cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Are those streetpeople part of the new poor, too? Toward an applied sociology of social problems

This paper proposes an applied sociology of social problems that encompasses concern with the definition of problems and the conditions defined as problematic. The literature on applied sociology focuses on social problems, but exhibits no concern with the social definition of problems, an issue that should be of primary concern according to the constructionist perspective on social problems. I propose an applied research orientation that is capable of assessing the definition of a problem as well as describing the condition defined as problematic. I illustrate the proposed orientation by discussing an applied study of the people who inhabit the streets in Santa Cruz, California. The study succeeded in redefining those people as streetpeople instead of as transients, but not as part of the new poor. The paper considers the implications of assessing the definition of a problem for policy development, the factors that constrain the redefinition of a problem, and other issues of general relevance. The paper concludes by underscoring the importance of definitional processes and politics, and indicating the prospects of an applied sociology of social problems.
Growth and Characterization of Layered Structures of Silicon Carbide and Aluminum Nitride

Heterostructures of SiC and AlN in either sequence, AlN on SiC or SiC on AlN, were grown on Si, Al2O3, and 6H-SiC substrates by (metalorganic) chemical vapor deposition (CVD). On Si substrates, a SiC layer was first grown by a two-step technique and an AlN layer was deposited subsequently. On other substrates, an AlN layer was first grown, followed by SiC deposition. Multi-layered structures (SiC/AlN/SiC) were also produced to demonstrate the ability of heteroepitaxy of SiC and AlN on each other. AlN grown on 3C-SiC were highly oriented polycrystalline films. AlN films on 6H-SiC, SiC films on A1N/Al2O3, and SiC films on AlN/6H-SiC were single crystal. In the latter two cases, the SiC films were in hexagonal structure. These SiC films were smooth and specular in appearance and showed n-type conductivity.
Urinary phthalate metabolite concentrations and blood glucose levels during pregnancy.

Abstract Purpose To examine associations between phthalate metabolite urinary concentrations during early pregnancy and blood glucose levels obtained at the time of screening for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Methods Upon initiation of prenatal care, women with a mean gestational age of 12.8 weeks were recruited for a study of environmental chemical exposures (n = 110) and provided a spot urinary specimen. Blood glucose concentrations (mg/dl) were obtained from the electronic medical record for those patients who did not experience a pregnancy loss and did not transfer care to another facility prior to glucose screening (n = 72). Urinary concentrations of nine phthalate metabolites and creatinine were measured at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Associations between tertiles of phthalate metabolites concentrations and blood glucose levels were estimated using linear regression. Results Compared to pregnant women in the lowest concentration tertile, women with the highest urinary concentrations (≥3rd tertile) of mono-iso-butyl phthalate (tertile: ≥15.3 μg/l, β = −18.3, 95% CI: −35.4, −1.2) and monobenzyl phthalate (tertile: ≥30.3 μg/l, β = −17.3, 95% CI: −34.1, −0.4) had lower blood glucose levels at the time of GDM screening after adjustment for urinary creatinine and demographic covariates. Conclusion Because maternal glucose levels increase during pregnancy to provide adequate nutrition for fetal growth and development, these findings may have implications for fetal health. However, given the limitations of our study, findings should be interpreted cautiously.
Yet Another Role? The Teacher as Researcher.

(1991). Yet Another Role? The Teacher as Researcher. Action in Teacher Education: Vol. 13, Frameworks for Translation Research into Practice, pp. 7-13.
Effects of aberrations on spatially modulated Fourier transform spectrometers

Spatially modulated Fourier transform spectrometers (FTS) have a throughput advantage over dispersive spectrometers, since an FTS does not require a slit in order to achieve spectral resolution. The traditional implementation of FTSs employs a scanning Michelson interferometer, but since this interferometer is temporally modulated, it is difficult or impossible to use with a target whose spatial and/or spectral signature is changing rapidly. The less common spatially modulated approach to FTS allows all spectral channels to be acquired simultaneously, but cylindrical optics are required to create an imaging version of this type of spectrometer [an imaging fourier transform spectrometer (IFTS)]. This combination of cylindrical and spherical optics, used to achieve both spectral and spatial resolution, increases the difficulty of understanding and controlling the aberrations. An understanding of the effects of these aberrations is essential to developing a spatially modulated IFTS with good spectral and spatial resolution. A spatially modulated IFTS based on a Sagnac interferometer is described, and the effects of aberrations on the spectral resolution, spatial resolution, and modulation are discussed.
Role of Identification with a Group, Arousal, Categorization Processes, and Self-Esteem in Sports Spectator Aggression:

Previous attempts to account for the occurrence of spectator aggression have employed one of the long-standing theories of aggression (i.e., instinctual theories, drive reduction models, and the social learning perspective). While support for some aspects of these theories has been documented, a comprehensive analysis of the phenomenon might direct research to more fruitful avenues. Such an analysis is proposed in this review. In addition to incorporating well-documented concepts such as physiological arousal and modeling, this new viewpoint includes the motivational aspects of team or group identification, the cognitive component of categorization, and the esteem-enhancing consequences of aggressive behavior. A model of the variables leading to spectator aggression is presented, and it is contrasted with prior theoretical viewpoints. Public policy implications for aggression reduction among sports spectators are discussed.
The effects of long-term caging and molt of Single Comb White Leghorn hens on heterophil to lymphocyte ratios, corticosterone and thyroid hormones

Two commercial strains of 18-wk-old Single Comb White Leghorn (SCWL) hens, HyLine W-36 and DeKalb XL, were housed six hens per cage in layer cages at two densities (361 and 482 cm2 per bird) with two replications each per strain and density combination. The high density treatment contained 24 hens per replication, and the low density treatment contained 18 hens per replication. Egg production was measured during the first egg production cycle, a molt (fast) period, and the first 4 wk of the second lay cycle (20 to 68 wk of age). Blood samples were obtained from six hens from each replicate in each strain and density combination (total of 48) at 20, 26, 34, 43, 51, 62, 64, and 68 wk of age. In addition, blood samples were obtained in a random order from hens in each cage, and the sequence of sampling was recorded (1 to 6). Blood smears were made, from which heterophil to lymphocyte ratios (H:L) were determined. Radioimmunoassays were conducted to determine levels of plasma corticosterone (CS), 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3), and thyroxine (T4). The results indicated that strain did not affect percentage hen-day egg production (%HDP). Strain and cage density did not affect H:L, T3, T4, or CS. However, these parameters were affected by bird age, which was related to the egg production cycle. Plasma CS significantly (P < or = 0.001) increased during peak %HDP at 26 wk and 64 wk during the molt (fast), and H:L significantly (P < or = 0.001) increased during the molt (fast) at 64 wk. The sequence in which blood samples were obtained, from hens within a cage in sampling order, also increased plasma CS. The CS was significantly (P < or = 0.001) elevated in the third, fifth, and sixth hens from which blood samples were drawn. Plasma T3 and T4 changed during the production cycle. The T3 was significantly (P < or = 0.0001) depressed during peak egg production at 26 wk and during the molt (fast) at 64 wk when compared with the other time periods. Plasma T4 was depressed (P < or = 0.0001) at 51 wk and was elevated (P < or = 0.0001) at 64 wk during the molt (fast). The physiological and metabolic parameters of the different hen strains and cage densities were similar during egg production. However, CS, T3, T4, and H:L changed with age in relation to the egg production cycle. In addition, the physiological demands of peak egg production and molt (fast) appeared to be similar.
Edge effect enforced boundary element analysis of multilayered transmission lines

An improved boundary element method (BEM) for the calculation of the capacitance matrix in a multiconductor transmission line structure is presented, where the edge singularities of the charge and current near the corners of the cross-sections of the signal lines are embedded in the basis functions. The new method demonstrates improved accuracy and enhanced computational efficiency in comparison to previous methods. The results for the new algorithm are compared with those for other approaches presented in the literature. >
Gravity Anomalies and Inferred Crustal Structure in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea

Gravity data in the eastern Mediterranean area have been compiled from Woods Hole Oceanographic cruises of the R/V Chain in 1964 and 1966, and supplemented by other shipboard and land measurements. Over most of the area, free-air anomalies are negative and Bouguer anomalies are consistently lower, by 50 to 100 mgal, than in the western Mediterranean. Broad negative free-air anomalies (−80 to −240 mgal) and low positive Bouguer anomalies (0 to 80 mgal) follow an arcuate zone, concave northward, south of Crete from western Greece to the Rhodes abyssal plain. Relatively high anomalies (free-air anomaly as high as −60 mgal and Bouguer anomaly of +100 to +140 mgal) centered over the Anaximander seamounts separate the arcuate low south of Crete from a similar trend south of Cyprus that gradually becomes less distinct toward northern Syria. Cyprus is characterized by free-air anomalies greater than 100 mgal, Bouguer anomalies of from +100 to +250 mgal, and some of the world9s largest positive isostatic anomalies (as great as +173 mgal). A crustal-structure model was constructed for a profile south from Turkey, approximately along long. 31°E., toward Egypt. The simulated structure showed a range in depth to the top of the mantle from 23 km beneath the outer margin of the Nile Cone to 34 km beneath the axis of the Mediterranean Ridge. A free-air anomaly gradient of about −1.2 mgal/km to the north over the southern margin of the Mediterranean Ridge corresponds to a downward slope on the crust-mantle interface of about 7° to the north. The thickening of the crust by almost 50 percent north of 34°N. is interpreted as largely due to underthrusting of Mediterranean crust beneath Cyprus, the Anaximander Mountains, and Turkey. A concomitant thick accumulation of sediment may have further downwarped the crust beneath the Mediterranean Ridge.
Causality of Current Environmental Change in Tropical Landscapes

