cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities Curricula in US Medical Schools: A CERA Study.

Introduction Health disparities among African Americans are an historic and pervasive problem in US health care. We examined the presence, requirements, and content of curricula in US medical schools dedicated to racial and ethnic health disparities. Methods We conducted a national CERA survey of Family Medicine department chairs. Chairs were asked about disparities curricula in their institutions. Results Ninety-two percent reported that their medical school curriculum included focus on racial and ethnic disparities. However, many were dissatisfied with the content and quality of their curricular offerings. There were no significant departmental predictors of the quality of health disparities curricula. Conclusion The majority of medical schools address health disparities in their curricula, but optimally covering this important content remains a persistent challenge in medical school education.
Auto-Tracking Controversial Topics in Social-Media-Based Customer Dialog: A Case Study on Starbucks

This study proposed and validated a topic modeling-based approach for auto-tracking customer dialog on social media, using Starbucks as a case study because of its pioneering social media practice in service industry. A topic model was fit based on nearly 150,000 customer comments posted to Starbucks’ Facebook page in 2013. This model was able to identify not only business-related topics, such as customer responses to marketing campaigns, but also controversial topics regarding community involvement and corporate social responsibility, such as gay, gun, and government. Guided by this topic model, each topic’s evolving dynamics and patterns of user participation were further revealed, providing a bird’s-eye view of the topics and their evolution. The case study has demonstrated that the proposed approach can effectively track the main themes in the customer dialog on social media, zoom in on the controversial topics, measure their time spans, and locate the participants and the vocal activists. Such information would be valuable input for companies to design their intervention strategies and evaluate the outcomes in social media discussions.
Handling rack vibrations in FSO-based data center architectures

To overcome the shortcomings of traditional static (wired) data center (DC) architectures, there have been recent proposals of fully-wireless and reconfigurable architectures, e.g., FireFly, ProjecTor, based on Free-Space Optical (FSO) wireless links. However, there are significant challenges that need to be addressed to make the vision of FSO-based DC architectures a compelling reality. While some of these scientific challenges have been addressed in recent works, one key challenge that has yet to be addressed is how to handle FSO link misalignments due to DC rack vibrations (where the FSO transceivers are placed). The focus of this paper is to comprehensively address this challenge. Particularly, in this work, we present measurement results of a thorough study conducted over a live DC to characterize rack vibrations, and design a novel tracking and pointing (TP) system that is based on received power feedback and has a zero exposed-footprint on the deployment platform (racks). We develop and test a reconfigurable FSO link with our designed TP system and evaluate it over expected rack vibrations; our evaluation results demonstrate the effectiveness of our TP system.
The Effect of Including Aerosol Nucleation and Coagulation in a Global Model

In this study, we evaluate how the predicted aerosol size information and the mixing states between sulfate aerosol and non-sulfate aerosols from our aerosol microphysics model affect cloud properties and aerosol indirect effects. Our results show that the use of the predicted sulfate aerosol number decreases cloud droplet number concentrations over regions with high DMS emission. The treatment of mixing between sulfate aerosol and non-sulfate aerosol causes a decrease in the cloud droplet number concentration over remote marine regions but an increase in the cloud droplet number concentrations over continental regions. Overall, the effect of anthropogenic aerosols is increased when the mixing between sulfate and non-sulfate aerosols is included
Surface and solvent influences on protein crystallization

The role of water in protein crystallization was explored by investigating the effects of three factors (salts, point mutations and pressure) on subtilisin crystallization. Solubility and growth kinetics of three subtilisin mutants in three salt solutions were measured. The decrease of the solubility of Properase® and Purafect® subtilisin followed the reverse order of the Hofmeister series: SCN~ >NO]" >C1\ The solubility of Properase® was higher than other two mutants. Crystal morphology changed with the nature of salts and the substitution of surface residues. The required supersaturation (c-s)/s for a given growth rate increased when solubility was decreased. The effect of anion on protein growth was related to the molar Gibbs free energy of hydration of the anion. Structural and energetic considerations for crystallization of two subtilisin mutants (Properase® and Purafect®) were compared. The average hydrophobicity, solvent accessible surface area (ASA) and the number of hydrogen bonds and salt bridges were calculated to quantify surface properties of proteins in intermolecular contact patches. All three amino acid substitutions are present in the contact patches. Properase® lattice involves more atomic contacts and hydrogen bonds and larger accessible surface area, which corresponding to the faster growth of Properase® crystals. Non-electrostatic interaction energy was calculated for each contact direction and the competition of misoriented molecules with correctly oriented ones was considered to explain the variation of growth kinetics The increase of solubility with pressure gave a total volume change for crystallization of 37 cm3/mol, whereas the decrease of nucleation rate with pressure gave an activation
Formation of Star Clusters

