cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Garlic Dermatitis on the Neck of an Infant Treated for Nasal Congestion

The health benefits of garlic (Allium sativum) as a naturopathic remedy have been well documented, but topical application of garlic has been linked to allergic and irritant contact dermatitis. We present a case of severe irritant contact dermatitis due to application of a fresh garlic necklace to the neck of infant for treatment of nasal congestion.
VoTrE: A Vocational Training and Evaluation System to Compare Training Approaches for the Workplace

Extensive research has been carried out in using computer-based techniques to train and prepare workers for various industry positions. Most of this research focuses on how to best enable the workers to perform a type of task safely and efficiently. In fact, many of the accidents in manufacturing and construction environments are due to the lack of proper training needed for employees. In this study, we compare the impact of three types of training approaches on the planning and problem-solving abilities of a trainee while he/she performs the Towers of Hanoi (TOH) task. The three approaches are (a) traditional (with a human trainer), (b) gamification (game-based training simulation), and (c) computer-aided training. The aim of this study is to evaluate a worker’s level of functioning and problem-solving skills based on a specific training approach. Exact assessment of functional capacities is an important prerequisite to ensure effective and personalized training. The study uses workplace simulation to collect different types of performance data and assess the impact of these training approaches.
Immediacy Of Reinforcement In Autoshaping With Pigeons

Acquisition and maintenance of autoshaped keypecking with pigeons were studied as a function of immediacy of reinforcement. The basic design manipulated the immediacy of reinforcement following the trial onset while keeping the rate of reinforcement within the trial constant and manipulated the rate of reinforcement within the trial while keeping the immediacy of reinforcement constant. Seven groups of birds were studied at trial durations of either 24 or 60 seconds and immediacy intervals of either 3, 12, 24, or 60 seconds. All groups were exposed to a 180-s inter-food cycle. Acquisition rates varied as a function of the ratio of cycle to trial duration. Higher ratio groups (24 s) resulted in faster acquisition than did lower ratio (60 s). Immediacy of reinforcement exerted a less powerful effect upon acquisition than did the ratio of cycle to trial duration. During maintenance training, probability and rate of responding were positively related to immediacy of reinforcement and unaffected by trial duration. A modification of a scalar expectancy model was shown to account for these results.
Interactive multi-style pen-and-ink drawings from images

Existing research in pen-and-ink stylization of images has focused on using either stippling or hatching. In this paper, we introduce an interactive multi-style rendering system in which an image can be stylized with stippling, hatching, and scumbling. Different shading techniques can be used on different objects in the image, leading to various effects such as emphasis, de-emphasis, increase and decrease in contrast, and illusion of texture and material properties in objects. Moreover, different techniques can be applied on the same object, thus enabling illustration of mirrors and transparent materials. We also develop novel techniques that allow the user to design any scumbling pattern beyond circles (circulism). Our techniques can also generate high-quality scumbling results based on the designed pattern. Ensuring adjacent objects with different shading techniques having matching tones is essential in multi-style pen-and-ink drawing. We address this problem using an image-based technique. All of this research leads to an interactive multi-style pen-and-ink system from images.
Extensions of Large Deviation Technique to Power System Reliability Applications

ABSTRACT The large deviation technique has been shown previously to be quite effective in loss-of-load probability and capacity factor computations for a generating system. The purpose of the present paper is to examine the performance of this method in the reliability computations for two interconnected systems. The approximation formulas; are derived, and a numerical example is given. Comparison of the large deviation results with benchmark values in this two-area case shows that they are quite accurate.
Rules of Skill: Ethics in Engineering

Rules of skill tell us how to achieve a particular end: to bake a cake, do such-and-such; to buttress a girder, do so-and-so. They are the tools of the trade, so to speak, for any profession. Surgeons learn how to cut out cancerous tissue; software engineers learn how to write code. There are also the norms of the profession, and when failing to follow the right rule of skill leads to significant harm, they carry ethical weight: a professional ought, ethically, to do such-and-such. They also serve in engineering in another way. The intellectual core of engineering is the solution to design problems, and any solution is a rule of skill: to solve this problem, do so-and-so. At a minimum such solutions should not cause unnecessary harm. That is a moral injunction, and so ethics enters into the core of engineering both through its tools, the standing rules, and through design solutions. Engineers are ethically obligated to use the right rule of skill and to provide design solutions that cause no unnecessary harm. We should like them to provide design solutions that produce more benefits than harms as well, but satisfying the minimal condition of causing no unnecessary harm is sufficient to show how ethics enters into the heart of engineering.
Social comparison and illusions of invulnerability to negative life events.

