cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Alternative Perspective on Retirement a Dual Economic Approach

A structural model for examining retirement is presented in the context of a political economy of ageing. Contemporary capitalist economies may be conceived of in terms of macro-level organisation which results in a monopolistic core and competitive peripheral sectors. In turn this configuration serves to colour individual life-experience. Data on differential worker- and work-related characteristics are presented as a means of explicating the need for an alternative perspective to explain later life events. A proposed research agenda based on a consideration of both the status attainment and dual economic framework is put forward.
Breast Cancer Screening Among Dominican Latinas A Closer Look at Fatalism and Other Social and Cultural Factors

With the marked increase of the Latino population in the United States during the past 20 years, there has been growing interest in the social, cultural, and structural factors that may impede breast cancer screening among Latino women, especially among those subgroups that have been understudied. Acculturation and fatalism are central cultural constructs in these growing fields of research. However, there is great debate on the extent to which acculturation and fatalism affect breast cancer screening among Latinas relative to other social or structural factors or logistical barriers. Moreover, little theoretical work specifies or tests pathways between social, structural, and cultural determinants of screening. This study tests a theoretical model of social and structural (socioeconomic status and access to health care) and cultural factors (acculturation and fatalism) as correlates of mammography screening among Dominican Latinas, a group that has been understudied. The study expands prior work by examining other factors identified as potential impediments to mammography screening, specifically psychosocial (e.g., embarrassment, pain) and logistical (e.g., not knowing how to get a mammogram, cost) barriers. Interview-administered surveys were conducted with 318 Latinas from the Dominican Republic aged 40 years or older. Fatalistic beliefs were not associated with mammogram screening. Greater acculturation assessed as language use was associated with decreased screening. The strongest predictor of decreased screening was perceived barriers. Results highlight the importance of assessing various self-reported psychosocial and logistical barriers to screening. Possible avenues for screening interventions include intensifying public health campaigns and use of personalized messages to address barriers to screening. Results add to a limited body of research on Dominicans, who constitute the fifth largest Latino group in the United States.
Divine Simplicity and the Eternal Truths: Descartes and the Scholastics

Descartes famously endorsed the view that (CD) God freely created the eternal truths, such that He could have done otherwise than He did. This controversial doctrine is much discussed in recent secondary literature, yet Descartes’s actual arguments for CD have received very little attention. In this paper I focus on what many take to be a key Cartesian argument for CD: that divine simplicity entails the dependence of the eternal truths on the divine will. What makes this argument both important and interesting is that Descartes’s scholastic predecessors share the premise of divine simplicity but reject the CD conclusion. To properly understand Descartes, then, we must determine precisely where he diverges from his predecessors on the path from simplicity to CD. And when we do so we obtain a very surprising result: that despite many dramatic prima facie differences, there is no substantive difference between the relevant doctrines of Descartes and the scholastics. Or so I argue.
A head-to-head comparison of α- and β-alkoxy effects on stereoselectivity. Nucleophilic additions to a cyclohexanone substituted with five axial CO bonds

Abstract The stereochemical course of the hydride reduction and of the 1,2-addition of allylmagnesium bromide as well as the Normant reagent to 1 has been determined.
A mnemonic for remembering long strings of digits

We tested a procedure for memorizing long strings of digits. As a preliminary step, two subjects memorized a substitute word for each of the 100 possible digit pairs by using the digit-consonant mnemonic. Next, for each string to be memorized, successive pairs of digits were encoded into their corresponding substitute words. These words were then memorized using the story mnemonic. To reduce forgetting of long, 80-digit strings, a hierarchical story mnemonic was developed. In this procedure, each successive set of 10 words (20 digits) was organized into a story episode that occurred in a predetermined location. The location served as a context cue during recall. An experiment in which a practiced subject memorized 80-digit strings showed that recall with the hierarchical story mnemonic (99.1%) was superior to the unstructured story mnemonic (92.2%). The procedure and results of this experiment are compared with those of Chase and Ericsson (1981) and Kliegl, Smith, Heckhausen, and Baltes (1987).
Simulating subsurface flow and transport on ultrascale computers using PFLOTRAN

We describe PFLOTRAN, a recently developed code for modeling multi-phase, multi-component subsurface flow and reactive transport using massively parallel computers. PFLOTRAN is built on top of PETSc, the Portable, Extensible Toolkit for Scientific Computation. Leveraging PETSc has allowed us to develop—with a relatively modest investment in development effort—a code that exhibits excellent performance on the largest-scale supercomputers. Very significant enhancements to the code are planned during our SciDAC-2 project. Here we describe the current state of the code, present an example of its use on Jaguar, the Cray XT3/4 system at Oak Ridge National Laboratory consisting of 11706 dual-core Opteron processor nodes, and briefly outline our future plans for the code.
Enceladus: Present internal structure and differentiation by early and long-term radiogenic heating