Star clusters are the smallest systems in which the processes that generate a spectrum of stellar masses can be studied, and they may be of particular interest as the birth sites of the most massive stars. Observations suggest that bound clusters form in the densest core regions of giant molecular clouds, the best studied example being the Trapezium cluster in Orion. The efficiency with which giant molecular clouds form bound star clusters is estimated to be approximately 2 × 10−3, about one-tenth of the overall efficiency of star formation. The high local efficiency of star formation that is necessary to form a bound cluster, as well as the apparent preferential formation of massive stars in such environments, may result from protostellar interactions like tidal effects that cause enhanced accretion from residual circumstellar disks onto forming stars. Another effect of interactions may be the formation of binary systems by captures resulting from the gravitational drag produced by protostellar disks; this mechanism might account for a significant fraction of binaries, and for the observed distribution of mass ratios in binaries. Similar gravitational drag effects acting on larger scales may account for the formation of highly condensed clusters of stars with central subgroups of massive stars.
An Analysis of the Brain Systems Involved with Producing Letters by Hand.

Complex visual–motor behaviors dominate human–environment interactions. Letter production, writing individual letters by hand, is an example of a complex visual–motor behavior composed of numerous ...
Cancer Tsunami: Emerging Trends, Economic Burden, and Perioperative Implications.

This review discusses global trends in cancer mortality and survival, the socioeconomic drivers of those trends, and recent innovations in cancer surgery. Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide. Cancer, previously a disease primarily of wealthy countries, is rapidly becoming a leading cause of death in low- and middle-income countries. Major economic forces driving global cancer trends include aging, frailty, and obesity. Alcohol consumption, poor diet, and lack of exercise also contribute to cancer types associated with modifiable causes. Surgery is responsible for 65% of cancer care globally, providing an opportunity for anesthesiologists to improve that care. Anesthesiologists can contribute to cancer remission through perioperative interventions that reduce risk of metastasis and speed return to intended oncologic therapy. Cancer surgery comprises a large proportion of anesthetic caseload. Good outcomes come from high-volume cancer centers using a multidisciplinary approach.
Analysis of End-of-State Impact on Manufacturing System Production Performance

Manufacturing system dynamics and production performance in future time can be influenced by the current states and the external forces (e.g., random disruption events and control input). Hence, system states at the end of an action or a schedule plan (end-of-state) will impact the production performance in future time. In this paper, we analyze end-of-state impact on production performance of serial production lines with finite buffers and how different end-of-state will change system production. The concept of machine/system recovery time is proposed to identify the time it takes for such change in system production to occur. Analytical methods are developed to evaluate the aforementioned system production change and the machine/system recovery time. The benefits of the corresponding action or schedule plan can be obtained based on these evaluation results. This will help assess and determine suitable production actions and plans to more effectively improve system production.
Assessment of Ankle Joint Laxity After an Acute Lateral Ankle Sprain: An Exploration Clinical CASE Series

Joint integrity is compromised after an ankle sprain. However, little is known when comparing acute and subacute alterations after an ankle sprain to a preinjury baseline. The purpose of this study was to examine acute and subacute changes in joint laxity after a lateral ankle sprain. Eighty-nine NCAA Division I collegiate athletes that participated in basketball, soccer, and volleyball were recruited. Ankle joint laxity was measured with an instrumented ankle arthrometer during preseason for baseline measurements. Throughout the year, six individuals were diagnosed with a mild lateral ankle sprain. The injured ankles were re-measured at 24 hr, 3 days, 3 weeks, 5 weeks, and 6 months postinjury and compared to baseline measurements for changes in joint laxity. The greatest increases in laxity were seen 3 days, 3 weeks, and 5 weeks postinjury. The findings from this study support the current recommendations for diagnosing ankle sprains. Clinicians should access preinjury baseline measurements for comparison...
Chapter 10 – Land Applications

Satellite remote sensing of the land plays a critical role in many aspects such as the exploration of mineral resources, the monitoring of floods and droughts, soil moisture, vegetation, deforestation, forest decline, forest fires, carbon storage, or land cover, road monitoring, and urban planning. The list of applications is endless, and this chapter summarizes just a few. Most land applications require very high spatial resolution. For this reason, optical sensors and synthetic aperture radar are often used, while microwave radiometers are used in low resolution applications.
A flux focusing ferrite magnetic gear

A magnetic gear offers many advantages over its mechanical counterpart such as contact free torque production, no gear lubrication and inherent overload protection. However, current magnetic gear designs use large quantities of rare- earth magnet material and unfortunately the high cost of rare-earth material makes the magnetic gear uncompetitive with alternative technology. This paper investigates a low-cost magnetic gear using ferrite magnets. (6 pages)
WAMAMI: emergency physicians can accurately identify wall motion abnormalities in acute myocardial infarction.

