cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Physicians’ Perceptions of Patients’ Social and Behavioral Characteristics and Race Disparities in Treatment Recommendations for Men With Coronary Artery Disease

Objectives. A growing body of evidence suggests that provider decisionmaking contributes to racial/ethnic disparities in care. We examined the factors mediating the relationship between patient race/ethnicity and provider recommendations for coronary artery bypass graft surgery.Methods. Analyses were conducted with a data set that included medical record, angiogram, and provider survey data on postangiogram encounters with patients who were categorized as appropriate candidates for coronary artery bypass graft surgery.Results. Race significantly influenced physician recommendations among male, but not female, patients. Physicians’ perceptions of patients’ education and physical activity preferences were significant predictors of their recommendations, independent of clinical factors, appropriateness, payer, and physician characteristics. Furthermore, these variables mediated the effects of patient race on provider recommendations.Conclusions. Our findings point to the importance of research and interventi...
Using Temperature to Tune Film Roughness: Nonintuitive Behavior in a Simple System

Ag(100) homoepitaxy constitutes one of the simplest systems in which to study thin-film growth. Yet we find that the roughness variation with temperature is extraordinarily complex. Specifically, as the deposition temperature is reduced from 300 to 50 K, the roughness of 25 monolayer films first increases, then decreases, then increases again. A transition from mound formation to self-affine (semifractal) growth occurs at {approx}135 K. The underlying mechanisms are postulated. An atomistic model incorporating these mechanisms reproduces the experimental data quantitatively. (c) 2000 The American Physical Society.
Trophic relationships and seasonal utilization of salt-marsh creeks by zooplanktivorous fishes

In a high salinity estuary at North Inlet, South Carolina, co-occurrence and possible competition among adults of four dominant zooplanktivorous fishes were minimized by seasonal adjustments in lateral and vertical distributions as well as in dietary preferences. In winter, Atlantic silversides, Menidia menidia, occupied the entire water column while other planktivores were rare or absent from the estuary, and they consumed large prey such as mysid shrimps and fish larvae. An immigration of bay anchovies, Anchoa mitchilli, in the spring resulted in a redistribution of species with Atlantic silversides shifting to the surface waters and bay anchovies dominating the lower half of the water column. Both fishes consumed mostly copepods in the spring, but each favored a different species. There was little similarity in the large prey items consumed by the two fishes. Striped anchovies, Anchoa hepsetus, arrived in mid-summer and were most abundant at the surface while bay anchovies continued to dominate the bottom waters. Atlantic silversides were rare in all summer collections. The diets of the two anchovies were similar, but vertical separation during the period of maximum zooplankton abundance probably minimized competition. Rough silversides, Membras martinica, which were obligate surface dwellers, shared the upper water column with striped anchovies, but the two species had very different diets during their period of co-occurrence. Although seasonal changes in fish diets reflected shifts in zooplankton composition and all fishes consumed a variety of prey types, preferences for some prey taxa and total avoidance of others were indicated. Electivity indices indicated an especially strong selection for fiddler crab megalopae by all fishes in the summer and fall. All fishes, except rough silversides, which fed almost exclusively on copepods and crab zoeae, consumed large prey items when they were available. Fine scale partitioning of the food resources was apparent in the selection of different copepod and insect species by the fishes. Spatial and temporal separation in the distribution and/or dietary preferences of the zooplanktivores fishes probably reduces the potential for resource competition. Given the high abundances and selectivity of the planktivores, significant impacts on some zooplankton populations probably result.
Wave Structure of the Tropical Stratosphere over the Marshall Islands Area during 1 April–1 July 1958

Abstract Stratospheric wind data for the Marshall Islands region during 1 April–1 July, 1958, are analyzed for contributions in the 4–6 day period range. It is shown that, excluding waves with vertical wavelengths <2 km from the data, 4–6 day power in the equatorial stratosphere during this period must be due to some combination of Kelvin, mixed gravity-Rossby, and n=1 Rossby waves with zonal wavenumbers <7–10. It is further shown that a theoretical model wherein each of the above three wave types is associated with a zonal wavenumber of either 3 or 4 is consistent with the data. The resulting observationally calibrated model is used to calculate the acceleration of the mean flow by wave absorption, which is then compared with the observed acceleration. In general, the waves satisfactorily account for accelerations above 23 km. Below 23 km there is a need for an additional source of easterly momentum with a specific vertical distribution which we show could be provided by an n=1 easterly gravity wave whos...
Hepatic dysfunction accompanying acute cocaine intoxication.

