cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Decision sequence for functional wetlands restoration

As wetland functions are being more clearly evaluated, demand is increasing for the ability to mitigate for specific wetland functions that have been degraded. When wetland restoration project goals specify functions, success of the project depends heavily on proper guidance for project siting, design, implementation, and monitoring. A decision sequence is presented for wetland restoration projects to help achieve functional replacement. This methodology incorporates site selection and design features for specified wetland functions into three phases of a project planning decision sequence. The first phase, site selection, situates a wetland where there is the potential to perform a function. Phases two and three, the incorporation of functional design features into design criteria and project plan development, focus on the optimization of the functional capacity of a site. An example is given of how a wetland restoration project planning team can consider enhancing vegetation diversity during the project plan development phase to achieve a goal of improved wildlife habitat.
Time-dependent behavior in electron-hole condensation

The dominant relaxation rates in electron-hole condensation are calculated from the stochastic rate equations proposed in a previous paper. These govern the time scale for the nucleation of electron-hole droplets and for fluctuations in the number of electron-hole pairs bound to a nucleation center. The calculational procedure makes use of exact recursion relations for the temporal moments of the probability distribution. It is found that metastable states of electrons and holes can exist at high temperatures ($T\ensuremath{\gtrsim}2\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$K in Ge), for a limited range of ex`citon densities. At low temperatures the finite carrier lifetimes lead to measureably short relaxation times. The importance of the time dependence of the exciton density in experiments at fixed generation rates is stressed. Some of the reported discrepancy between spectroscopic and thermodynamic values of the work function may be ascribed to supersaturation effects.
DISTANCE LEARNING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES: LEADERSHIP CHALLENGES FOR CHANGE AND DEVELOPMENT

The wave of technology sweeping community college campuses, including a concurrent and equally phenomenal growth in distance education programs, necessitates fundamental changes in many faculty roles. As faculty face these changes, how can community college leaders provide them with the support to successfully transform themselves into technology-savvy 21st century instructors? By skillfully leading, while investing in professional development programs grounded in the Kouzes and Posner leadership model, community college leaders can facilitate the successful transformation of campuses into centers of technology-based learning. Change is difficult, and all employees may not be comfortable with technology, but all have a commitment and responsibility to work to ensure access and success for all students, regardless of their social status, skills, or prior learning experience.
Disease control intervals in high-risk neuroblastoma

BACKGROUND. Current salvage therapy for recurrent high-risk neuroblastoma is rarely curative. Assessment of the effectiveness of new, primarily cytostatic agents requires the redefinition of study endpoints to reflect disease stabilization rather than tumor response or regression. The intervals of disease control in the patients in the current study with recurrent neuroblastoma were characterized to provide comparison criteria for exploratory studies of new agents. METHODS. Disease control intervals, disease-free survival, postrecurrence survival, and median time to treatment failure were estimated in 90 patients with high-risk neuroblastoma treated between January 1991 and June 2002 on 3 St. Jude neuroblastoma protocols. RESULTS. The estimated median time to disease recurrence was 18.3 months (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 15.9–22.4 months) for the first recurrence, 8.7 months (95% CI, 5.0–12.2 months) for the second recurrence, and 3.8 months (95% CI, 2.5–5.4 months) for the third recurrence. The 5-year estimate of survival after the first disease recurrence was 11% ± 4%. Patients with longer initial disease control had a postrecurrence survival advantage:the 5-year estimated postrecurrence survival was 15.3% ± 6.3% for patients with initial disease control ≥16 months and 8.1% ± 5.5% for others (P = .006). The median disease control interval was approximately halved after each disease recurrence. CONCLUSIONS. The previous disease control interval should be considered in stratification schemes for future phase 2 testing of new agents for the treatment of neuroblastoma. For the optimal evaluation of new treatment strategies that incorporate cytostatic agents, study design and selection of endpoints must take into account the current patterns of recurrence or progression of neuroblastoma. Cancer 2008. © 2008 American Cancer Society.
A Risk/Cost Analysis of Alternative Screening Intervals for Occupational Tuberculosis Infection

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that new health care employees receive a baseline skin test for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb) infection and that testing be repeated periodically. However, CDC does not explain the quantitative basis for its suggested screening intervals. This article examines the efficacy of alternative screening intervals for workers subject to different annual rates of M. tb infection and estimates the costs. An equation is developed for the cumulative risk of tuberculosis (TB) at 12 years given a specified annual rate of infection (ARI), screening interval, and a combined proportion (p) of successful skin testing and antibiotic prophylaxis. Equations for total cost of screening and cost per disease case prevented are provided. Results assume: (a) costs of $10 per skin test and $10,000 per TB disease case; (b) p=0.88; and (c) an acceptable cumulative TB risk of 1 per 1000. For ARIs that might be deemed low (0.2% to 0.5%) and medium (1%), CDC screening...
Pollen Evidence of Historical Forest Disturbance on the Wasatch Plateau, Utah