Abstract Pre-Cassini images of Saturn's small icy moon Enceladus provided the first indication that this satellite has undergone extensive resurfacing and tectonism. Data returned by the Cassini spacecraft have proven Enceladus to be one of the most geologically dynamic bodies in the Solar System. Given that the diameter of Enceladus is only about 500 km, this is a surprising discovery and has made Enceladus an object of much interest. Determining Enceladus' interior structure is key to understanding its current activity. Here we use the mean density of Enceladus (as determined by the Cassini mission to Saturn), Cassini observations of endogenic activity on Enceladus, and numerical simulations of Enceladus' thermal evolution to infer that this satellite is most likely a differentiated body with a large rock-metal core of radius about 150 to 170 km surrounded by a liquid water–ice shell. With a silicate mass fraction of 50% or more, long-term radiogenic heating alone might melt most of the ice in a homogeneous Enceladus after about 500 Myr assuming an initial accretion temperature of about 200 K, no subsolidus convection of the ice, and either a surface temperature higher than at present or a porous, insulating surface. Short-lived radioactivity, e.g., the decay of 26Al, would melt all of the ice and differentiate Enceladus within a few million years of accretion assuming formation of Enceladus at a propitious time prior to the decay of 26Al. Long-lived radioactivity facilitates tidal heating as a source of energy for differentiation by warming the ice in Enceladus so that tidal deformation can become effective. This could explain the difference between Enceladus and Mimas. Mimas, with only a small rock fraction, has experienced relatively little long-term radiogenic heating; it has remained cold and stiff and less susceptible to tidal heating despite its proximity to Saturn and larger eccentricity than Enceladus. It is shown that the shape of Enceladus is not that of a body in hydrostatic equilibrium at its present orbital location and rotation rate. The present shape could be an equilibrium shape corresponding to a time when Enceladus was closer to Saturn and spinning more rapidly, or more likely, to a time when Enceladus was spinning more rapidly at its present orbital location. A liquid water layer on Enceladus is a possible source for the plume in the south polar region assuming the survivability of such a layer to the present. These results could place Enceladus in a category similar to the large satellites of Jupiter, with the core having a rock-metal composition similar to Io, and with a deep overlying ice shell similar to Europa and Ganymede. Indeed, the moment of inertia factor of a differentiated Enceladus, C / M R 2 , could be as small as that of Ganymede, about 0.31.
Spectra Of Highly-Ionized Atoms

Recent work on the spectra of laser-produced plasmas and tokamaks has led to the observation of long sequences of isoelectronic ions extending to very high ionic charge states. The measurements of the wavelengths and energy levels provide data that are important for the development of x-ray lasers. In addition to contributing to a knowledge of the energy levels and transitions of possible lasing media, the data provide reference lines for wavelength calibration of x-ray laser experiments and reference data for testing theoretical methods used for predicting the properties of lasing ions.
Synthesis, microstructure and optical characterization of zirconium oxide nanostructures

Zirconium oxide (ZrO2) nanostructures were synthesized by hydrothermal route. Surface morphology analysis depicts the formation of the nanobars and hexagonal-shaped nanodiscs at different synthesis conditions. The structural analysis confirms that the as-synthesized ZrO2 product is of pure monoclinic phase (m-ZrO2) with crystallite size of about 25 nm. The product consists of monodispersed nanoparticles of uniform composition,highpurity,andcrystallinity.TheRamanspectraarequantitativelyanalyzedandtheobservedpeaksareattributedtovariousvibration modes of the m-ZrO2. The UV‐vis absorption spectrum showed a strong absorption peak at about 292 nm and the estimated optical band gap was around 3.57 eV. Photoluminescence (PL) spectrum of ZrO2 nanostructure showed a strong and broad emission peak at around 410 nm at room temperature, which can be attributed to the ionized oxygen vacancy in the material. # 2009 Elsevier Ltd and Techna Group S.r.l. All rights reserved.
Repulsive Casimir Force using metamaterials

ABSTRACT We investigate conditions for Casimir Force (CF) reversal between two parallel half-space metamaterial platesseparated by air or vacuum at ambient temperatures. Practically, the Casimir e ect can lead to stiction innanoscale devices, degradation and decreased performance. While material realizations of repulsive CF has beenproposed for high dielectric host materials, so far the CF reversal with air/vacuum as intermediate mediumremain challenging. Here, we propose a two plate design based on arti cial electromagnetic materials knownas metamaterials. This con guration allows a simple analytical treatment that accurately describes the largeand short distance asymptotics of CF and allows extraction of important parameters such as lower and uppercuto gap distances that de ne the repulsive force window. A parametric study has been performed in termsof the plate's dielectric and magnetic plasma frequencies, plate separation distance and temperature. Theparametric domain for achieving CF reversal is identi ed. If successfully implemented the proposed design couldpotentially result in frictionless bio-uid transport devices, quantum levitation and coating for ultra-clean roomenvironment.Keywords: Repulsive Casimir force, Casimir force between parallel plate, metamaterials, quantum levitation.
Patient-by-treatment context interaction in chronic disease: a conceptual framework for the study of patient adherence.

