cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ideal cardiovascular health and peripheral artery disease in African Americans: Results from the Jackson Heart Study.

Abstract We sought to determine the association of Life's Simple Seven (LSS) with peripheral artery disease (PAD) in African Americans. We performed a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data (2000–2004) from subjects participating in the Jackson Heart Study. African American men and women (N = 4403) age 35–84 years participated in the study. PAD was defined by an ankle-brachial index (ABI) of
Simulated Insect Defoliation of Seedlings and Productivity of Winter Small-Grain Crops

Insects, such as grasshoppers, Spodoptera spp. armyworms and flea beetles, occasionally defoliate seedlings of autumn-planted small grain crops. Seedlings of wheat, Triticum aestivum L., barley, Hordeum vulgare L., oats, Avena sativa L., rye, Secale cereale L., and triticale, X Triticosecale Wittmack, were mechanically clipped at the soil surface to simulate insect leaf injury for various periods after planting up to the 1-, 2-, and 4-leaf stages. Defoliation up to the 4-leaf stage (i.e., ≥ 30 days after planting) delayed spike emergence of all crops by several days. Seedling defoliation generally had little adverse effect on grain yield and test weight of rye in any year and reduced yield of triticale in one of three years. Furthermore, plants of both species defoliated in the 2- and 4-leaf stages were less severely damaged by cold temperatures and yielded as much or more than nondefoliated plants when late freezes occurred. Seedling defoliation up to the 4-leaf stage also had little negative effect on g...
Identification and characterization of HLA-A24-specific XBP1, CD138 (Syndecan-1) and CS1 (SLAMF7) peptides inducing antigens-specific memory cytotoxic T lymphocytes targeting multiple myeloma

X-box binding protein 1 (XBP1), CD138 (Syndecan-1) and CS1 (SLAMF7) are highly expressed antigens in cancers including multiple myeloma (MM). Here, we identify and characterize immunogenic HLA-A24 peptides derived from these antigens for potential vaccination therapy of HLA-A24+ patients with MM. The identified immunogenic HLA-A24-specific XBP1 unspliced (UN)185-193 (I S P W I L A V L), XBP1 spliced (SP)223-231 (V Y P E G P S S L), CD138265-273 (I F A V C L V G F) and CS1240-248 (L F V L G L F L W) peptides induced antigen-specific CTL with anti-MM activity in an HLA-A24 restricted manner. Furthermore, a cocktail containing the four HLA-A24 peptides evoked MM-specific CTL with distinct phenotypic profiles (CD28, CD40L, 41BB, CD38, CD69) and anti-tumor activities, evidenced by perforin upregulation, CD107a degranulation (cytotoxicity) and Th1-type cytokines (IFN-γ/IL-2/TNF-α) production in response to HLA-A24+ MM cells. The multipeptide-specific CTL included antigen-specific memory CD8+ T cells expressing both T-cell activation (CD38, CD69) and immune checkpoints antigens (CTLA, PD-1, LAG-3, TIM-3). These results provide the framework for a multipeptide vaccination therapy to induce tumor-specific CTL in HLA-A24-positive patients with myeloma and other cancers expressing these antigens.
Construction and Characterization of an Indoor Smog Chamberfor the Measurement of the Optical and PhysicochemicalProperties of Aging Biomass Burning Aerosols Native to sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract. We describe here the construction and characterization of a new smog chamber facility (NCAT chamber) for studying the chemical and optical properties of biomass burning (BB) aerosols from biomass fuels native to sub-Saharan Africa. This facility is comprised of a ~9 m3 fluorinated ethylene propylene film (FEP) reactor placed in a temperature-controlled room and coupled with a cavity ring-down spectrometer, nephelometer, condensation particle counter, differential mobility analyzer and other analytical instruments, such as NOX and O3 analyzers, a GC, a filter sampler, and an impinger for collecting particles in water. Construction details and characterization experiments are described, including measurements of BB particulate size distribution and deposition rate, gas wall loss rates, dilution rate, light intensity, mixing speed, temperature and humidity variations, and air purification method. The wall loss rates for NO, NO2, and O3 were found to be (7.40 ± 0.01) × 10−4, (3.47 ± 0.01) × 10−4, and (5.90 ± 0.08) × 10−4 min−1 respectively. The NO2 photolysis rate constant was 0.165 ±0.005 min−4, which corresponds to a flux of (7.72 ± 0.25) × 1017 photons•nm•cm−2•s−1 from 296.0−516.8 nm. Particle deposition rate was found to be (2.46 ± 0.11) × 10−3 min−1 for pine at Dp = 100 nm. After initial mixing in the chamber, with the ultraviolet (UV) light off, the particle size distribution for BB samples used for the initial work did not stabilize until ~7.5 hours after injection peaking near a mobility diameter of ~340 nm. The chamber demonstrated gas and particle loss rates, and other properties comparable to other similar indoor smog chambers.
Chemotherapy medication errors

