory implementation overview

This article consists of a collection of slides from the author's conference presentation on transactional memory (TM). Some of the specific topics discussed include: TM implementation that provide atomicity and isolatoin; basic TM implementation requirements; and implementation options that incorporate hardware TM, software TM and hybrid TM.
Morbidity From Pelvic Lymphadenectomy in Staging Carcinoma of the Prostate

AbstractA retrospective review of 150 patients with adenocarcinoma of the prostate was done to determine the morbidity associated with lymphadenectomy performed as an independent procedure. A total of 77 complications, 17 of which were considered major, was noted in 50 patients. Wound drainage and transection of the spermatic cord were associated with increased morbidity. Systemic antibiotic therapy afforded no protection against wound infections, while intraoperative irrigation was protective. Lymphoceles and lower extremity edema occurred infrequently in our series, although only a few patients underwent postoperative pelvic irradiation therapy.
Quality and Safety in Colon and Rectal Surgery

Over the past 15 years, a series of high profile events including the publication of the Institute of Medicine Reports, To Err is Human (1999), and Crossing the Quality Chasm (2001), along with the rapid adoption of quality-based regulatory requirements and payment models, as well as the increasingly educated consumer has brought the subject of quality and safety front and center at virtually every hospital across the USA. While there is no doubt that overall we deliver better and safer care today, there is still a great deal of variability (Wang Y, Eldridge N, Metersky ML, et al. N Engl J Med. 370(4):341–51, 2014). As such, and especially in surgery, we must continue to strive to be better. Ultimately, to achieve consistent excellence in healthcare delivery, a major overhaul is required. Hospitals need to prioritize the development of strong, focused leadership teams that are accountable to a governing board and support trans-disciplinary care delivered by an engaged and motivated frontline staff of physicians, nurses, and ancillary providers. While this may appear to be an overwhelming task, and there is no doubt that the healthcare delivery in the USA will look markedly different in 10 years, the goal of this chapter is to highlight key areas in the field of quality and safety that are relevant to the practicing colorectal surgeon today.
Critical Juncture III: The 1959 Foundation Reports—Throwing Out the Baby with the Bath Water?

In 1959, independent reports were released by the Carnegie Foundation and the Ford Foundation evaluating business schools in the USA. Both reports were scathing in their criticisms of the status quo. There was a glaring lack of scholarship and research on the part of business school faculty. Academic rigor in undergraduate business programs lagged behind other university degree programs. Less than half of business school faculty members held earned doctorates.
Interactive Technologies for Autism

Development, deployment, and evaluation of interactive technologies for individuals with autism have been rapidly increasing over the last decade. There is great promise for the use of these types of technologies to enrich interventions, facilitate communication, and support data collection. Emerging technologies in this area also have the potential to enhance assessment and diagnosis of individuals with autism, to understand the nature of autism, and to help researchers conduct basic and applied research. This book provides an in-depth review of the historical and state-of-the-art use of technology by and for individuals with autism. The intention is to give readers a comprehensive background in order to understand what has been done and what promises and challenges lie ahead. By providing a classification scheme and general review, this book can also help technology designers and researchers better understand what technologies have been successful, what problems remain open, and where innovations can further address challenges and opportunities for individuals with autism and the variety of stakeholders connected to them.
German Film Ventures into the Amazon: Werner Herzog’s Fitzcarraldo as Prelude to Michał Marczak’s Eco-documentary

Where the German director Werner Herzog films ecosystems, his works recapitulate colonialism’s contradictions. This chapter begins by examining one of Herzog’s short films, Ten Thousand Years Older (2001), in which the director and his crew encounter a South American tribe that developed entirely apart from Western society, and it explores the differences between the documentarian’s standpoint and that of his various subjects. It then compares Herzog’s film with Michal Marczak’s Polish-German eco-documentary Fuck for Forest (2012). Marczak’s camera also witnesses things that the activists who are his film’s subjects do not, capturing what eludes his protagonists’ Western gazes. Both of these films are cinematic spaces in which rainforest people can be seen and heard, irrespective of their filmmakers’ colonial fantasies.
Faculty feedback versus residents' self-assessment of operative performance: Different but complementary

Abstract Background Surgical training requires development of both technical and cognitive skills. The study analyzed feedback by faculty and residents' self-assessments during a laparoscopic training course to identify structure of feedback in this context and compared the focus of trainees to faculty. Methods This study collected assessments by surgical residents and faculty during an intensive laparoscopic training course at a single institution. The residents' operative performance was assessed using validated assessment tools including free text feedback. Assessments were completed immediately following procedures. Feedback was analyzed using qualitative method. Results Eighty (80) residents participated. Three themes were identified: Assessment, instruction and occasion. Faculty provided significantly more feedback than trainees. Moreover, the content of feedback was different. Residents focused on technical performance, while faculty commented on technical and cognitive skills, efficiency and level of independence. Errors were mainly addressed by faculty. Conclusion This study demonstrated differences in cognitive focus of trainees and faculty. Text feedback is informative in understanding perceived challenges. Faculty provided explicit assessment and instruction for improvement. The effectiveness of self-assessment and feedback should be further studied.
Dexmedetomidine Decreases Postoperative Pain and Narcotic Use in Children Undergoing Alveolar Bone Graft Surgery.

Objective:Dexmedetomidine is a parenteral agent that combines the benefits of cooperative sedation, anxiolysis, and analgesia without the risks of respiratory depression. Off-label use has been rep...
Motivational support from digital game-based learning environments (DGBLEs) for scientific topics designed by novice end users

ABSTRACTThe integration of digital game-based learning environment (DGBLE) enhanced by technology in recent years has been hampered by its complexity and difficulty in realistically addressing teac...
A comparison of speaker clustering and speech recognition techniques for air situational awareness.