Objective Previous reviews have concluded that there is little or no evidence supporting a predictable association between patient characteristics and regimen adherence in chronic illness. The primary objective of this article is to propose an alternative conceptual framework for the interpretation and design of adherence research. Methods The author's research involving adherence among patients with end-stage renal disease is reviewed and used to illustrate the patient-by-context interactive framework. Results Adherence is most favorable when the patient's characteristic or preferred style of coping with illness and treatment-related experiences is congruent with the contextual features or demands of the particular type of medical intervention the patient is undergoing. Among patients with end-stage renal disease, a more vigilant or active style of coping is associated with more favorable adherence only for patients undergoing home-based dialysis treatment modalities that are highly patient directed. Among patients receiving hospital-based, provider-controlled treatment, a less vigilant or more passive coping style is associated with more favorable dialysis regimen adherence. Conclusions The patient-by-context interactive perspective can provide a useful framework for the interpretation and design of adherence research.
Impurity-induced infrared absorption in alkali halide CO2 laser windows

Abstract Measurements of the residual absorption of 10.6μm in pure and Pb-doped KCl single crystals indicate that impurity concentrations at low levels can contribute to the observed absorption.
Application testing of batteries for utility load leveling and customer applications at the battery energy storage test (BEST) facility

Abstract The demand for electric energy varies hourly, daily, weekly, monthly and seasonally. A study of energy storage performed by Public Service Electric and
Compensatory changes in cortical resource allocation in adults with hearing loss

Hearing loss has been linked to many types of cognitive decline in adults, including an association between hearing loss severity and dementia. However, it remains unclear whether cortical re-organization associated with hearing loss occurs in early stages of hearing decline and in early stages of auditory processing. In this study, we examined compensatory plasticity in adults with mild-moderate hearing loss using obligatory, passively-elicited, cortical auditory evoked potentials (CAEP). High density EEG elicited by speech stimuli was recorded in adults with hearing loss and age-matched normal hearing controls. Latency, amplitude and source localization of the P1, N1, P2 components of the CAEP were analyzed. Adults with mild-moderate hearing loss showed increases in latency and amplitude of the P2 CAEP relative to control subjects. Current density reconstructions revealed decreased activation in temporal cortex and increased activation in frontal cortical areas for hearing-impaired listeners relative to normal hearing listeners. Participants’ behavioral performance on a clinical test of speech perception in noise was significantly correlated with the increases in P2 latency. Our results indicate that changes in cortical resource allocation are apparent in early stages of adult hearing loss, and that these passively-elicited cortical changes are related to behavioral speech perception outcome.
The acquisition of the voicing contrast in English: a study of voice onset time in word-initial stop consonants

This paper reports on a longitudinal study of the acquisition of the voicing contrast in American English word-initial stop consonants, as measured by voice onset time. Four monolingual children were recorded at two-week intervals, beginning when the children were about 1; 6. Data provide evidence for three general stages: (1) the child has no contrast; (2) the child has a contrast but one that falls within the adult perceptual boundaries of one (usually voiced) phoneme and thus is presumably not perceptible to adults; and (3) the child has a contrast that resembles the adult contrast. The rate and nature of the developmental process are discussed in relation to two competing models for phonological acquisition and two hypotheses regarding the skills being learned.
Heterotrophic eubacteria isolated from cultures of the cyanobacterium, spirulina maxima

Three distinct heterotrophic eubacterial strains were isolated from mixotrophic cultures of the filamentous cyanobacterium, Spirulina maxima (Gom) Geitl. Spirulina spp. are considered to be prime candidates for the phototrophic production of biomass protein, particularly in developing countries. These cyanobacteria are extreme alkaliphiles and halophiles, making their production in arid regions promising. Most previous studies on the eubacteria which live in Spirulina culture systems have focused on determining the possible presence of pathogenic species in biomass protein. Little has been done to understand the symbiotic relationships between the cyanobacterium and its eubacterial cosymbionts. From the perspective of a heterotrophic eubacterium, autotrophic cultural systems of Spirulina have limited carbon and energy resources, being limited to cyanobacterial exudates. In this study, three eubacterial strains were isolated and studied. One strain, a Gram-negative, non-sporing, motile rod, grew exceptionally well in a mineral salts medium where only a small amount of a single low molecular weight organic compound (e.g., acetate) was supplied as sole energy source. This strain was also extremely euryresponsive with respect to salinity and alkalinity as well. Two less well-adapted eubacterial strains are also described.
Upper-body exercise performance: comparison between women and men.