Summary Although chemotherapy is a well established treatment modality, chemotherapy errors represent a potentially serious risk of patient harm. We reviewed published research from 1980 to 2017 to understand the extent and nature of medication errors in cancer chemotherapy, and to identify effective interventions to help prevent mistakes. Chemotherapy errors occur at a rate of about one to four per 1000 orders, affect at least 1–3% of adult and paediatric oncology patients, and occur at all stages of the medication use process. Oral chemotherapy use is a particular area of growing risk. Our knowledge of chemotherapy errors is drawn primarily from single-institution studies at university hospitals and referral centres, with a particular focus on prescription orders and pharmacy practices. Although the heterogeneity of research methods and measures used in these studies limits our understanding of this issue, the rate of chemotherapy error-related injuries is generally lower than those seen in comparable studies of general medical patients. Although many interventions show promise in reducing chemotherapy errors, most have little empirical support. Additional research is needed to understand and to mitigate the risk of chemotherapy medication errors.
3.02 – Energy Resources and Policy: Vulnerability of Energy Resources and Resource Availability – Fossil Fuels (Oil, Coal, Natural Gas, Oil Shale)

Fossil fuel resource extraction, delivery, and use are vulnerable to climate and changes in climate, particularly in the context of other global-scale changes. Although fossil fuel resources themselves are not affected by climate, our ability to extract, transport, and use these resources can be significantly affected. Climate can directly influence fossil energy demand through changes in ambient temperature. Temperature changes in the Arctic can impact accessibility to resources and stability of infrastructure sited on permafrost. Extreme weather (e.g., drought, floods, storms) can impact availability of water for power generation, inundate generation and transport infrastructure, or damage transmission lines and off-shore production systems. A transition to a low-carbon energy system may change system-level dynamics in unanticipated ways. These changes may occur simultaneously with other global-scale changes such as population growth and migration. Developing solutions to these issues will require increased understanding of interacting technical, social, environmental, and economic systems.
Psychiatric Evaluation of Penile Prosthesis Candidates

Technical advances in genitourinary surgery have led to an increased frequency of penile prosthesis placements to correct male erectile problems. A recent report estimated that more than 20,000 rigid and more than 1500 inflatable prostheses had been placed, mainly in the last 5–10 years.1 The surgical literature is extensive, and much has been written about technique, complications, and surgical outcome. On the other hand, relatively little besides “clinical impressions” has appeared in the literature about psychosocial outcome. In a thorough review of surgical outcomes, Sotile2 emphasized that almost all the published outcome data concerned objective function of the prosthetic device, and that considerably less attention had been paid to the subjective effects of surgery on the patient and his partner.
Probability Inequalities for n -Dimensional Rectangles via Multivariate Majorization

Inequalities for the probability content \( P\left[ { \cap _{j\, = \,1}^n\left\{ {\,{a_{1j\,}}\, \leqslant \,{X_j}\, \leqslant \,{a_{2j}}} \right\}} \right] \) are obtained, via concepts of multivariate majorization (which involves the diversity of elements of the 2xn matrix A = (a ij)). A special case of the general result is that \( P\left[ { \cap _{j = 1}^n\left\{ {{a_{1j}} \leqslant {X_j} \leqslant {a_{2j}}} \right\}} \right] \leqslant P\left[ { \cap _{j = 1}^n\left\{ {{{\bar a}_1} \leqslant {X_j} \leqslant {{\bar a}_2}} \right\}} \right] \) for \( {\bar a_{i\,}} = \,\frac{1}{n}\,\sum\nolimits_{j = 1}^n {{a_{ij}}\,\left( {i\, = \,1,\,2} \right).} \). The main theorems apply in most important cases, including the exchangeable normal, t, chi-square and gamma, F, beta, and Dirichlet distributions. The proofs of the inequalities involve a convex combination of an n-dimensional rectangle and its permutation sets.
EPIGENETIC REGULATION OF GENES THAT AFFECT TUMOR CELL ADHESION

During cancer progression there is an accumulation of genetic and epigenetic changes that dictate the phenotypic diversity of a tumor population. Epigenetics is a heritable change in phenotype that is independent of a change in the genotype. The focus of this chapter is to review, in part, the literature indicating that an “epigenetic switch” occurs in cancer progression and to detail the evidence of one particular gene product, maspin, as a paradigm of epigenetic control. The regulation of maspin expression in normal epithelial tissue and the multiple mechanisms by which maspin is inappropriately silenced in cancer is discussed. Understanding the molecular features of the epigenetic switch is likely to provide a therapeutic opportunity to induce transcriptional reprogramming and prevent devastating disease processes such as epithelial cancer metastasis.
Out-of-time-ordered correlators in short-range and long-range hard-core boson models and in the Luttinger-liquid model