Disjunctions in scale, effect, and direction of forcing are characteristic of how global environmental change alters and interacts with landscapes in regards to land cover, ecosystem services, biodiversity, and sustainable land use. Many effects are subtle, indirect, or best characterized as thresholds, wherein change at first modest is followed by abrupt shifts in rate or mode. In the tropics, global climate and atmospheric processes are changing aspects of natural and utilized landscapes, with consequences already discernable for the practices and goals of land use and of biodiversity conservation. The coupled human-biophysical systems are interconnecting in new ways through globalized movements of information, commodities, and people. An expectation of heterogeneity, asymmetries, and discordances in causality and repercussions provides a useful and holistic analytical framework to evaluate change in tropical landscapes and elsewhere.
Monomethyl Ether of Stilbestrol and Menopausal Syndrome

Many natural and synthetic Compounds are estrogenic, but until recently only the natural compounds have been used clinically. Diethyl stilbestrol represents the first synthetic compound of acceptable clinical value. Since it is a well-known fact that the derivatives of a compound may possess properties enhancing its clinical uses over that of the original, many derivatives of stilbestrol have been studied by Geschickter and Byrnes (1), and by Dodds, Lawson and Noble (2). It has been found that increasing the length of the side chain of stilbestrol decreases the potency, and esterification with aliphatic acids decreases potency but gives a more prolonged estrus. Sondern, Sealey and Kartsonis (3) and Geschickter and Byrnes (1) have studied the estrogenic effects of dimethyl, diethyl, and dipropyl ethers of stilbestrol giving the ratio of activity as 1:5:10:33. Geschickter and Byrnes (1) have found that the monomethyl ether was as potent as diethylstilbestrol and more potent than estrone.
A New Osteophyte Segmentation Algorithm Using the Partial Shape Model and Its Applications to Rabbit Femur Anterior Cruciate Ligament Transection via Micro-CT Imaging

Osteophyte is an additional bony growth on a normal bone surface limiting or stopping motion at a deteriorating joint. Detection and quantification of osteophytes from computed tomography (CT) images is helpful in assessing disease status as well as treatment and surgery planning. However, it is difficult to distinguish between osteophytes and healthy bones using simple thresholding or edge/texture features due to the similarity of their material composition. In this paper, we present a new method primarily based on the active shape model (ASM) to solve this problem and evaluate its application to the anterior cruciate ligament transaction (ACLT) rabbit femur model via micro-CT imaging. The common idea behind most ASM-based segmentation methods is to first build a parametric shape model from a training dataset and then apply the model to find a shape instance in a target image. A common challenge with such approaches is that a diseased bone shape is significantly altered at regions with osteophyte deposition misguiding an ASM method and eventually leading to suboptimum segmentations. This difficulty is overcome using a new partial-ASM method that uses bone shape over healthy regions and extrapolates it over the diseased region according to the underlying shape model. Finally, osteophytes are segmented by subtracting partial-ASM-derived shape from the overall diseased shape. Also, a new semiautomatic method is presented in this paper for efficiently building a 3-D shape model for an anatomic region using manual reference of a few anatomically defined fiducial landmarks that are highly reproducible on individuals. Accuracy of the method has been examined on simulated phantoms while reproducibility and sensitivity have been evaluated on micro-CT images of 2-, 4- and 8-week post-ACLT and sham-treated rabbit femurs. Experimental results have shown that the method is highly accurate (R\bm 2=0.99), reproducible (ICC = 0.97), and sensitive in detecting disease progression (p values: 0.065, 0.001, and <;0.001 for 2 weeks versus 4 weeks, 4 weeks versus 8 weeks, and 2 weeks versus 8 weeks, respectively).
Unanticipated Consquences of Turning Sentencing Factors into Offense Elements: The Apprendi Debate

The Supreme Court's recent opinion in Apprendi v. New Jersey requires the government to prove sentencing factors to a jury beyond a reasonable doubt if such factors increase the maximum potential penalty. In effect, such sentencing factors will be treated as elements of the offense. This article questions a central assumption implicit in Apprendi's own argument and in the Supreme Court's decision: that proving sentencing factors to a jury at trial will benefit defendants. The article highlights a number of unintended consequences of treating sentencing factors as offense elements. Defendants will find themselves in the unenviable position of having to choose between maintaining their innocence and mitigating guilt at trial. Bifurcating fact-finding is not a workable or principled solution to this dilemma. Plea bargaining will become more complicated as "fact bargaining" joins "charge bargaining," undermining the fundamental goal of proportionality. Legislatures may be tempted to draft around the new constitutional rule by transforming the flexibility in sentencing from a process of ratcheting up to ratcheting down. Instead of allowing aggravating circumstances to increase punishment, the legislature might set the initial penalty for an offense at a higher level and allow only downward adjustments through opportunities to mitigate. But insofar as this strategy systematically shifts burdens of proof onto defendants, it will invite further constitutional challenges and hence more uncertainty.
Lessons from Indonesia's 1980 trawler ban