Abstract Objective The ability to identify wall motion abnormalities may be useful for emergency clinicians, but is not typically evaluated in point-of-care echocardiograms. We sought to determine if emergency physicians with basic training in emergency echocardiography could identify regional wall motion abnormalities (RWMA) in patients admitted with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Methods We prospectively enrolled patients with admitted with STEMI. Resident physicians with basic training in emergency ultrasound, blinded to other patient data, performed a point-of-care echocardiogram to evaluate for RWMA. If present, they also recorded the suspected territory of the RWMA. We calculated test performance characteristics and compared the agreement between point-of-care and comprehensive echocardiogram for RWMA and territory. Results 75 patients with STEMI were enrolled, and 62% had a RMWA. RWMA were identified with excellent test performance characteristics (sensitivity 88% (95% CI 75–96); specificity 92% (95% CI 75–99)). There was substantial agreement between the point-of-care echocardiogram and reference standard (K = 0.79; 95% CI: 0.64–0.94). Conclusions Emergency physicians with core training in point-of-care echocardiography can accurately identify RMWA.
Repair of double outlet right ventricle: Midterm outcomes.

Abstract Objective Double outlet right ventricle (DORV) is a complex cardiac malformation with many anatomic variations and various approaches for surgical repair. This study aimed to describe the clinical outcomes of biventricular (BiV) repair for DORV. Methods Patients with DORV, who underwent BiV repair between January 2000 and December 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. Group 1 underwent primary BiV repair, whereas group 2 underwent staged BiV repair over a series of operations. The decision to pursue staged approach included complexity of intracardiac anatomy, age of the patient, and the size and function of the ventricles and the atrioventricular valves. Time-dependent surgical reintervention for LVOTO and mortality were evaluated using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Results A total of 238 patients with DORV underwent BiV repair at a median age of 6.2 months (range, 1.1 month-27.5 years) (158 in group 1, 80 in group 2). Twenty-two patients (7.8%) required surgical reintervention within 30 days of BiV repair. Overall survival at 5 years was 89.0%. Freedom from LVOTO reoperation at 5 years was 84%. Primary outcomes were not significantly different between groups. CAVC repair and right ventricle to pulmonary artery conduit at BiV repair were associated with higher surgical reintervention (hazard ratio, 2.9 and 1.75, respectively). Conclusions Patients with DORV and complex anatomy may undergo staged BiV repair with acceptable outcomes. Although LVOTO is a potential complication in these patients, the rate of surgical reintervention for LVOTO does not differ significantly from patients undergoing primary BiV repair.
Dynamic covalent chemistry (DCC) in dental restorative materials: Implementation of a DCC-based adaptive interface (AI) at the resin-filler interface for improved performance.

Abstract Objective Dental restorative composites have been extensively studied with a goal to improve material performance. However, stress induced microcracks from polymerization shrinkage, thermal and other stresses along with the low fracture toughness of methacrylate-based composites remain significant problems. Herein, the study focuses on applying a dynamic covalent chemistry (DCC)-based adaptive interface to conventional BisGMA/TEGDMA (70:30) dental resins by coupling moieties capable of thiol–thioester (TTE) DCC to the resin–filler interface as a means to induce interfacial stress relaxation and promote interfacial healing. Methods Silica nanoparticles (SNP) are functionalized with TTE-functionalized silanes to covalently bond the interface to the network while simultaneously facilitating relaxation of the filler–matrix interface via DCC. The functionalized particles were incorporated into the otherwise static conventional BisGMA/TEGDMA (70:30) dental resins. The role of interfacial bond exchange to enhance dental composite performance in response to shrinkage and other stresses, flexural modulus and toughness was investigated. Shrinkage stress was monitored with a tensometer coupled with FTIR spectroscopy. Flexural modulus/strength and flexural toughness were characterized in three-point bending on a universal testing machine. Results A reduction of 30% in shrinkage stress was achieved when interfacial TTE bond exchange was activated while not only maintaining but also enhancing mechanical properties of the composite. These enhancements include a 60% increase in Young’s modulus, 33% increase in flexural strength and 35% increase in the toughness, relative to composites unable to undergo DCC but otherwise identical in composition. Furthermore, by combining interfacial DCC with resin-based DCC, an 80% reduction of shrinkage-induced stress is observed in a thiol–ene system “equipped” with both types of DCC mechanisms relative to the composite without DCC in either the resin or at the resin–filler interface. Significance This behavior highlights the advantages of utilizing the DCC at the resin–filler interface as a stress-relieving mechanism that is compatible with current and future developments in the field of dental restorative materials, nearly independent of the type of resin improvements and types that will be used, as it can dramatically enhance their mechanical performance by reducing both polymerization and mechanically applied stresses throughout the composite lifetime.
The effects of unplanned moves on post-crisis housing situations

Currently, there is not much research on subsequent housing decisions for households that are displaced due to a crisis event. Crisis events include disasters, but can also include unplanned moves ...
Acinic cell carcinoma of the salivary gland associated with lymphoid‐rich stroma. A diagnostic dilemma on cytology: Study of two cases

A lymphoid-rich stroma is a common finding in salivary gland tumors. Several reports documented this association with acinic cell carcinoma (ACC). However, cytologic studies reporting this phenomenon are rare and mainly confined to sporadic single case reports. We present the cytologic features of two cases of ACCs of the parotid gland displaying a lymphoid-rich background and discuss the cytologic differential diagnoses of this uncommon ACC variant.
Hopping Conductance in Molecular Wires Exhibits a Large Heavy-Atom Kinetic Isotope Effect.