We study out-of-time-ordered correlators (OTOCs) in hard-core boson models with short-range and long-range hopping and compare the results to the OTOCs in the Luttinger-liquid model. For density-density correlations, a related expectation value of the squared commutator starts at zero and decays back to zero after the passage of the wavefront in all three models, while the wavefront broadens as ${t}^{1/3}$ in the short-range model and shows no broadening in the long-range model and the Luttinger-liquid model. For the boson creation operator, the corresponding commutator function shows saturation inside the light cone in all three models, with similar wavefront behavior as in the density-density commutator function, despite the presence of a nonlocal string in terms of Jordan-Wigner fermions. For the long-range model and the Luttinger-liquid model, the commutator function decays as a power law outside the light cone in the long-time regime when following different fixed-velocity rays. In all cases, the OTOCs approach their long-time values in a power-law fashion, with different exponents for different observables and short-range versus long-range cases. Our long-range model appears to capture exponents in the Luttinger-liquid model (which are found to be independent of the Luttinger parameter in the model). This conclusion also comes to bear on the OTOC calculations in conformal field theories, which we propose correspond to long-ranged models.
Loss of BAP1 and PBRM1 expression in non-clear cell renal cell carcinomas compared to clear cell renal cell carcinomas.

4529 Background: Loss of function mutations in PBRM1 (41-50%) and BAP1(5-15%) are associated with poor outcomes for patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) tumors. However, there are ...
Assessing the Impact of Land-Use Policies on Urban Community Resilience

A number of major U.S. cities that have experienced urban decline have been targeted for urban renewal and revitalization projects. This paper will assess a number of land-use policies that have been utilized in urban areas that have facilitated or hindered community resilience. Particular attention will be given to instances where land-use policies have fostered innovation, sustainability, and stability.
Fractal Waveguide Arrays Induce Maximal Anderson Localization

In recent years, there has been great interest in using Anderson localization or flat-band lattices to eliminate interwaveguide crosstalk for imaging and telecommunications applications. We show that fractal configurations offer strict improvements on these schemes. © 2019 The Author(s)
How teaching to foster mathematical creativity may impact student self-efficacy for proving

Abstract Mathematical creativity has been emphasized as an essential part of mathematics, yet little research has been done to study the effects of fostering creativity in the tertiary mathematics classroom. In this paper, we explore how fostering mathematical creativity may impact student self-efficacy for proving. For this, we developed new methods to study evidence of instructor use of Sriraman’s (2005) five principles for fostering mathematical creativity and changes in student self-efficacy via Bandura's (1997) four sources of self-efficacy. This revealed associations between four of the five principles and changes in student self-efficacy for proving, along with two instances where the combined use of principles may have provided students greater opportunities for building self-efficacy for proving. The implications of these results for teaching and future research are discussed.
Breastfeeding Initiation as Related to the Interaction of Race/Ethnicity and Maternal Diabetes.

Introduction: The health benefits of breastfeeding for both the mother and her offspring are well established, and breastfeeding may be especially important for mitigating negative health effects of pregnancy complicated by diabetes. Objective: This study sought to examine the association between race/ethnicity, maternal diabetes, and breastfeeding initiation in South Carolina (SC). Materials and Methods: Our study population is comprised of all live, singleton, full-term births in SC delivered January 2004 to December 2016 (292,468 non-Hispanic Whites, 173,158 non-Hispanic Blacks, and 52,174 Hispanics). Generalized estimating equations and an interaction term between race/ethnicity and maternal diabetes status were used to estimate the race/ethnic-specific odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) that a mother with diabetes versus without diabetes initiated breastfeeding. Models were adjusted for maternal and infant sociodemographics (Model 1), additionally for clinical variables and birth outcomes (Model 2), and also for maternal prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) (Model 3). Results: We found statistically significant differences in breastfeeding initiation by race/ethnicity and diabetes status in Model 1. These associations were attenuated and lost significance upon additional adjustment. Non-Hispanic Black mothers with gestational diabetes were significantly more likely to initiate breastfeeding than nondiabetic non-Hispanic Black mothers, even after adjustment for prepregnancy BMI (OR: 1.07 [95% CI 1.02-1.12]). Conclusion: This large, population-based study of all live, singleton, full-term births in SC improves our understanding of how race/ethnicity and maternal metabolic disorders impact breastfeeding initiation, and may inform future hospital-based breastfeeding interventions in populations with the most need.
Acute enhancement of necrotic radio-frequency ablation lesions in left atrium and pulmonary vein ostia in swine model with non-contrast-enhanced T1 -weighted MRI.