This study compared upper-body (arm crank) aerobic fitness for a group of women (n = 8) and men (n = 9) matched for lower-body (cycle) aerobic fitness (X¯ ± S.E. = 50 ±2ml kg−1 min−1) and also examined the influence selected physiological factors had on upper-body exercise performance. The components of upper-body exercise studied included maximal power output (POmax), peak oxygen uptake (peak [Vdot]O2), elbow isokinetic strength i»nd endurance, arm volume and endurance time at 80% arm crank peak [Vdot]O2. During maximal effort upper-body exercise, there was no difference in peak [Vdot]O2 (ml kg−1 min−1) between the genders despite the men's significantly greater strength, arm volume and POmax; Likewise, there was no difference in upper body endurance time at 80% peak [Vdot]O2 between the genders. These data indicated that (i) women are not at a disadvantage in performing aerobic upper-body exercise, (ii) skeletal muscle strength provides a relatively minor influence on both maximal effort and prolonged u...
Restructuring the introductory computer science course for engineers

In Engineering curricula, the introductory course in computer science is an essential component of the lower division preparation of all engineers. Unfortunately, there is absolutely no consensus what should be included in an introductory computer science course for engineers. Moreover, limited energy has been given by the departments who deliver this introductory course to the currency and vitality of the course.The focus of this paper is to promote a discussion regarding the design and implementation of a three credit course that meets the overriding concerns voiced by Engineering faculties and by students who enroll in the courses. We present a prototype of a course that addresses the concerns of language preference expressed by Engineering faculty as well as their concern regarding the selection of the ever changing software packages to be presented to the students.Our design presents a course that will challenge all students regardless of their background in computing. This course would set in place a continuing mechanism to insure relevancy of the course to the students.
Enhanced performance of a laser-induced fluorescence liquid chromatographic apparatus: a systems approach

Abstract A laser-induced fluorescence liquid chromatographic apparatus has been developed, using a systems approach, resulting in enhanced overall performance. Supporting evidence will be shown concerning four factors that impact most on these types of systems: (1) increasing sample introduction efficiency; (2) achieving high chromatographic efficiency; (3) maintaining maximum illumination efficiency; and (4) obtaining the greatest possible detectivity. Specific examples include a continuously purged injection valve, columns packed with constant-packing-rate conditions, efficient optical imaging using lightguide technology and photon counting detection electronics.
Developing Self-Marketing Skills: Are Marketing Students Prepared for the Job Search?

Sooner or later, most marketing and business students realize that today’s job market is competitive, challenging, and requires substantial effort in order to pursue successfully. This article presents the authors’ observations, job market statistics, relevant academic literature, and survey results concerning the marketing and business student job search process. The research findings guide several recommendations for developing student self-marketing and job search skills, with the perspective of teaching students to apply what they have learned in their marketing courses.
The impact of aggregating benefit and cost criteria in four MCDA methods

Multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) problems (also known as multicriteria decision-making or MCDM) involve the ranking of a finite set of alternatives in terms of a finite number of decision criteria. Often times such criteria may be in conflict with each other. That is, an MCDA problem may involve both benefit and cost criteria at the same time. Although this is a frequent characteristic of many real-life MCDA problems, this subject has not received adequate attention in the literature. This paper examines the use of four key MCDA methods when two approaches for dealing with conflicting criteria are used. The two approaches are the benefit to cost ratio approach and the benefit minus cost approach. The MCDA methods used in this study are the weighted sum model, the weighted product model, and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) along with some of its variants, including the multiplicative AHP. Not surprisingly, these two approaches for aggregating conflicting criteria may result in a different indication of the best alternative or ranking of all alternatives when they are used on the same problem. As it is demonstrated here, it is also possible for the two approaches to even result in the opposite ranking of the alternatives. An extensive empirical analysis of this methodological problem revealed that the previous phenomena might occur frequently on simulated MCDA problems. The WSM, the AHP, and the revised AHP performed in an almost identical manner in these tests. The contradiction rates in these tests were rather significant and became more dramatic when the number of alternatives was high. Although it may not be possible to know which ranking is the "correct" one, this study also theoretically proved that the multiplicative AHP is immune to these ranking inconsistencies.
Is family a moral capital resource for female politicians? The case of ABC’s Commander in Chief:

Being perceived as family-engaged is assumed to benefit politicians, augmenting moral capital they can trade for votes and power. Moral capital benefits of family engagement are particularly salient for male politicians, whose relationship to family generally invokes responsibility and strength. Is family engagement a moral capital resource for female politicians, whose stereotypical associations with family invoke dependency and support? This manuscript examines the fictional television series Commander in Chief, the first to seriously engage the issue of a female US president, juxtaposing her political life with her domestic life as a working wife and mother. Analysis of gender stereotypes deployed in the family narrative suggests that family engagement may not represent a moral capital resource for this fictional female politician, undermining the audience’s ability to see her as moral capital-worthy in the political sphere. Application is made to actual female politicians in the United States.
Mastication of verruca vulgaris associated with esophageal papilloma: HPV-45 sequences detected in oral and cutaneous tissues☆☆☆★

Abstract Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are double-stranded, circular, epitheliotropic DNA viruses of which nearly 70 types have been identified. Specific HPV types exhibit a predilection to infect certain sites; however, occurrence is not unique or restricted to these sites. HPV typing may also be helpful in determining the oncogenic potential of HPV lesions. The most common HPV types, 6 and 11, are associated with benign mucosal lesions, whereas types 18, 16, 31, and 33 are thought to confer a high rate of malignant transformation. We describe a patient with both palmar verrucae and esophageal papillomatosis that proved to be HPV type 45 by polymerase chain reaction. HPV 45 has a high homology to HPV 18 and is a member of the relatively new "high-risk" mucosal HPV family in terms of cervical oncogenic potential. To our knowledge, HPV 45 has never been reported in cutaneous warts or esophageal lesions.(J Am Acad Dermatol 1997;36:853-7.)
Ensemble Modeling of Hydrologic and Hydraulic Processes at One Shot: Application to Kinematic Open-Channel Flow under Uncertain Channel Properties by the Stochastic Method of Characteristics

A stochastic kinematic wave model for open-channel flow under uncertain channel properties is developed. The Fokker-Planck equation (FPE) of the kinematic open-channel flow process under uncertain channel properties is developed by using the method of characteristics. Every stochastic partial differential equation has a one-to-one relationship with a nonlocal Lagrangian-Eulerian FPE (LEFPE). As such, one can develop an LEFPE for the governing equation of any hydrologic or hydraulic process as the physically based stochastic model of the particular process. A linear, deterministic, differential equation in Eulerian-Lagrangian form, LEFPE provides a quantitative description of the evolution of the probability density functions of the state variables of the process at one shot to describe the ensemble behavior of the process instead of the commonly used many Monte Carlo simulations to quantify the same ensemble behavior. Under certain assumptions, the nonlocal LEFPE reduces to the classical local FPE, which ...
Reasons for Living: A Brief Report

Participants in death imagery workshops and in the psychology of death and dying classes were instructed to imagine that the Supreme Being confronts them with the ultimatum: Give me three good reasons why I should allow you to continue living, otherwise your life will end now. An overwhelming majority of the reasons offered by the participants fell into three categories: Love and positive interpersonal relationships, realizing one's potentials, and appreciation of beauty.
5-Cholesten-3β,25-diol 3-sulfate Decreases Lipid Accumulation in Diet-induced Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Mouse Model

Sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) increases lipogenesis at the transcriptional level, and its expression is upregulated by liver X receptor α (LXRα). The LXRα/SREBP-1c signaling may play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We previously reported that a cholesterol metabolite, 5-cholesten-3β,25-diol 3-sulfate (25HC3S), inhibits the LXRα signaling and reduces lipogenesis by decreasing SREBP-1c expression in primary hepatocytes. The present study aims to investigate the effects of 25HC3S on lipid homeostasis in diet-induced NAFLD mouse models. NAFLD was induced by feeding a high-fat diet (HFD) in C57BL/6J mice. The effects of 25HC3S on lipid homeostasis, inflammatory responses, and insulin sensitivity were evaluated after acute treatments or long-term treatments. Acute treatments with 25HC3S decreased serum lipid levels, and long-term treatments decreased hepatic lipid accumulation in the NAFLD mice. Gene expression analysis showed that 25HC3S significantly suppressed the SREBP-1c signaling pathway that was associated with the suppression of the key enzymes involved in lipogenesis: fatty acid synthase, acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1, and glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase. In addition, 25HC3S significantly reduced HFD-induced hepatic inflammation as evidenced by decreasing tumor necrosis factor and interleukin 1 α/β mRNA levels. A glucose tolerance test and insulin tolerance test showed that 25HC3S administration improved HFD-induced insulin resistance. The present results indicate that 25HC3S as a potent endogenous regulator decreases lipogenesis, and oxysterol sulfation can be a key protective regulatory pathway against lipid accumulation and lipid-induced inflammation in vivo.
Is this a quadrisected mesh