Abstract We identified 39 patients with acute cocaine intoxication and rhabdomyolysis over an 8-year period. Twenty-three of the patients (59%) demonstrated biochemical evidence for hepatic dysfunction. Sixteen of these patients had severe liver injury as defined by an alanine aminotransferase (ALT) of > 400 U/l (group A). Seven had an ALT between 36–399 U/l (group B) and 16 showed no evidence of liver injury (group C). In contrast to those with normal ALT, the clinical course of the group A patients was more often accompanied by profound hypotension (44 vs. 0%, p p p p
Lidar-signal compression by photomultiplier gain modulation: influence of detector nonlinearity

The application of photomultiplier gain modulation to the compression of wide-dynamic-range lidar signals is investigated in relation to the effect of the gain level on anode-signal linearity. Gain reduction is achieved by the coupling of modulation signals through either multidynode or focus-grid gating networks. This technique facilitates signal recovery and prevents detector nonlinearity and dynode damage caused by high near-field lidar signals. The measurements were performed in the current mode primarily on a 50-mm-diameter, 12-stage photomultiplier (EMI 9214) with a bialkali photocathode. With 3- or 4-dynode-based modulation made at a photomultiplier voltage of 1300 V and a gain of 1 x 10(7), signals of ~6 mA can be maintained at the 1% linearity limit from 100% to 0.2% modulation, corresponding to a 500-fold reduction in the lidar-signal dynamic range. A significant advantage to dynode modulation is that it preserves the shot-signal-to-noise ratio of the incoming signal, which is not true for focus-grid modulation or external predetection schemes such as controlled obscuration or Pockels-cell modulation that attenuate the as-yet unamplified signal.
Magnetic-field-dependent sound attenuation in UPt3

Abstract We report measurements of the attenuation of transverse sound along the c axis of UPt 3 . The peak in attenuation, which has previously been observed in longitudinal sound measurements vs . magnetic field in the superconducting state, is absent in the transverse sound measurements. We also present results on the magnetic-field-dependent attenuation in the normal state, up to 8 T. The attenuation increases with magnetic field, approximately as H 2 .
Determination of lead in whole blood using a capacitively coupled 4wave plasma atomic emission spectrometer

Abstract Lead in whole blood was determined with a capacitively coupled microwave plasma atomic emission spectrometer with no dilution or addition of matrix modifiers. The sample was vaporized directly from the plasma-supporting electrode into the plasma, ensuring 100% transfer of the sample into the plasma. Microwaves were used to dry the sample, a low-power plasma was used to ash the sample, and a higher-power plasma was used to atomize and excite the sample. A detection limit of 7 ppb Pb (35 pg Pb) was obtained using 5-μl aliquots. The method was accurate (95% confidence) for blood containing 188 and 573 ppb Pb, but gave a high result with blood containing 48 ppb Pb. The precision was 15%.
Kr and 4 He Adsorption on Individual Suspended Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

We report mass and conductance adsorption isotherms of Kr on individual, single-walled, suspended carbon nanotubes for 53 K<T<90 K for several devices, and of 4He for 5 K<T<8 K for two devices. Different nanotubes, probably of different diameter and/or chirality, yield different phase diagrams, full monolayer coverages, and partial wetting characteristics for Kr. The 4He results show, for one of the devices, a greatly reduced heat of adsorption as compared to the well studied system of 4He on graphite.
Analysis of drug–protein binding by ultrafast affinity chromatography using immobilized human serum albumin