Purpose To evaluate non-contrast-enhanced MRI of acute radio-frequency ablation (RFA) lesions in the left atrium (LA) and pulmonary vein (PV) ostia. The goal is to provide a method for discrimination between necrotic (permanent) lesions and reversible injury, which is associated with recurrence after treatment of atrial fibrillation. Methods Fifteen normal swine underwent RFA around the right-superior PV ostia. Electrical pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) was verified by electro-anatomic mapping (EAM) and pacing. MRI was carried out using a 3D respiratory-gated T1 -weighted long inversion time (TWILITE) sequence without contrast agent. Key settings were: inversion time 700 ms, triggering over 2 cardiac cycles, pixel size 1.1 mm3 . Contrast-enhanced imaging and T2 -weighted imaging were carried out for comparison. Six animals were sacrificed on ablation day for TTC-stained gross pathology, 9 animals were sacrificed after 2-3 mo after repeat EAM and MRI. Image intensity ratio (IIR) was used to measure lesion enhancement, and gross pathology was used to validate image enhancement patterns and compare lesion widths. Results RFA lesions exhibited unambiguous enhancement in acute TWILITE imaging (IIR = 2.34 ± 0.49 at 1.5T), and the enhancement patterns corresponded well with gross pathology. Lesion widths in MRI correlated well with gross pathology (R2 = 0.84), with slight underestimation by 0.9 ± 0.5 mm. Lesion enhancement subsided chronically. Conclusion TWILITE imaging allowed acute detection of permanent RFA lesions in swine LA and PV ostia, without the need for contrast agent. Lesion enhancement pattern showed good correspondence to gross pathology and was well visualized by volume rendering. This method may provide valuable intra- or post-procedural assessment of RFA treatment.
Research Involvement Continuum Level of Dietetic Internship Directors

Research is considered to be the foundation of the profession of dietetics, and it is a required component of the dietetic internship (DI) curriculum. However, studies have shown that dietitians, including dietetic educators, are not highly involved with research. This research-competency gap has been studied in the literature, but the role of DI directors, who are the gatekeepers of DI programs, have not been included in empirical discussions on this topic. The purpose of this study was to identify where DI directors fall on the research involvement continuum as defined by the Research Involvement Questionnaire (RIQ) and to identify the types of factors that influence DI directors’ involvement with research. In this cross-sectional survey study that included 96 DI directors, research involvement of DI directors was limited. Using the four levels of the research involvement continuum, it was found that more participants were classified into level one (low research experience) than levels two through four combined. Research involvement was most related to education/training, professional experience, and research experience. Based upon the theory of experiential learning, dietetic educators must have meaningful experiences with research in order to reach the higher levels on the research continuum. The findings from this study can be used to better prepare DI directors and other dietetic educators as well as to inform curricular decisions to better align education and practice within the profession of dietetics.
Association between gun owner attitudes and their behavior in private firearm sales.

Abstract Federal law places no regulations on unlicensed, private firearm sellers. However, a majority of the firearms used in crime come from these unregulated markets. This study aims to characterize the demographics of gun owners who engage in private sales, determine how often these individuals engage in selling behaviors, and ascertain whether sellers' attitudes are associated with their reported behaviors in the private market. A nationally representative web-based survey of 1444 gun owners, fielded in Spring 2016, were asked about their participation in the private market. The 238 respondents who participated in the private market were asked about their behavior on their last sale and the extent to which they felt it was the responsibility of sellers to ensure purchasers were legally able to own a firearm. Less than half of private gun sellers agreed that it is the seller's responsibility to ensure purchasers are eligible to buy guns (46%). Among private sellers, only 44% checked purchasers for eligibility and 32% denied a sale due to concerns about whether the firearm would be used safely. Sellers who agreed it was their responsibility to ensure purchasers were eligible to buy a gun had 4.52 (95% CI:1.78 to 11.5) times greater odds of reporting checking for a permit or conduct a background check on their last sale. it. These findings suggest a need for strategies to increase gun sellers' perceptions of responsibility for ensuring only eligible purchasers purchase guns, potentially including communication campaigns or educational programs.
Within- and between-family transactions of maternal depression and child engagement in the first 2 years of life: Role of prenatal maternal risk and tobacco use

Background This study examined transactional associations among maternal depression, maternal sensitivity, and child engagement in the context of a low-income, diverse sample with maternal cigarette smoking during pregnancy (MSDP) as a moderator of these transactions. Methods A random-intercept cross-lagged panel model was used to investigate within- and between-family variability from infancy to toddlerhood. The sample included 247 mother-child dyads (47% girls; 51% African-American; 178 MSDP, 69 non-MSDP). Assessments were conducted once during each trimester of pregnancy and at 2, 9, 16, and 24 months of child ages. Results Between-family associations revealed that children exposed to higher levels of sensitive parenting across time had higher behavioral engagement from infancy to toddlerhood. At the within-family level, increased sensitive parenting at 9 months was predictive of increased child engagement at 16 months which in turn predicted increases in sensitive parenting at 24 months. Increased maternal depression was concurrently associated with lower maternal sensitivity at 2 months and lower child engagement at 16 months. Contrary to hypotheses, changes in maternal depression were not associated to changes in parenting or child engagement. These associations did not vary between prenatally smoking and nonsmoking mothers. However, there was significantly higher stability in maternal depression across time among nonsmoking mothers compared to those in the MSDP group. Additionally, increased maternal depression was related to lower-than-expected child engagement at 9 months only for the nonsmoking group. Conclusions Results highlight transactional processes at the within-family level and the importance of timing for parent and child effects on transactional processes.
50 kHz Doppler global velocimetry for the study of large-scale turbulence in supersonic flows