Environmental indicators from lake sediments provide excellent opportunities to improve understand- ing of forest disturbance processes and corresponding changes in forest composition. Our research provides a methodol- ogy for assessing recent, historic, and prehistoric disturbances using lacustrine sediment records. We collected sediment cores from Blue Lake, a small subalpine lake on the Wasatch Plateau in central Utah. These cores record environmental changes caused by both spruce beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis Kirby) and human (logging and livestock grazing) modi- fication. We observed deteriorated insect remains in the lake sediments. These remains correspond temporally with a historic spruce beetle outbreak, though alkaline conditions in the lake water may have inhibited preservation of bark beetle remains. Pollen data reveal that despite the unprecedented level of mortality among Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii Parry ex Engelm.) resulting from the spruce beetle epidemic, logging activities subsequent to Euro-Ameri- can settlement appear to be the most severe disturbance to the Blue Lake watershed over the last 750 years.
Purification and properties of the C4 inactivator from nurse shark serum.

Abstract Highly purified C4 inactivator (C4I) has been isolated from a crude C4I preparation. The crude C4I activity was generated from nurse shark serum by the procedure of Jensen (1969). The procedures employed in the purification were; (A) ammonium sulfate fractionation of the crude C4I, (B) DE 52 column chromatography, (C) hydroxyapatite column chromatography, (D) Sephadex G-100 gel filtration and (E) preparative acrylamide gel electrophoresis. Analytical disc gel electrophoresis at steps A through D in the purification procedure revealed five closely spaced protein bands (three major and two minor) that exhibited C4I activity. The five heteromorphs were separated at Step (E). Rabbit antiserum against crude C4I gave single line and arc on ouchterlony and immunoelectrophoresis with the purified material (D). Moreover, antiserum against D gave a single arc with the crude C4I. The five isomers showed esterase activity of similar specificity with Nα-acetylglycyl- l -lysine methyl ester and Nα-tosyl- l -arginine methyl ester. Experimental evidence indicates that the five heteromorphs are charge isomers. A mol. wt of ca. 67,000 was calculated for the isomers by analytical gel electrophoresis and of 70,000 by Sephadex gel filtration. The minimum mol. wt by SDS gel electrophoresis was 23,000. A three subunit structure for C4I is suggested. Treatment of human C4 with purified C4I at 37°C for 30 min resulted in a cleavage of the C4 molecule.
Sex differences in mathematical reasoning ability in intellectually talented preadolescents: Their nature, effects, and possible causes

Several hundred thousand intellectually talented 12-to 13-year-olds have been tested nationwide over the past 16 years with the mathematics and verbal sections of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). Although no sex differences in verbal ability have been found, there have been consistent sex differences favoring males in mathematical reasoning ability, as measured by the mathematics section of the SAT (SAT-M). These differences are most pronounced at the highest levels of mathematical reasoning, they are stable over time, and they are observed in other countries as well. The sex difference in mathematical reasoning ability can predict subsequent sex differences in achievement in mathematics and science and is therefore of practical importance. To date a primarily environmental explanation for the difference in ability has not received support from the numerous studies conducted over many years by the staff of Study of Mathematically Precocious Youth (SMPY) and others. We have studied some of the classical environmental hypotheses: attitudes toward mathematics, perceived usefulness of mathematics, confidence, expectations/ encouragement from parents and others, sex-typing, and differential course-taking. In addition, several physiological correlates of extremely high mathematical reasoning ability have been identified (left-handedness, allergies, myopia, and perhaps bilateral representation of cognitive functions and prenatal hormonal exposure). It is therefore proposed that the sex difference in SAT-M scores among intellectually talented students, which may be related to greater male variability, results from both environmental and biological factors.
A FORTRAN program for plotting mineral stabilities in the FeCuSO system in terms of log (ΣSO4ΣH2S) or log fO2 vs pH or T

A computer program for the generation of mineral-stability diagrams in terms of log (ΣSO4ΣH2S) vs pH or T is presented. Simple modifications of the program to produce log fO2 vs pH or T diagrams also are documented. Such diagrams are useful particularly in the geochemical interpretation of hydrothermal sulfide ore deposits. Plotting of other geochemical parameters such as log fS2, mole fractions of aqueous sulfur species, sulfur isotopic compositions, and metal complex solubilities also is possible utilizing the mineral-stability diagram as a base. Both line-printer and digital-plotter methods are explained.
InGaAs/GaAsSb interband tunneling FETs as tunable RF detectors