Abstract Human serum albumin (HSA) was explored for use as a stationary phase and ligand in affinity microcolumns for the ultrafast extraction of free drug fractions and the use of this information for the analysis of drug–protein binding. Warfarin, imipramine, and ibuprofen were used as model analytes in this study. It was found that greater than 95% extraction of all these drugs could be achieved in as little as 250 ms on HSA microcolumns. The retained drug fraction was then eluted from the same column under isocratic conditions, giving elution in less than 40 s when working at 4.5 mL/min. The chromatographic behavior of this system gave a good fit with that predicted by computer simulations based on a reversible, saturable model for the binding of an injected drug with immobilized HSA. The free fractions measured by this method were found to be comparable to those determined by ultrafiltration, and equilibrium constants estimated by this approach gave good agreement with literature values. Advantages of this method include its speed and the relatively low cost of microcolumns that contain HSA. The ability of HSA to bind many types of drugs also creates the possibility of using the same affinity microcolumn to study and measure the free fractions for a variety of pharmaceutical agents. These properties make this technique appealing for use in drug-binding studies and in the high-throughput screening of new drug candidates.
Routine use of locking shaft screws is not necessary in volar plate fixation of distal radius fractures

Volar locking plate fixation is a common treatment method for distal radius fractures. Recently, implants have been designed with an option to use locking screws in the shaft portion of the plate. While there is a high incidence of low bone mineral density in patients who sustain fragility fractures of the distal radius, the need for locking shaft screws is not well defined. Our hypothesis is that the routine use of locking screws in the shaft portion of volar plates is not required to maintain reduction or to prevent hardware failure. A retrospective review was performed in all patients over age 50 years who underwent volar plate fixation using an implant with non-locking shaft screws for a distal radius fracture during a 2-year period. Patients were permitted to perform early range of motion exercises. Radiographs were examined and measurements were obtained to assess maintenance of reduction and incidence of hardware failure. Patients were followed at least until fracture healing. Patients were excluded from analysis if locking shaft screws were utilized or if follow-up was inadequate. Forty-one patients met the inclusion criteria. The average age was 62 years (range 50–79). There were 12 men and 29 women. The implant used incorporated 3.5-mm shaft screws in 26 patients and 2.4-mm shaft screws in 15 patients. All patients healed within acceptable radiographic parameters (mean volar tilt = 4.9°, mean radial inclination = 21.7°, mean radial height = 11.6 mm). There were not any instances of hardware failure. Distal radius fractures frequently occur in patients with low bone mineral density. Non-locking, bicortically placed shaft screws provide adequate stability to allow for early range of motion without loss of reduction or hardware failure. The routine use of locking screws in the shaft portion of volar plates does not appear justified.
Response to “Comment on ‘Negative Schottky barrier between titanium and n-type Si(0 0 1) for low-resistance ohmic contacts”’ [Solid State Electron. 2004;48:335–8]

Abstract The measurement of a negative or low Schottky barrier is complicated by several factors, including series resistance. With these factors in mind and additional experimental results, we reaffirm that the barrier height between Ti and Se-passivated n-type Si(0 0 1) is negative or nearly negative.
Ionic conductivity of some alkaline earth halides

Abstract The ionic conductivity above and below the melting temperature has been measured for the fluorides, chlorides, and bromides of calcium, strontium, and barium and for magnesium chloride. The observed behavior is of three types: I (MgCl 2 , CaCl 2 , CaBr 2 , BaBr 2 ), there is an increase in conductivity of several orders of magnitude on melting; II (BaCl 2 , SrBr 2 ), there is a solid-solid transition accompanied by a large increase in conductivity with little subsequent change on melting; and III (CaF 2 , SrF 2 , BaF 2 , SrCl 2 ), the conductivity of the solid is continuous and changes only slightly on melting.
Studies on the Mechanism of Binding of Immune Complexes to Phagocytes

BINDING of antigen–antibody complexes to the surface of phagocytes depends on the integrity of the Fc region of the antibody, and occurs even when antibody alone apparently binds only weakly1–4. One possible mechanism is that antigen interacts with antibody to produce an allosteric change in the conformation of the antibody molecule (analogous to that observed by Feinstein and Rowe5), exposing a site capable of interacting with the phagocyte surface. The alternative explanation is that, although “free” antibody molecules have an exposed binding site available for attachment to phagocytes before reaction with antigen, binding is unstable; more stable—and therefore detectable—binding results from the formation of complexes with multiple sites. This possibility does not invoke a change in antibody conformation.
T-Mycoplasmas: Some Factors Affecting Their Growth, Colonial Morphology, and Assay on Agar

