cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Micro-models of criminal careers: A synthesis of the criminal careers and life course approaches via semiparametric mixed poisson regression models, with empirical applications

Much recent research and debate in criminology have centered around how to conceptualize and model longitudinal sequences of delinquent and criminal acts committed by individuals. Two approaches dominate this controversy. One originates in thecriminal careers paradigm, which emphasizes a potentialheterogeneity of offending groups in the general population—thus leading to a distinction between incidence and prevalence of criminal offending, a focus on the onset, persistence, and desistence of criminal careers, and the possibility that criminals are a distinctive group with constant high rates of offending. Another approach places criminal events within a broader context ofstudies of the life course by explicitly substituting the conceptualization of “social events” for that of “criminal careers”. With respect to analytical models, this approach emphasizes a potentialheterogeneity of offenders with respect to order of criminal events from first to second to higher orders and thus suggests an analysis of the “risks” or “hazards” of offending by order of offense. Some extant commentaries on the criminal careers and life course approaches to conceptualizing and modeling longitudinal sequences of delinquent and criminal events committed by individuals have emphasized their differences and incompatibilities. In contrast, we apply recently developed semiparametric mixed Poisson regression techniques to develop conditions under which the two conceptual/modeling approaches are formally equivalent. We also modify the semiparametric mixed Poisson regression model of criminal careers to incorporate information on order of the delinquent/criminal event and develop an empirical application. This modification demonstrates the complementarity of the criminal careers and life course approaches, even though they have somewhat different foci.
Use of nonproteases in peptide synthesis

Abstract Practical procedures have been developed for synthesis of peptides using lipases and esterases as catalysts.
Does the Excretion of Diethylstilbestrol Glucuronide Influence the Venning Determination for Urinary Pregnanediol

ConclusionDiethylstilbestrol glucuronide is recovered in no more than trace amounts from human urine by the gravimetric Venning procedure for the determination of sodium pregnanediol glucuronide. In pregnant patients taking large amounts of stilbestrol the quantitative values for urinary pregnanediol were not influenced by this possible source of error. Some other explanation must be found for the fact that values acquired by the Venning method on the urines of such patients do not agree with colorimetric assays for “freed” pregnanediol upon hydrolyzed specimens.
Perinatal complications associated with maternal tobacco use

The use of tobacco products by pregnant women is associated with placenta previa, abruptio placentae, premature rupture of the membranes, preterm birth, intrauterine growth restriction and sudden infant death syndrome. Approximately 15-20% of women smoke during pregnancy. It has been suggested that smoking is responsible for 15% of all preterm births, 20-30% of all infants of low birthweight, and a 150% increase in overall perinatal mortality. Cigarette smoking is one of the most important and modifiable risk factors associated with adverse perinatal outcomes.
Early pregnancy adiponectin concentrations are associated with gestational diabetes

GESTATIONAL DIABETES KRISTINE LAIN, PAUL SPEER, STACY MCGONIGAL, JAMES ROBERTS, University of Pittsburgh, Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania OBJECTIVE: Adiponectin is the most abundant adipose-specific protein and has anti-inflammatory, antiatherogenic, and insulin-sensitizing properties. Adiponectin is negatively associated with obesity and insulin resistance with plasma concentrations lower in individuals with polycystic ovarian syndrome, coronary artery disease, and type 2 diabetes. We hypothesized that adiponectin concentrations are lower in women early in pregnancy who later develop gestational diabetes (GDM). STUDY DESIGN: This nested case-control study utilized first-trimester samples from primiparous women enrolled in an ongoing longitudinal study. Adiponectin concentrations from women who developed GDM (N = 38) were compared to those of control patients who did not (N = 30). Adiponectin concentrations were determined by radioimmunoassay. Baseline demographic descriptors and obstetric outcomes were compared between the two groups by chi-square analysis and Student’s t test. Logistic regression was utilized to control for confounding. RESULTS: The groups were not different by baseline descriptors or obstetric outcomes. Mean gestational age of samples was 9.4 G 2.9 and 9.5 G 2.6 weeks for the control and GDM groups. Mean adiponectin concentrations were lower (P! .001) in the women who developed GDM compared to women who did not (4.3 G 0.3 vs 6.7 G 0.6 mg/mL). Women with adiponectin concentrations !25th% were 11.2 times more likely to develop GDM (95%CI 2.2, 56.9) and this persisted after controlling for BMI and race (OR 8.2; 95%CI 1.6, 42.9). CONCLUSION: This data suggests alterations in adipocyte function as early as the first trimester in women who are later recognized to have GDM. The study is limited by the lack of first trimester glucose tolerance information and does not establish whether these women were different before pregnancy. However, given most women test normal this early in pregnancy, this finding suggests that women with glucose intolerance of pregnancy may have significant alterations in adipocyte homeostasis long before the diagnosis of GDM is made.
A note on error detection in noisy logical computers