Nonvictims, individuals who have not been victimized by undesirable life events, often underestimate their own personal vulnerability to victimization relative to other people’s vulnerability. In other words, non-victims appear to have an illusion of unique invulnerability, in which they see themselves as less vulnerable to victimization than they see most other people (Perloff, 1983). This biased perception is reflected in the common saying, “It won’t happen to me,” a statement that generally implies that it will instead happen to others. Although many studies have demonstrated the existence of these illusions, we still know relatively little about the underlying causal mechanisms or the behavioral consequences of harboring these misperceptions. Past evidence suggests that people who feel invulnerable to victimization are less likely to engage in precautionary behaviors than are people who feel vulnerable (Becker, 1974; Haefner & Kirscht, 1970; Tyler, 1980). Thus, illusions of invulnerability may be dangerous insofar as they discourage adequate self-protective, preventive behavior (cf. Weinstein, 1980).
Translating Basic Research on Biological Nitrogen Fixation to Improved Crop Production in Less-Developed Countries — A User’s View

The importance of nitrogen in crop production was animated almost two decades ago in a New Yorker cartoon and earlier this year in a Farm Chemicals cartoon (Anon., 1979a). In the simple but dramatic New Yorker cartoon, a single human-like plant in a desert environment was gasping “Ammonia, Ammonia”. In the more complex Farm Chemicals cartoon sequence, the assumed human-like plant was treated in the style of the 1970’s by playing its favorite records and participation in group sessions with nature lovers while the fundamental nutritional need “some nitrogen would help” was ignored. The identical message of both cartoons is as relevant in 1979 as it was in 1960 and is of at least as much relevance to less-developed as to more-developed countries. Statistical documentation of the message of the cartoons is the direct relationship between the increasing yield of cereal grains and the increasing use of fertilizer nitrogen from 1950 to 1975 for the less-developed and the more-developed countries (Hardy and Havelka, 1975). In this article I will consider the problem of future nitrogen need for crop production and approaches to meeting this need. Emphasis will be placed on less-developed countries to the extent practical, but many of the solutions are common for both more- and less-developed countries.
Structure and function of skin in the pelagic sea snake, Hydrophis platurus

We describe and interpret the functional morphology of skin of the Yellow-bellied sea snake, Hydrophis platurus. This is the only pelagic sea snake, and its integument differs from what is known for other species of snakes. In gross appearance, the scales of H. platurus consist of non-overlapping, polygonal knobs with flattened outer surfaces bearing presumptive filamentous sensillae. The deep recesses between scales ('hinge') entrap and wick water over the body surface, with mean retention of 5.1 g/cm of skin surface, similar to that determined previously for the roughened, spiny skin of marine file snakes, Acrochordus granulatus. This feature possibly serves to maintain the skin wet when the dorsal body protrudes above water while floating on calm oceanic slicks where they forage. In contrast with other snakes, including three species of amphibious, semi-marine sea kraits (Laticauda spp.), the outer corneous β-protein layer consists of a syncytium that is thinner than seen in most other species. The subjacent α-layer is also thin, and lipid droplets and lamellar bodies are seen among the immature, cornifying α-cells. A characteristic mesos layer, comprising the water permeability barrier, is either absent or very thin. These features are possibly related to (1) permeability requirements for cutaneous gas exchange, (2) reduced gradient for water efflux compared with terrestrial environments, (3) less need for physical protection in water compared with terrestrial ground environments, and (4) increased frequency of ecdysis thought to be an anti-fouling mechanism. The lipogenic features of the α-layer possibly compensate for the reduced or absent mesos layer, or produce layers of cells that comprise what functionally might be termed a mesos layer, but where the organization of barrier lipids nonetheless appears less robust than what is characteristically seen in squamates.
Cost Comparison of Ultrasound Versus MRI to Diagnose Adolescent Female Patients Presenting with Acute Abdominal/Pelvic Pain Using Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing.

Rationale and Objectives To compare the cost of ultrasound (US) versus magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using time-driven activity-based costing in adolescent female patients with suspected appendicitis. Materials and Methods Process maps were created using data from electronic medical record review and patient shadowing for adolescent female patients undergoing US or noncontrast MRI exams of the abdomen and pelvis for suspected appendicitis. Capacity cost rates for all personnel, equipment, facilities, and supplies in each exam pathway were established from institutional accounting data. The cost of each process step was determined by multiplying step-specific capacity cost rates by the mean time required to complete the step. Total pathway costs for US and MRI were computed by summing the costs of all steps through each pathway, and a direct cost comparison was made between the two modalities. Results Process maps for US and MRI pathways were generated from 231 and 52 patient encounters, respectively. Patients undergoing US exams followed one of six pathways depending on exam order (abdomen versus pelvis performed first) and whether additional time was needed for bladder filling. Mean total US pathway time was 91 minutes longer than for MRI (US = 166 minutes; MRI = 75 minutes). Total MRI pathway cost was $209.97 compared to a mean US cost of $258.33 (range = $163.21–$293.24). Conclusion MRI can be a faster and less costly alternative to US for evaluating suspected appendicitis in adolescent female patients. While precise costs will vary by institution, MRI may be a viable and at times preferable alternative to US in this patient population.
Statistical Pose Averaging with Non-isotropic and Incomplete Relative Measurements

In the last few years there has been a growing interest in optimization methods for averaging pose measurements between a set of cameras or objects (obtained, for instance, using epipolar geometry or pose estimation). Alas, existing approaches do not take into consideration that measurements might have different uncertainties (i.e., the noise might not be isotropically distributed), or that they might be incomplete (e.g., they might be known only up to a rotation around a fixed axis). We propose a Riemannian optimization framework which addresses these cases by using covariance matrices, and test it on synthetic and real data.
Fuel Efficient Connected Cruise Control for Heavy-Duty Trucks in Real Traffic