In this paper we introduce a fast and efficient linear time and space algorithm to detect and reconstruct uniform Loop subdivision structure, or triangle quadrisection, in irregular triangular meshes. Instead of a naive sequential traversal algorithm, and motivated by the concept of covering surface in Algebraic Topology, we introduce a new algorithm based on global connectivity properties of the covering mesh. We consider two main applications for this algorithm. The first one is to enable interactive modelling systems that support Loop subdivision surfaces, to use popular interchange file formats which do not preserve the subdivision structure, such as VRML, without loss at information. The second application is to improve the compression efficiency of existing lossless connectivity compression schemes, by optimally compressing meshes with Loop subdivision connectivity. Extensions to other popular uniform subdivision schemes such as Catmull-Clark and Doo-Sabin, are relatively straightforward but will be studied elsewhere.
Management of Treatment-Related Toxicity in Advanced Ovarian Cancer

Recognition of recurrent ovarian cancer as a disease with significant secondary responses and remissions has led to an increase in the need for oncologists to plan for the long-term therapy of patients. However, many of the currently available front-line and salvage agents used in advanced ovarian cancer are associated with cumulative and/or irreversible toxicities that pose challenges in long-term planning. The irreversible effects associated with some of these therapies may render patients less tolerant to subsequent treatments and lead to a cycle of diminishing treatment options with each remission and disease relapse. Additionally, the potential for patients to experience cumulative toxicity must be carefully weighed against the goals of prolonging the disease-free interval and improving patient quality of life. A number of agents are available in the treatment armamentarium (platinum, paclitaxel, gemcitabine, etoposide, liposomal doxorubicin, and topotecan), many, but not all of which are associated with cumulative toxicity. For instance, cumulative neurotoxicity associated with cisplatin as first-line therapy may diminish the option for retreatment with platinum at first relapse. In contrast, the main toxicity associated with topotecan is noncumulative, manageable myelosuppression. In this review, the major toxicities associated with the predominant chemotherapy agents used in advanced ovarian cancer are discussed along with selected management approaches in the context of long-term treatment planning and sequencing.
Methadone for chronic non‐cancer pain in adults

Background Methadone belongs to a class of analgesics known as opioids, that are considered the cornerstone of therapy for moderate-to-severe pain due to life-threatening illnesses; however, their use in chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) is controversial. Methadone has many characteristics that differentiate it from other opioids, which suggests that it may have a different efficacy and safety profile. Objectives To assess the analgesic effectiveness and safety of methadone in the treatment of CNCP. Search methods We identified both randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-randomized studies of methadone use in chronic pain by searching the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) in The Cochrane Library 2011, issue 11, MEDLINE (1950 to November 2011), and EMBASE (1980 to November 2011), together with reference lists of retrieved papers and reviews. Selection criteria We included RCTs with pain assessment as either the primary or secondary outcome. Quasi-randomized studies, cohorts and case-control trials were also considered for inclusion because we suspected that the beneficial and harmful effects of methadone in CNCP may not be adequately addressed in RCTs. Data collection and analysis Two review authors independently extracted efficacy and adverse event data and assessed risk of bias. Main results We included two RCTs and one non-randomized study, involving a total of 181 participants. Both RCTs were cross-over studies, one involving 19 participants with diverse neuropathic pain syndromes, the other involving 76 participants with postherpetic neuralgia. Study phases were 20 days and approximately eight weeks, respectively. The non-randomized study retrospectively evaluated 86 outpatients over an average of 8.8 ± 6.3 months. One RCT reported average pain intensity and pain relief, and found statistically significant improvements versus placebo for both outcomes, with 10 mg and 20 mg daily doses of methadone. The second RCT reported differences in pain reduction between methadone and morphine and found morphine to be statistically superior. The non-randomized study found that in patients initially prescribed methadone it was effective in fewer participants than in those initially prescribed other long-acting opioids (28% versus 42%, 33% and 50% for morphine, oxycodone and transdermal fentanyl, respectively). One RCT compared incidences for several individual adverse events, but found a difference between methadone and placebo for only one event, dizziness (P = 0.041). Authors' conclusions The three studies provide very limited evidence of the efficacy of methadone for CNCP, and there were too few data for pooled analysis of efficacy or harm, or to have confidence in the results of the individual studies. No conclusions can be made regarding differences in efficacy or safety between methadone and placebo, other opioids, or other treatments.
Machine Condition Monitoring Utilizing a Novel Bispectral Change Detection

Since a damaged or abnormal-state machine often generates highly nonlinear signals, it is desirable to use a tool that can effectively detect and analyze nonlinear signatures. The bicoherence has been proposed for such nonlinear analysis since it is a measure of the phase coupling between interacting frequency components. However, the bicoherence has some difficulties in machine condition monitoring due to the challenge of distinguishing between the intrinsic nonlinear signature of a healthy machine and the nonlinear signature of a faulted machine. To address this issue, we propose a novel method exploiting the bispectral change detection (BCD) to detect and analyze the machine faults. The principal advantages of the proposed BCD method are that it can suppress the intrinsic nonlinear signature of healthy machines and emphasize the fault-induced nonlinearities. Therefore, the proposed BCD method can discriminate between fault-induced nonlinearities and intrinsic nonlinearities, and thus can be a strong and sensitive diagnostic for machine faults. The usefulness and statistical robustness of this method are demonstrated via some experimental results.
History and Historiography of the English East India Company: Past, Present, and Future!