A method of error detection is proposed for noisy logical computer elements. The proposal extends the range of the propositional variables so that residue class check symbols may be used in error detection. The principal consequence is that individual logical elements may be designed to process binary inputs with arbitrary reliability and nonzero channel capacity.
Real-time combined heat and power operational strategy using a hierarchical optimization algorithm:

Existing attempts to optimize the operation of combined heat and power (CHP) systems for building applications have two major limitations: the electrical and thermal loads are obtained from historical weather profiles; and the CHP system models ignore transient responses by using constant equipment efficiencies. This article considers the transient response of a building combined with a hierarchical CHP optimal control algorithm to obtain a real-time integrated system that uses the most recent weather and electric load information. This is accomplished by running concurrent simulations of two transient building models. The first transient building model uses current as well as forecast input information to obtain short-term predictions of the thermal and electric building loads. The predictions are then used by an optimization algorithm (i.e. a hierarchical controller that decides the amount of fuel and of electrical energy to be allocated at the current time step). In a simulation, the actual physical building is not available and, hence, to simulate a real-time environment, a second, building model with similar but not identical input loads are used to represent the actual building. A state-variable feedback loop is completed at the beginning of each time step by copying (i.e. measuring, the state variable frommore » the actual building and restarting the predictive model using these ‘measured’ values as initial conditions). The simulation environment presented in this article features non-linear effects such as the dependence of the heat exchanger effectiveness on their operating conditions. Finally, the results indicate that the CHP engine operation dictated by the proposed hierarchical controller with uncertain weather conditions has the potential to yield significant savings when compared with conventional systems using current values of electricity and fuel prices.« less
PET/CT imaging: The incremental value of assessing the glucose metabolic phenotype and the structure of cancers in a single examination

PET/CT with the glucose analogue FDG is emerging as the most important diagnostic imaging tool in oncology. More than 2000 PET/CT scanners are operational worldwide and its unique role for diagnosing, staging, restaging and therapeutic monitoring in cancer is undisputed. Studies conducted in thousands of cancer patients have clearly indicated that the combination of molecular PET with anatomical CT imaging provides incremental diagnostic value over PET or CT alone. State of the art imaging protocols combine fully diagnostic CT scans with quality whole body PET surveys. The current review briefly describes the biological alterations of cancer cells that result in their switch to a strongly glycolytic phenotype. Different whole body imaging protocols are discussed. We summarize the evidence for the incremental value of PET/CT over CT and PET alone using imaging of sarcoma as an example. Following this section we discuss the performance of FDG-PET/CT imaging for staging, restaging and monitoring of head and neck cancer, solitary lung nodules and lung cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, lymphoma and unknown primary tumors. Finally, the recently emerging evidence of a substantial impact of PET/CT imaging on patient management is presented.
Additional Data on the Occurrence of the Plantaris Muscle in the Hawaiian Finches (Carduelinae: Drepanidini)

Abstract New data are presented on the phylogenetically informative plantaris muscle in the Drepanidini. The primitive condition (presence) corroborates the basal placement of the creepers of the genera Oreomystis. and Paroreomyza. The derived condition of the plantaris (absence) was found in the Hawaii Creeper (Loxops mana), previously considered by some to be congeneric with Oreomystis, and agrees with other evidence placing that species in Loxops. The Hawaii Akepa (L. coccinneus), Anianiau (L. parvus), and Kauai Amakihi (L. stejnegeri) also lack the plantaris. This condition still appears to define a monophyletic group within the Drepanidini.
A method and user interface for instructional video indexing via recognition of handwritten table-of-contents words

Efficient indexing and retrieval of digital videos are important needs within instructional video databases. We construct a word-based video index by spotting words taken from the table of contents (TOC) of the textbooks for the course given in the video. We present a segment-free method of word spotting based on a two step analysis. First, for each candidate word in the vocabulary and each unknown handwritten word image, we search for the location, orientation, and scale of every character of the candidate word; we use a modified Hausdorff distance (MHD) to robustly locate the character's skeleton in the skeletons of the handwritten word image. Second, we verify words by creating a template image according to the result of character analysis, and by matching this template image to the skeleton of the handwritten word using the MHD. Results for recognition of handwritten words from real videos are shown (greater than 70% accuracy with 100 words). Applying these methods to three contiguous videos (of 25) of a course, we find that they recognize nearly disjoint subsets of highly descriptive indexing keywords.
Origins of post synaptic potentials evoked in spiny neostriatal projection neurons by thalamic stimulation in the rat.