In this paper, we present a systematic approach for fuel-economy optimization of a connected automated truck that utilizes motion information from multiple vehicles ahead via vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication. Position and velocity data collected from a chain of human-driven vehicles are utilized to design a connected cruise controller that smoothly responds to traffic perturbations while maximizing energy efficiency. The proposed design is evaluated using a high-fidelity truck model and the robustness of the design is validated on real traffic data sets. It is shown that optimally utilizing V2V connectivity leads to around 10% fuel economy improvements compared to the best nonconnected design.
Characteristics Associated with Nonmedical Methadone Use among People Who Inject Drugs in California.

Background: Illicit, nonmedical use of opioid agonist medications such as methadone is an ongoing concern. Yet, few studies have examined nonmedical use of methadone by people who inject drugs (PWI...
Gelatin-Based Microribbon Hydrogels Guided Mesenchymal Stem Cells to Undergo Endochondral Ossification In Vivo with Bone-Mimicking Mechanical Strength

Most stem cell–based bone tissue engineering strategies to date yield bone through direct bone formation, which mimics intramembranous ossification. However, bone injuries often affect long bones which are formed through endochondral ossification, involving an initial cartilage template formation followed by remodeling to form bones. There remains a critical need to develop scaffolds that enhance stem cell–based bone formation through endochondral ossification with bone-mimicking mechanical strength. Here we evaluated the potential of gelatin-based microribbons (μRBs) as macroporous scaffolds for enhancing human mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)–based bone formation through endochondral ossification. This material platform was compared with conventional gelatin hydrogels (HGs) as controls. MSCs were encapsulated in μRB or HG scaffolds, primed in chondrogenic medium in vitro for 2 weeks, and then implanted in a mouse subcutaneous model with no additional factors. μRB scaffolds supported fast cartilage deposition by MSCs, which was completely remodeled and replaced by mineralized bone. Impressively, the compressive moduli of MSC-seeded μRB scaffolds increased from 10 to 3224 kPa by week 11, a range that mimics native bone. In comparison, while HG supported endochondral ossification, the speed was much slower, with less matrix deposition and only a modest increase in compressive modulus to 269 kPa. These results validate gelatin μRBs as a promising scaffold for repairing long bone defects by guiding robust endochondral ossification. Natural bone development and healing occurs through two distinct pathways: intramembranous ossification and endochondral ossification. Most bone injuries affect long bones, which are formed through endochondral ossification, involving an initial cartilage template formation followed by remodeling to form bones. However, scaffolds that can guide stem cell–based bone formation through endochondral ossification with bone-mimicking mechanical strength remain lacking. Here we report that macroporous gelatin-based microribbons (μRBs) accelerate endochondral ossification by human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in vivo using a mouse subcutaneous model. Impressively, the mechanical properties of MSC-seeded μRB scaffolds increased over 300-fold over 11 weeks to bone-mimicking range, whereas conventional gelatin hydrogel controls reached less than 10% of the bone modulus. These results validate gelatin μRBs as a promising novel scaffold for repairing long bone defects by guiding robust endochondral ossification.
Site-Directed Mutagenesis

In the preceding chapters dealing with modifications of nucleic acids it is assumed that, in general, these chemical reactions are randomly located along the genome. Exceptions occur when protein-nucleic interactions or nucleic acid secondary structure playa role. When studying mutation in vivo, changes in phenotype or in the sequence of newly synthesized DNAs, RNAs, or protein have been used to detect the mutants. These methods can answer only the question of whether a particular reagent, usually modifying multiple nucleic acid sites, is a mutagen; if a cellular function is changed, sequence data may pinpoint the specific nucleic acid regions responsible.
Training, Education, and Awareness

Training and certification in cyber security are key elements to provide alternative education to colleges and universities. Many jobs require certain types of certificates. Due to the nature of this field, continuous training and practice are necessary to ensure that employees are gaining knowledge on recent trends and technologies. Cyber awareness programs are considered one of the important security controls in most security or risk frameworks.
Sexual assault of college students: victimization and perpetration prevalence involving cisgender men, cisgender women and gender minorities.

Objective: To study eight types of sexual assault among cisgender women, cisgender men and gender minority college students, estimating the prevalence of perpetration by persons of particular gende...
Life expectancy and active life expectancy by marital status among older U.S. adults: Results from the U.S. Medicare Health Outcome Survey (HOS).