Abstract In 1980 the Indonesian government imposed a ban on trawling along the Malacca Straits and off the north coast of Java, the nation's two most important fishing grounds. The ban on trawling was extended nation-wide in 1981, effectively eliminating a highly productive type of fishing gear and the most important source of shrimp for the lucrative international market. The political nature of this decision and factors contributing to what has proven to be effective enforcement are discussed. Data on the Malacca Straits and the north coast of Java are used to assess the consequences of the trawler ban on the demersal fisheries. Prior to the trawler ban, little or no growth occurred in numbers of fishers, numbers of small-scale demersal gear, or landings by small-scale demersal gear. After 1980, however, small-scale demersal fisheries experienced dramatic growth, generating significant new employment opportunities but raising anew serious resource management problems.
Asymptotically Pointwise Optimal Change Detection in Multiple Channels

Abstract A Bayesian multichannel change-point detection problem is studied in the following general setting. A multidimensional stochastic process is observed; some or all of its components may experience changes in distribution, simultaneously or not. The loss function penalizes for false alarms and detection delays, and the penalty increases with each missed change-point. For wide classes of stochastic processes, with or without nuisance parameters and practically any joint prior distribution of change-points, asymptotically pointwise optimal (APO) rules are obtained, translating the classical concept of Bickel and Yahav to the sequential change-point detection. These APO rules are attractive because of their simple analytic form and straightforward computation. An application to a multidimensional autoregressive time series is shown.
Clinal variation in stomatal characteristics of an Arctic sedge, Eriophorum vaginatum (Cyperaceae)

 Premise of the study: In a large reciprocal transplant experiment, Eriophorum vaginatum tussocks transplanted along a latitudinal gradient in Alaska’s interior exhibited genetic differentiation and phenotypic plasticity for vegetative traits. Using the same tussocks 30 yr later, we used estimates of growing season temperature at each site to ask whether there was a climatic cline for stomatal density, size, and conductance.  Methods: We created impressions of the abaxial leaf surfaces of the transplanted individuals for viewing under a microscope and measured stomatal density (SD) and length (SL) for 224 individuals. We used SD and SL to estimate stomatal conductance ( C ). Separate one-way analyses of variance were performed to quantify the effect of population genetic differences and latitudinal environmental variation on stomatal characteristics.  Key results: Our data suggest that stomatal size was infl uenced by both genetics and environment and that plasticity for stomatal density produced highest densities at the coolest sites. Stomatal conductance increased with decreasing temperature of site from which the populations originated.  Conclusions: Our results demonstrate a cline in stomatal conductance in E. vaginatum , with some ability of populations to plastically produce an appropriate phenotypic response in a new environment. Because the species is a dominant species in many arctic plant communities, its ability to produce an appropriate stomatal phenotype and to optimize water use effi ciency by decreasing stomatal conductance in warmer environments could affect both community composition and total primary productivity in future, warmer climates.
Identification of pathogenic fungi with an optoelectronic nose

Human fungal infections have gained recent notoriety following contamination of pharmaceuticals in the compounding process. Such invasive infections are a more serious global problem, especially for immunocompromised patients. While superficial fungal infections are common and generally curable, invasive fungal infections are often life-threatening and much harder to diagnose and treat. Despite the increasing awareness of the situation's severity, currently available fungal diagnostic methods cannot always meet diagnostic needs, especially for invasive fungal infections. Volatile organic compounds produced by fungi provide an alternative diagnostic approach for identification of fungal strains. We report here an optoelectronic nose based on a disposable colorimetric sensor array capable of rapid differentiation and identification of pathogenic fungi based on their metabolic profiles of emitted volatiles. The sensor arrays were tested with 12 human pathogenic fungal strains grown on standard agar medium. Array responses were monitored with an ordinary flatbed scanner. All fungal strains gave unique composite responses within 3 hours and were correctly clustered using hierarchical cluster analysis. A standard jackknifed linear discriminant analysis gave a classification accuracy of 94% for 155 trials. Tensor discriminant analysis, which takes better advantage of the high dimensionality of the sensor array data, gave a classification accuracy of 98.1%. The sensor array is also able to observe metabolic changes in growth patterns upon the addition of fungicides, and this provides a facile screening tool for determining fungicide efficacy for various fungal strains in real time.
Treatment of refractory kidney transplant ureteral strictures using balloon cautery endoureterotomy.