In this paper we compare speaker clustering and speech recognition techniques to the problem of understanding patterns of air traffic control communications. For a given radio transmission, our goal is to identify the talker and to whom he/she is speaking. This information, in combination with knowledge of the the roles (i.e. takeoff, approach, hand-off, taxi, etc.) of different radio frequencies within an air traffic control region could allow tracking of pilots through various stages of flight, thus providing the potential to monitor the airspace in great detail. Both techniques must contend with degraded audio channels and significant non-native accents. We report results from experiments using the nn-MATC database [6] showing 9.3% and 32.6% clustering error for speaker clustering and ASR methods respectively.
Bulk to Boundary Relation Between Topological Models and Supergravity Theories

We establish a direct correspondence between certain higher-rank p-form Chern-Simons topological type theories in the bulk of a manifold with boundary and particular sectors of supergravity models on the boundary, provided that certain boundary conditions are satisfied. The cases we investigate include eleven-dimensional supergravity and both of the type II theories in ten dimensions.
Pulling Offshore and Staying Onshore: A Framework for Analysis of Offshoring Dynamics

Author(s): Carmel, E; Dedrick, J; Kraemer, KL | Abstract: Given that the force of offshoring is one of the most important economic changes in the early 2000s it is vital to understand what propels it further. The landscape of offshoring is such that firms in the wealthy nations (onshore) have already off-shored, sometimes extensively. As researchers, we need to ask not whether the firm will offshore, but rather how far the firm will go offshore and what are the subtle factors that are driving this offshore decision process. Therefore, in this paper we propose a framework in order to understand the firm-level decisions that are not as well understood and not as well researched. There are a number of key variables that we already collectively know about offshoring. First, we already know that offshoring is driven by low wages and large labor pools in India, China and elsewhere. Thus, everything else being equal, work will flow to the less expensive offshore locations. © 2009 Springer Berlin Heidelberg.
Impact of Primary Care Intensive Management on High-Risk Veterans' Costs and Utilization

Some health systems are trying to reduce costs by providing special services to patients who have several chronic medical conditions. These services include home visits; care planning, with special...
Seasonal expressions of prolactin, prolactin receptor and STAT5 in the scented glands of the male muskrats (Ondatra zibethicus)

Prolactin (PRL) production in mammals has been demonstrated in extrapituitary gland, which can activate autocrine/paracrine signaling pathways to regulate physiological activity. In the current study, we characterized the gene expression profiles of PRL, prolactin receptor (PRLR) and signal transducers and activators of transcription 5 (STAT5) in the scented glandular tissues of the muskrats, to further elucidate the relationship between PRL and the scented glandular functions of the muskrats. The weight and volume of the scented glands in the breeding season were significantly higher than those of the non-breeding season. Immunohistochemical data showed that PRL, PRLR and STAT5/phospho-STAT5 (pSTAT5) were found in the glandular and epithelial cells of the scented glands in both seasons. Furthermore, we found that PRL, PRLR and STAT5 had higher immunoreactivities in the scented glands during the breeding season when compared to those of the non-breeding season. In parallel, the gene expressions of PRL, PRLR and STAT5 were significantly higher in the scented glands during the breeding season than those of the non-breeding season. The concentrations of PRL in scented glandular tissues and sera were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and their levels were both notably higher in the breeding season than those of the non-breeding season. These findings suggested that the scented glands of the muskrats were capable of extrapituitary synthesis of PRL, which might attribute PRL a specific function to an endocrine or autocrine/paracrine mediator.
Herbs for Low-Risk Skin Cancers and Precancers

Abstract Low-risk skin cancers and precancers are common skin ailments that primarily affect fair skinned individuals in areas of skin with high sun exposure. Currently the primary treatments avail...
Modeling of water evaporation from a shrinking moist biomass slab subject to heating: Arrhenius approach versus equilibrium approach

Abstract Liquid moisture evaporation and pyrolysis of a biomass fuel slab subject to heating were computationally investigated in a one-dimensional domain where the fuel shrinkage was accounted for. The evaporation dynamics was separately represented by equilibrium and Arrhenius models. The equilibrium model describes evaporation as a thermodynamic process whereas the Arrhenius model treats it as a chemical reaction. For calculations, Gpyro, a pyrolysis computational framework, was used after its source code was revised to include the equilibrium model. By default, Gpyro is only capable of operating with the Arrhenius model. In the present study, also, a continuum description of mass and energy conservation for a pyrolyzating, shrinking porous medium was provided in the form of integral-differential equations. Such a description in the previous Gpyro works was lacking for shrinking objects and the Gpyro documents only provided a numerically discretized equation form. Here, the approximations made to develop this form from the integral-differential equations were clarified. The model was validated against experimental data of cone calorimeter experiments. Two fuel moisture contents (FMC) of 26% and 100% (on dry basis) representing dead and living fuels, respectively, were examined. The living fuel is characterized by a high FMC although the difference between dead and living fuels is not limited to this parameter. The evaporation rate, liquid moisture mass fraction and temperature profiles obtained by using the equilibrium model exhibited abrupt changes at the evaporation front whereas those obtained by using the Arrhenius model showed a smooth behavior throughout the slab. The drying dynamics described by the equilibrium model was more consistent with the underlying physics of evaporation. The equilibrium model demonstrated a distinct evaporation front, did not result in evaporation below the normal boiling point of water and more accurately exhibited the impact of the initial FMC on the drying dynamics. Simulation results showed that the thermochemical evolution of living fuel was appreciably more sensitive to the evaporation model.
Toward a Theory of Latino Male Occupational Identity Development: The Role of School Experiences

Young Latino males fare poorly in various measures of occupational outcomes compared to their peers. Identity development theory proposes that occupational outcomes are extensions of identity, and ...