III-V based tunnel FETs (TFETs) have attracted wide interest for the promise of achieving sub-thermionic switching slopes (<; 60 mV/decade) to enable continued power-constrained scaling for logic. These same characteristics, however also offer advantages for non-logic applications; in particular, the strong nonlinearity in the transfer characteristics - a function of the energy filtering inherent with interband tunneling - makes these devices attractive candidates for nonlinear analog applications such as high-frequency detection for imaging and sensing, and the input/output isolation afforded by use of a three-terminal device for detection offers considerable advantages for system design, compared to two-terminal devices (e.g. bulky and bandwidth-limiting RF/DC separation circuits are not required). We report here the first experimental demonstration of an III-V interband tunnel FET as an RF detector.
Retinal Abnormalities in Lactosyl Ceramidosis

The patient, a 3-year-old black girl, was born after 30 weeks' gestation. Her birth weight was 2.04 kg. She was the parents' only child. The par­ ents were of normal intelligence and there was no family history of mental retardation. Early devel­ opment of the child was slow but unremarkable. Motor and mental development stopped at 2 years of age and deterioration began at the age of 2yi years. Physical examination at 3 years of age revealed a very thin girl who appeared chronically ill and needed support in order to maintain a sitting position. There was cerebellar ataxia, generalized weakness, tremor of the jaw and all extremities, spastic deep tendon re­ flexes, and bilateral Babinski reflexes. The liver edge was palpable S cm below the right costal margin and was firm and smooth ; the spleen was felt 2 cm below the left costal margin. The ocular examination indicated decreased vi­ sion on the basis of an inability to fixate on light
Boda blocks: a collaborative tool for exploring tangible three-dimensional cellular automata

Construction kits like traditional building blocks provide excellent media for face-to-face collaborative interaction. The complexity and expressive power of these kits are increasingly being augmented with computational elements like controllable lights, motors and sounds. This paper introduces a computationally enhanced set of building blocks, Boda Blocks, which allows for collaborative interaction through the construction and programming of tangible three-dimensional cellular automata. We provide a brief introduction to computationally enhanced construction kits, describe the Boda Blocks system and report on the results of a preliminary user study.
Interaction between fluorescent-labeled ACTH1-24, isolated fat cells, and serum albumin.

Part or all of the difference in the ability of ACTH1–24 and a fluorescent-labeled ACTH1–24 to activate lipolysis in fat cells can be accounted for by label-related binding to albumin present in the assay medium.
Coping Mediates the Association Between Marital Instability and Depression, but Not Marital Satisfaction and Depression.

The association between marital discord and depression is well established. Marital discord is hypothesized to be a stressful life event that would evoke one’s efforts to cope with it. In an effort to further understand the nature of this association, the current study investigated coping as a mediating variable between marital dissatisfaction and depression and between marital instability and depression. Both marital dissatisfaction and instability, reflecting orthogonal dimensions of marital discord, were included in the model examined to elucidate a more complete picture of marital functioning. Structural Equation Modeling analyses revealed that coping mediated the association between marital instability and depression, but not marital dissatisfaction and depression, suggesting that coping traditionally considered adaptive for individuals in the context of controllable stressors may not be adaptive in the context of couple relationship instability. The findings also have implications for interventions focusing on decreasing maladaptive coping strategies in couples presenting for marital therapy or depression in addition to efforts directed at improving marital quality.
Treatment of Heroin Dependence: Effectiveness, Costs, and Benefits of Methadone Maintenance:

Objectives: Social workers will increasingly be required to attend to the cost-effectiveness of practices, programs, and policies. In the area of substance abuse, there is little evidence to suggest that social workers'decisions are based on evidence of either effectiveness or costs. Method: This article provides an overview of existing evidence on the effectiveness, costs, and benefits of methadone maintenance in the treatment of opiate addiction. Results: Methadone maintenance is a demonstrably cost-effective treatment for heroin dependence. Conclusions: As yet, social workers do not appear to be aware of either the effectiveness or the cost advantages of methadone. Because findings supporting the cost-effectiveness of methadone are stronger than in most areas of social work practice, the extent to which social workers appropriately refer and advocate for clients who can benefit from this treatment can be seen as a bellwether of how the profession will perform in the emerging era of cost-effectiveness.
The effect of prior transurethral resection of the prostate on post radiation urethral strictures and bladder neck contractures.