Stimulation of thalamic intralaminar nuclei or structures along the intrathalamic trajectory of thalamostriatal axons evoked complex EPSPs and subsequent hyperpolarizations in rat neostriatal spiny neurons identified by intracellular injection of horseradish peroxidase and/or antidromic activation from substantia nigra. In intact urethane-anesthetized rats, the initial EPSP portion of the response consisted of several components and lasted up to 75 ms. Short (1–10 ms) latency components exhibiting latency variations suggestive of a polysynaptic origin were often observed, and sometimes were the earliest components of the response. However, individual components of the excitatory response could not be clearly distinguished in most neurons and the earliest excitatory component usually appeared to be monosynaptic.
Bioconjugation of (CdSe)ZnS Quantum Dots Using a Genetically Engineered Multiple Polyhistidine Tagged Cohesin/Dockerin Protein Polymer

We have constructed bioconjugates consisting of genetically mofified cohesin/dockerin protein polymers combined with (CdSe)ZnS colloidal quantum dots. This recombinant protein contains fusions of Clostridium thermocellum cellulosomal cohesin and dockerin domains and a C-terminal 6x-histidine tag. These unique cohesin/ dockerin monomeric building blocks (ca. 60 kDa) were allowed to self-assemble, yielding oligomers and polymers, which were subsequently characterized by high-pressure size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC). The C-terminal 6x-His tags from each monomer facilitate binding to the quantum dot surface chemistry while mix the protein polymers with water-soluble QDs at neutral pH. Using HPSEC, we were able to fractionate the reaction mixture into two major distributions of bioconjugate species. Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL) were employed to characterize the components from these chromatographic fractions. The fraction containing the larger bioconjugates contained clusters of quantum dots surrounded by protein polymers with an estimated radius of 190 ± 30 A and apparent molecular weight of 8 000 ± 3 000 kDa. The STEM images from the fraction containing the smaller species were amenable to detailed analysis and graphical simulation that revealed species containing one, two, or three quantum dots surrounded by 10, 15, or 18 protein monomers, respectively. Our data demonstrate strong binding coefficients not only between the protein monomers to form polymers, but also with the (CdSe)ZnS colloidal quantum dots and thus provides a method of producing stable, water-soluble luminescent quantum dot conjugates. PL spectroscopic analysis shows that the samples from both chromatographic fractions have strong excitonic emission with a peak at ca. 2.2 eV (562 nm).
A layered approach to semantic similarity analysis of XML schemas

One of the most critical steps to integrating heterogeneous e-Business applications using different XML schemas is schema mapping, which is known to be costly and error-prone. Past research on schema mapping has not fully utilized semantic information in the XML schemas. In this paper, we propose a semantic similarity analysis approach to facilitate XML schema mapping, merging and reuse. Several key innovations are introduced to better utilize available semantic information. These innovations, including: 1) a layered semantic structure of XML schema, 2) layered specific similarity measures using an information content based approach, and 3) a scheme for integrating similarities at all layers. Experimental results using two different schemas from an real world application demonstrate that the proposed approach is valuable for addressing difficulties in XML schema mapping.
Finding the global minima of objective functions using modified Sturm sequences

The minimisation of the objective function is a common requirement in signal processing. The author addresses the problem of finding all of the global minima of a real-valued objective function f which can be expressed as a polynomial over a finite interval. The approach is based on generating a modified Sturm sequence from f-z where z is the value of f at the global minima. The technique provides the number of the global minima of f, the value of z and the locations of the global minima of f. A simple numerical example is given. While the author concentrates on the one-dimensional case, the extension of the method to multidimensional objective functions is also discussed. >
Promoting Environmental Justice Through Community-Based Participatory Research: The Role of Community and Partnership Capacity:

Community-based participatory research (CBPR) increasingly is being used to study and address environmental justice. This article presents the results of a cross-site case study of four CBPR partnerships in the United States that researched environmental health problems and worked to educate legislators and promote relevant public policy. The authors focus on community and partnership capacity within and across sites, using as a theoretical framework Goodman and his colleagues' dimensions of community capacity, as these were tailored to environmental health by Freudenberg, and as further modified to include partnership capacity within a systems perspective. The four CBPR partnerships examined were situated in NewYork, California, Oklahoma, and North Carolina and were part of a larger national study. Case study contexts and characteristics, policy-related outcomes, and findings related to community and partnership capacity are presented, with implications drawn for other CBPR partnerships with a policy focus.
Cache-Aware Real-Time Scheduling on Multicore Platforms: Heuristics and a Case Study

Multicore architectures, which have multiple processing units on a single chip, have been adopted by most chip manufacturers. Most such chips contain on-chip caches that are shared by some or all of the cores on the chip. To effectively use the available processing resources on such platforms,scheduling methods must be aware of these caches. In this paper, we explore various heuristics that attempt to improve cache performance when scheduling real-time workloads. Such heuristics are applicable when multiple multithreaded applications exist with large working sets. In addition, we present a case study that shows how our best-performing heuristics can improve the end-user performance of video encoding applications.
Empirical studies of predicate-based software testing