We report a large kinetic isotope effect (KIE) for intramolecular charge transport in π-conjugated oligophenyleneimine (OPI) molecules connected to Au electrodes. 13C and 15N substitution on the im...
Single molecule FRET methodology for investigating glutamate receptors.

Single molecule Forster Resonance Energy Transfer (smFRET) allows us to measure variation in distances between donor and acceptor fluorophores attached to a protein, providing the conformational landscape of the protein with respect to this specific distance. smFRET can be performed on freely diffusing molecules or on tethered molecules. Here, we describe the tethered method used to study ionotropic glutamate receptors, which allows us to track the changes in FRET as a function of time, thus providing information on the conformations sampled and kinetics of conformational changes in the millisecond to second time scale. Strategies for attaching fluorophores to the proteins, methods for acquiring and analyzing the smFRET trajectories, and limitations are discussed.
From Recognition to Redistribution? Protest Movements in Iraq in the Age of ‘New Civil Society’

Based on in-depth fieldwork, this article explores protest movements in Iraq drawing on theorizations on NGOization, civil society and social movements. I situate the protests within the country's ...
Characterizing asteroids multiply-observed at infrared wavelengths

Abstract We report Markov chain Monte Carlo fits of the thermophysical model of Wright (Wright, E.L. [2007]. Astrophysics e-prints arXiv:astro-ph/0703058) to the fluxes of 10 asteroids which have been observed by both WISE and NEOWISE. This model is especially useful when one has observations of an asteroid at multiple epochs, as it takes advantage of the views of different local times and latitudes to determine the spin axis and the thermal parameter. Many of the asteroids NEOWISE observes will have already been imaged by WISE, so this proof of concept shows there is an opportunity to use a rotating cratered thermophysical model to determine surface thermal properties of a large number of asteroids.
Field Notes from the Future: Environmental Conditions at Four Localities in 2100

Missing from the literature on climate change are descriptions of what the specific surroundings at places might be like in 100 years, given the significant environmental changes that are expected. Through a set of short narratives, this chapter attempts to preview environmental conditions in Lower Saxony and Bremen , Germany; Gilan , Iran; Xishuangbnanna , Yunnan , China ; and the Edwards Plateau, Texas, United States. These descriptions of future conditions are interpreted directly from published and peer-reviewed climate data that are projected for the year 2100. Their purpose is to illustrate the type, magnitude, and extent of biophysical alterations that are likely to take place at a localized scale, given the trends in greenhouse gas emissions from human enterprise. Annual water balance charts compare the climate of 1990 with that of 2100 at each location. While the narratives cannot depict precisely what conditions will be like, for the first time they do provide a lens through which we can get a ground view of what it is reasonably likely.
China's iron and steel industry: Sources of enterprise efficiency and the impact of reform

Abstract Using Chinese data which by standards of western industrial analysis is deficient but in other respects is quite rich, this paper corrects for these deficiencies and exploits the richness of the data set by (i) investigating the technological properties of China's iron and steel industry, (ii) identifying the sources of productivity variation among enterprises within that industry, and (iii) evaluating the industry's historical productivity performance. The paper explains over eighty percent of the variance in efficiency among 120 enterprises and finds that during the reform period productivity growth within this key industry has accelerated significantly.
With a little more soul.

In addition to the well-publicized problems with reimbursement and manpower in electrophysiology, there is a less well publicized crisis brewing in regards to physicians' social and mental health. The last decades have witnessed tremendous increases in divorce, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide among physicians. While the causative factors involved are complex and varied they are, in part, related to a loss of the “soul” in modern medical practice. The following paper tries to address the factors behind this loss and suggests ways to correct it.
Weighted training for speech under Lombard Effect for speaker recognition

The presence of Lombard Effect in speech is proven to have severe effects on the performance of speech systems, especially speaker recognition. Varying kinds of Lombard speech are produced by speakers under influence of varying noise types [1]. This study proposes a high-accuracy classifier using deep neural networks for detecting various kinds of Lombard speech against neutral speech, independent of the noise levels causing the Lombard Effect. Lombard Effect detection accuracies as high as 95.7% are achieved using this novel model. The deep neural network based classification is further exploited by validation based weighted training of robust i-Vector based speaker identification systems. The proposed weighted training achieves a relative EER improvement of 28.4% over an i-Vector baseline system, confirming the effectiveness of deep neural networks in modeling Lombard Effect.
Fleeing to Babylon: How the Erie Canal, Diffusion, and Social Structure Forever Changed American Calvinism