Abstract Background Previous investigations of the relationship between marital status and life expectancy and healthy life expectancy rely on the assumption that participants will remain in a given marital status until death. This study estimated total life expectancy (TLE) and active life expectancy (ALE) for respondents by their baseline marital status using a large longitudinal sample of the U.S. community-dwelling elderly population. Methods Data were from the Medicare Health Outcomes Survey Cohort 15 (2012 baseline, 2014 follow-up). We included respondents aged ≥65 years (n=164,597). Multi-state models estimated TLE and ALE by marital status to allow participants’ marital status to change during the remaining lifetime. Results Between 65 and 85 years, married men and women had a longer TLE and ALE than unmarried men and women. For example, at 65 years, TLE for married men was 18.6 years, 2.2 years longer than unmarried men, and ALE for married men was 12.3 years, 2.4 years longer than unmarried men. Similarly, at 65 years, TLE for married women was 21.1 years, 1.5 years longer than unmarried women, and ALE for married women was 13.0 years, 2.0 years longer than unmarried women. Such marriage protection effects decreased with age. In subgroups of unmarried persons, never married persons had the shortest TLE and ALE among men, and never married, divorced, and widowed persons had a similar, and shorter, life TLE and ALE among women. The difference in TLE between married and unmarried persons was smaller after adjusting for baseline activity limitation status. Conclusions This study provides additional evidence for marriage’s protective effect, with the magnitude of protection being greater for younger as compared to older persons. Selection bias was a large contributor to longer life expectancy among married persons.
Reconstruction of Shattered Lumbo-Sacral Junction/Pelvis Utilizing Bilateral L4-Sacrum Fibula Strut Allograft And Double Iliac Screws Plus Routine Lumbar Pedicle Screw Fixation.

Background A traumatically shattered lumbosacral junction/pelvis may be difficult to repair. Here the authors offer a pelvic fixation technique utilizing routine pedicle screws, interbody lumbar fusions, bilateral iliac screws/ rods/crosslinks, and bilateral fibular strut allografts from the lumbar spine to the sacrum. Methods A middle aged male sustained a multiple storey fall resulting in a left sacral fracture, and right sacroiliac joint (SI) dislocation. The patient had previously undergone attempted decompressions with routine pedicle screw L4-S1 fusions at outside institutions; these failed twice. When the patient was finally seen, he exhibited, on CT reconstructed images, MR, and X-rays, a left sacral fracture nonunion, and a right sacroiliac joint dislocation. Results The patient underwent a bilateral pelvic reconstruction utilizing right L4, L5, S1 and left L4, L5 pedicle screws plus interbody fusions (L4-L5, and L5, S1), performed from the left. Unique to this fusion construct was the placement of bilateral double iliac screws plus the application of bilateral fibula allografts from L4-sacrum filled with bone morphogenetic protein (BMP). After rod/screw/connectors were applied, bone graft was placed over the fusion construct, including the decorticated edges of the left sacral fractures, and right SI joint dislocation. We additionally reviewed other pelvic fusion reconstruction methods. Conclusions Here, we utilized a unique pelvic reconstruction technique utilizing pedicle screws/rods, double iliac screws/rods, and bilateral fibula strut grafts extending from the L4-sacrum filled with BMP.
A common (GT)n repeat polymorphism in the heme oxygenase-1 promoter associates with neuroinflammation and cognitive impairment in HIV infection (S29.002)

Objective: Determine association between (GT)n repeat length in the promoter of the antioxidant gene, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), and neurocognitive impairment in HIV+ subjects. Background: Inducible expression of HO-1, an anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory enzyme, is modulated by a dinucleotide (GT)n repeat of varying length in the HO-1 promoter. Brain HO-1 expression is decreased in HIV+ subjects and this correlates with neuroimmune activation and neurocognitive impairment. We previously showed (autopsied HIV cohort (n=551)) that subjects having least one “short” (GT)n repeat (length Design/Methods: We determined HO-1 (GT)n repeat allele lengths in DNA collected from 600 subjects in the CNS HIV Antiretroviral Therapy Effects Research/CHARTER study. We defined ‘short’ ( 34 repeats) alleles. Patients were assigned a neurocognitive diagnosis based upon the Frascati criteria for HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders/HAND {Antinori A,2007}. Results: HO-1 (GT)n repeats ranged from 13 to 44 with a trimodal distribution at 23, 30, and 39 (GT)n repeats. HIV+ subjects with at least one ‘short’ allele had a lower risk of functional impairment (HAND diagnosis: mild neurocognitive disorder/MND) (p=0.047, OR=0.63). The statistical significance was greatest in subjects without other co-morbidity risks besides HIV (p=0.01, OR=0.54). Presence of a “short” allele did not correlate with plasma/CSF HIV levels or CD4+ T-cell counts. Conclusions: Our data suggest that the presence of a ‘short’ HO-1 (GT)n repeat allele reduces risk for developing neurocognitive impairment in HIV infection. Because ‘short’ HO-1 (GT)n repeat promoters demonstrate greater inducibility in response to stress signals, subjects with short alleles may have a more robust anti-oxidant response. This could decrease neuroimmune activation, neurodegeneration and risk for neurocognitive impairment, and offer a therapeutic target. Disclosure: Dr. Garza has nothing to disclose. Dr. Gill has nothing to disclose. Dr. Gelman has nothing to disclose. Dr. Letendre has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kolson has nothing to disclose.
Dysregulated Dynein-Mediated Trafficking of Nephrin Causes INF2-related Podocytopathy.

