cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 2074: Global systolic Left Ventricular Circumferential and Longitudinal Strain and Strain Rate in Dobutamine Stress Echocardiography

Objective: Strain (S) and Strain Rate (SR) are new techniques for assessment of systolic function of Left Ventricle (LV). Speckle tracking has been used to assess the segmental S and SR of the LV. Global LV systolic S and SR may be helpful to assess patients with Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD) and Cardiomyopathies. Our objective was to assess the change in global longitudinal and circumferential S and SR during Dobutamine Stress Echocardiography (DSE) in patients who had normal stress echocardiograms. Methods: Digitally stored images of 41 patients with normal DSE (normal regional wall motion at rest and with stress) were analyzed using Syngo Velocity Vector Imaging (VVI) software (Siemens Medical Solutions). No patient had significant valve disease or a history of IHD. Short axis (SAX) and apical 4-chamber (A4C) views were analyzed at rest, 10 (low dose) and 40mcg/kg/min (peak dose). Global circumferential and longitudinal S and SR were obtained by averaging the S and SR of the different segments in SAX and A4C views at each stage. Results: The mean age was 64 ± 13 yrs. Ejection fraction was 64 ± 4%. The group achieved 85 ± 10% of predicted maximum heart rate. In the SAX view, the global circumferential S increased from −21.69% at rest to −23.61% at low dose (p Conclusions: Global circumferential and longitudinal S showed a significant increase from rest to low dose, but not from low to peak dose. This suggests that the ionotropic effects of Dobutamine are more important at lower doses whereas at higher doses, the chronotropic effects predominate. Global S and SR may have an incremental value in the interpretation of DSE in patients with IHD and cardiomyopathies and may serve as an index to assess LV systolic function.
Precipitation kinetics of dilute Cu-W alloys during low-temperature ion irradiation

Abstract The kinetics of W precipitation in dilute Cu-W alloys during room temperature irradiation is investigated using in situ electrical resistivity measurements and transmission electron microscopy. For a series of alloys with W concentrations varying from ∼1 at.% to 6 at.%, resistivity measurements show that high dose irradiation leads to steady-state solubility values which are concentration dependent, while electron microscopy shows that the precipitate structures are stabilized at high doses at a size of about 2 nm. These steady states are independent of the initial alloy microstructure: whether it is a solid solution or it contains large W precipitates within the Cu matrix. The effective tracer impurity diffusion coefficient of W in Cu in energetic displacement cascades is determined by in situ electrical resistivity measurements on multilayer structures of alternating Cu/W layers, yielding a value of 2.1 nm2/dpa. These multilayer structures are observed to undergo significant interfacial roughening during irradiation, showing signs of transforming from a 2-dimensional to 3-dimensional structure under prolonged irradiation. A model based on a dynamical competition between recoil mixing and thermal spike diffusion is proposed to explain these various results; it is implemented in kinetic Monte Carlo simulations.
Dual functional star polymers for lubricants

Star-shaped poly(alkyl methacrylate)s (PAMAs) with a three arm architecture were designed, prepared and their performance as a dual additive (viscosity index improver and friction modifier) for engine oils was evaluated. Furthermore, the structure–property relationships between the macromolecular structure and lubricant performance were studied, such as molecular weight and polarity effects on the viscosity index. Several co-polymers of dodecylmethacrylate with polar methacrylates in various amounts and various topologies, were synthesized as model compounds. Star polymers with a polar content of at least 10% in a block or tapered block topology effectively reduced the friction coefficient in both mixed and boundary lubrication regimes. However, a polar content of 20% was efficient in reducing friction in both random and block topologies.
Higher-order bandwidth bounds for conductor-backed planar arrays

Higher-order Fano matching bandwidth bounds are derived for free-standing dipole array elements over a conducting ground plane. It is based on low-frequency plane wave scattering by the array. Unlike in previously known bounds, the new higher-order bounds incorporate the effect of element details via static polarizabilities, unit cell dimensions, and the scan angle as well as array thickness. Explicit relations satisfied by the bandwidth are presented and numerically tested using tightly-coupled dipole elements.
Evolution of a Nursing Model for Identifying Client Needs in a Disaster Shelter: A Case Study with the American Red Cross

From the time of Clara Barton, Red Cross nursing has had a key role in the care and support of persons affected by disasters in the United States. Hurricane Katrina and other events brought to light the need for a shelter model that was inclusive of the whole community, including persons with disabilities, at-risk and vulnerable populations, and children. From an intake process to a nursing model for assessment, an evidence-guided process informed a systematic approach for a registered nurse-led model of care.
Patent Remedies: Recommendations for International Best Practices