The following focuses on the Presbyterian Church in the early 19 th century United States and suggests that by historically examining its structural dynamics, historians and social scientists alike can better understand not only American religious history but also the diffusion process of intellectual innovation. ***** Understanding the process of diffusion has been the concern of many within the social science community. Most notably the late Everett Rogers is often credited with offering the best working theory of the subject in 1962 with his eminent Diffusion of Innovations. Since then the question of diffusion - and how social structure influences its proliferation - has proven to be an inter- disciplinary topic, uniting scholars from disciplines as different as Mathematics, Physics, and Organizational Theory (White 1963, 1997; Granovetter 1973; Watts & Strogatz 1998; Barabasi & Albert 1999; Krackhardt 2001) with those from Communication, Psychol- ogy, Sociology, and even History (Moreno 1934; Moreno & Jennings 1938; Rogers 1958, 1962; Travers & Milgram 1969, Tilly 1976; DiMaggio & Powell 1983; Richards 1991; Padgett & Ansell 1993; Gould 1995; Padgett & Powell, 2012). Similarly, this essay uses a variety of approaches to better under- stand the nature of intellectual diffusion in a 19 th century American context - specifically how the Presbyterian Church changed both doctrinally and socially between 1800 and 1830. Because this is principally a work of history, the author interrogates narratives from archival sources and primary accounts, yet much of the support for this paper is also based on understanding the sources quantitatively. Utilizing then a statistical method called Factor Analysis - as well as Social Network Analysis - the following attempts to illustrate how New England migration, the Erie Canal, and social organization influenced the transformation of Calvinism in the United States. 1 It argues that the "semiperipheral" segments of a social system are critically important to the diffusion of inno-
SITUATION AWARENESS AS A PREDICTOR OF PERFORMANCE IN EN ROUTE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS

Air traffic control instructors controlled simulated traffic while a variety of techniques for determining situation awareness (SA) were implemented. SA was assessed using a self-report measure (th...
Role of interventional nephrology in the multidisciplinary approach to hemodialysis vascular access care

Dialysis vascular access planning, creation, and management is of critical importance to the dialysis patient population. It requires a multidisciplinary approach involving patients and their families, dialysis facility staff, the nephrologist, the surgeon, and the interventionalist. With the emergence of interventional nephrology as a subspecialty of nephrology, the nephrologist is increasingly providing both the nephrology and interventional aspects of care, and in some areas, the surgical functions as well. Most of these interventional nephrologists work in freestanding outpatient dialysis access centers (DACs). Large clinical studies published over the past 10 years demonstrate that the interventional nephrologist can manage the problems associated with dialysis access dysfunction effectively, safely, and economically. A recently published study based upon United States Medicare claims data in which a DAC patient group (n = 27,613) and a hospital outpatient department patient group (HOPD group; n = 27,613) were compared using propensity score matching techniques showed that patients treated in the DACs had significantly better clinical outcomes (P<0.001). This included fewer vascular access-related infections (0.18 vs. 0.29), fewer septicemia-related hospitalizations (0.15 vs. 0.18), and a lower mortality rate (47.9% vs. 53.5%).
UV-PCO device for indoor VOCs removal: Investigation on multiple compounds effect

Current design models for ultraviolet photocatalytic oxidation (UV-PCO) devices often assume that the air contains only one volatile organic compound (VOC) species or all the VOCs in the air can be treated on a non-interacting basis. However, trace-level multiple VOCs co-exist in most indoor environments. This paper assesses the significance of interference effects among different VOCs for indoor applications by full-scale ‘‘pull-down’’ experiments assisted with model simulations. Multiple versus single VOC tests were performed on selected groups of compounds under low concentration levels. Removal efficiency for each compound was calculated. It was found that the interference effect among test VOCs were generally small in the 2-VOC and 3-VOC mixture tests performed on toluene, ethylbenzene, octane, decane and dodecane with initial concentration of approximate 1 mg/m 3 for each compound. However, in the 16 VOC mixture test, the interference effect among different VOCs became quite obvious, and compounds with lower removal efficiency in the single compound test appeared to also have relatively lower efficiency and more obvious delay period in the initial reaction. The L–H model appears to be able to account for this effect if reaction rate constants can be accurately estimated. Results, although limited, indicate that interference between multiple VOCs may not be neglected for the PCO reactor for indoor applications where the number of VOCs species is large and the TVOC concentration is high. r 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
A Direct Utility Adaptive Critic (DUAC) algorithm for power plant load management