Large-scale turbulent structures can be correlated over many jet diameters, and thus, a large field of view measurement resolved in time and space is desired to link their evolution to aeroacoustic noise production. This work describes the development and demonstration of a novel time-resolved Doppler global velocimetry system capable of spatially resolving a large field of view of the jet. The technique was applied to image a large axial extent, 8 jet diameters, of the flow field in a heated supersonic jet at 50 kHz. From the single-component measurements, mean velocity and turbulence intensity were measured within a root-mean-square error of 0.02 $${\overline{U}}/U_j$$ and 0.01 $$\overline{u}^{\prime}/U_j$$ , respectively, to PIV validation measurements. The velocity spectrum measured along the nozzle lip line at $$x/D=6$$ was validated by comparison to the existing literature for free jets. The spatial distribution of energy within the jet was also observed through the velocity spectra, showing energy concentrated along the nozzle lip line for all frequencies. Space–time correlations reveal evidence of wavepacket structures, characterized by their long axial correlations and constant convection velocity. The measurement technique developed in this work shows strong suitability for studies in aeroacoustics of high-speed flows, in which large-scale long-lived turbulent structures dominate radiated noise.
Local unitary classes of states invariant under permutation subgroups

The study of entanglement properties of multi-qubit states that are invariant under permutations of qubits is motivated by potential applications in quantum computing, quantum communication, and quantum metrology. In this work, we generalize the notions of symmetrization, Dicke states, and the Majorana representation to the alternating, cyclic, and dihedral subgroups of the full group of permutations. We use these tools to characterize states that are invariant under these subgroups and analyze their entanglement properties.
The value of corporate financial flexibility in emerging countries

Abstract Using a sample of firms from 33 emerging countries, we find evidence that corporate financial flexibility enhances investment ability and reduces the sensitivity of investment to cash flow. In addition, financial flexibility reduces equity payout and increases cash holdings. The effects of financial flexibility on investment ability and financial policies are elevated during the global financial crisis of 2007–2009. Our results also show that financial flexibility adds to firm value, particularly during the financial crisis. Financially flexible firms suffer less from negative shocks. We find that financially flexible firms had smaller cutbacks in investment expenditures and equity payouts and suffered less in operating performance than never financially flexible firms during the global financial crisis.
TWIN TRANSFUSION SYNDROME. A REVIEW OF 19 CASES STUDIED AT ONE INSTITUTION.

In 130 monochorial twin pregnancies studied at one institution, twin transfusion syndrome was diagnosed 19 times. In 10 instances both twins were lost in the perinatal period; in 5, only one twin survived; in 4, both twins survived. Most of the deaths occured in utero early in pregnancy. Hydramnios was frequent. The twin transfusion syndrome is shown to account for a significant number of the fetal and neonatal deaths in twin pregnancies and is responsible in large measure for the greater fetal and neonatal risk in monochorial than in dichorial twin gestation.
Anatomy of a Beast: Obsession and Myth on the Trail of Bigfoot

Reviewed Medium: book Authors: Michael McLeod Year: 2009 Pages: 238 Publisher: University of California Press ISBN: 9780520255715 (hard cover). Prices: $24.95 USD(hard cover).
Pharmacotherapy of pain in depressed older adults.

Objectives: To examine pharmacotherapy for pain in a sample of 1,801 depressed older primary care patients. Design: Cross-sectional survey data collected from 1999 to 2001. Setting: Eighteen primary care clinics belonging to eight healthcare organizations in five states. Participants: One thousand eight hundred one patients aged 60 and older who met diagnostic criteria for major depression or dysthymia. Measurements: Diagnoses or treatment for chronic pain, functional impairment from pain, and use of over-the-counter and prescription analgesic medications. Results: One thousand four hundred sixteen (79%) participants reported functional impairment from pain in the previous month, and 1,024 (57%) reported a diagnosis of or treatment for chronic pain in the previous 3 years. Fifty-one percent of those with recent functional impairment from pain reported any analgesic use, ranging from 31% to 75% across the participating healthcare organizations. Opioid analgesic use varied from 5% to 34%. Predictors of analgesic use included a history of chronic pain or arthritis and the degree of functional impairment from pain in the previous month. Differences in analgesic use across participating organizations remained significant after adjusting for clinical and demographic covariates. Conclusion: Most depressed older adults in the sample reported recent functional impairment from pain and a history of chronic pain, but almost half of those with functional impairment from pain did not report using analgesic medications. Participating organizations varied substantially in their use of analgesics, suggesting that there is room to improve the quality of pain management in depressed older adults.
Spectral Effects of High-Intensity Discharge Automotive Forward Lighting on Visual Performance