This paper provides the text of a lecture I presented at Doshisha University in Kyoto, Japan in June 2015 on patent remedies. In the lecture, I present a set of “best practices” intended to better align the enforcement of patent rights with what the theoretical and empirical analysis of these rights suggests would be optimal. Among the topics I touch upon are the conditions under which injunctions must or should be granted; the forms of monetary relief the should be available; the principles that should guide the calculation of monetary relief; and the circumstances, if any, under which should nations award enhanced damages, attorneys’ fees, and interest. I argue that, at the end of the day, there will still be a good deal of healthy diversity among jurisdictions with regard to these issues. But if we can reach tentative agreement that certain practices are indefensible, or at least questionable, from an economic perspective — or even if we only can narrow the range of defensible options — we would have a set of global enforcement practices that might better serve the public interest.
Pain Neuroscience Education: State of the Art and Application in Pediatrics

Chronic pain is a widespread problem in the field of pediatrics. Many interventions to ameliorate pain-related dysfunction have a biobehavioral focus. As treatments for chronic pain (e.g., increased movement) often stand in stark contrast to treatments for an acute injury (e.g., rest), providing a solid rationale for treatment is necessary to gain patient and parent buy-in. Most pain treatment interventions incorporate psychoeducation, or pain neuroscience education (PNE), as an essential component, and in some cases, as a stand-alone approach. The current topical review focuses on the state of pain neuroscience education and its application to pediatric chronic pain. As very little research has examined pain neuroscience education in pediatrics, we aim to describe this emerging area and catalyze further work on this important topic. As the present literature has generally focused on adults with chronic pain, pain neuroscience education merits further attention in the realm of pediatric pain in order to be tailored and implemented in this population.
Learning And Predicting Individual Preferences In Multicriteria Decision Making With Neural Networks Vs. Utility Functions

This paper reports an empirical investigation into the performance of neural network technique vs. traditional utility theory-based method in capturing and predicting individual preference in multi-criteria decision making. As a universal function approximator, a neural network can assess individual utility function without imposing strong assumptions on functional form and behavior of the underlying data. Results of this study show that in all cases, the predictive ability of neural network technique was comparable to the multi-attribute utility theory-based models.
Threshold Photoneutron Cross Section for Be 9

The ${\mathrm{Be}}^{9} (\ensuremath{\gamma},n) {\mathrm{Be}}^{8}$ cross section was measured as a function of photon energy from less than 1 to about 40 keV threshold, by the threshold photoneutron technique. The cross section rises sharply to a maximum of 1.6 mb at 6 keV above threshold and then decreases slowly to 1.2 mb at 40 keV. An attempt was made to fit these data, and earlier data obtained from monoenergetic $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-ray source measurements, with a curve of the Breit-Wigner form in order to examine the possibility that the shape of the cross section is influenced primarily by a single level near threshold. The results show that such a curve is inadequate to explain the data, and thus indicate that a more complex theory and even better data are needed to understand fully the nature of the cross section near threshold for the ${\mathrm{Be}}^{9}(\ensuremath{\gamma},n)$ reaction.
Cognitive Behavior Therapy as Psychodynamics Revisited

For some time it has been apparent that the cognitive behavior therapy movement was to be the basis of rapprochement between psychodynamic and behavior therapy. Goldfried’s most welcome paper, on which I am to comment here, leaves no doubt about this, although the trend is also clear in the writings of many others who claim a cognitive behavior therapy identity. I, for one, am happy with this, since I have never believed in the theoretical or practical soundness of the traditional “either/or” mentality characteristic of so-called scientific psychology. I am also pleased that Goldfried, and I hope others as well, are coming to the conclusion that I am not one of the “bad guys” merely because of a stereotypical link with psychoanalysis or psychodynamics which, among arch behaviorists, seem to be dirty words. It can be fun to play good guys and bad guys, but it is the kind of fun that belongs better in “Star Wars” than in sophisticated clinical thought that tries to deal with that most complex and stubbornly difficult-to-comprehend species, homo sapiens. Anyway, let it be said at the outset that I agree with the general thrust of Goldfried’s conceptualization of psychotherapy as coping skills training, and with the idea that a client’s thoughts are functional keys to emotion and how life is managed.
Integrating Spirituality into MFT Training: A Reflexive Curriculum and Qualitative Evaluation

When clients enter the therapy room they bring unique spiritual beliefs and values in with them; however, marital and family therapists (MFTs) often lack training to assist in this important area of diversity. Current training recommendations encourage therapists to explore their own spirituality to identify personal limitations that may occlude positive client outcomes; however very little information exists on the implementation and usefulness of this type of training. This article will describe a curriculum and report results from a qualitative study of students who participated in a reflexive spirituality practicum course offered in a COAMFTE accredited doctoral program at a private, religious institution. Through this, we hope to provide a training model to further spiritual integration activities in MFT.
Reduction of Muscle Contractions during Irreversible Electroporation Therapy Using High-Frequency Bursts of Alternating Polarity Pulses: A Laboratory Investigation in an Ex Vivo Swine Model