Background FSGS caused by mutations in INF2 is characterized by a podocytopathy with mistrafficked nephrin, an essential component of the slit diaphragm. Because INF2 is a formin-type actin nucleator, research has focused on its actin-regulating function, providing an important but incomplete insight into how these mutations lead to podocytopathy. A yeast two-hybridization screen identified the interaction between INF2 and the dynein transport complex, suggesting a newly recognized role of INF2 in regulating dynein-mediated vesicular trafficking in podocytes. Methods Live cell and quantitative imaging, fluorescent and surface biotinylation-based trafficking assays in cultured podocytes, and a new puromycin aminoglycoside nephropathy model of INF2 transgenic mice were used to demonstrate altered dynein-mediated trafficking of nephrin in INF2 associated podocytopathy. Results Pathogenic INF2 mutations disrupt an interaction of INF2 with dynein light chain 1, a key dynein component. The best-studied mutation, R218Q, diverts dynein-mediated postendocytic sorting of nephrin from recycling endosomes to lysosomes for degradation. Antagonizing dynein-mediated transport can rescue this effect. Augmented dynein-mediated trafficking and degradation of nephrin underlies puromycin aminoglycoside-induced podocytopathy and FSGS in vivo. Conclusions INF2 mutations enhance dynein-mediated trafficking of nephrin to proteolytic pathways, diminishing its recycling required for maintaining slit diaphragm integrity. The recognition that dysregulated dynein-mediated transport of nephrin in R218Q knockin podocytes opens an avenue for developing targeted therapy for INF2-mediated FSGS.
Transition-to-residency: pilot innovative, online case-based curriculum for medical students preparing for pediatric internships.

Background: There is increasing recognition in medical education that greater emphasis must be placed on preparing graduating medical students for their new roles as interns. Few publications in th...
Safe and Sustainable Fleet Management with Data Analytics and Training

In scores of vehicle fleets, telematic tracking systems provide fleet managers with information regarding energy consumption, the obedience of safety regulations and driver performance. For a University’s Facilities Management (FM) Fleet to take the next steps towards an elevated Sustainable Fleet accreditation and overall team performance, the management has recognized the importance of effective energy and safety tracking methods combined with data analytics and a comprehensive systems analysis in order to aid the reinforcement, training and maintenance of safe and sustainable driving practices by fleet drivers. This paper outlines the design of a unique safety and eco-driving training program that will prompt University FM drivers to reflect on, educate and develop mindful driving habits which reduce environmental impact, cost and risk. We analyzed historical driver behavior data, including idling time, harsh acceleration, crash incident details, resulting in the identification of risk factors and areas for significant improvement. Educational aspects of the training program were influenced by focus groups, interviews administered with industry experts, and professional fleet training modules. The efficacy of the customized training program has been assessed through a statistical evaluation of telematic data collected before and after the training program was delivered. The results indicate that agency-specific mindful driving training was statistically significant in improving five of the six behavioral metrics measured - idling time, seat belt usage, speeding, hard acceleration, and hard braking - compared to the control group.
Observations from Implementation of the ERAS Protocol after DIEP Flap Breast Reconstruction.

Background The Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocol is a multivariate intervention requiring the help of several departments, including anesthesia, nursing, and surgery. This study seeks to observe ERAS compliance rates and obstacles for its implementation at a single academic institution. Methods This is a retrospective study looking at patients who underwent deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap breast reconstruction from January 2016 to September 2019. The ERAS protocol was implemented on select patients early 2017, with patients from 2016 acting as a control. Thirteen points from the protocol were identified and gathered from the patient's electronic medical record (EMR) to evaluate compliance. Results Two hundred and six patients were eligible for the study, with 67 on the control group. An average of 6.97 components were met in the pre-ERAS group. This number rose to 8.33 by the end of 2017. Compliance peaked with 10.53 components met at the beginning of 2019. The interventions most responsible for this increase were administration of preoperative medications, goal-oriented intraoperative fluid management, and administration of scheduled gabapentin postoperatively. The least met criterion was intraoperative ketamine goal of >0.2 mg/kg/h, with a maximum compliance rate of 8.69% of the time. Conclusion The introduction of new protocols can take over a year for full implementation. This is especially true for protocols as complex as an ERAS pathway. Even after years of consistent use, compliance gaps remain. Staff-, patient-, or resource-related issues are responsible for these discrepancies. It is important to identify these issues to address them and optimize patient outcomes.
Theocritus and the Invention of Fiction

Introduction: in the realms of the unreal 1. The pleasures of the imaginary 2. The presence of the fictional world 3. Becoming bucolic 4. From fiction to metafiction Conclusion: the future of a fiction.
Race, Gender, and Leadership : Re-envisioning Organizational Leadership From the Perspectives of African American Women Executives