Recent studies have shown that high-intensity discharge (HID) headlamps provide visual benefits to the vehicle operator that may lead to increased nighttime driving safety. An experimental field investigation is describedthat further investigates the visual performance aspects of HID forward lighting systems to isolate and examine the role of lamp spectral distribution under realistic nighttime driving conditions. This study examines lamp spectral distribution by direct comparison of HID source spectra to one that simulates a conventional halogen source. Two additional lamp spectra are also included in this study, a "cool" distribution with a high percentage of short wavelength visible light and a "warm" distribution with a high percentage of long wavelength visible light. Subjects perform a visual tracking task, cognitively similar to driving, while seated in the driver's seat of a test vehicle. Simultaneously, small targets located at various angles in the periphery are activated and target detection reaction time is recorded. Reaction times greater than 1 second are considered misses. Target illuminances are kept constant between the HID and halogen simulating systems, allowing the effects of spectrum to be identified and isolated. From the results, comparisons are made among the four lighting conditions. The differences in visual performance as a function of light spectrum are discussed. The potential implications of the results on driving safety and on the development or refinement of HID forward lighting systems are also discussed.
Wetlands and wildlife values: a practical field approach to quantifying habitat values

Abstract The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is developing a methodology to evaluate quantitatively the value of habitat to fish and wildlife. The system of Habitat Evaluation Procedures (HEP) will be a standardized system designed to provide indices of habitat value which are based on the ability of the habitat to support fish and wildlife. HEP, first developed for terrestrial habitats, has recently been refined for use in inland aquatic areas. A software package is being developed to implement the Procedures, and evaluation criteria will be developed as species “Handbooks.” An effort is currently underway to expand the Procedures for use in estuarine and other nearshore saltwater ecosystems. The establishment of habitat values for estuarine habitats must occur within the perspective of three general value systems: (1) the ability of the habitat to provide a resource, such as fish, wildlife, etc.; or (2) the relative importance society places on these resources; and (3) the dollar value of these resources to man. The HEP methodology will provide a mechanism to establish habitat values for fish and wildlife, establish societal weighting factors to adjust habitat and dollar values, and place dollar values on these resources. This paper addresses only the first two topics.
Innovation in user-centered skills and performance improvement for sustainable complex service systems

In order to leverage individual and organizational learning and to remain competitive in current turbulent markets it is important for employees, managers, planners and leaders to perform at high levels over time. Employee competence and skills are extremely important matters in view of the general shortage of talent and the mobility of employees with talent. Two factors emerged to have the greatest impact on the competitiveness of complex service systems: improving managerial and employee's knowledge attainment for skills, and improving the training and development of the workforce. This paper introduces the knowledge-based user-centered service design approach for sustainable skill and performance improvement in education, design and modeling of the next generation of complex service systems. The rest of the paper cover topics in human factors and sustainable business process modeling for the service industry, and illustrates the user-centered service system development cycle with the integration of systems engineering concepts in service systems. A roadmap for designing service systems of the future is discussed. The framework introduced in this paper is based on key user-centered design principles and systems engineering applications to support service competitiveness.
Do We Really Need a Better Way to Give Heparin in Acute Cerebral Ischemia

In the early 1980s, we assiduously followed management guidelines advocating intravenous heparin for patients within 2 months of transient ischemic attack (TIA) and for most patients with acute ischemic stroke. Heparin flowed freely; there were always 2 to 3 patients receiving it on the neurology ward and a dozen partial thromboplastin times were urgently checked each day. Times have changed. High standards of evidence are expected to support management recommendations, grounded firmly in randomized clinical trials rather than traditional GOBSAT methods (Good Old Boys Sat At Table).1 Nine randomized trials have tested intravenous unfractionated heparin or related agents in acute stroke.2 Critical analysis of the accumulated evidence does “not support the routine use of any type of anticoagulant in acute ischemic stroke.”2 It is clear that intravenous heparin …
[Development and effect of a web-based child health care program for the staff at child daycare centers]

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to develop a web-based program on child health care, and to identify the effect of the program on knowledge of, attitudes towards child health care, and health care practice in staff of daycare centers. Methods: The program was developed through the processes of needs analysis, contents construction, design, development, and evaluation. After the program was developed, it was revised through feedback from 30 experts. To identify the effect of developed program, onegroup pretest-posttest design study was conducted with 64 staff members from 12 daycare centers in Korea. Results: The program was developed based on users’ needs and consisted of five parts: health promotion, disease and symptoms management, oral health, injury and safety, sheets and forms. This study showed that the total score of staff who used the program was significantly higher in terms of knowledge, attitudes, and their health care practice compared with pretest score (p<.05). Conclusion: These results suggest that this Web-based program can contribute to the child health promotion as well as can provide the staff with the insightful child health information. Therefore, it is expected that this program will be applied to staff of other child care settings for children’s health.
On modes and criteria of ABS melt failure in extension