Patients treated for prostate cancer from 1975-1982 were reviewed to assess if pre-irradiation transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) predisposed to the formation of post treatment urethral strictures or bladder neck contractures. A total of 368 patients were treated with external beam irradiation delivered by a linear accelerator or 125I interstitial implants. Of the 253 patients treated by external beam, 138 patients had a history of at least one TURP before treatment. Implants were performed in 115 patients and 57 had a history of TURP before treatment. A total of 40 patients from both groups developed post treatment complications of urethral strictures or bladder neck contractures. Three patients developed both complications. An analysis of the 40 patients revealed that 29 (72.5%) patients had a TURP performed within a median time of 33 days prior to their initiation of radiation therapy. Of 195 patients in the prior TURP group, 29 (15%) developed one or both complications. Only 11 (6%) of the 173 patients in the non-TURP group developed one or both complications. This comparison was statistically significant with a p value of .025. Various factors analyzed including the treatment regimen, histologic grade, stage of disease, and volume of prostatic tissue removed at surgery did not show any positive correlation. Multiple TURP's were evaluated for greater distribution to the incidence of post treatment complications. The prior TURP group of 195 patients contained 60 with a history of at least two TURPs before radiation therapy. Eleven (18.3%) developed one or both complications. Of the 135 patients in the single TURP group, 18 (13.3%) developed complications. This was not statistically significant. Therefore, we concluded that the initial TURP was its mechanical description of mucosa and resultant scarring is a predisposing risk for development of urethral strictures or bladder neck contractures. Review of the literature concerning time sequence for healing of the urethra shows 4-6 weeks to be appropriate interval between surgery and radiation.
Effect of land use on methane flux from soil.

The precise effects of natural and disturbed terrestrial systems on the atmospheric CH 4 pool are uncertain. This study was conducted to quantify and compare CH 4 fluxes from a variety of ecosystems in central Iowa. We investigated agricultural systems under different management practices, a hardwood forest site, native and restored prairies, and a municipal landfill. Flux measurements were obtained using a closed-chamber method, and measurements were compiled by sampling over the 1993 and 1994 growing seasons. In 1993, most of the agricultural sites were net CH 4 producers with cumulative CH 4 fluxes ranging from -0.02 to 3.19 g m -2 over the 258-d sampling season, while the natural ecosystems were net CH 4 consumers, with cumulative seasonal fluxes ranging from -0.27 to -0.07 g m -2 258 d -1 . In 1994, only the landfill and the agricultural site treated with broadcast liquid swine manure (LSM) were net CH 4 producers, while the remainder of the natural and agricultural ecosystems were net CH 4 consumers, with mean seasonal flux rates ranging from -0.43 to -0.008 g m -2 271 d -1 . We hypothesize that the differences in CH 4 fluxes between the two years are due to differences in rainfall. To illustrate the integration between land use and CH 4 flux, we computed an area-weighted soil CH 4 flux for the state of Iowa. Our calculations yielded a net average soil CH 4 flux of 139 000 Mg CH 4 for 1993 and 1994.
An overview of cross-sectional studies of mortality and air pollution and related statistical issues

Abstract A heuristic framework is developed for assessing statistical studies of air pollution and mortality which use the General Linear Model as a principal tool for analysis. Arrays that systematically compare the information of each study are introduced. In addition, a number of studies are contrasted against several statistical criteria to assess the reliability of the study results. Reliability is considered in terms of statistical estimation theory and practice. Finally, there is a discussion of several points of statistical contention which can affect the results of these studies. The conclusion is that statistical studies that use the General Linear Model have made limited use of available methods and tests. Several issues are raised which will require additional research.
“Dumbing down” in children's literature

Discusses the publication of mediocre quality children's literature. Presents the qualities inherent in classical children's literature. Examines the role and possible motives of the publishing industry for marketing “dumbed down” literature. Evaluates two popular titles. Suggests ways of playing a more active role in promoting high quality children's literature.
Neutrophils invade lumbar dorsal root ganglia after chronic constriction injury of the sciatic nerve.

To test whether neutrophils (PMN) target lumbar dorsal root ganglia (DRG) following axonal injury leading to neuropathic pain, we visualized PMN infiltration in DRG tissue sections and estimated PMN count by flow cytometry following sciatic chronic constriction injury (CCI). Seven days after CCI, results show PMN within DRG where their count increased by three fold ipsilateral to injury compared to contralateral or sham, concomitant with peak neuropathic pain behavior. Superoxide burst in PMN isolated from rats d7 after CCI was elevated by 170% +/-18 compared to naive and MCP-1 mRNA expression in DRG increased by 8.9+/-2.9 fold, but that of MIP-2, CINC-1, and RANTES did not change. We conclude that CCI causes PMN invasion of the DRG whereby the functional implication of their close proximity to neuronal axon and soma remains unknown.
Level of prenatal cocaine exposure and 48-month IQ: importance of preschool enrichment.