Contents: Preface. Introduction: Re-Envisioning Leadership in the Postindustrial Era. Part I: The Need for Race- and Gender-Inclusive Visions of Leadership in the Postindustrial Era. Visions of Leadership in Traditional (White Masculine) and (White) Feminine Leadership Approaches: A Review and Critique. A Meaning-Centered Approach to Leadership in the Postindustrial Era: A Critical Feminist Perspective. Part II: African American Women: An Untapped Source of Leadership Knowledge. The Seeds of a Tradition of Leadership: Resisting Discourses of "Black Women as Fallen Womanhood/Black Women as 'Natural' Laborers" During U.S.-Institutionalized Slavery. Forging a Tradition of Leadership: Resisting Discourses of "Black Women as Marginal Workers" From Legal Emancipation Through the Civil Rights Movement. Part III: African American Women Executives and 21st-Century Organizational Leadership: Deconstructing "Masculine" and "Feminine" Leadership, Embracing Duality in Leadership Practice. Re-Envisioning Instrumentality as Collaboration. Embracing Duality in Leadership Practice: Re-Envisioning Control as Empowerment and Community Building. Organizational Leadership Communication in the 21st Century: Toward Inclusive Leadership Theory, Research, and Practice. Appendix A: Interview Protocols.
Clinical and polysomnographic determinants of snoring

Snoring is considered one of the hallmarks of sleep-disordered breathing, but its determinants remain obscure in both obstructive sleep apnoea (apnoeic) and non-apnoeic snorers. We aimed to document positional dependency of snoring along with its association with clinical and polysomnographic variables. Seventy-seven apnoeic and 27 non-apnoeic snorers who complained for every-night loud snoring and slept in supine and lateral positions in all sleep stages during overnight polysomnography were included. Snoring (i.e. sound intensity > 40 dB) was quantified by measuring the mean and maximum sound intensity, and snoring frequency. In apnoeic and non-apnoeic snorers, mean snoring intensity and snoring frequency were higher in supine than in lateral positions irrespective of sleep stage, and were also usually higher in N3 in comparison to rapid eye movement and/or N2 sleep stage in any given position. Positional change in snoring intensity as expressed by the ratio of mean intensity in the supine to lateral positions was independently and positively correlated with body mass index, tonsils size and age in the total of patients. Snoring is more prominent in the supine position and in N3 sleep stage in apnoeic and non-apnoeic snorers. Snoring positional dependence is determined by body mass index, tonsils size and age.
Theta Characteristics of Tropical K 4 -Curves

A K4-curve is a smooth proper curve X of genus 3 over a field with valuation whose Berkovich skeleton Γ is a complete graph on four vertices. The curve X has 28 effective theta characteristics—the 28 bitangents to a canonical embedding—while Γ has exactly seven effective tropical theta characteristics, as shown by Zharkov. We prove that the 28 effective theta characteristics of a K4-curve specialize to the theta characteristics of its minimal skeleton in seven groups of four.
Limunectin. A phosphocholine-binding protein from Limulus amebocytes with adhesion-promoting properties

Abstract A protein that binds to and precipitates with pneumococcal C-polysaccharide and a phosphocholine (PC) derivative of bovine serum albumin has been affinity purified from Limulus amebocytes. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis reveals that the isolated protein consists of a single polypeptide chain of approximately 50 kDa. It is an intracellular protein localized in the secretory granules of amebocytes according to immunogold staining. Although it shares the PC-binding property with C-reactive protein isolated from Limulus and other animal species, it differs from C-reactive protein in that the latter binds to PC only in the presence of Ca2+, whereas the newly isolated protein binds to PC in a Ca(2+)-independent manner. In this respect, the newly isolated PC-binding protein resembles the antibodies to PC of mouse myelomas. The gene coding for this protein has been isolated. The gene sequence predicts a protein of 54 kDa with an unusual structural feature: it consists almost entirely of 10 contiguous segments, 45 amino acids in length, with extensive homology. Some limited sequence homologies were found between the 54-kDa protein and segments of vitronectin, gelatinase, and collagenase. It binds to bacterial cells, fixed amebocytes, and a number of extracellular matrix molecules. Due to its structural and some functional similarities to other adhesion molecules, the Limulus 54-kDa protein was named "Limunectin."
Interfacial reactions with lead (Pb)-free solders

Solder interconnection technology plays a key role in various levels of microelectronics packaging, such as controlled collapse chip connection (or C4), solder-ball connection in ball-grid-array (BGA), or IC package assembly to a printed circuit board (PCB). Soldering technologies employed in these applications are quite different in terms of solder materials and processes. The metallurgical phenomena, however, during the soldering processes are very similar to each other, such as wetting of a molten solder to a metallic surface, dissolution of the base metal into the molten solder, formation of intermetallics, and solder joint formation by solidification. A good understanding and thereby the control of the interfacial reactions, namely, dissolution of the base metal(s) and concurrent formation of intermetallics at the soldering interfaces, are critical in producing sound and reliable solder joints. In the present paper, the interfacial reactions of Cu and Ni base metals with several Pb-free solders at their corresponding reflow temperatures are investigated. The interfacial reactions studied simulate the solid-liquid reaction which occurs during the initial solder joint formation as well as its rework process, if necessary. The Pb-free solders used in this investigation include; 58%Bi-42%Sn, 96.5%Sn-3.5%Ag, 95%Sn-5%Sb, and 100%Sn. The Sn/Pb eutectic solder is also included as a bench mark to compare the reaction kinetics with those of the Pb-free solders. The dissolution kinetics of Cu and Ni into the Pb-free solders as well as the growth kinetics of the intermetallic phases are measured using cross-sectional metallography of reaction couples and are compared with those obtained from the Sn/Pb eutectic solder.
Mammaglobin Expression in Primary, Metastatic, and Occult Breast Cancer