Objectives. To report our long-term clinical results with the use of endoureterotomy in patients undergoing renal transplant with a minimum follow-up of 23 months. Methods. Six renal transplant patients developed persistent ureteral obstruction demonstrated by elevated serum creatinine levels, renal ultrasound, and antegrade pyelography. Stent placement and balloon dilation were performed as the initial therapy in all patients. Persistent ureteral obstruction was managed with balloon cautery endoureterotomy. Ureteral stents were removed cystoscopically 6 weeks after the procedure. Results. Four men and 2 women, mean age 45 years (range 38 to 54), underwent eight procedures: six by way of an antegrade percutaneous approach and two in an endoscopic retrograde fashion. The sites of ureteral stricture were ureterovesical junction (n = 4), ureteropelvic junction (n = 1), and midureteroureteral (n = 1). Two patients required a second endoureterotomy 3 months after the first attempt. Patients were followed up for a mean of 27 months (range 23 to 34). The mean serum creatinine level for all patients at follow-up was 2.6 mg/dL (range 1.6 to 3.9), including a mean serum creatinine level of 1.8 mg/dL (range 1.6 to 1.9) for nonrejected kidneys and a mean of 3.4 mg/dL (range 2.5 to 3.9) in those found to have concurrent rejection. Overall, five (63%) of eight procedures were successful in 5 (83%) of 6 patients. No intraoperative complications occurred and no blood transfusions were required. Conclusions. Balloon cautery endoureterotomy was successful in this select group of renal transplant patients with persistent ureteral strictures after initial balloon dilation and stenting failed. This modality proved durable to 27 months of follow-up without significant complications.
Patient-Centered Culturally Sensitive Health Care Trend or Major Thrust in Health Care Delivery?

In this reaction article to the Major Contribution, the merits and challenges of implementing patient-centered culturally sensitive health care, or cultural competence plus, are explicated. Three themes are addressed: separate but equal?, factoring in mental health, and sharing the load. The need to refine the conceptualization of the two distinct, yet converging, components of patient-centered culturally sensitive health care is stressed to assure appropriate implementation, evaluation, and acceptance of this innovative system of care. More focus on mental, rather than physical, health is advocated. Multidisciplinary collaboration is accented, as counseling psychologists contemplate engaging in the implementation of patient-centered culturally sensitive health care. The value of patient-centered culturally sensitive health care for the reduction of health disparities is underscored.
All-optical signal encoder-decoder for secure communications

Direct sequence spread spectrum (DS/SS) is often employed for non-centralized multiple access, and an added degree of system security in coherent optical communications. With advances in coherent optical processing using Spatial- Spectral Holographic (SSH) Devices, it is possible to implement an all optical encoder/decoder for M-ary phase shift keying DS/SS. We address the issue of code selection of length N code sequences drawn from an alphabet consisting of M unit length phasers and designed for a multiuser environment. The codes are selected using very fast simulated re-annealing based on the criterion of minimizing the periodic auto and cross correlation sidelobes. The all optical implementation is discussed.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Prevalence and distribution of Listeria monocytogenes inlA alleles prone to phase variation and inlA alleles with premature stop codon mutations among human, food, animal and environmental isolates

In Listeria monocytogenes, 18 mutations leading to premature stop codons (PMSCs) in the virulence gene inlA have been identified to date. While most of these mutations represent nucleotide substitutions, a frameshift deletion in a 5' seven-adenine homopolymeric tract (HT) in inlA has also been reported. This HT may play a role in phase variation and was first identified among L. monocytogenes lineage II ribotype DUP-1039C isolates. In order to better understand the distribution of different inlA mutations in this ribotype, a newly developed multiplex real-time PCR assay was used to screen 368 DUP-1039C isolates from human, animal, and food-associated sources for three known 5' inlA HT alleles: (i) wild-type (WT) (A7), (ii) frameshift (FS) (A6), and (iii) guanine interruption (A2GA4) alleles. Additionally, 228 DUP-1039C isolates were screened for all inlA PMSCs; data on the presence of all inlA PMSCs for the other 140 isolates were obtained from previous studies. The statistical analysis based on 191 epidemiologically unrelated strains showed that strains with inlA PMSC mutations (n = 41) were overrepresented among food-associated isolates, while strains encoding full-length InlA (n = 150) were overrepresented among isolates from farm animals and their environments. Furthermore, the A6 allele was overrepresented and the A7 allele was underrepresented among food isolates, while the A6 allele was underrepresented among farm and animal isolates. Our results indicate that genetic variation in inlA contributes to niche adaptation within the lineage II subtype DUP-1039C.
Using tuberculosis patient characteristics to predict future cases with matching genotype results.