Abstract Purpose To compare the intensity of muscle contractions in irreversible electroporation (IRE) treatments when traditional IRE and high-frequency IRE (H-FIRE) waveforms are used in combination with a single applicator and distal grounding pad (A+GP) configuration. Materials and Methods An ex vivo in situ porcine model was used to compare muscle contractions induced by traditional monopolar IRE waveforms vs high-frequency bipolar IRE waveforms. Pulses with voltages between 200 and 5,000 V were investigated, and muscle contractions were recorded by using accelerometers placed on or near the applicators. Results H-FIRE waveforms reduced the intensity of muscle contractions in comparison with traditional monopolar IRE pulses. A high-energy burst of 2-μs alternating-polarity pulses energized for 200 μs at 4,500 V produced less intense muscle contractions than traditional IRE pulses, which were 25–100 μs in duration at 3,000 V. Conclusions H-FIRE appears to be an effective technique to mitigate the muscle contractions associated with traditional IRE pulses. This may enable the use of voltages greater than 3,000 V necessary for the creation of large ablations in vivo.
RECONSTITUTION OF THE ELLIPSOID ZONE WITH TOCILIZUMAB IN AUTOIMMUNE RETINOPATHY.

PURPOSE To demonstrate improvement and stabilization of retinal findings, including recalcitrant cystoid macular edema, in a patient with nonparaneoplastic autoimmune retinopathy after treatment with tocilizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody against soluble and membrane-bound IL-6 receptor. METHODS Observational case report. A 46-year-old woman was diagnosed with nonparaneoplastic autoimmune retinopathy and followed over 4 years on various immunosuppressive medications with worsening disease and recalcitrant cystoid macular edema. This report describes the rapid improvement and stabilization of her ocular disease once tocilizumab was initiated. RESULTS Tocilizumab, a monoclonal antibody against the IL-6 receptor, was initiated at a dose of 8 mg/kg every 4 weeks. Cystoid macular edema was significantly decreased after just two infusions and nearly resolved after five infusions. Ellipsoid zone and outer retinal integrity also improved on optical coherence tomography. The patient tolerated the medication with limited side effects. CONCLUSION Long-term immunosuppression is the cornerstone of treatment for nonparaneoplastic autoimmune retinopathy, although success is highly variable. We report a case treated with tocilizumab with dramatic improvement in refractory macular edema and reconstitution of the ellipsoid zone on optical coherence tomography in a patient with nonparaneoplastic autoimmune retinopathy. This case highlights the potential role of treatment with an IL-6 inhibitor in autoimmune retinopathy though further studies are needed.
Intestinal infarction by internal hernia in Petersen’s space after laparoscopic gastric bypass

Intestinal infarction by internal hernia in Petersen’s space after laparoscopic gastric bypass
The Modulation of Memory by Sleep

As critical as waking brain function is to cognition, an extensive literature now indicates that sleep supports equally important, different, yet complementary operations. This article will consider recent and emerging findings implicating sleep, and specific sleep-stage physiology, in the modulation, regulation, and even preparation of memory processes. First, evidence for the role of sleep in memory processing will be discussed, principally focusing on declarative memory. Second, at a neural level, several mechanistic models of sleep-dependent plasticity underlying these effects will be reviewed, with a synthesis of these features offered that may explain the ordered structure of sleep, and the orderly evolution of memory stages. Third, accumulating evidence for the role of sleep in associative memory processing will be discussed, suggesting that the long-term goal of sleep may not be the strengthening of individually memory items, but instead, their abstracted assimilation into a schema of generalized knowledge.
Bloom Filter-Based Ad Hoc Multicast Communication in Cyber-Physical Systems and Computational Materials

This article presents an efficient ad hoc multicast communication protocol for next-generation cyber-physical systems and computational materials. Communication with such systems would be gestural, and when cells within such materials detect a motion, they would share that information with each other. We want to achieve efficient communication among only the group of nodes that sense a particular (gestural) event. Our approach is to employ a Bloom filter-based approach to label the multicast group with an approximate error-resilient multicast tag that captures the temporal and spatial characteristics of the sensor group. A Bloom filter is a space-efficient probabilistic data structure that is used to test whether an element is a member of a set. We describe our Bloom filter-based multicast communication (BMC) protocol, and report simulation results.
Pay to the Order of Whom?—The Case of the Ambiguous Multiple Payee Designation

An instrument is often made payable to multiple payees either jointly or in the alternative and for a variety of reasons. If jointly, the issuer is likely more concerned about the discharge of his obligation to all payees rather than the proper distribution of the proceeds. If made payable in the alternative, the issuer is not concerned with who actually obtains payment. However, expression of the issuer's intent is not always clear on the face of the instrument, causing ambiguity as to whom is required to endorse it. Because determining the issuer's intent is not controlled by the use of "and" or "or," the ambiguity results in litigation, frustration of the issuer's probable intent, curtailment of the rights of payees, and uncertainty in the proper application of Article 3 of the Uniform Commercial Code (U.C.C.). This article provides the first comprehensive analysis of the ambiguous multiple payee issue. The article begins with the historical development of multiple payee designations. Following, the author analyzes cases addressing the multiple payee issue, and subsequently critiquing the 1989 change made to the relevant U.C.C. sections. The article concludes with a proposal for a U.C.C. amendment which would resolve the ambiguous payee designation dilemma.
VirtualCruiseTour: An AR/VR Application to Promote Shore Excursions on Cruise Ships