Melt failure of a commercial ABS polymer in uniaxial extension over ranges of elongation rate (\(\dot \varepsilon = 0.01 - 1.0\,{\rm s}^{ - 1} \) ) and temperature (140–200 °C) was investigated. Four methods of experimental and numerical calculation for determination of modes and criteria of melt failure in uniaxial extension were investigated: 1) visual observation of necking; 2) visual observation of non-uniform flow during stress relaxation after cessation of steady elongation; 3) calculation of the Considere criterion from the measured elongational stress-strain curve; 4) numerical calculation of inflection point (∂σ2/∂e2=0) from the tensile stress-strain curve. In addition, under higher Deborah number conditions the critical Hencky strains at Considere criterion were calculated using PSM model parameters (α and β) and were compared with those obtained from the measured elongational stress-strain curve. The relationship between these failure modes is discussed in terms of rheological properties of the polymer, putting emphasis on the relationship with the thermoforming process. The Considere criterion appears to be the most effective indicator of the non-uniform deformation of ABS melt in uniaxial extension under conditions where cohesive fracture does not occur. The rheological properties such as elongational viscosity, strain hardening and/or strain softening, and their temperature dependence play an important role in determining the growth and transition of melt failure of ABS polymer in uniaxial extension.
Clinical Reviews in Andrologic Endocrinology: II. Treatment of Androgenic Failure

Segregation of the various etiologic factors in hypogonadism as outlined in the previous paper (1) delineates a rational therapeutic approach and permits a definition of the prognosis. Pertinent information elicited from the history often establishes the existence of testicular failure; e.g., surgical extirpation of both testicles, failure induced by roentgen-ray or radium, persistent notvdevelopment or retarded maturation of the sexual system in patients of post-adolescent or adult years and instances, wherein the presumptive diagnosis of testicular failure is ascribable to the metabolic alterations of senescence. The noivexistence of gonadal failure is apparent in instances of proven fertility. The ability to fertilize is the most reliable objective evidence of ample testicular function. In the first paper of this series (1) it was emphasized that two grades of hypogonadism may exist, depending upon the time of onset of testicular failure, a), initial preadolescent or adolescent testicular failure, and ...
CONFORMATIONAL STABILITY AND STRUCTURAL PARAMETERS OF CH3CH2CCLO AND OTHER(CH3)NCH3-NCCLO MOLECULES

Abstract Variable temperature (−60 to −100°C) studies of the infrared spectra (3500 to 400 cm −1 ) of propionyl chloride, CH 3 CH 2 CClO, dissolved in liquid xenon have been recorded. From these data the enthalpy difference between the rotational isomers has been determined to be 505±32 cm −1 (1.44±0.09 kcal mol −1 ) with the trans conformer (methyl group eclipsing the oxygen atom) more stable than the gauche form. From this Δ H value, along with assigned torsional fundamentals for both conformers and accompanying “hot bands”, the potential function governing the conformational interchange was calculated. Utilizing the infrared data from the xenon solution, along with some new Raman data and ab initio frequency predictions from MP2/6-31G* calculations, a few reassignments of the fundamentals have been made. Ab initio calculations were carried out with several different basis sets up to MP2/6-311G** from which structural parameters and conformational stabilities were determined. These parameters are compared to those obtained from earlier microwave and electron diffraction data. Similar ab initio calculations have been carried out for CH 3 CClO, (CH 3 ) 2 CHCClO and (CH 3 ) 3 CClO and these results are compared to the corresponding experimental results where appropriate.
Magnetic properties of dilute Co impurities in liquid Sn

Abstract The susceptibility of dilute Co impurities in liquid Sn is reported. It displays an almost linear increase from 1.8 × 10 −4 cm 3 /mole at 240°C to 4.5 × 10 −4 cm 3 /mole at 1000°C. These results are compared with other experimental information and are shown to be consistent with a recently proposed ionic impurity model if an interaction parameter is assumed to be temperature dependent.
Diameter modulation of carbon nanotubes by rapid temperature modulation in laser-assisted chemical vapor deposition

Periodic diameter modulation of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by quick temperature variation was successfully achieved in laser-assisted chemical vapor deposition process. Tapered and diameter-alternating CNTs were grown by periodic modulation of the temperature due to inverse relationship between the temperature and the diameter of the CNTs. The diameter-modulated single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) were integrated into field-effect transistors (FETs) structure to investigate their electronic transport properties. The tapered SWNTs showed electronic properties similar to Schottky diodes indicating clear evidence of different bandgaps at two ends of the tubes. However, the electronic transport of the diameter-modulated SWNTs showed a very small current magnitude which is attributed to the large number of defects and the electron confinement in the periodic quantum well arrays. Transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy were also studied to investigate the structural and electronic properties of the structures.
The application of automated reasoning to formal models of combinatorial optimization

Many formalisms have been proposed over the years to capture combinatorial optimization algorithms such as dynamic programming, branch and bound, and greedy. In 1989 Helman [9] presented a common formalism that captures dynamic programming and branch and bound type algorithms. The formalism was later extended to include greedy algorithms. In this paper, we describe the application of automated reasoning techniques to the domain of our model, in particular considering some representational issues and demonstrating that proofs about the model can be obtained by an automated reasoning program. The long-term objective of this research is to develop a methodology for using automated reasoning to establish new results within the theory, including the derivation of new lower bounds and the discovery (and verification) of new combinatorial search strategies.
Email archive overviews using subject indexes

Archived discussion lists are becoming significant reference sources. This paper describes a new type of overview for such lists, using a back-of-the-book style index containing headwords selected from subject lines and subentries derived from their subject-line-contexts.
Combination therapy: the risks of infection and tumor induction