Setting: United States. Background: It is unknown whether tuberculosis (TB) case or patient characteristics can predict the likelihood of future related TB cases. Objective: To estimate the likelihood for future related cases, i.e., cases with matching TB genotypes within the same county diagnosed within the 2 years following the year of reporting of each included case. Design: We considered all TB cases with genotyping results reported in the United States during 2004–2010. Predictive scores were calculated based on patient characteristics by dividing the number of patients who were not the last case in a county-level TB genotype cluster by the total number of patients. Results: Overall, there was a 30.8% chance that a future related case would be detected during the 2 years following the report year of any given case. Future related cases were detected in 34.7% of instances following the diagnosis of smear-positive cases, 51.9% of instances following the diagnosis of a homeless patient and 45.2% of instances following the diagnosis of a patient who reported substance abuse. Predictive scores ranged by race (White 13.9%, Native Hawaiian 43.8%) and age group (⩾65 years 13.1%, 0–4 years 43%), and were higher for US-born patients. Conclusions: Behavioral and sociodemographic factors can help predict the likelihood of future related cases and can be used to prioritize contact investigations.
High-resolution seismic reflection profiling: An aid for resolving the Pleistocene stratigraphy of a buried valley in central Illinois, USA

High-resolution seismic reflection (HRSR) data acquired over the Pesotum Bedrock Valley in central Illinois, USA, helped construct the seismic stratigraphy of a valley fill and the overlying sediments. Integrating these data with drilling and borehole geophysics allowed us to develop a seismo-stratigraphic classification for sediments on undulating and folded bedrock. Seven seismo-stratigraphic units that overlie the bedrock surface were characterized. Seismic units A and B include glacial sediments of multiple Pleistocene glaciations above the Pesotum Bedrock Valley, which completely mask the feature. Seismic units C–F, the valley fill, primarily include tills and glacial lake sediment deposited during the earliest Pleistocene glaciations and preglacial alluvium and colluvium that is draped over in situ weathered bedrock. The preservation of conformable-lying glacial and preglacial deposits and paucity of sand and gravel in the buried valley strongly indicate that little or no incision by glacial meltwaters has occurred. These observations contrast markedly with interpretations from buried valleys elsewhere in North America and northern Europe where valley fills contain significant deposits of sand and gravel in tunnel valleys. The HRSR data assisted the characterization and analysis of heterogeneous sedimentary sequences over a buried valley where existing subsurface information was limited. The extent of Pleistocene-age glacial lakes is inferred from the lateral continuity of silt and clay units.
INSECT STINGS AND BITES: DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT AND PREVENTION.

Insect bites and stings may cause local infections or severe reactions or give rise to systemic reactions which may prove fatal in highly susceptible persons. Stings of honeybees and fire ants are of more clinical importance than those of other insects because of the severe allergic phenomena which they sometimes produce.Treatment of most bites and stings is directed toward controlling itching and preventing secondary infections. Antibiotics and steroids are used in severe infections. Allergic patients stung by hymenopterous insects must be treated immediately.
Overlapping coverage with bilateral shaft based vascularized dartos pedicle in Snodgrass hypospadias repair

Objective To introduce a new technique for urethral coverage in Snodgrass hypospadias repair,and to evaluate its effectiveness and complications.Methods From April 2003 to February 2006, this new procedure was performed in 289 children with hypospadias aged 3 months to 12 years (mean age,2. 4 years).The native meatus of urethra was identified subcoronal in 78 cases,penile/shaft in 136,penoscrotal in 36 and scrotal in 16;and 23 cases had undergoneⅡstage operation and re-operation.The overlapping coverage with bilateral shaft based vascularized dartos pedicle was done in the new urethra by Snodgrass hy- pospadias repair in these children.Results All the cases were followed for 3 months to 2 years.Postoper- atively,urinary fistulas developed in 32 cases (11%).Of them,11 were cured spontaneously within 4 weeks. The incidence of actual urinary fistula was 7% (21/289).Of the 21 fistulas which were not cured,11 (5%) occurred in 214 cases of distal hypospadias;and 10 (13%) in 75 cases of proximal hypospadias,Ⅱstage and re-operation.No dehiscence and diverticulum was found.Combined with mucosal collar technique,the ventral skin of the penis was sewn on the midline.During the follow-up,excellent cosmetic results with normal-ap- pearing circumcised penis were achieved in most patients.Conclusions Bilateral shaft based vascularized dartos pedicle urethral coverage procedure is a reliable and effective method for preventing urethral cutaneous fistulas and dehiscence.This method can reconstruct a satisfactory cosmetic appearance of the penis.
An Analysis on the Influencing Mechanisms of Ethical Leadeship: A Social Exchange Perspective

Through surveying 280 employees in Beijing district and adopting the framework of social exchange,this paper investigates the influencing process of ethical Leadership from a perspective of leader-member dyadic relationship.The major findings show that:(1) ethical leadership positively relates to employees' work attitudes and work outcomes;(2) LMX partially mediates the relationship between ethical leadership and employees' work attitudes;and(3) organizational justice plays a positive moderating role between ethical leadership and employees' work attitudes and organizational citizenship behavior.
Hospital ship doctrine in the United States Navy : The Halsey effect on scoop-and-sail tactics