We report the results of three empirical studies of fault detection and stability performance of the predicate-based BOR (Boolean Operator) testing strategy. BOR testing is used to develop test cases based on formal software specification, or based on the implementation code. We evaluated the BOR strategy with respect to some other strategies by using Boolean expressions and actual software. We applied it to software specification cause-effect graphs of a safety-related real-time control system, and to a set of N-version programs. We found that BOR testing is very effective at detecting faults in predicates, and that BOR-based approach has consistently better fault detection performance than branch testing, thorough (but informal) functional testing, simple state-based testing, and random testing. Our results indicate that BOR test selection strategy is practical and effective for detection of faulty predicates and is suitable for generation of safety-sensitive test-cases. >
Examples of Transient Sounding for Ground-Water Exploration in Sedimentary Aquifers

Examples of the use of transient electromagnetic soundings for three ground-water exploration problems in sedimentary aquifers are given. The examples include: (1) estimating depths to water table and bedrock in an alluvium-filled basin, (2) mapping a confined fresh-water aquifer in bedrock sediments, and (3) locating a freshwater/salt-water interface in a glacial-outwash aquifer. The technique works quite well for these problems within the limitations imposed by the problem of equivalence. For thin conductive targets (S-equivalence) such as a salt-water lens, the ratio of the layer thickness to its resistivity can be determined, but not the individual layer parameters. The thickness of thin resistive zones (H-equivalence) can be resolved, but the resistivity of such layers is not well determined. The problem of H-equivalence is more severe than the S-equivalence. Equivalence imposes restrictions on the transient sounding method for some ground-water exploration problems. Model studies prior to field work can be used to assess the usefulness of the technique for a particular exploration objective.
A CXCR4-Dependent Chemorepellent Signal Contributes to the Emigration of Mature Single-Positive CD4 Cells from the Fetal Thymus

Developing thymocytes undergo maturation while migrating through the thymus and ultimately emigrate from the organ to populate peripheral lymphoid tissues. The process of thymic emigration is controlled in part via receptor-ligand interactions between the chemokine stromal-derived factor (SDF)-1, and its cognate receptor CXCR4, and sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) and its receptor S1PR. The precise mechanism by which S1P/S1PR and CXCR4/SDF-1 contribute to thymic emigration remains unclear. We proposed that S1P-dependent and -independent mechanisms might coexist and involve both S1P-induced chemoattraction and SDF-1-mediated chemorepulsion or fugetaxis of mature thymocytes. We examined thymocyte emigration in thymi from CXCR4-deficient C57BL/6 embryos in a modified assay, which allows the collection of CD62L high and CD69 low recent thymic emigrants. We demonstrated that single-positive (SP) CD4 thymocytes, with the characteristics of recent thymic emigrants, failed to move away from CXCR4-deficient fetal thymus in vitro. We found that the defect in SP CD4 cell emigration that occurred in the absence of CXCR4 signaling was only partially overcome by the addition of the extrathymic chemoattractant S1P and was not associated with abnormalities in thymocyte maturation and proliferative capacity or integrin expression. Blockade of the CXCR4 receptor in normal thymocytes by AMD3100 led to the retention of mature T cells in the thymus in vitro and in vivo. The addition of extrathymic SDF-1 inhibited emigration of wild-type SP cells out of the thymus by nullifying the chemokine gradient. SDF-1 was also shown to elicit a CXCR4-dependent chemorepellent response from fetal SP thymocytes. These novel findings support the thesis that the CXCR4-mediated chemorepellent activity of intrathymic SDF-1 contributes to SP thymocyte egress from the fetal thymus.
Efficacy of dichloroacetate as a lactate-lowering drug

Dichloroacetate (DCA) decreases blood, cerebral spinal fluid, and intracellular lactate concentrations by activating the mitochondrial pyruvate dehydrogenase enzyme complex. The authors reviewed the efficacy of this investigational drug in the treatment of acquired or congenital forms of lactic acidosis from data in 40 English-language publications. The hypolactatemic effect of DCA occurs over a broad range of pretreatment lactate concentrations and is directly related to the baseline lactate level. The maximum lactate-lowering effect of the drug is dependent on its dose but independent of time following its administration. Recent clinical studies of acquired lactic acidosis suggest that DCA could be rapidly effective in reducing this risk factor of mortality in patients with mild hyperlactatemeia.
Microsecond Time-Scale Conformational Exchange in Proteins: Using Long Molecular Dynamics Trajectory To Simulate NMR Relaxation Dispersion Data

With the advent of ultra-long MD simulations it becomes possible to model microsecond time-scale protein dynamics and, in particular, the exchange broadening effects (Rex) as probed by NMR relaxation dispersion measurements. This new approach allows one to identify the exchanging species, including the elusive “excited states”. It further helps to map out the exchange network, which is potentially far more complex than the commonly assumed 2- or 3-site schemes. Under fast exchange conditions, this method can be useful for separating the populations of exchanging species from their respective chemical shift differences, thus paving the way for structural analyses. In this study, recent millisecond-long MD trajectory of protein BPTI (Shaw et al. Science2010, 330, 341) is employed to simulate the time variation of amide 15N chemical shifts. The results are used to predict the exchange broadening of 15N lines and, more generally, the outcome of the relaxation dispersion measurements using Carr–Purcell–Meiboom...
Contexts of Decision Making in the Juvenile Justice System: An Organizational Approach to Understanding Minority Overrepresentation