Abstract Objective This analysis was designed to determine whether prenatal cocaine exposure is related to children's standardized cognitive test scores at age 4 years after control for relevant covariates. Methods Masked examiners using the WPPSI-R assessed ninety-one 4-year-old children with prenatal cocaine exposure and 79 children of comparable demographic background who were not exposed. Level of cocaine exposure was documented by postpartum interviews of mothers and assays of the infants' meconium. Results Prenatal cocaine exposure, analyzed as exposed/unexposed or as an ordinal dose variable, was not associated in bivariate or multivariate models with decrements in full-scale IQ, performance IQ, verbal IQ, or in any of the subtests. In bivariate analyses, we found significant differences between exposure groups defined as “unexposed”, “lighter”, and “heavier” in mean scores of the WPPSI-R subtests Object Assembly (P=0.04) and Picture Completion (P=0.03). For these scores, children with heavier exposure attained higher scaled scores. Birth mother's education and child's experience with preschool enrichment were both associated with higher verbal IQ scores. Conclusion These findings suggest that prenatal cocaine exposure does not exert negative effects on the cognitive competence of preschool-aged children. Children with a history of prenatal cocaine exposure benefit from preschool programs that have been shown to enhance outcomes for other low-income children.
Scout view X-ray attenuation versus weight-based selection of reduced peak tube voltage in cardiac CT angiography.

Objectives The study evaluated the relationship between cardiac computed tomography (CT) scout view x-ray attenuation and CT image noise compared with weight or body mass index (BMI). Background Decreasing peak tube voltage from 120 to 100 kVp on the basis of body size reduces radiation exposure. Methods to better predict CT image noise may lead to more effective selection of reduced tube voltage in cardiac CT. Methods Image quality was graded subjectively (1 [excellent] to 4 [nondiagnostic]) and objectively (SD of the aortic attenuation value) in cardiac CT angiograms (N = 106) acquired at either 100 or 120 kVp. X-ray attenuation characteristics on the scout view (120 kVp, 30 mA) were measured within a 3-cm region of interest across the chest in the frontal x-ray. Receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis was performed comparing scout view attenuation versus weight and BMI in predicting CT image noise and quality. Results CT image noise correlated with both BMI (r = 0.40; p Conclusions Scout view attenuation predicts cardiac CT image noise better than weight or BMI and could enable broader application of reduced x-ray tube voltage as a radiation sparing technique.
Hydrogen transport in amorphous silicon

The diffusive transport of hydrogen is used to investigate H trapping in hydrogen-depleted amorphous Si (a-Si) samples and to determine a rough H-diffusion density of states. The diffusion profiles show clear evidence of deep traps separated from shallow traps, and the results are well explained by a simple division of the H states into deep traps, shallow traps, and transport states. The concentration of deep traps is about (0.8--2)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{20}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}3}$, of which about 30% can be identified with dangling bonds. The energy of the deep traps is at least 1.9 eV below the transport states. The diffusion is dispersive with a power-law time dependence and can be characterized by an exponential distribution of hopping barriers with a width of roughly 0.09 eV. The shallow traps are identified with clustered H pairs which determine the H chemical potential at high H concentrations. The results are compared with calculations and other recent ideas on H bonding energetics. The results are consistent with a range of possibilities. One extreme is the case in which H is predominately bonded on void surfaces and the transport energy is substantially different in a-Si than in crystalline Si (c-Si); the other extreme is the case in which H predominately resides in platelet structures and the transport energy is roughly the same as in c-Si. The actual case depends on the deposition conditions.
High-resolution polymer LEDs fabricated by drop-on-demand inkjet printing and reactive ion etching

The inkjet printed micro-rings is formed by pinned contact line which pulls the ink solution outwards to compensate solvent evaporation. This phenomena is called “coffee drop effect,” which causes uniformity problem in the inkjet printing. Our attempt is to exploit this effect for fabrication of high resolution polymer LEDs by increasing the number of pixels per unit length. Here we present fabrication of high resolution (> 200 pixels per inch) polymer LEDs using inkjet printing and reactive ion etching. We also show possible way of further increasing the resolution of polymer LEDs by modifying the inkjet printing dispensing parameters.
Abstract No. 291: Treatment of high risk venous thrombosis patients with thrombolytic therapy using low dose intraclot injections of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator

Purpose: Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a common and potentially devastating condition affecting between 350,000 and nearly 1 million new patients in the US annually. The most common complication is Post Thrombotic Syndrome (PTS) affecting 2550% within 2 years of the onset of the thrombotic episode. The current standard of care for both acute and chronic DVT is to prevent progression rather than resolution of DVT. We report the technical and clinical outcomes in patients aggressively treated for chronic, occlusive DVT causing Post Thrombotic syndrome. Materials and Methods: A single center registry and retrospective chart review of patients suffering from PTS that were treated for chronic occlusive DVT. Case review data were collected, including DVT history, procedural information, immediate technical outcomes, symptomatic improvement, and ultrasound follow-up at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months and yearly thereafter. Results: 106 patients and 114 limbs were treated, including 74 M and 42 F (mean age 57; range 13–96). 11 upper and 103 lower extremities with IVC involvement in 25 were included. All patients had symptoms 1 month (range 1 month–12 years). Technical success was defined as A) ability to completely cross the occlusion and B) ability to restore flow in the venous segments. 112 of 114 occlusions were successfully crossed (98%) with venous flow established in 110 of 114 limbs crossed (97%). 2 endpoints were used for clinical success: patency on ultrasound and symptomatic improvement. 18 of 114 limbs were completely lost to follow-up. Of the remaining 96 limbs, 89 (93%) reported significant improvement, 7 (7%) were unchanged, and none were worse. Follow-up ultrasound exams demonstrated patency as follows: 1 month 99% (78 of 79 limbs), 3 months 98% (55 of 56), 6 months 97% (49 of 50), 12 months 100% (27 of 27), 2 yr 100% (9 of 9), 3 yrs 100% (2 of 2). No major adverse events were noted. Conclusion: Chronic, occlusive DVT causing significant quality of life limitations from PTS, can safely and effectively be treated with excellent short to mid term technical and clinical outcomes.
Returning to rawls : Social contracting, social justice, and transcending the limitations of locke

A generation ago, the field of business ethics largely abandoned analyzing the broader issue of social justice to focus upon more micro concerns. Donaldson applied the social contract tradition of Locke and Rawls to the ethics of management decision-making, and with Dunfee, has advanced this project ever since. Current events suggest that if the field is to remain relevant it needs to return to examining social and economic fairness, and␣Rawl’s approach to social contracting suggests a way to start. First, however, the field needs to discard the weaker and counterproductive aspects of its Lockean legacy: Locke’s hostility to government activism and his indifference with regard to outcomes for the bulk of society. Donaldson’s and Dunfee’s social contracting approach is not suited to, nor was it designed to, analyze or resolve broad issues of social and economic justice. Their postulated network of communities upon which they rely is problematic in a number of ways, and while they take the legal and political status quo into account, their method does not deal with the historical reality that, as the economic and social environment changes, promoting greater justice requires new and sometimes coercive government interventions. Rawls’s work, however, does acknowledge the historically demonstrable necessity of using the power of government to help to achieve desirable social outcomes. While he rejected Mill’s methodology, Rawls was inspired by the earlier philosopher’s concerns for social justice at a time of major economic change. The field would do well to follow the example of both men in this respect.
Properties of thin LPCVD silicon oxynitride films

Thin, uniform silicon oxynitride films with films thicknesses of ≤ 10 nm were successfully deposited by low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD). The reactant gases were SiH2Cl2, N2O, and NH3. The compositional uniformity of these films as a function of depth was good. The structure of these oxynitride films was found to be dominated by the mixed matrix of Si, N, and 0, rather than a physical mixture of SiO2 and Si3N4 clusters. N-H bonding was observed and the total amount of hydrogen in the as-deposited film was on the order of 5 x l020/cm3. No H-OH or Si-OH bonds were detected. Excellent dielectric breakdown distributions were found for oxynitride films with equivalent oxide film thicknesses as low as 7.5 nm. The conduction of Si-N-0 films depended on film composition. A small capacitor-voltage (C-V) window (< 0.1 V) was observed for the Si-N-O/Si structures. The midgap surface state density was on the order of 5 x 1010/cm2 /eV. Either trapping of holes or the generation of positive states were found after high field stressing of the oxynitride films.
Using herd records to monitor transition cow survival, productivity, and health.

Despite many innovations in transition cow management in the recent past, our ability to monitor change and evaluate the efficacy of programs at the farm level remains relatively crude. Herd managers implement new transition cow management practices and evaluate the response in their herd using a variety of monitors. Milk production monitors in early lactation are usually based upon average performance of the cows that calve in a short period of time and are easily skewed by small numbers of outlier cows. Other production monitors based upon Dairy Herd Improvement Association (DHIA) first test day information are frequently confounded by the variation in days in milk at first test day. Many dairies have health records that allow them to track changes in the number of disease events on their own dairy, but inconsistencies in case definition make it difficult to compare disease rates between farms. Because of these factors, it is important for dairy herd managers and their advisors to consider the potential pitfalls of the monitors that are in use and understand the limitations of each when interpreting them. Monitors of transition cow management programs should help us determine if the fresh dairy cow was well prepared for milk production and good health in the coming lactation. Appropriate monitors will focus on three areas; cows that die or are culled early in lactation, the productivity of the surviving cows in early lactation, and the rates of disease in the periparturient period. This article will review the strengths and weaknesses of traditional monitors, introduce new monitoring techniques where the performance of the individual cow is compared with her own performance in the prior lactation, and comment on ways to increase the value of health records for management.
A Look inside the World of Advertising-Free Publishing: A Case Study of Ms. Magazine