Although hospital ships have a long history, naval strategists have paid little attention to their tactical employment in naval and amphibious warfare. Often employed as floating ambulances, operational doctrine for hospital ships did not permit their use as floating combat surgical hospitals until the final amphibious campaigns of World War II. Based on operational archives-ships' logs, war diaries, battle plans, and other official records-this essay traces the evolution of tactical doctrine on hospital ships from Guadalcanal to Inchon. Early in World War II, there were insufficient hospital ships to permit much flexibility in their employment. By the Philippine campaign in 1944, the increased availability of afloat medical assets prompted Third Fleet Commander Vice Admiral William F. Halsey to propose that the ships be used as acute surgical hospitals at the amphibious landing sites rather than as sea-going ambulances. Facing the prospect of a growing number of casualties for the major assaults being planned, Halsey needed to maximize medical and surgical efficacy and return-to-duty rates to conserve the fighting strength of his invasion forces. Admiral Chester A. Nimitz approved Halsey's proposal, and the battle plan at Iwo Jima combined the careful triage of casualties at the waterfront with early, forward employment of hospital ships. Despite more than 21,000 casualties at Iwo Jima, they were handled better than at any previous operation in the Pacific theater. The tactical doctrine for hospital ships suggested by Halsey has since been employed in every major amphibious operation, including Okinawa and Inchon, and has also been used in modern-era contingency and humanitarian missions.
The Use of Antithrombotic Therapy in the Elderly

The elderly are predisposed to atherosclerosis and venous thrombosis, the conditions for which anticoagulants are used. Anticoagulants can be used safely in the elderly with little or no more risk of bleeding than exists in younger patients. The prescribing physician must know the mechanism of drug action, be attentive to potential side effects, and monitor drug activity adequately. The authors emphasize the oral anticoagulants and heparin because, in general, their use is associated with a greater degree of risk and more clearly defined benefits than would apply for the antiplatelet agents.
Tendon-Driven Variable Impedance Control Using Reinforcement Learning

Biological motor control is capable of learning complex movements containing contact transitions and unknown force requirements while adapting the impedance of the system. In this work, we seek to achieve robotic mimicry of this compliance, employing stiffness only when it is necessary for task completion. We use path integral reinforcement learning which has been successfully applied on torque-driven systems to learn episodic tasks without using explicit models. Applying this method to tendon-driven systems is challenging because of the increase in dimensionality, the intrinsic nonlinearities of such systems, and the increased effect of external dynamics on the lighter tendon-driven end effectors. We demonstrate the simultaneous learning of feedback gains and desired tendon trajectories in a dynamically complex sliding-switch task with a tendon-driven robotic hand. The learned controls look noisy but nonetheless result in smooth and expert task performance. We show discovery of dynamic strategies not explored in a demonstration, and that the learned strategy is useful for understanding difficult-to-model plant characteristics.
Outward Foreign Direct Investment from China: Recent Trend and Development

Along with the economy transition and industry upgrading in China, the outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) activities by Chinese enterprises have been steadily increasing during recent years. This study investigates the current status and the underlying motivations for Chinese firms to enter foreign markets. We discuss relevant economic policies that drive the recent trend of OFDI from China. The efforts by the Chinese government to promote innovations and cross-border economic collaboration paved the way for more OFDI opportunities in the future.
Stable Metal-Organic Frameworks: Design, Synthesis, and Applications.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are an emerging class of porous materials with potential applications in gas storage, separations, catalysis, and chemical sensing. Despite numerous advantages, applications of many MOFs are ultimately limited by their stability under harsh conditions. Herein, the recent advances in the field of stable MOFs, covering the fundamental mechanisms of MOF stability, design, and synthesis of stable MOF architectures, and their latest applications are reviewed. First, key factors that affect MOF stability under certain chemical environments are introduced to guide the design of robust structures. This is followed by a short review of synthetic strategies of stable MOFs including modulated synthesis and postsynthetic modifications. Based on the fundamentals of MOF stability, stable MOFs are classified into two categories: high-valency metal-carboxylate frameworks and low-valency metal-azolate frameworks. Along this line, some representative stable MOFs are introduced, their structures are described, and their properties are briefly discussed. The expanded applications of stable MOFs in Lewis/Bronsted acid catalysis, redox catalysis, photocatalysis, electrocatalysis, gas storage, and sensing are highlighted. Overall, this review is expected to guide the design of stable MOFs by providing insights into existing structures, which could lead to the discovery and development of more advanced functional materials.
Do different salience cues compete for dominance in memory over a daytime nap