Significant advances have been made in our understanding of the origins and dynamics of minority overrepresentation in the juvenile justice system. Nevertheless, much remains to be learned. In this article, the authors explore the impact of race on juvenile justice processing by examining the organizational contexts in which decisions are made. They offer a theoretical framework that combines insights from organizational theory and the focal concerns perspective and that focuses on the organizational players (action sets) involved in decision making from intake to final disposition. Based on the composition of action sets, and their corresponding value orientations, the authors make predictions regarding the influence of sociodemographic, legal, and extralegal variables at each processing juncture. The empirical test provides a reasonably good fit with the data. Implications for further research are discussed.
Teacher Effects and the Achievement Gap: Do Teacher and Teaching Quality Influence the Achievement Gap between Black and White and High- and Low-SES Students in the Early Grades?.

Background/Context: Although there is relative agreement on the pattern of the achievement gap, attributing changes in the gap to schooling is less clear. Our study contributes to under standing potential teacher and teaching effects on achievement and inequality. Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of Study: We intend our work to contribute to understanding the school’s role in addressing the achievement gap. We investigate the extent to which specific aspects of teacher quality (degree in math, experience, certification, math courses, and professional development) and teaching quality (time spent on math instruc tion and conceptual, basic procedural, and advanced procedural instruction) influence mathematics achievement growth and the achievement gap between White and Black stu dents and low- and high-SES students in kindergarten and first grade. Research Design, Data Collection and Analysis: In this secondary analysis, we examine the first four waves of data from the National Center for Education Statistics’ Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (2000), a nationally representative longitudinal sample of students who were kindergartners in 1998. We use multilevel growth models to estimate relationships. Findings/Results: We found evidence that lower achieving students are initially assigned to
Assessment practices in the era of managed care: Current status and future directions

This article reviews recent research to determine the impact of managed health care policies on assessment practices of psychologists. The author presents findings from several test use surveys of the 1990s, summarizes available empirical data on the managed care–assessment nexus, and shares his personal views on the effects of managed care constraints on practice and training in clinical psychology. Investigations to date seem to indicate that managed care has adversely affected testing and assessment practices with the result that clinicians are performing less testing overall and are restricted in terms of their pool of assessment instruments. Personality assessment appears to be most affected with a shift away from lengthy measures toward more brief, symptom-focused testing instruments. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Clin Psychol 55: 787–796, 1999.
A systematic system level design methodology for dual band CMOS RF receivers

A systematic system-level design methodology for dual-band RF CMOS receiver is proposed. The methodology helps the designer to find the optimum set of specifications of the receiver's building blocks for minimizing the power consumption. Our analysis is based on analytical expressions for the input referred noise, input referred third order intercept point and gain as a function of the frequency for the various blocks. This methodology is applied to a dual-band receiver for the GSM (900 MHz) and PCS (1900 MHz) standards. Simulations show that having an LNA with a constant gain behavior reduces the power consumption by 75% compared to an LNA with a decreasing gain versus frequency.
The Study of Vertical Zonation on Rocky Intertidal Shores—A Historical Perspective,

SYNOPSIS. Intertidal zonation, observed from earliest studies of the marine littoral zone, was first studied in the U.S. by ecologists with a botanical orientation. Using the physiological methods favored by Cowles, Clements, and Shelford, these early studies sought causal and deterministic explanations. By the 1930s, the limitations of these studies became apparent and ecologists returned to more descriptive approaches. With the creation of year round research laboratories on the west coast, ecologists soon shed the botanical orientation and began to adopt more stochastic and non-deterministic approaches to intertidal ecology, approaches that still characterize the research tradition. Although a complete historical review of intertidal ecology would be far beyond the scope of this review, what follows are a few salient reflections on the field primarily within its American context. In doing so, these comments center on many of the more influential features selected from the numerous historical events crucial to the formation of intertidal ecology. Thus, the paper will emphasize the early twentieth-century influence of physiology and experimentation on the formation of American ecology, the formation of marine ecology within curricula at marine stations in the U.S., the re-emergence of natural history within the context of intertidal ecology in the 1930s, and the crucial role that permanent and year around marine institutions played in the development of intertidal ecology. The now well-known zonation patterns observed within intertidal communities worldwide was first noted along the shorelines in Europe and the United States in the late nineteenth century. In fact, one of the earliest works in American marine biology was conducted by A. E. Verrill between 1870 and 1873, surveying the groupings of invertebrate animals in Vineyard Sound, the area adjacent to the present-day MBL in Woods Hole (Verrill, 1872). Several other descriptive studies appeared by the beginning of the twentieth century, all noting the characteristic zonation patterns along the littoral fringes of the coastline but without any discussion of the causes for the patterns (Summer, 1908). At this time, as many historians have stressed, biology was mainly a descriptive and historical science. Indeed, studies along the marine zone followed Anton Dohrn’s admonition in the 1870s to use
How Does a Physician Avoid Prescribing Drugs and Medical Procedures That Have Reproductive and Developmental Risks