This work presents VirtualCruiseTour, an AR/VR-based application dedicated to ship cruises’ guests for the promotion of organized shore excursions. It can be exploited also in travel agencies to showcase future customers the sites of interest that can be visited during the cruise. The AR module allows augmenting a map showing the cruise route, the ship current position and the ports in which the liner will stop. Tapping one of the port (or the ship), the user is shown more details about the shore excursions organized for that stop (or the ship facilities) and has the chance to experience the site of interests watching 360° pictures or videos either in an immersive (VR) or non-immersive mode. A pilot study to validate the application as a marketing tool is foreseen. The experiment evaluates the customers’ purchase intentions and their knowledge of the product in comparison to traditional marketing media (web sites and brochures). Preliminary results of the study conducted enrolling nine participants are presented and discussed.
Development of Curricular Milestones for Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship Training in the U.S.

Abstract Context A physician workgroup of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine sought to define curricular milestones (CMs) for hospice and palliative medicine (HPM) Fellowship Programs. The developed list of CMs would serve as components upon which to organize curriculum and standardize what to teach during training. These would complement entrustable professional activities previously developed by this group and new specialty-specific reporting milestones (RMs) for HPM developed through the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. Objectives The objective of this study was to develop and vet CMs for HPM fellowships in the U.S. Methods A draft of CMs was developed through an iterative consensus group process with repeated cycles of drafting, analyzing, and revising by a broadly representative expert workgroup who then gained input from HPM educators at a national meeting workshop. The CM draft was subsequently revised and then vetted through a national survey to 203 fellowship educators. Respondents were asked to "keep," "revise," or "exclude" each proposed CM with space for comments. An agreement of 75% among respondents was set as the criteria a priori for keeping a CM. Eighty-four of the 203 potential respondents participated in the survey. All items met the minimum agreement level of 75% or greater recommending keeping the CM. Greater than 85% of the respondents agreed to keep 19 of the 22 CMs with no revisions. Comments for revisions on other CMs were primarily related to changes in language and formatting, not conceptual underpinnings. Conclusion A group consensus method strengthened by inclusion of a national survey to HPM fellowship educators resulted in a CM document that is both carefully developed and broadly vetted. Along with entrustable professional activities and new specialty-specific RMs, these CMs offer educators and trainees tools to create more comprehensive curricula and behaviorally based assessment tools for HPM fellowships and their stakeholders.
Influence of dry salting on quality attributes of farmed kelp (Alaria esculenta) during long-term refrigerated storage

Abstract Fresh, farmed Alaria esculenta was subjected to dry salting at a range of salt concentrations (0–200 g/kg). The quality of salted, refrigerated product was assessed over a 90 day shelf life. Microbial quality was unchanged during storage, with aerobic mesophile, lactic acid bacteria and coliform counts all remaining below 3.5 log CFU/g regardless of salt level. No textural differences due to treatment or storage time were detected. Instrumental color differences including significant decreases in Hunter a* and b* values indicate that the kelp became less yellow during storage, with increasing salt concentrations imparting a greener color to the product. Sensory analysis of seaweed salad prepared with salted product demonstrated a consumer preference for products produced with a higher (180 vs. 50 g/kg) level of salt. Dry salting is a low input process for preservation of fresh kelp that yields an acceptable product with up to 90 days of refrigerated shelf life.
The Influence of Humor and Spirituality on the Resiliency of Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Older adults are confronted with many distinct challenges, which require the use of various coping mechanisms to maintain psychological balance, including humor and spirituality (Bonanno et al., 2012; Koenig, 2012). This study examined the influence of humor and spirituality on resiliency of 156 (age 60 years and older) community-dwelling members of an Osher Lifelong Learning Institute located in the western region of the United States who completed a pen and paper and electronic newsletter surveys. The majority of the sample used humor to cheer themselves when feeling depressed, were amused by the absurdities of life, used humor to feel better and to cope with problems, and believed their humorous outlook prevented them from being upset or depressed. Almost three-quarters of the sample looked to a spiritual force for strength, support, and guidance, 58% worked together with a spiritual force and less than 39% thought about how their lives were part of a larger spiritual force. In the final hierarchical regression model (F (5, 143, = 8.895, p .000), only spirituality (beta = -.238, p < .001) and humor (beta = .444, p < .000) were statistically significant; whereas age, gender and living with another were not statistically significant. The findings suggests that humor along with spirituality are two internal resources that promote resiliency in older adults. Humor infused in informal interactions and planned activities as well as spiritual support may contribute to the promotion and enhancement of resiliency in community-dwelling older adults.
CT as a Functional Imaging Technique