This paper presents a Direct Utility Adaptive Critic (DUAC) algorithm applied to a power plant load management problem. The DUAC algorithm is an enhancement of the original Heuristic Dynamic Programming (HDP) Adaptive Critic Design (ACD) algorithm into a simpler and more robust controller. Typical ACD algorithms model dynamic systems with time-delayed states and action inputs and due to this the Action Network training procedure is a complex BackPropagation-Through-Time (BPTT) process. Also required in typical ACD algorithms is a dedicated Critic Network training process for different control sequences before the Action Network training procedure. The DUAC algorithm, presented in this paper, simplifies the Adaptive Critic algorithm by 1) eliminating the complex BPTT process for training the Action Network and 2) replacing the Critic Network with the user-defined utility function directly. Due to these changes the utility-action gradient typically required to train the Action Network is based on direct result of two utility values with respect to two action inputs. The replacement of the Critic Network with the user-defined utility function ensures better control accuracy since Critic Network modeling provides only approximations of the utility function. The DUAC algorithm was tested for time-varying consumer loads on an RMS voltage analogous s-domain model of the power plant created in Simulink using the SimPowerSystems toolbox. Test results indicated that the DUAC algorithm was able to derive an Action Network that controlled the power plant model to an output RMS voltage fluctuation variance of the order of no more than 10−3. This result can prove to be an essential step in load balancing problems in Smart Grids.
The effect of oral castor oil on the disposition of methyprylon in intoxicated dogs

Clinical observations indicate that large oral doses of castor oil are effective in reducing the time of coma resulting from acute intoxication with lipophilic drugs. It has been further suggested that the rate of removal of these drugs from the body is increased by castor oil. In order to investigate the effect of castor oil on the disposition of lipophilic drugs, five dogs were given toxic doses of methyprylon by intravenous infusion. Each dog was treated with a large oral dose of castor oil in a cross-over fashion. No significant difference was observed in the sleep times of the dogs treated with castor oil, or in the methyprylon pharmacokinetics compared to controls. It was concluded that castor oil does not affect the disposition of methyprylon.
"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger": Survivalist self-reliance as resilience and risk among young adults aging out of foster care

Abstract This interpretive study explores the experiences of 44 Midwestern young adults in the process of aging out of foster care. This paper highlights the degree to which they endorse self-reliance as they reflect on past experiences, offer advice to foster youth, and identify barriers to achieving their own life goals. Findings suggest that this identity must be understood in multiple contexts including societal expectations of independence and autonomy, foster-care and family of origin as developmental contexts, and current scholarship on youth aging out of care. We argue that vigilant self-reliance can be a source of resilience but also a potential risk in facilitating the very connections to supportive relationships that research suggests can produce positive outcomes in adulthood. This article advances a holistic life course perspective [Stein, M. & Wade, J. (2000). Helping care leavers: Problems and strategic responses. London: HMSO.] on the development of independence and self-reliance in adulthood to expand current conceptualizations of these and more recent ideals of interdependence promoted in child welfare policy and practice.
Coal slurries in mixed liquid fuels: rheology and ignition characteristics

Abstract In the presence of surfactant, coal/No.2 oil+ethanol, slurries containing water exhibited dramatic reduction in Bingham yield stress and plastic viscosity. The observed rheological behavior was explained in terms of coal particle network formation by water bridging mechanism. Lowering of interfacial tension between water and suspension medium in the presence of surfactant was attributed to be responsible for the reduced yield stress and plastic viscosity. In the low heating rate experiments, ignition behavior of slurries containing up to 20 wt.% of water was not appreciably altered. It appears that water vaporizes prior to the ignition/combustion stage, thereby not influencing the overall ignition behavior.
Risikoadjustierte Wertbeiträge zur ex ante Entscheidungsunterstützung: Ein axiomatischer Ansatz

Die Umsetzung eines integrierten Ertrags- und Risikomanagements im Rahmen einer wertorientierten Unternehmenssteuerung erfordert den Einsatz zweckspezifischer Kennzahlen. Im vorliegenden Beitrag wird ein Ansatz zur axiomatischen Fundierung von risikoadjustierten Wertbeitragen fur den Zweck der ex ante Entscheidungsunterstutzung entwickelt. Dabei wird insbesondere die Situation eines Investors betrachtet, fur den als Alleineigentumer unsystematische Risiken des Unternehmensportfolios eine erhebliche Bewertungsrelevanz aufweisen. Ein Schwerpunkt des Beitrags liegt deshalb auf der adaquaten Berucksichtigung stochastischer Abhangigkeiten zwischen Investitionsalternativen und dem bestehenden Unternehmensportfolio und somit auf der Risikokomponente des risikoadjustierten Wertbeitrags. Es zeigt sich, dass in der Literatur haufig diskutierte Verfahren zur verursachungsgerechten Risikoallokation im Unternehmensportfolio zur ex ante Entscheidungsunterstutzung in der Regel nicht geeignet sind.
Value sensitivity of Quality Function Deployment approaches in systems engineering-driven construction projects