Information that is the most salient and important for future use is preferentially preserved through active processing during sleep. Emotional salience is a biologically adaptive cue that influences episodic memory processing through interactions between amygdalar and hippocampal activity. However, other cues that influence the importance of information, such as the explicit direction to remember or forget, interact with the inherent salience of information to determine its fate in memory. It is unknown how sleep-based processes selectively consolidate this complex information. The current study examined the development of memory for emotional and neutral information that was either cued to-be-remembered (TBR) or to-be-forgotten (TBF) across a daytime period including either napping or wakefulness. Baseline memory revealed dominance of the TBR cue, regardless of emotional salience. As anticipated, napping was found to preserve memory overall significantly better than remaining awake. Furthermore, we observed a trending interaction indicating that napping specifically enhanced the discrimination between the most salient information (negative TBR items) over other information. We found that memory for negative items was positively associated with the percentage of SWS obtained during a nap. Furthermore, the magnitude of the difference in memory between negative TBR items and negative TBF items increased with greater sleep spindle activity. Taken together, our results suggest that although the cue to actively remember or intentionally forget initially wins out, active processes during sleep facilitate the competition between salience cues to promote the most salient information in memory.
Introduction To Emulsion Polymerization

Emulsion polymerization is a heterogeneous free-radical process in which the kinetic events take place simultaneously in more than one phase. The following four mechanisms for particle nucleation have been discussed: micellar, homogeneous, coagulative, and in miniemulsion droplets. The roles of surfactants in determining the latex particle number are outlined.
CRIME DOES NOT CAUSE PUNISHMENT: The impact of sentencing policy on levels of crime

If countries can learn from one another, South Africa can learn from the experiences of other countries that have re-organised their sentencing systems in recent decades. South Africa’s correctional system has many similarities to America’s – seriously overcrowded prisons, sentences that are too long, stark disparities, and therefore injustices, in sentences received for comparable crimes. American solutions – mandatory minimums, prison terms measured in decades not years – have neither reduced crime rates nor made streets safer. Nor will they in South Africa. Comparisons of countries with very different sentencing policies and punishment practices – Canada versus the United States, Finland versus the rest of Scandinavia, England versus Scotland – show that sentencing and punishment have little discernible effect on crime trends and patterns. Crime trends and patterns in most developed countries move in broad parallel, irrespective of national punishment policies.
Proximal Iliotibial Band Syndrome in a Runner: A Case Report

Overuse injuries of the hip are frequent among runners and often present a diagnostic dilemma requiring imaging modalities beyond radiographs, delayed diagnosis, and prolonged time away from sport and activity. We report a case of a 38-year-old female recreational runner with progressive lateral hip pain and magnetic resonance imaging findings of edema along the gluteal aponeurotic fascia and origin of the tensor fascia lata muscle consistent with the diagnosis of enthesopathy of the proximal iliotibial band. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: V.
Relationships between IT department culture and agile software development practices: An empirical investigation

Abstract IT department culture has been widely recognized as an important factor that influences the adoption of agile practices. Yet, the research pertaining to the relationship between IT department culture and agile practices usage remains underexplored. This study proposes and tests the relationships between four competing cultural forms and two types of agile practices - social and technical. The findings contribute to the extant literature by integrating the competing values model of culture into the literature on factors affecting agile development at the IT department level.
HEALTH RISK BEHAVIORS AFTER NATURAL DISASTER EXPOSURE AMONG OLDER ADULTS

Purpose: To examine the association between exposure to disaster and health risk behaviors among older adults. Methods: Federal Management Agency disaster declarations were matched to self-reported behaviors for participants aged 55+ in the Health and Retirement Study 2000–2014. Vigorous physical activity, change in body mass index and current cigarette smoking were examined as outcome variables. Logistic regression was used to evaluate differences in binary outcomes (physical activity, cigarette smoking) by disaster exposure status. Multinomial logistic regression was used to assess difference in categorical outcomes (change in body mass index). Results: 59,473 individuals (mean age 69 years) were included in this study. Sixty percent of respondents were exposed to one or more disasters during the study period. Those who experienced disaster were significantly more likely to gain weight (RRR=1.19, p<.01) in unadjusted analyses. With all covariates added, the model remained significant (RRR=1.21, p<.01). Vigorous physical activity was significantly less likely among the older adults who experienced disaster compared to those who did not (OR=.89, p=.001; AOR=.84, p<.01). We did not find a significant difference in the current smoking status between those who experienced disaster and those who did not (OR=.96, p=.40; AOR=.99, p=.92). Conclusion: Greater risk of limited physical activity and of weight gain was associated with exposure to natural disaster. The acute disruption of a disaster may adversely influence health behaviors, contributing to worse health among older adults. A broader set of interventions, beyond the traditional focus on immediate injury and psychological trauma, are needed.
The Early Days of Fintech Lending

While digitization and online technologies had long been available, innovation in small business lending was slow. This chapter traces the first wave of fintech lending to small businesses, recounting the rich history of the early disruptors and how they addressed, with technology, some of the longstanding frictions in the traditional small business lending market. This fueled a “wild west” period, featuring hundreds of new entrants. But the expected acceleration of the new markets never occurred; instead, they hit nasty bumps in the road, propelled in part by poor decisions and the fact that incumbent banks possessed important competitive advantages—access to many loyal customers and low-cost capital in the form of deposits. The dinosaurs woke up and new technology companies entered, creating a new landscape of potential market winners.