T-mycoplasma strains no. 960 and T-McA grew optimally on T-agar, pH 6.0-6.5, containing 10% horse serum when incubated in an atmosphere containing > 5% CO2. Growth was retarded by aerobic incubation but not by anaerobic or microaerobic incubation. Both size and number of colonies were affected by the volume of T-agar in the petri dish. Colony size only was below normal on T-agar, pH 6.0-6.5, containing ammonium salts, 5% and 20% horse serum, and especially at an alkaline pH, but it was unaffected by addition of hepes buffer (N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N'-2-ethanesulfonic acid) or an extra 6 mg of urea per 100 ml. Colonies of strain no. 960, T-McA, three other laboratory and five wild strains could be changed from rough colonies averaging 43 pLm in diameter to "friedegg" or smooth colonies 100 tm in diameter. These variations were dependent on the T-strain, type and concentration of agar and of MgSO4, and substances in Ionagar. These findings suggest further that T-mycoplasmas have different requirements for growth, and strain-to-strain differences are evident.
Prognostic significance of histologic classification and grading of epithelial malignancies of the ovary.

Abstract Overall survival in 1938 women with epithelial ovarian cancer receiving primary treatment at Mayo Clinic was 35% at 5 years, 28% at 10 years, and 15% at 25 years. For most histologic cell types, observed differences in survival were more apparent than real since the behavior of different cell types was similar when compared stage for stage and grade for grade. Mucinous cystadenocarcinomas tended to be low grade and low stage, while serous cystadenocarcinomas tended to be high grade and high stage. For Stage I disease, factors other than cell type seemed to be more important in determining survival; specifically. Stage IA 1 patients did significantly better than all other Stage I patients. In Stage III disease, the amount of residual tumor made a significant difference in survival for all grades. In Stage IV disease, the amount of residual made a highly significant difference in survival for grade 1 disease.
Estimating Reliability and Generalizability in Coefficients in Two-Facet Designs

This article illustrates the use of generalizability theory to estimate the reliability of a measure when there is more than one source of error in the universe of inference, and how the effects from changing the number of items and/or raters can be evaluated.
Functional reorganization of upper-body movements for wheelchair control

In general, survivors of neuromotor disorders and injuries need to reorganize their body movements in order to achieve goals that used to be easy and natural. Often, disabled people are offered the option to control assistive devices that will facilitate the recovery of independence and capability in their daily lives. The knowledge acquired during the last few years in the motor control field can be used to study and enhance this learning process. Furthermore, this knowledge may aid in finding methods for optimizing the use of residual voluntary muscular control in disabled users and searching for an easily learnable map between body motor space and devices control space. To investigate movement reorganization we asked healthy subjects to control a cursor performing a reaching task using shoulders and upper arm movements. These movements were mapped to a lower dimensional space by principal components analysis and were used to control the cursor. We found that all subjects were able to learn to control the cursor with ease and precision while reducing the proportion of ineffective body movement components in favor of the components that mapped directly into the control space. Moreover, with practice the movements of the controlled device – the cursor - became faster, smother, more precise and with a nearly symmetric speed profile.
On the Mutual Bonding of Particles of Quantum Systems

Conceptual, logical and dynamical restrictions on the criteria characterizing the mutual bonding of particles are examined. In accord with these restrictions, observables consisting of fixed linear combinations of the particles' position and conjugate momentum are used to construct appropriate “boundedness” criteria. As a result, comparable localization of relative position and relative momentum are obtained for mutually bound particles; neither excessively compact nor excessively diffuse localization can result for bonding to occur.
The masonry arch as a four‐link mechanism under base motion