Abstract Research has shown that advertising can shape the editorial content of magazines, especially women's and trade publications. This case study looks closely at one of the few mass circulation magazines to have published both with and without advertising—Ms. This study seeks to capture the unique experiences of the women who now publish with only reader support in the shadow of what they believe is an ad-dominated medium. From their perspective, advertising impacts the magazine industry in ways that even they failed to realize before Ms. moved to its current format. This research also suggests a basic distinction between advertising- and ideology-driven publications. This distinction may prove important to our understanding of how advertising impacts and relates to the media that carry it.
A Creatinine Specific Enzyme Electrode

Abstract An extremely specific creatinine electrode was successfully developed for selective analysis of aqueous creatinine with a linear response over the range from 5 mg/l to 100 mg/l. The endogenous and exogenous species generally present in the serum do not interfere in the assay with the exception of ammonia. With the use of the electrode serum samples containing high creatinine can be assayed directly after pre-treatment. However, the electrode is not sensitive enough to detect the normal level serum creatinine due to the dilution of the serum after treatment.
China: International Trade and WTO Accession

China's increasing integration with the global economy has contributed to sustained growth in international trade. Its exports have become more diversified, and greater penetration of industrial country markets has been accompanied by a surge in China's imports from all regions--especially Asia, where China plays an increasingly central role in regional specialization. Tariff reforms have been implemented in China since the 1980s; and, with its recent WTO accession, China has committed itself to additional reforms that are far-reaching and challenging. Sustained implementation of these commitments would further deepen China's international integration and generate benefits for most partner countries.
TerminatorBot: a robot with dual-use arms for manipulation and locomotion

A novel, miniature robot designed to use its two arms for both manipulation and locomotion is described. Intended for military and civilian surveillance and search-and-rescue applications, the robot must be small, rugged, and lightweight, hence the desire for dual-use. The robot consists of two, three-degree-of-freedom arms that can stow completely inside the 75 mm diameter cylindrical body for ballistic deployment. This paper describes the mechanism and design motivation as well as two novel locomotion gaits and a third conventional gait.
Midwifery as a discipline

Recent developments within midwifery necessitate an examination of whether midwifery qualifies as a discipline as well as a profession. A discipline is a formalized branch of knowledge and is different from, although related to, a profession of the same name. The author contends that the discipline of midwifery is undeveloped at present but that the time is right for explicit discussion about what defines the discipline of midwifery.
Post-irradiation free-radical reactions in poly(ethylene terephthalate)

Exposure of poly(ethylene terephthalate) to γ-rays results in the formation of radical I, radical II (tentatively), and to an unassigned radical (III) which is responsible for a central peak in the ESR spectrum. It is believed that completely amorphous samples of polymer contain radicals II and III. On heating, the radicals decay, and the relative proportion of radical III increases. The kinetics of the overall decay process were followed by measuring the decrease in peak height with time. After an initially rapid reaction the decay of the radical population conformed to second order kinetics. An Arrhenius plot of the logarithm of specific rate versus 1/T indicated two lines which intersected at 72°C, which is close to the glass transition temperature. The activation energies were 112 kcal/mole above 72° and roughly 25 kcal/mole below 72°C. Reference to reports in the literature suggests that this decay can be explained by long-range movement of the polymer molecules, even in the glassy solid. The decay of radical I in the crystalline regions of an oriented sample was shown to follow first-order kinetics. As the decay occurs at temperatures as low as 100°C (the melting point is about 260°C), it seems that decay by normal physical movement is unlikely. The results might be explained by invoking the hypothesis of chemical migration of free radical sites by hydrogen atom hopping.
Teaching and Evaluating Point of Care Learning with an Internet-Based Clinical-Question Portfolio

Introduction: Diplomates in the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program satisfy the self-evaluation of medical knowledge requirement by completing open-book multiple-choice exams. However, this method remains unlikely to affect practice change and often covers content areas not relevant to diplomates’ practices. We developed and evaluated an Internet-based point of care (POC) learning portfolio to serve as an alternative. Methods: Participants enter information about their clinical questions, including characteristics, information pursuit, application, and practice change. After documenting 20 questions, they reflect upon a summary report and write commitment-to-change statements about their learning strategies. They can link to help screens and medical information resources. We report on the beta test evaluation of the module, completed by 23 internists and 4 internal medicine residents. Results: Participants found the instructions clear and navigated the module without difficulty. The majority preferred the POC portfolio to multiple-choice examinations, citing greater relevance to their practice, guidance in expanding their palette of information resources, opportunity to reflect on their learning needs, and “credit” for self-directed learning related to their patients. Participants entered a total of 543 clinical questions, of which 250 (46%) resulted in a planned practice change. After completing the module, 14 of 27 (52%) participants committed to at least 1 change in their POC learning strategies.
Steady-state analysis of a semi-blind adaptive beamforming algorithm for TDMA signals