As the growing human population continues to age, there is an increasing incidence of chronic diseases, such as cancer and coronary artery disease. Traditionally, conditions such as these have required multimodality imaging (i.e., CT, MRI, PET/CT, and ultrasound) to both initially diagnose and monitor for response after initiation of therapy. However, the wide availability, growing technologic advances, and ongoing research have allowed for CT to leap forward from a modality traditionally grounded in purely anatomic imaging to one with the capability of yielding clinically relevant functional information on par with that of other radiologic exams. In this chapter, we provide an overview of CT sub-modalities and applications highlighting and placing emphasis on how CT imaging can transition from a merely anatomic to a functional imaging modality.
VISTA: Coming of age as a multi‐lineage immune checkpoint

The immune response is governed by a highly complex set of interactions among cells and mediators. T cells may be rendered dysfunctional by the presence of high levels of antigen in the absence of co-stimulation while myeloid cells may be programmed towards an immunosuppressive state that promotes cancer growth and metastasis while deterring tumor immunity. In addition, inhibitory programs driven by immune checkpoint regulators dampen anti-tumor immunity. The ideal cancer immunotherapy treatment will improve both cross-priming in the tumor microenvironment and relieve suppression by the inhibitory checkpoints. Recently, blockade of programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) and cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) has elicited impressive results, but not in all patients, so additional targets are under investigation. V-set immunoglobulin domain suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA) is a novel immunoregulatory receptor that is broadly expressed on cells of the myeloid and lymphoid lineages, and is frequently implicated as a poor prognostic indicator in multiple cancers. Importantly, antibody targeting of VISTA uniquely engages both innate and adaptive immunity. This, combined with the expression of VISTA and its non-redundant activities compared to other immune checkpoint regulators, qualifies VISTA to be a promising target for improving cancer immunotherapy.
Substantial Carbohydrate Hydrolase Activities in the Water Column of the Guaymas Basin (Gulf of California)

The Guaymas Basin spreading center situated in the Gulf of California is characterized by a thick layer of organic-rich sediments that are thermally altered by hydrothermal fluids, thereby providing a bottom water source of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) to the water column. The potential for heterotrophic microbial communities in the water column to metabolize this organic matter source has not yet been investigated, however. In order to assess heterotrophic potential in the water column of the Guaymas Basin, we measured the activities of carbohydrate-hydrolyzing extracellular enzymes at the chlorophyll maximum, the oxygen minimum, the deep-water turbidity plume, and bottom waters. These measurements were carried out using water obtained from repeat CTD casts over the course of a week, and from bottom water collected by HOV Alvin at hydrothermally active areas with extensive chemosynthetic microbial mats. Repeat measurements at subsurface depths were very comparable across sampling dates and CTD casts. Exo-acting (terminal-unit-cleaving) monosaccharide hydrolase activities were typically higher in deeper waters than in surface waters, despite colder temperatures. In bottom water, the spectrum of endo-acting (mid-chain-cleaving) polysaccharide hydrolase activities was broader than at shallower depths. The high enzyme activities in Guaymas Basin bottom waters indicate an unusually active heterotrophic community that is responding to influx of DOC and nutrients into bottom waters from the hydrothermally affected sediments, or to the availability of chemosynthetically produced biomass.
Reenacting Shakespeare in the Shakespeare aftermath: The intermedial turn and turn to embodiment

Thomas Cartelli’s provocative and erudite new book is a wide-ranging study of the diverse media objects that exist as what he terms the Shakespearean aftermath. In addition to what we might more co...
Aspirations and Economic Behavior

This article reviews the literature on aspirations in economics, with a particular focus on socially determined aspirations. The core theory builds on two fundamental principles: (a) Aspirations ca...
Multimodal imaging integrating structural and functional information

This study aims to create a neurofeedback system and observe whether wearing this system assists participants in consciously changing their state of mind. Brainwaves are produced by synchronized electrical pulses from masses of neurons communicating with each other. Through the use of a Neurosky Electroencephalogram (EEG) biosensor, we can detect the brainwaves that result from neuron activity. Attention and meditation levels are two significant examples of brain activity that are reflected by the human body. Our neurofeedback system can monitor attention and meditation levels that humans are normally unable to sense. The Arduino-medium-developed program records brainwaves as attention and meditation values (eSense meter value). In addition, we constructed a vibration system that provided realtime notification to notify participants when their state of relaxation or concentration changed. With appropriate training, users of the neurofeedback system can develop strategies to control their state of mind successfully. [4]
CHAPTER 1 – Set Theory