It is clear that the rate of infection is increased in most of the more serious forms of autoimmune disease and agents such as high-dose steroids and the alkylating agents increase this risk. Other agents such as MTX, CsA, LEF, AZA and the TNF antagonists do not appear to increase the risk of infection given either alone or in combination. Similarly, the risk of malignancy in certain types of autoimmune disease appears increased. However, other than the alkylating agents, none of the agents used appear to increase this risk. The more recently released agents such as CsA, LEF and the TNF antagonists need longer durations of follow-up to substantiate this, however. It is clear that, unless they are absolutely necessary, one should avoid the alkylating agents used either alone or in combination to avoid problems with infection and malignancy. In addition, the use of steroids should be kept as low as possible to avoid infections. It is possible that the use of the more benign agents alone and in combination earlier in the disease course may help to reduce both infection and the incidence of malignancy in the long run.
The accuracy of self-evaluations: its measurement and some of its personological correlates.

One of the standard ways of studying personality is through the self-concept, or at least that aspect of it which the subject is willing to reveal in self-evaluations. Recently, the self-rated questionnaire has fallen into disrepute in some circles; it has been argued that most people are so self-deceptive, or so defensive about admitting many of the truths they know about themselves, that self-evaluation can be used only indirectly and cannot be taken at face value.
Cloning, expression and characterization of a fast self-sufficient P450: CYP102A5 from Bacillus cereus.

Abstract CYP102s represent a family of natural self-sufficient fusions of cytochrome P450 and cytochrome P450 reductase found in some bacteria. One member of this family, named CYP102A1 or more traditionally P450BM-3, has been widely studied as a model of human P450 cytochromes. Remarkable detail of P450 structure and function has been revealed using this highly efficient enzyme. The recent rapid expansion of microbial genome sequences has revealed many relatives of CYP102A1, but to date only two from Bacillus subtilis have been characterized. We report here the cloning and expression of CYP102A5, a new member of this family that is very closely related to CYP102A4 from Bacillus anthracis . Characterization of the substrate specificity of CYP102A5 shows that it, like the other CYP102s, will metabolize saturated and unsaturated fatty acids as well as N -acylamino acids. CYP102A5 catalyzes very fast substrate oxidation, showing one of the highest turnover rates for any P450 monooxygenase studied so far. It does so with more specificity than other CYP102s, yielding primarily ω-1 and ω-2 hydroxylated products. Measurement of the rate of electron transfer through the reductase domain reveals that it is significantly faster in CYP102A5 than in CYP102A1, providing a likely explanation for the increased monooxygenation rate. The availability of this new, very fast fusion P450 will provide a great tool for comparative structure–function studies between CYP102A5 and the other characterized CYP102s.
Green Buying: The Influence of Environmental Concern on Consumer Behavior

Abstract Variables that predict “green buying” (i.e., buying products that are environmentally beneficial) were investigated. Predictor variables included awareness about environmental impacts of products, specific environmental beliefs of consumers, several general environmental attitude scales, demographic variables, and several proenvironment behaviors other than buying behavior. A written questionnaire, mailed to randomly selected residents of 8 middle-class communities in the Los Angeles area, was answered by 201 respondents. The results of hierarchical multiple regression analyses supported the hypotheses under study: Specific consumer beliefs predicted several green-buying variables as well as general environmental attitudes, whereas general environmental attitudes predicted only one aspect of green buying. Women were significantly higher than men on two aspects of green buying and on the environmental attitude scales. Home ownership was positively related to recycling behavior.
Electrical consumption of two-, three- and four-wheel light-duty electric vehicles in India

Abstract The Government of India has recently announced the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan, which sets ambitious targets for electric vehicle deployment in India. One important barrier to substantial market penetration of EVs in India is the impact that large numbers of EVs will have on an already strained electricity grid. Properly predicting the impact of EVs on the Indian grid will allow better planning of new generation and distribution infrastructure as the EV mission is rolled out. Properly predicting the grid impacts from EVs requires information about the electrical energy consumption of different types of EVs in Indian driving conditions. This study uses detailed vehicle powertrain models to estimate per kilometer electrical consumption for electric scooters, 3-wheelers and different types of 4-wheelers in India. The powertrain modeling methodology is validated against experimental measurements of electrical consumption for a Nissan Leaf. The model is then used to predict electrical consumption for several types of vehicles in different driving conditions. The results show that in city driving conditions, the average electrical consumption is: 33 Wh/km for the scooter, 61 Wh/km for the 3-wheeler, 84 Wh/km for the low power 4-wheeler, and 123 Wh/km for the high power 4-wheeler. For highway driving conditions, the average electrical consumption is: 133 Wh/km for the low power 4-wheeler, and 165 Wh/km for the high power 4-wheeler. The impact of variations in several parameters are modeled, including the impact of different driving conditions, different levels of loading by air conditions and other ancillary components, different total vehicle masses, and different levels of motor operating efficiency.