We describe an adaptive beamforming algorithm for time- division multiple-access (TDMA) signals that utilizes a modified least-squares (LS) cost function, and analyze its performance using a stochastic model. The beamformer weights are computed via a two-step procedure: initial weights are calculated from the training sequence, and these are refined by a semi-blind algorithm using the modified LS cost function. The main goal of the paper is to analyze this algorithm using a stochastic model and Wiener filter theory for the case when the look-direction vector is mismatched. The performance of the proposed adaptive beamformer is also evaluated using simulated TDMA data.
Robotic Partial Nephrectomy for Small Renal Masses in Patients With Pre-existing Chronic Kidney Disease

Objective To assess the outcomes of robotic partial nephrectomy in patients with pre-existing chronic kidney disease (CKD). Materials and Methods Patients who underwent robotic partial nephrectomy for renal tumors between 2007 and 2011 were identified from our prospectively maintained institutional database. Perioperative as well as short-term oncological and functional outcomes were assessed. A comparative analysis was performed between patients with pre-existing CKD (estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] 15-60 mL/min, group 1, n = 52) and patients with eGFR >60 mL/min (group 2, n = 303). Results Group 1 patients were older (median 68 vs 57 years, P Conclusion Despite a high risk of surgical complications, robotic partial nephrectomy only marginally affects renal function in patients with pre-existing CKD.
Variability in the relationship between sea scallop shell height and meat weight

Rothschild, B. J., Adams, C. F., Sarro, C. L., and Stokesbury, K. D. E. 2009. Variability in the relationship between sea scallop shell height and meat weight. - ICES Journal of Marine Science, 66: 1972-1977.We investigated the spatial and temporal variability in the relationship between shell height and meat weight (SHMW) of the sea scallop (Placopecten magellanicus) from Georges Bank (GB) and the mid-Atlantic. Data for the study were collected collaboratively during normal commercial fishing operations. A one-way random-effects ANOVA revealed that 19-44% of the variance in MW was at the batch level. A linear mixed-effects model was used to explain the variability in SHMW regression equations across batches. There was a significant effect of month and year on the SHMW relationship for GB from June through December, and a significant effect of area and year on the SHMW relationship for the mid-Atlantic from January through May. The SHMW relationships presented reflect those of the fishery year-round rather than an estimate of the biological population at a specific point in time. Failure to include intra-annual, interannual, and regional variations in the SHMW could result in continually over- or underestimating the allowable catch in areas open to fishing for short periods. The techniques used are applicable to length-weight studies in general.
Venous Thromboembolism in Pregnancy

The purpose of this review is to summarize the epidemiology of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in pregnancy and describe strategies used to prevent and treat it. The main reason for the increased risk of VTE in pregnancy is hypercoagulability. The hypercoagulability of pregnancy, which has likely evolved to protect women from the bleeding challenges of miscarriage and childbirth, is present as early as the first trimester and so is the increased risk of VTE. Other risk factors include a history of thrombosis, inherited and acquired thrombophilia, certain medical conditions, and complications of pregnancy and childbirth. Candidates for anticoagulation are women with a current thrombosis, a history of thrombosis, thrombophilia, and a history of poor pregnancy outcome, or postpartum risk factors for VTE. For fetal reasons, the preferred agents for anticoagulation in pregnancy are heparins. There are no large trials of anticoagulants in pregnancy and recommendations are based on case series and the opinion of experts. Nonetheless, anticoagulants are believed to improve the outcome of pregnancy for women who have or have had VTE.
Ensuring the Future of State Wildlife Management: Understanding Challenges for Institutional Change

The social and political dynamics of wildlife management have changed markedly since the emergence of the profession. Today much of the legal responsibility to manage wildlife rests with state agencies. These agencies essentially have institutionalized the discipline, providing the regulatory, normative, and cultural foundation for wildlife management within each state. Pressure for reform of the state wildlife management institution is increasing. These pressures include the need for consistent sources of funding for wildlife management to offset the revenue decline from historically reliable license sales as numbers of hunters and trappers decline; increased interest from nontraditional stakeholders for better access to and involvement in the decision-making process; and demands from society for expansion of services provided (e.g., wildlife damage mitigation, disease control). We believe that state wildlife agencies can play a crucial role in initiating and guiding constructive reforms. We argue that state wildlife agencies can become more effective and valued by society if they are seen as agents of change. State wildlife management agencies, particularly the professionals staffing such agencies, have the opportunity to manage and lead change in a way that benefits the agencies, the public, and wildlife. We identify what we believe are some opportunities for wildlife professionals to become change agents.