The medicolegal climate in the United States has changed considerably in the past 50 years. This article provides practical tips that obstetricians and perinatologists can use to reduce the likelihood of being a defendant in malpractice litigation.
Design and control of a biomimetic hexapedal walker

This paper describes progress towards the development of a monopropellant-powered, pneumatically-actuated, hexapod robot. Design of the robot is presented, and an optimization based on the dynamic simulation of locomotion is described that selects the kinematic configuration to evenly distribute joint torques in the leg during locomotion. A finite state controller and leg impedance controller are described, and the controller is experimentally implemented on a pair of the hexapod legs to (1) validate the effectiveness of the control approach and (2) verify that the joint torques are indeed evenly distributed within the legs. Another optimization based on the dynamic simulation of locomotion is described that selects weights for a coordination-level controller that best tracks a desired body velocity.
A consumer perspective of E-service quality

E-service is an emerging and rapidly evolving area as demonstrated by new technological innovations introduced to improve e-service. Motivated by the growing interest in online commerce, we focus our research questions on examining the factors that contribute to e-service, the relationships among these factors and the consumers' attitude toward e-service. To explore answers to our research questions, we developed an e-service model. Specifically, our proposed model consists of such constructs as individual differences, e-service convenience, Web site service quality, risk, e-satisfaction, and intention. We develop an e-service quality survey instrument and use empirical data to validate the instrument. The results of our empirical study validate our eight hypotheses. We confirm seven of the eight hypotheses. One hypothesis that tested individual differences and service convenience was not confirmed. However, we found that service convenience, Web site service quality, and risk are significant factors affecting consumers' satisfaction level, which in turn affects intention. The findings suggest that managers need to understand e-convenience from the consumers' perspective. In order to provide better services for users, companies need to invest in Web site service quality design and evaluation, and at the same time, control the perceived risk associated with using it.
An Immunostaining Panel for Diagnosis of Malignancy in Mucinous Tumors of the Pancreas

Abstract Background.—The diagnosis of malignancy in pancreatic mucinous cystic tumors depends on demonstrating invasion that may be focal and require extensive sectioning. Objective.—To explore markers that may indicate malignant potential in mucinous cystic tumors. Design.—Routinely processed sections from resected specimens of 12 normal pancreata, 14 pancreata with chronic pancreatitis, 9 mucinous cystic tumors, and 30 invasive adenocarcinomas were immunostained with antibodies to p53, HER-2/neu, epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR), transforming growth factor α (TGF-α), and Ki-67. Results.—Expression of p53, HER-2/neu, and Ki-67 was significantly more frequent in mucinous tumors than in normal pancreatic tissue and chronic pancreatitis tissue (P = .0003 to .05). Strong expression (more than one third of cells positive) and strong intensity (2+ and 3+) of staining of p53 and EGFR were seen only in carcinomas. Coexpression of p53/HER-2/neu and EGFR/HER-2/neu and a frequency of Ki-67+ nuclei of greate...
Estimation of Oxygen Distribution in RIF-1 Tumors by Diffusion Model-Based Interpretation of Pimonidazole Hypoxia and Eppendorf Measurements

Abstract Pogue, B. W., O'Hara, J. A., Wilmot, C. M., Paulsen, K. D. and Swartz, H. M. Estimation of Oxygen Distribution in RIF-1 Tumors by Diffusion Model-Based Interpretation of Pimonidazole Hypoxia and Eppendorf Measurements. Numerical simulations of oxygen diffusion from the capillaries in tumor tissue were used to predict the capillary oxygen supply within and near hypoxic regions of the RIF-1 tumor. A finite element method to simulate the oxygen distribution from a histology section is presented, along with a method to iteratively estimate capillary oxygen concentrations. Pathological structural data for these simulations came from sections of the tumor stained with hematoxylin and eosin and were used to define the capillary positions and shapes, while overlapping regions of low oxygen concentration were defined by the hypoxia marker pimonidazole. These simulations were used to calculate spatial maps of the oxygen concentration and were tested for their ability to reproduce Eppendorf pO2 histograms f...
Does local monitoring empower fracking host communities? A case study from the gas fields of Wyoming

Abstract High Volume Hydraulic Fracking (HVHF) will continue to expand as a key influence on rural land-use patterns and community well-being over the next several decades, creating a real need to empower host communities to navigate a clear course among positive and negative social and economic impacts. This paper evaluates an experimental approach to monitoring and mitigating social and economic impacts of HVHF development in Wyoming, USA between 2005 and 2009. The goal of the analysis is to assess how HVHF development in a rural setting creates unique opportunities and challenges for community-based and participatory planning and impact assessment approaches. Using archival data, oral history transcripts, and interviews, we conclude that a community-based approach can be effective as a response to HVHF development, provided there is adequate scaffolding in the form of technical and financial assistance and supporting metagovernance. We also observe that the intensity of HVHF development creates special problems that surface as strained relationships and limited capacity among key stakeholders such as local government officials, their staff, and their constituents. Well-supported community-based and participatory processes to social and economic impact assessment that encourage social learning, inclusive deliberation with transparency, and accountability can mitigate these problems, but require extensive political and administrative support to do so.
Effects of Job Level and Participation on Employee Attitudes and Perceptions of Influence

Job level, in instrumental or technological terms, and perceived deficiency in decision making have differential effects on work related attitudes and perceptions of desired influence or relative p...
Structures of the superconducting oxides Tl2Ba2CuO6 and Bi2Sr2CuO6.