The mammaglobin gene encodes a novel, breast cancer-associated glycoprotein. In this study, we have evaluated the frequency with which mammaglobin expression can be detected in primary and metastatic breast tumors and in breast tumor cells present in the peripheral circulation. Of 100 primary human breast tumors examined, 81 were strongly immunopositive for mammaglobin protein. Staining was independent of tumor grade and histological type. Ten of 11 lymph nodes from patients with metastatic breast cancer contained detectable mammaglobin mRNA, whereas mammaglobin expression in uninvolved lymph nodes was undetectable. Using a nested reverse transcription-PCR assay, mammaglobin mRNA was also detected in 9 of 15 products (60%) used for autologous stem cell transplant. These results suggest that larger clinical studies are warranted to investigate the full clinical utility of mammaglobin as a tool for breast cancer patient management.
Ontological realism: A methodology for coordinated evolution of scientific ontologies

Since 2002 we have been testing and refining a methodology for ontology development that is now being used by multiple groups of researchers in different life science domains. Gary Merrill, in a recent paper in this journal, describes some of the reasons why this methodology has been found attractive by researchers in the biological and biomedical sciences. At the same time he assails the methodology on philosophical grounds, focusing specifically on our recommendation that ontologies developed for scientific purposes should be constructed in such a way that their terms are seen as referring to what we call universals or types in reality. As we show, Merrill's critique is of little relevance to the success of our realist project, since it not only reveals no actual errors in our work but also criticizes views on universals that we do not in fact hold. However, it nonetheless provides us with a valuable opportunity to clarify the realist methodology, and to show how some of its principles are being applied, especially within the framework of the OBO (Open Biomedical Ontologies) Foundry initiative.
Multimedia Networking: Multimedia quality of service of IP networks

Unlike stand-alone multimedia applications, in which the multimedia contents are originated and displayed on the same machine, multimedia networking has to enable multimedia data that originate on a source host to be transmitted through the IP networks (the Internet) and displayed at the destination host. The Internet, which uses IP protocols and packet switching, has become the largest network of networks in the world (it consists of a combination of many wide area and local area networks, WANs and LANs; see Figure 7.1. Multimedia over the Internet is fast growing among service providers and potential customers. Owing to the special requirements of audio and video perception, most existing and emerging real-time services need a high level of quality and impose great demands on the network. Real-time multimedia applications (e.g., live video streaming and video conferences), which are very sensitive to transmission delay and jitter and usually require a sufficiently high bandwidth, are a good example. To this end, various systems have been made available on network protocols and architectures to support the quality of service (QoS), such as the integrated services (IntServ) [22] [23] and differentiated services (DiffServ) [26] models. Multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) [21] is another technique often mentioned in the context of QoS assurance, but its real role in QoS assurance is not exactly the same as that of the IntServ and DiffServ models. Layered Internet protocol (IP) The IP protocol is the set (suite) of communications protocols that implement the protocol stack on which the Internet and most commercial networks run.
Machine-Generation of Order Statistics for Monte Carlo Computations

(1972). Machine-Generation of Order Statistics for Monte Carlo Computations. The American Statistician: Vol. 26, No. 1, pp. 26-27.
INTESTINAL MOTILITY IN COCKAYNE'S SYNDROME

A 3 yr old boy with Cockayne's syndrome (CS), a neurodegenerative disease, presented with malnutrition secondary to vomiting and diarrhea. Anatomic, mucosal and infectious etiologies were ruled out. Symptoms recurred independent of the strength or volume of an elemental formula given by bolus or continuous drip despite a fundoplication, gastrostomy and jejunostomy. To determine the defect in motility, manometric studies were performed in the antrum, duodenum and jejunum with a water perfused multi-lumened catheter. Abnormal fasting motility was characterized by the complete absence of the migrating motor complex and a predominance of Phase 1 activity. After a bolus feeding, the typical fed pattern of random contractions was not seen. Phase 1 activity still predominated. In contrast, intravenous metocloparamide (MCP) given 5 minutes before a bolus feeding induced high amplitude, normal frequency contractions of 3/minute in the antrum and 11/minute in the duodenum and jejunum. In 1 study, Phase 1 activity occupied 32% of the first 60 minutes after feeding when MCP was given, compared to 87.5% when no drug was administered, suggesting that the intestinal muscle is capable of reponse to a chemical stimulus. Other pathologic descriptions of abnormal neurons and myelination in both the peripheral and central nervous system and recent work demonstrating abnormalities of the myenteric plexus in CS support this observation. As part of a widespread neurodegenerative process also affecting the neural plexi of the intestine, CS patients have intestinal dysmotility. This is a previously unreported association.
Free-electron lasers operating in higher harmonics