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses set theory of discrete mathematics. A set is a collection of distinguishable objects sharing some common feature that qualifies them for membership in the set. The objects comprising a set are called members of the set or elements of the set. Two sets are equal if and only if they have the same members. Formulary notation specifies the feature common to elements of a set. A family—class, collection—of sets is a set whose elements are themselves sets. Families of sets are denoted by script letters. If A and B are sets, then A is included in B, written as A ⊆ B, if and only if each member of A is a member of B. It is noted, B includes A, written as B ⊇A, is synonymous with A ⊆ B. If A ⊆ B, then A is a subset of B and B is a superset of A. If A ⊆ B and there exists an object x such that x ∈ B, x ∉ A, then A is a proper subset of B, written as A ⊂ B. If A ⊆ B does not hold, then it is written as A ⊈ B. The family of all subsets of a set A is the power set of A, symbolized by ζ (A) or 2A.
A River in the City of Fountains: An Environmental History of Kansas City and the Missouri River

Review of: A River in the City of Fountains: An Environmental History of Kansas City and the Missouri River, by Amahia Mallea
Equal Rights and the Experience of Military Justice for African American Soldiers

This chapter uses courts-martial records to examine how black Civil War soldiers vigorously refuted past lives as slaves now to claim rights as freedmen and citizens. Black mutineers sought to change laws which distinguished between white and black people and to bring ofﬁcial legal practices into conformity with their vision. Black soldiers turned the court-martial into an important way station on the road to freedom and citizenship, even where it punished those who violated military law. Besides revealing a surprising level of due process, general courts-martial records show the extent to which black soldiers situated themselves as American citizens by opposing discrimination, defying legal precedents that failed to acknowledge their equality, and advancing their interpretation of legal meanings and practices. Moreover, the experiences black troops, including many former slaves, had in courts-martial proceedings helped to shape their postwar agenda of legal change. Once in the courtroom, black soldiers encountered, often for the ﬁrst time, the concepts of the rule of law, equality before the law, and due process protection, all of which were very different from arbitrary discipline under slavery and on plantations. Courts-martial in the army provided black soldiers with an unexpected, and neglected, encounter with core ideas that helped inform their demands during Reconstruction for color-blind justice as a component of American citizenship and their sense that the law could serve as a bulwark to protect their newfound freedom and changed status. This chapter is part of a book that examines in greater detail the politics of African American citizenship during the Civil War era and how experiences in the military, such as the successful protest by black soldiers against the Union army's original plan to pay them less then white troops, shaped a postwar political movement that helped influence legal change during Reconstruction.
Subjective scaling of mental workload in a multi-task environment

Those factors in a multi-task environment that contribute to the operators' "sense" of mental workload were identified. The subjective judgment as conscious experience of mental effort was decided to be the appropriate method of measurement. Thurstone's law of comparative judgment was employed in order to construct interval scales of subjective mental workload from paired comparisons data. An experimental paradigm (Simulated Multi-Task Decision-Making Environment) was employed to represent the ideal experimentally controlled environment in which human operators were asked to "attend" to different cases of Tulga's decision making tasks. Through various statistical analyses it was found that, in general, a lower number of tasks-to-be-processed per unit time (a condition associated with longer interarrival times), results in a lower mental workload, a higher consistency of judgments within a subject, a higher degree of agreement among the subjects, and larger distances between the cases on the Thurstone scale of subjective mental workload. The effects of various control variables and their interactions, and the different characteristics of the subjects on the variation of subjective mental workload are demonstrated.
Race, work, and desire in American literature, 1860-1930

Race, Work and Desire analyses literary representations of work relationships across the colour-line from the mid-nineteenth century to the early twentieth century. Michele Birnbaum examines inter-racial bonds in fiction and literary correspondence by black and white authors and artists - including Elizabeth Keckley, Frances E. W. Harper, W. D. Howells, Grace King, Kate Chopin, Langston Hughes, Amy Spingarn and Carl Van Vechten - exploring the way servants and employers, doctors and patients, and patrons and artists negotiate their racial differences for artistic and political ends. Situating these relationships in literary and cultural context, Birnbaum argues that the literature reveals the complexity of cross-racial relations in the workplace, which, although often represented as an oasis of racial harmony, is in fact the very site where race politics are most fiercely engaged. This study productively complicates current debates about cross-racial collaboration in American literary and race studies, and will be of interest to scholars in both literary and cultural studies.
Knowledge extraction from construction cost databases using fuzzy queries