The structures of ${\mathrm{Tl}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Ba}}_{2}$Cu${\mathrm{O}}_{6}$ and ${\mathrm{Bi}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Sr}}_{2}$Cu${\mathrm{O}}_{6}$ have been solved and refined from single-crystal x-ray diffraction data. The structures are essentially the same and have single Cu-O sheets separated by either Tl-O or Bi-O double layers. The ${\mathrm{Tl}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Ba}}_{2}$Cu${\mathrm{O}}_{6}$ structure is tetragonal with $a=3.87$ \AA{} and $c=23.24$ \AA{}, and there are strictly flat Cu-O sheets. ${\mathrm{Bi}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Sr}}_{2}$Cu${\mathrm{O}}_{6}$ has a lower-symmetry structure which may be approximated with an orthorhombic cell with $a=5.36$ \AA{}, $b=5.37$ \AA{}, and $c=24.62$ \AA{}; however, this ignores superstructure reflections along both the $a$ and $c$ axes. The Tl-O layers are much more strongly bound to each other than are the Bi-O layers; thus, better conduction along the $c$ axis is expected for ${\mathrm{Tl}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Ba}}_{2}$Cu${\mathrm{O}}_{6}$ relative to ${\mathrm{Bi}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Sr}}_{2}$Cu${\mathrm{O}}_{6}$. Superconducting transition temperatures of 9 and 90 K were observed for ${\mathrm{Bi}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Sr}}_{2}$Cu${\mathrm{O}}_{6}$ and ${\mathrm{Tl}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Ba}}_{2}$Cu${\mathrm{O}}_{6}$, respectively.
Effect of noise correlation on noise-induced oscillation frequency in the photosensitive Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction in a continuous stirred tank reactor.

We report on the experimental study of noise-induced oscillations in the photosensitive Ru(bpy)32+-catalyzed Belousov–Zhabotinsky reaction in a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR). In the absenc...
Response of White Grubs Infesting Bermudagrass to Insecticides

Fifteen insecticides were evaluated at various rates for control of a complex of white grubs, including Bothynus subtropicus Blatchley, Strategus antaeus (F.), Phyllophaga sp., and Cyclocephala parallela (Casey), on ‘Tifway’ bermudagrass, Cynadon × magenissii Hurcombe, in Florida during 1975–77. C. parallela was the dominant species in all tests. Consistent control was obtained with carbofuran, fonofos, and isazofos. A maximal population of 82 grubs/0.09m2 was sampled in 1976.
Motivational factors of international travelers

A factor analysis of the motives for international travel of 133 university students and management trainees produced 7 factors which are described.
The Web as a Medium: An Exploratory Comparison of Internet Users versus Newspaper Readers

As the amount of time and money spent on the Internet increases, so does concern over how this new medium fits into our current media consumption patterns. Past research has revealed that Internet usage has increased at the expense of other more traditional media. Further, the Internet has come under criticism of promoting anti-social behavior, depression, and withdrawal from society. However, others speculate that the Internet has a positive impact on society so powerful that it will become an integrated part of our consumption patterns and literally reshape the information gathering process and retail landscape. Regardless of one’s position for or against this new medium, research is needed to understand how the Internet fits into our daily life as compared to other more traditional media. This study investigates characteristics of Internet users compared to a more traditional medium – newspaper readers. Consumers of each medium are compared based on their perceived materialism, shopping innovativeness,...
Intraosseous infusion in elective and emergency pediatric anesthesia: when should we use it?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Difficulties to establish a venous access may also occur in routine pediatric anesthesia and lead to hazardous situations. Intraosseous infusion is a well tolerated and reliable but rarely used alternative technique in this setting. RECENT FINDINGS According to recent surveys, severe complications of intraosseous infusion stay a rare event. Minor complications and problems in getting an intraosseous infusion started on the other side seem to be more common than generally announced. The EZ-IO intraosseous infusion system has received expanded EU CE mark approval for an extended dwell time of up to 72 h and for insertion in pediatric patients in the distal femur. Key values of blood samples for laboratory analysis can be obtained with only 2 ml of blood/marrow waste and do also offer reliable values using an I-Stat point-of-care analyzer. SUMMARY Most problems in using an intraosseous infusion are provider-dependent. In pediatric anesthesia, the perioperative setting should further contribute to reduce these problems. Nevertheless, regular training, thorough anatomical knowledge and prompt availability especially in the pediatric age group are paramount to get a seldom used technique work properly under pressure. More longitudinal data on large cohorts were preferable to further support the safety of the intraosseous infusion technique in pediatric patients.
Serological Investigation of HBV Infection in Guankou Village