The nonlinear wave equation and self-consistent pendulum equation are used to generalize free-electron-laser operation to higher harmonics; this can significantly extend their tunable range to shorter wavelengths.
Recent progress with AVANTI: A 2.5D EM direct implicit PIC code

Abstract An overview of the electromagnetic Direct Implicit PIC plasma simulation algorithm is presented in the form it is now implemented in the 2.5D code AVANTI. A test case that has ideal properties for testing the algorithm is presented. Recently the relativistic extension of the algorithm has been investigated and preliminary consideration is given to the changes required in the algorithm for this capability.
Magnetic hysteresis of transport critical current in polycrystalline YBCO

Abstract Transport critical current were measured in pure and cobalt-doped polycrystalline YBCO in low magnetic fields. The difference of critical current at increasing and decreasing fields is attributed primarily to intragranular field trapping.
Involvement of mTOR in Type 2 CRF Receptor Inhibition of Insulin Signaling in Muscle Cells

Type 2 corticotropin-releasing factor receptor (CRFR2) is expressed in skeletal muscle and stimulation of the receptor has been shown to inhibit the effect of insulin on glucose uptake in muscle cells. Currently, little is known about the mechanisms underlying this process. In this study, we first showed that both in vivo and in vitro CRFR2 expression in muscle was closely correlated with insulin sensitivity, with elevated receptor levels observed in insulin resistant muscle cells. Stimulation of CRFR2 by urocortin 2 (Ucn 2), a CRFR2-selective ligand, in C2C12 myotubes greatly attenuated insulin-induced glucose uptake. The inhibitory effect of CRFR2 signaling required cAMP production and is involved the mammalian target of rapamycine pathway, as rapamycin reversed the inhibitory effect of CRFR2 stimulation on insulin-induced glucose uptake. Moreover, stimulation of CRFR2 failed to inhibit glucose uptake in muscle cells induced by platelet-derived growth factor, which, similar to insulin, signals through Akt-mediated pathway but is independently of insulin receptor substrate (IRS) proteins to promote glucose uptake. This result argues that CRFR2 signaling modulates insulin's action likely at the levels of IRS. Consistent with this notion, Ucn 2 reduced insulin-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS-1, and treatment with rapamycin reversed the inhibitory effect of Ucn 2 on IRS-1 and Akt phosphorylation. In conclusion, the inhibitory effect of CRFR2 signaling on insulin action is mediated by cAMP in a mammalian target of rapamycine-dependent manner, and IRS-1 is a key nodal point where CRFR2 signaling modulates insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in muscle cells.
Cerebral correlates of skin conductance responses in a cognitive task

Changes in physiological arousal frequently accompany cognitive performance. Many studies sought to identify the neural correlates of heightened arousal as indexed by skin conductance responses (SCR). However, the observed regional activations may be confounded by task events. We addressed this issue by recording SCR in 25 adults performing a stop signal task (SST) during functional magnetic resonance imaging. We compared only go trials with high and low SCR in order to isolate the event-independent processes. Furthermore, we distinguished go trials that followed another go, a stop success, or a stop error trial to examine whether the neural activities are contingent on the local context in which changes in SCR occurred. The results showed that the supplementary motor area responded to increased SCR irrespective of the preceding trial. The dorsal anterior cingulate cortex increased activation to heightened arousal most significantly in response to stop errors. The medial prefrontal cortex increased activation to SCR following a stop error but decreased activation following a go or stop success trial. These new findings specify the regional activations that accompany changes in physiological arousal during the SST and support distinct processes for the changes that occur under different local contexts. In particular, the MPFC shows opposing responses by increasing activation to changes in arousal evoked by salient stimuli and decreasing activation to the control of arousal.
Multi-dimensional mechanistic modeling of fluid bed granulation processes: An integrated approach

Abstract This paper is concerned with the integration of a heat and mass model with a population balance model of a fluid bed granulation process. The heat/mass model helps to track the liquid and porosity changes that occur within the granulation process due to simultaneous drying in the granulator. A mechanistic kernel proposed by [22] was used to model the aggregation process, which is a function of mechanistic properties such as liquid thickness and particle size. The model takes into account various mechanisms that significantly affect the granulation outcome, such as aggregation, drying/rewetting, and consolidation. Since these rate processes evolve dynamically, the aggregation kernel is updated periodically over time and for the first time, dynamically coupled with the heat/mass model to provide a more accurate qualitative description of granulation dynamics in a fluid-bed granulator.
Plasticizer interactions with polymer and salt in propylene carbonate-poly(acrylonitrile)-lithium triflate

Abstract A comparative infrared spectroscopic study has been undertaken in a system of poly(acrylonitrile)-propylene carbonate-lithium triflate to examine the plasticizer interactions with the polymer and salt as well as ionic association. Lithium triflate is highly associated and the lithium ion interaction is stronger with propylene carbonate (PC) than with poly(acrylonitrile) (PAN). It is hypothesized that the local structure about the lithium ion is characterized by coordination with the three oxygen atoms of the PC molecule and a triflate anion oxygen, with a weak interaction with the CN group of PAN.