This article explores recent developments in the historiography of the English East India Company. It proposes that there has been an efflorescence of late in scholarship on the Company that is directly tied both to the resurgence of imperial studies in British history as well as to contemporary concerns such as globalization, border-crossings, and transnationalism. These transformations have in turn begun to change some of the most basic narratives and assumptions about the Company's history. At the same time, they have also significantly widened the number and types of scholars interested in the Company, broadening its appeal beyond ‘Company studies’ to have relevance for a range of historical concerns, in British domestic history, Atlantic history, global history, as well as amongst literary scholars, geographers, sociologists, economists, and others.
Metal limitation and toxicity at the interface between host and pathogen

Metals are required cofactors for numerous fundamental processes that are essential to both pathogen and host. They are coordinated in enzymes responsible for DNA replication and transcription, relief from oxidative stress, and cellular respiration. However, excess transition metals can be toxic due to their ability to cause spontaneous, redox cycling and disrupt normal metabolic processes. Vertebrates have evolved intricate mechanisms to limit the availability of some crucial metals while concurrently flooding sites of infection with antimicrobial concentrations of other metals. To compete for limited metal within the host while simultaneously preventing metal toxicity, pathogens have developed a series of metal regulatory, acquisition, and efflux systems. This review will cover the mechanisms by which pathogenic bacteria recognize and respond to host-induced metal scarcity and toxicity.
Sedentary activity and body composition of middle school girls: the trial of activity for adolescent girls.

This study describes the relationships between sedentary activity and body composition in 1,458 sixth-grade girls from 36 middle schools across the United States. Multivariate associations between sedentary activity and body composition were examined with regression analyses using general linear mixed models. Mean age, body mass index, and percentage of body fat were 12.0 +/- 0.51, 21.1 kg/m2 +/- 4.8, 28.5 +/- 8.9, respectively. Girls averaged 7.7 +/- 1.2 sedentary hours per day and about 13 hr (approximately 97% of the day) of both sedentary and light activities. Overweight girls were significantly more (13 min; p 2 p.m.; p < .01), and less physically active (p < .0001) than normal weight girls. The study documents small but significant associations between sedentary activity and adiposity.
A Longitudinal Outcome Evaluation of a Prison-Based Sex Offender Treatment Program:

Sex offender outcome studies continue to produce mixed results. A common critique of these studies is their lack of methodological rigor. This study attempts to address this critique by adhering to the standards established by the Collaborative Outcome Data Committee (CODC) aimed at increasing the quality and confidence in outcome studies. We examined recidivism outcomes for a sample of formerly incarcerated sex offenders who participated in a state prison-based cognitive-behavioral-skills-based treatment program. We used propensity score analysis to compare treatment participants with a matched sample of non-participants. The final sample post-matching ( n = 512) was observed for a minimum of 4 years and a maximum of 14 years. Using survival analysis, findings indicate that there were no differences in recidivism rates between treatment participants and non-participants in sexual or violent crimes. However, participants demonstrated significantly lower rates of recidivism for non-violent crimes. We discuss strengths, limitations of the study, and implications of these findings.
Computing the cardinal direction development between moving points in spatio-temporal databases

In the same way as moving objects can change their location over time, the spatial relationships between them can change over time. An important class of spatial relationships are cardinal directions like north and southeast. In spatial databases and GIS, they characterize the relative directional position between static objects in space and are frequently used as selection and join criteria in spatial queries. Transferred to a spatiotemporal context, the simultaneous location change of different moving objects can imply a temporal evolution of their directional relationships, called development. In this paper, we provide an algorithmic solution for determining such a temporal development of cardinal directions between two moving points. Based on the slice representation of moving points, our solution consists of three phases, the time-synchronized interval refinement phase for synchronizing the time intervals of two moving points, the slice unit direction evaluation phase for computing the cardinal directions between two slice units that are defined in the same time interval from both moving points, and finally the direction composition phase for composing the cardinal directions computed from each slice unit pair. Finally, we show the integration of spatio-temporal cardinal directions into spatio-temporal queries as spatio-temporal directional predicates, and present a case study on the hurricane data.
CEO Outside Directorships and Firm Performance: A Reconciliation of Agency and Embeddedness Views