A serological investigation of HBV infection was carried out in Guankou village including all 524 inhabitants to study the prevalent level The results indicated that the HBV prevelant and the HBsAg positive rate were 57 25% and 12 21%,all increasing along with ages. The HBV prevalent and the HBsAg positive rates were 64.06% and 19.14% in males,50.75% and 5.60% in females.The HBeAg positive rate was 20.00% in the HBsAg positive females There appeared an HBsAg peak in adult inhabitants of more than 20 years old whose average positive rate was 15 88% while that of less than 20 years old was 8 10% and 1-3 years old was 5 41% The anti-HBs singly positive rate was 11 45% in those of less than 20 years old The results demonstrated that Guankou village was a highly epidemic area of HBV infection Infection mainly occurred in adults Much more higher in males than in females Besides the perinatal transmission,the horizontal transmission play the important role in HBV infection in this area So we need pay more attention to vaccinate all the suspected populations especially those of less than 20 years old since 2003
Proprietary Law Schools and the Marketization of Access to Justice

The rise of for-profit law schools in the United States highlights the interplay of political and moral economy in the reproduction of legal expertise. This article offers ethnographic evidence from one ABA-accredited for-profit law school pseudonymously labeled New Delta School of Law. The article posits New Delta as a case study in market fundamentalism of the kind first theorized by Hungarian economist Karl Polanyi. Polanyi defined global capital as a “double movement” between free marketeerism on the one hand and countervailing social protectionism on the other. Treating this as incomplete, social philosopher Nancy Fraser has since argued that the emancipatory new social movements form a third element in what should more properly be considered a “triple movement.” In this article, I argue that for-profit law schools such as New Delta support Fraser’s revision. Drawing in capital commitments from large institutional investors with promises of high returns on the basis of guaranteed federal student loan dollars, New Delta recruits disproportionately from minority and low-income communities while offering low chances of bar passage and legal employment. By marrying free marketeerism with the discourse of emancipation, the school has successfully evaded scrutiny.
Is it efficient to single-handedly run a multi-machine harvesting operation? A case study from the Northeast United States

ABSTRACTHarvest operations carried out by a single logger operating more than one machine are common, yet little is understood of their productivity and costs. A case study of three single-logger operations (SLO) located in New York, USA was conducted to assess their harvest costs and productivity. Daily activity and production data were collected from each harvest operation and analyzed in conjunction with machine rate calculations to estimate system productivity and costs for each SLO. Based on these data, deterministic simulations were conducted to assess how the addition of second and third loggers affected harvest system efficiency. Operator and equipment utilization rates were calculated at the systems level and compared among the observed SLOs and simulated two- and three-logger simulations. In most cases, the introduction of additional loggers reduced operator utilization due to the introduction of system delays, and therefore, increased labor costs. However, this investment in labor often led to ...
Optimization of cGMP purification and expansion of umbilical cord blood–derived T-regulatory cells in support of first-in-human clinical trials

Abstract Background aims Thymic-derived regulatory T cells (tTreg) are critical regulators of the immune system. Adoptive tTreg transfer is a curative therapy for murine models of autoimmunity, graft rejection, and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). We previously completed a "first-in-human" clinical trial using in vitro expanded umbilical cord blood (UCB)-derived tTreg to prevent GVHD in patients undergoing UCB hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). tTreg were safe and demonstrated clinical efficacy, but low yield prevented further dose escalation. Methods To optimize yield, we investigated the use of KT64/86 artificial antigen presenting cells (aAPCs) to expand tTreg and incorporated a single re-stimulation after day 12 in expansion culture. Results aAPCs increased UCB tTreg expansion greater than eightfold over CD3/28 stimulation. Re-stimulation with aAPCs increased UCB tTreg expansion an additional 20- to 30-fold. Re-stimulated human UCB tTreg ameliorated GVHD disease in a xenogeneic model. Following current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) validation, a trial was conducted with tTreg. tTreg doses up to >30-fold higher compared with that obtained with anti-CD3/28 mAb coated-bead expansion and Foxp3 expression was stable during in vitro expansion and following transfer to patients. Increased expansion did not result in a senescent phenotype and GVHD was significantly reduced. Discussion Expansion culture with cGMP aAPCs and re-stimulation reproducibly generates sufficient numbers of UCB tTreg that exceeds the numbers of T effector cells in an UCB graft. The methodology supports future tTreg banking and is adaptable to tTreg expansion from HSC sources. Furthermore, because human leukocyte antigen matching is not required, allogeneic UCB tTreg may be a useful strategy for prevention of organ rejection and autoimmune disease.