Quality Function Deployment (QFD) matrices are essential to systems engineering approaches as they facilitate stakeholder-value prioritization, requirement analyses, and conflict resolutions through organizing and quantifying qualitative considerations. Unfortunately, there can be concern to the verity of these quantifications and the associated sensitivity of the systems engineering process. We explore this matter through the use of probabilistic models and computer simulations to illustrate how QFD variances can impact decision-making. We use a simplified QFD implementation for large-scale photovoltaic system construction projects-wherein we relate stakeholder prioritization to concept selections that dictate the quality of the constructed systems-to facilitate this discussion. Our results support other research, which indicate that QFD is robust and can provide meaningful results even when faced with significant degrees of uncertainty. This study not only demonstrates the robustness of QFD, it also conveys the importance of meticulous QFD implementation and illustrates an application of systems engineering in construction workflows.
Challenging the Empirical Evidence from Present Value Models of the Current Account

Under near-singularity conditions typically generated by persistence in current account data the predictions of present value models become extremely sensitive to small sample estimation error. Moreover, traditional Wald tests will distort the likelihood that the model is true. Using OECD data we find that: (i) the Wald test often leads to the wrong inference compared to a valid test; (ii) in all cases posterior distributions of the predicted series and associated correlation coefficients and variance ratios are very wide. In particular, one cannot draw any firm conclusion regarding excess current account volatility.
Fiber Contribution to Modal Damping of Polymer Matrix Composite Panels

An analytical method to determine the modal frequencies and damping of flexural vibration of continuous fiber-reinforced composite panels has been developed. Fiber damping effects are included in this method. Damped panel vibration modes are found using a higher-order laminate theory and the Rayleigh-Ritz method with complex eigenvalue analysis. Fiber contribution to modal damping was found to be significant in vibration modes involving longitudinal deformation of fibers. For a [0]g P100/3501-6-square cantilevered laminate, in vacuum and at room temperature (20° C), the predicted first mode damping showed an increase of 77% by including fiber damping. The use of bromine-intercalated P100 fibers resulted in a further predicted increase of 438% in the first mode damping at room temperature. Effects of changes in ply orientation, temperature, and thickness of the laminate on the fiber contribution to damping were examined. Fiber contribution to the damping of an angle-ply laminate can be estimated from the mode shapes and ply orientation of the laminate. Damping of modes exhibiting nearly pure bending or a combination of bending and twisting can be significantly unproved by use of treated (intercalated) fibers. Nomenclature A = area of laminate, m2 C^ = stiffness coefficients of the kth lamina, N/m2 c = volume fraction EL longitudinal Young's modulus, N/m2 h = laminate thickness, m hk = thickness of the &th lamina KT = plane strain bulk modulus, N/m2 M, N = number of modes in the X and Y directions, respectively n = number of laminae or layers q =
Metabolic imaging in multiple time scales

We report here a novel combination of time-resolved imaging methods for probing mitochondrial metabolism in multiple time scales at the level of single cells. By exploiting a mitochondrial membrane potential reporter fluorescence we demonstrate the single cell metabolic dynamics in time scales ranging from microseconds to seconds to minutes in response to glucose metabolism and mitochondrial perturbations in real time. Our results show that in comparison with normal human mammary epithelial cells, the breast cancer cells display significant alterations in metabolic responses at all measured time scales by single cell kinetics, fluorescence recovery after photobleaching and by scaling analysis of time-series data obtained from mitochondrial fluorescence fluctuations. Furthermore scaling analysis of time-series data in living cells with distinct mitochondrial dysfunction also revealed significant metabolic differences thereby suggesting the broader applicability (e.g. in mitochondrial myopathies and other metabolic disorders) of the proposed strategies beyond the scope of cancer metabolism. We discuss the scope of these findings in the context of developing portable, real-time metabolic measurement systems that can find applications in preclinical and clinical diagnostics.
An application of a multiple cause variable model for consumer perception of orange juice

A multiple indicator and multiple cause model with dichotomous indicators was used to study consumers' perceptions of orange juice. The results indicate that recalls of orange juice advertising messages by the respondent had a positive impact on their perception of orange juice. The results also suggest that selected socio-economic variables were important determinants of consumer perception.
Penalized isotonic regression

Abstract In isotonic regression, the mean function is assumed to be monotone increasing (or decreasing) but otherwise unspecified. The classical isotonic least-squares estimator is known to be inconsistent at boundaries; this is called the “spiking” problem. A penalty on the range of the regression function is proposed to correct the spiking problem for univariate and multivariate isotonic models. The penalized estimator is shown to be consistent everywhere for a wide range of sizes of the penalty parameter. For the univariate case, the optimal penalty is shown to depend on the derivatives of the true regression function at the boundaries. Pointwise confidence intervals are constructed using the penalized estimator and bootstrapping ideas; these are shown through simulations to behave well in moderate sized samples. Simulation studies also show that the power of the hypothesis test of constant versus increasing regression function improves substantially compared to the power of the test with unpenalized alternative, and also compares favorably to tests using parametric alternatives.
Laparoscopic approach in the management of anorectal malformations