A debate surrounds CEO outside board service and its contribution to firm performance. Agency scholars contend CEO outside directorships constitute a form of managerial opportunism that potentially detracts from internal responsibilities, but embeddedness scholars argue that directorship ties afford access to information and resources of important strategic utility. In an effort at reconciliation, we propose and test a midrange, contingency-based model receiving strong support in analysis of more than 400 large firms. CEO outside directorships are positively related to the long-term performance of firms facing competitive constraints on growth. They also benefit strategically focused firms more than highly diversified ones.
Evaluating the Quality of a Knowledge Base Populated from Text

The steady progress of information extraction systems has been helped by sound methodologies for evaluating their performance in controlled experiments. Annual events like MUC, ACE and TAC have developed evaluation approaches enabling researchers to score and rank their systems relative to reference results. Yet these evaluations have only assessed component technologies needed by a knowledge base population system; none has required the construction of a knowledge base that is then evaluated directly. We describe an approach to the direct evaluation of a knowledge base and an instantiation that will be used in a 2012 TAC Knowledge Base Population track.
Experimental Investigation of Micro-Machinability of Nano-TiC Reinforced Inconel Fabricated by Direct Metal Laser Melting

The objective of this paper is to experimentally investigate the machinability of nano-TiC reinforced Nickel based super alloy Inconel 718 fabricated by direct metal selective laser melting (SLM). Four 10×10×3 square test coupons were fabricated with different amount of nano-TiC: (1) pure Inconel 718, (2) Inconel 718+0.25% TiC, (3) Inconel 718 + 0.5% TiC, of 508 microns. The machinability of the four materials were examined in terms of cutting forces, tool wear and chip morphology. Three level of federates (1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 um/flute) and three level of spindle speeds (12,000, 15,000 and 18,000 rpm) were selected and a 32 full factorial experiment was performed on each test coupon. Full immersion slotting was selected with a fixed axial depth of cut at 20 microns. The SEM images of the tools reveal that the dominant wear mechanisms were abrasive wear at the tool tip and flank face. The adhesion and build up edge were also common. The wear rate increases with the addition of nano-TiC. The loss of the AlTiC coating will result in accelerated wear, which was observed for machining of nano-TiC reinforced Inconel 718, but not on pure Inconel 718. The edge chipping and abrasive wear at the tool tip reduced the effective cutting diameter, enlarged the edge radius, and caused the increase of the cutting force. For all the materials tested, the cutting chips had serrated edge on the free surface and much smoother surface on the other side, which suggests that a cyclic chip formation of alternating high shear strain followed by low shear strain. This is in agreement with the chip formation mechanism for the Inconel 718 fabricated with conventional method rather than DMLS. The serration is more severe with the and (4) Inconel 718 + 1% TiC. Tensile tests were performed on all four material and the material strength increases with the increase of the TiC content up to 0.5% then plateaued. The elongation drop significantly with the inclusion of TiC in Inconel substrate. Micro-endmilling experiments were conducted using AlTiN coated WC micro-mill with nominal diameter addition of nano-TiC. The cutting forces were collected with a Kistler 3-axial load cell 9017B. The cutting forces increases with the increase spindle speed (hence surface speed) within the range examined, but the effect of feedrate is not statistically significant. The cutting forces were much higher for TiC reinforced Inconel and the magnitude of the cutting forces increases with the increase of the weight percentage of TiC contents.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Structural analysis of the tongue and hyoid apparatus in a woodpecker.

Abstract Woodpeckers avoid brain injury while they peck at trees up to 20 Hz with speeds up to 7 m/s, undergoing decelerations up to 1200 g. Along with the head, beak and neck, the hyoid apparatus (tongue bone and associated soft tissues) is subjected to these high impact forces. The shape of the hyoid apparatus is unusual in woodpeckers and its structure and mechanical properties have not been reported in detail. High-resolution X-ray micro-computed tomography and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy were performed and correlated with nanoindentation mapping. The hyoid apparatus has four distinct bone sections, with three joints between these sections. Nanoindentation results on cross-sectional regions of each bone reveal a previously unreported structure consisting of a stiff core and outer, more compliant shell with moduli of up to 27.4 GPa and 8.5 GPa, respectively. The bending resistance is low at the posterior section of the hyoid bones, indicating that this region has a high degree of flexibility to absorb impact. These new structural findings can be applied to further studies on the energy dissipation of the woodpecker during its drumming behavior, and may have implications for the design of engineered impact-absorbing structures. Statement of Significance Woodpeckers avoid brain injury while they peck at trees, which results in extreme impact conditions. One common adaptation in woodpeckers is the unusual shape of the elongated tongue, also called the hyoid apparatus. The relationship between the structure and mechanical properties of the bony part of the hyoid apparatus has not been previously reported. A three dimensional model of the bony tongue was developed, and the hardness and stiffness were evaluated. A new type of bone structure, which is opposite of typical skeletal bone structure was found. The combined microstructural and mechanical property analysis indicate possible energy absorption routes for the hyoid apparatus and are applicable to the design of engineered structures.