Construction business abandons in data, such as: prices of individual work items, site productivity data, details on construction materials, and similar, that are used to estimate the works and offer services, at contractor's side, or evaluate construction alternatives and decide on money spending, at owner's side. Such a wealth of data is usually queried using rudimentary tools, producing plain spreadsheet-like reports, such as bills of quantities and lists of materials. Improvements in handling of existing hisorical data, especially cost data, would result in better knowledge extraction during estimating and could generally enhance the quality of construction project management.Construction estimating and evaluation of technology options are not always based on fully determined database queries. Therefore, "flexible" queries such as: "retrieve materials with 'good daily output' and 'acceptable cost'" are likely to be utilized on a historical cost database. Flexible queries are not possible in standard relational databases and there is no such command in SQL relational database language that can be used to retrieve materials with "good daily output" or "acceptable cost". Instead, relational query must state bottom limit for daily output and top limit for acceptable material cost.A standard relational construction cost estimating database has been created, with all necessary functions required by the modern construction practice. In order to enable usage of so-called linguistic variables in queries, relational cost data model has than been extended with concepts from fuzzy theory. User interface has been created in a transparent manner, so software may be used by professionals and alike without knowledge on fuzzy concepts. All extensions to data model have been implemented using standard relational database language, as both relational data model and fuzzy sets are based on theory of sets.Extended data model has been tested on a large construction project to simulate expert's reasoning and provide automated professional advice to the user. Results matched expert's opinion and model proved to be useful knowledge extraction tool in construction estimating practice.
Explicit Construction of The Lax-Levermore Minimizer for the KdV Zero Dispersion Limit

There has been a great deal of interest recently (Krichever [3], Potemin [5] Kudashev and Sharapov [2]) in constructing solutions of the Whitham [9] averaged system of modulation equations through an implicit construction proposed by Tsarev [7] For a certain class of ramp-like initial data, Tian [6] has constructed the global solution of the Whitham equations which matches at the phase transition boundaries to the characteristic solution of the inviscid Burgers’ equation for the given initial data.
Xen-OSCAR for cluster virtualization

New virtualization solutions such as Xen allow users to execute hundreds of virtual machines on a single physical machine. The interest of these solutions have been proven for system isolation and security features, especially for Internet Service Providers (ISPs), as well as for high performance computing. A natural question is to know if it is possible to use all these virtual machines at the same time, creating a virtual cluster. This might be an interesting solution for the development and the experimentation of cluster applications. This document presents an extension of OSCAR for the deployment and the management of Xen virtual machines. We also analyze in this paper the interest of virtualization for the development, the testing and the experimentation of applications for clusters, in particular with the use of a fully virtualized cluster.
Segregation coefficient of impurities at polycrystalline Si/HfO2 interfaces

Abstract We evaluated the segregation coefficient m of B, P, and As at the polycrystalline Si/HfO 2 interface. The m values of B, P, and As are between 0.3 and 1 and are similar to that of B at the polycrystalline Si/SiO 2 interface. The m value of P at the polycrystalline Si/SiO 2 interface is around 1000, and this high value largely keeps P from penetrating the thin gate SiO 2 . Therefore, the penetration of B, P and As through a poly-Si/HfO 2 layer is expected to be significant since the diffusion coefficients of P and As in HfO 2 are also high, making the use of a cover layer indispensable for p + and n + polycrystalline silicon gate devices.
Molecular analysis of the gene encoding α-lytic protease: evidence for a preproenzyme

Abstract A 1.7-kb EcoRI fragment containing the structural gene for α-lytic protease has been cloned from Lysobacter enzymogenes 495 chromosomal DNA: the first example of a gene cloned from this organism. The protein sequence deduced from the nucleotide sequence encoding this serine protease matches the published amino acid sequence [Olson et al., Nature 228 (1970) 438–442] precisely. Sequence analysis and S 1 mapping indicate that, like subtilisin [e.g. Wells et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 11 (1983) 7911–7925] α-lytic protease is synthesized as a pre-pro protein (41 kDa) that is subsequently processed to its mature extracellular form (20 kDa). This first finding of a large N-terminal protease precursor in a Gram-negative bacterial protease strengthens the hypothesis that large precursors may be a general property of extracellular bacterial proteases, and suggests that the N- or C-terminal location of the precursor segment may be significant.
Response bias in the measurement of salesperson orientations: The role of impression management

Abstract Impression management has long been recognized as a form of response distortion in the self-reported attributes and attitudes of salespersons and job applicants. In this study we examine whether measures of salesperson orientations may be susceptible to this self-enhancing response bias. Salesperson orientations examined include customer and selling orientations, and sales learning and performance orientations. Characteristics of these response biases include extreme responses to job desirable items, low construct reliability, low predictive validity, and a factor structure in which job-desirable items form a common factor. The analysis of a survey of pharmaceutical salespersons suggests self-enhancing responding may be a problem in the measurement of salesperson orientations. We identify steps that firms and researchers can take to identify self-enhancing responses.
Electro-textiles for Body Worn Integrated Silicon Solutions

The integration of single chip wireless transceiver and electro-textile antennas enables a novel diversity wearable antenna system that can optimize a wireless communication link. Compared to current diversity schemes on small form factor handheld platforms, the on clothing diversity gives significant reception advantages. The details of system implementation are discussed with an overview of state-of-art system-on-chip (SOC) and system-on-package (SOP) solutions. The limitations of current integrated/embedded antennas are addressed with the comparison of electro-textile wearable antennas. Both increased efficiency of the body-worn antennas and significant diversity gains are demonstrated to increase the received signal on a commercial platform. Through an indoor WLAN reception measurement, we demonstrate how diversity gain can be improved through body-worn antenna system as compared to current embedded solutions
Cellular distribution of cholesterogenesis-linked, phosphoisoprenylated proteins in proliferating cells.