Seventeen years have passed since the first description of the laparoscopic approach for anorectal malformation and approximately 68 articles have been published on the subject. In this review article, we aim to describe the advantages as well as the indications and contraindications of this approach when dealing with each specific type of anorectal malformation, according to what has been described in the literature and to our own experience. The ideal and undisputable indication for laparoscopy remains for cases in which the abdomen needs to be entered to repair the malformation. Only 10 % of male patients with anorectal malformation are born with a recto-bladder neck fistula that requires an abdominal approach, this represents an ideal indication for laparoscopy. In females, only the complex cloacae with a common channel length greater than 3 cm are the ones that require a laparotomy; they represent about 30 % of the cloacae. However, the repair of this type of cloacae also requires sophisticated and technically demanding maneuvers that have never been done laparoscopically. In cases of recto-urethral prostatic fistulas the malformation can be repaired either way: laparoscopically or posterior sagitally. In all other malformations: recto-perineal fistula, recto-urethral bulbar fistula, anorectal malformation without fistula, rectal atresia, recto-vestibular fistula; no justification for laparoscopy could be found; and in some cases, laparoscopy is contraindicated. In the published reports, there is no evidence supporting the idea that laparoscopic repair results in better functional results when compared with non-laparoscopic operation; there is a tendency to omit information relevant to bowel control such as the characteristics of the sacrum and the presence or absence of tethered cord; and most authors do not compare results between comparable malformations.
Structured Group Supervision: Theory into Practice.

Abstract This article describes a model for the structured group supervision of counselor trainees. Preliminary research on the model's effectiveness is also discussed.
Discussion on “Technical Note: Potential—pH Diagrams for the Fe-Cl−-H2O System at 25 to 150°C”

Abstract The following article discusses “Technical Note:” Potential—pH Diagrams for the Fe-Cl−-H2O System at 25 to 150°C,” by S. Kesavan, T.A. Mozhi, B.E. Wilde, which was published in Corrosion 45, 3(1989): p. 213. A reply from Kesavan follows.
The in vitro development of cytotoxicity in response to granulocyte/macrophage-colony-stimulating factor or interferon γ in the peripheral blood monocytes of patients with solid tumors: Modulation by arachidonic acid metabolic inhibitors

The capacity of granulocyte/macrophage-colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and interferon γ (IFN γ) to elicit monocyte cytotoxicity in vitro in the peripheral blood monocytes of patients with solid tumors was investigated. The cytotoxicity elicited by IFN γ was significantly reduced in cancer patient monocytes compared to normal monocytes. The cytotoxicity elicited by GM-CSF, however, was comparable between cancer patient monocytes and normal monocytes, but was lower than that induced by IFN γ. Indomethacin, a cyclooxygenase inhibitor, significantly augmented IFN γ-elicited cytotoxicity in cancer patient monocytes, but not in normal monocytes. In contrast, indomethacin augmented GM-CSF-elicited cytotoxicity in both cancer patient monocytes and normal monocytes. Nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA), a lipoxygenase inhibitor, was found to suppress cytotoxicity in response to IFN γ and GM-CSF in both cancer patient monocytes and normal monocytes. The addition of leukotrienes to NDGA-treated cultures restored the development of cytotoxicity. Thus there are differences in the in vitro response of cancer patient monocytes and normal monocytes to distinct biological activators. Furthermore, these responses can be manipulated by agents that modulate arachidonic acid metabolism.
Brief status report on Communication Privacy Management theory.

Over the last 35 years I have worked with gifted colleagues to develop and test the tenets of the Communication Privacy Management (CPM) theoretical perspective. 1 To date, a corpus of predictions ...
A class of models of selectively neutral alleles

Using exchangeability as a statistical analog of neutrality, we derive a generalized sampling distribution for neutral alleles. The distribution depends upon a parameter that determines the underlying marginal distribution of the number of copies of a neutral allele and that can range from zero to infinity. The sampling model of Ewens (1972) is a special case characterized by an extreme value (0) of this parameter. Two other special cases are considered, one of which seems to be applicable to populations with a structure like that of the Yanomama Indians of South America. We then investigate the expected frequency spectra under these three special cases and discover that all three models yield a broad range of possible spectra with overlap between the special cases. We finally show that Ewens’ sampling model cannot be used to construct tests of neutrality versus selection tending to maintain polymorphisms, but it can be used to construct tests of directional selection versus neutrality plus selection tending to yield polymorphic states.
Evidence of Perspective-Taking Constraints in Children's On-Line Reference Resolution

Young children's communication has often been characterized as egocentric. Some researchers claim that the processing of language involves an initial stage that relies on egocentric heuristics, even in adults. Such an account, combined with general developmental difficulties with late-stage processes, could provide an explanation for much of children's egocentric communication. However, the experimental data reported in this article do not support such an account: In an elicited-production task, 5- to 6-year-old children were found to be sensitive to their partner's perspective. Moreover, in an on-line comprehension task, they showed sensitivity to common-ground information from the initial stages of language processing. We propose that mutual knowledge is not distinct from other knowledge relevant for language processing, and exerts early effects on processing in proportion to its salience and reliability.