A set of isoprenylated proteins has been detected in rapidly proliferating, suspension-grown murine lymphoma cells. Our evidence indicates that all of these isoprenylated proteins are phosphorylated. Subsequent to a 24 h incubation with mevinolin to deplete the intracellular mevalonate (MVA) level, cells were incubated with [3H]MVA and/or 32Pi and both total cell and subcellular fraction proteins were resolved via 1- and 2-D gel electrophoresis, then assessed via subsequent autoradiography. The phospho-isoprenylated proteins comprise a set spanning a molecular mass range of 21–69 kDa and all dispay acidic pI. MVA-derivatized proteins of 21–24 kDa, which consist of multiple isoforms, are present in both cytosolic and nuclear fractions. Larger phospho-isoprenylated protein species (44–69 kDa) are specifically localized within the nucleus, where applicable extraction protocols indicate that they are part of or closely affiliated with the nuclear matrix-intermediate filament (NM-IF) components. The localization of the 69 kDa prenylated species within the NM-IF fraction, together with evidence of its phosphorylation, supports recent indications that this protein is the nuclear matrix component lamin B.
Measurement of Left Ventricular Wall Thickness and Mass by Echocardiography

Echocardiographic measurements of minor axis and wall thickness and calculations from these two measurements of left ventricular end-diastolic volume and mass were performed in 24 patients and compared with angiocardiographic measurements of the same variables in corresponding patients. The echo-measured left ventricular end-diastolic chamber dimension (D d ) correlated closely with the angiographic minor axis in the AP plane (correlation coefficient 0.87 and se ± 0.45 cm) and with the minor axis from the lateral film (r = 0.91, se ±0.39 cm). Similar correlations were found between measurements by these methods of wall thickness (r = 0.89, se ±1.3 mm), of end-diastolic volume (r = 0.94, se ±30.6 cc), and of left ventricular mass (r = 0.88, se ±49.19 g). The reproducibility of this method was established by independent recordings and measurements of echo Polaroid films by two observers. The percent systolic wall thickening, as determined by echocardiography, identified subjects with ejection fractions greater or less than 0.50. Echocardiography offers a reliable and reproducible method for measuring left ventricular wall thickness and mass. Finally, ultrasound may provide an accurate method for measuring systolic wall thickening in man.
Genetic Information, Non-Discrimination, and Privacy Protections in Genetic Counseling Practice

The passage of the Genetic Information Non Discrimination Act (GINA) was hailed as a pivotal achievement that was expected to calm the fears of both patients and research participants about the potential misuse of genetic information. However, 6 years later, patient and provider awareness of legal protections at both the federal and state level remains discouragingly low, thereby, limiting their potential effectiveness. The increasing demand for genetic testing will expand the number of individuals and families who could benefit from obtaining accurate information about the privacy and anti-discriminatory protections that GINA and other laws extend. In this paper we describe legal protections that are applicable to individuals seeking genetic counseling, review the literature on patient and provider fears of genetic discrimination and examine their awareness and understandings of existing laws, and summarize how genetic counselors currently discuss genetic discrimination. We then present three genetic counseling cases to illustrate issues of genetic discrimination and provide relevant information on applicable legal protections. Genetic counselors have an unprecedented opportunity, as well as the professional responsibility, to disseminate accurate knowledge about existing legal protections to their patients. They can strengthen their effectiveness in this role by achieving a greater knowledge of current protections including being able to identify specific steps that can help protect genetic information.
Kinematic analysis of fault-slip data

Abstract An array of graphical and numerical techniques facilitate qualitative and quantitative kinematic analysis of fault-slip data. Graphical contouring and Bingham statistics of the shortening and extension axes for kinematically scale-invariant faults characterize the distributions and orientations of the principal axes of average incremental strain. Numerical analysis by means of moment tensor summation yields the orientations and magnitudes of the principal strain axes as well as rotational information. Field data can be weighted for moment tensor summation using measurements of fault gouge thickness and/or fault plane width, from which average displacement and fault area can be estimated. The greatest uncertainties of kinematic analysis derive from assumptions about the weighting of the data, the effects of post-faulting rotation on the data, the degree to which sampling is representative of the entire fault population, and the spatial homogeneity of strain. These assumptions can be evaluated for a specific data set. Geometric criteria can distinguish the kinematic heterogeneities produced by triaxial deformation, anisotropy reactivation, strain compatibility constraints and/or multiple deformations. Strain compatibility, material anisotropy and heterogeneity may be characterized by integrating the results of kinematic and dynamic fault-slip analyses.