The dynamic response of an unreinforced masonry arch is examined, modelling the rigid body motions of arch segments under the influence of gravitational and inertial forces. This extends earlier studies of single rocking blocks, stacked blocks, and portal mechanisms of blocks; the masonry arch is analysed as another kinematic form of such a system. In this first effort a part-circular planar arch ring is studied and excitation is restricted to horizontal ground acceleration of the base. The mechanism kinematics are presented and the governing equation of motion is derived in non-linear form. The instantaneous form is determined for small rotations about the initial geometry and is used to study the conditions for the onset of mechanism motion. Possible failure conditions are posed and bounding principles are stated. One possible failure condition, direct overturning as a four-link mechanism, is studied for one simplified base motion. The results show that an arch geometry establishes good resistance to earthquake excitation in that ground acceleration must exceed a rather high threshold before any mechanism motion would develop; however, once that threshold has been passed the arch has relatively modest resistance before failure. Other possible failure conditions are discussed; one emerges from pounding effects between segments at impact, and another develops from sliding of blocks over one another as the internal forces (normal and tangential to the masonry joint) vary with the inertial forces.
Predicting outcome in asymptomatic aortic stenosis: should we measure the severity of obstruction or its physiological consequences?

This editorial refers to ‘Left ventricular systolic and diastolic function assessed by tissue Doppler imaging and outcome in asymptomatic aortic stenosis’, by R.A.H. Stewart et al. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehq159 ‘Information is not knowledge’.Albert Einstein In patients with severe aortic stenosis, it is well recognized that when symptoms develop, death will ensue unless the obstruction is relieved. Development of cardiac symptoms of angina, syncope, or heart failure indicate that a critical severity of obstruction has occurred and mark a change in the natural history of aortic stenosis. However, symptoms may be subtle, especially in the elderly patient who may have co-morbidities, including arthritis, lung disease, neurological disease, and frailty, that limit exercise capacity. Even if symptoms are realized, these may not be reported by the patient. Moreover, even in the truly asymptomatic patient, it is recognized that aortic stenosis is associated with a small risk of sudden death, which has been estimated at 1% per year.1 Because of difficulties in determining exactly when the symptomatic stage of aortic stenosis has developed, and because of the risk of sudden death, many efforts have been made to predict outcomes in aortic stenosis accurately. Multiple investigators have tried to characterize the clinical, electrocardiographic, haemodynamic, imaging, and biomarker features which identify the patient at risk of adverse outcome. Echocardiography has become the mainstay of diagnostic assessment in patients with aortic stenosis. Initial efforts to predict events in aortic stenosis have focused on quantifying the severity of obstruction. More recently, the physiological consequences of the obstruction, namely the effects on left ventricular (LV) mass and systolic and diastolic function, have gained attention ( Figure 1 ). The recent, carefully conducted, multicentre study by Stewart et al. 2 was intended to combine these interests and to explore the role of tissue Doppler measures of LV systolic and diastolic function …
Phase I Study of ON 01910.Na, a Novel Modulator of the Polo-Like Kinase 1 Pathway, in Adult Patients With Solid Tumors

Purpose We conducted a first-in-man (to our knowledge) phase I study to determine the dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs), characterize the pharmacokinetic profile, and document any antitumor activity of ON 01910.Na, a new chemical entity that arrests cancer cells in G2/M by modulating mitotic regulatory pathways including polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1). Patients and Methods Patients had solid tumors refractory to standard therapy. ON 01910.Na was administered as a 2-hour infusion on days 1, 4, 8, 11, 15, and 18 in 28-day cycles. The starting dose was 80 mg, and an accelerated titration schedule (single-patient cohorts) was used for escalation. Pharmacokinetics were studied on days 1 and 15 of cycle 1. Results Twenty patients (11 women and nine men; age 46 to 73 years) were enrolled onto the study. Dose levels of 80, 160, 320, 480, 800, 1,280, 2,080, and 3,120 mg were evaluated in single-patient cohorts. A DLT and additional grade 2 toxicities made the 4,370-mg dose (n = 6) not tolerable, and the next lower dose c...
Platform-based spacecraft design: a formulation and implementation procedure

A product platform is the set of subsystems shared across products offered by a firm. The problem of designing a product family based on a platform is formulated as an optimization exercise, from which a practical implementation is derived. The implementation consists of teams developing candidate concepts, a platform team then using these to form a platform, and finally the teams redesigning, making use of the platform. The result is a set of candidate product families: both the shared platform and the individual portions of each variant. These candidate designs may all be feasible, but they will likely have different attribute's in several dimensions, such as technical performance, risk, costs, etc. The designers must then trade off design choices for the platform and the variants to determine an adequate overall family result. The procedure is illustrated by the conceptual design of JPL spacecraft making use of different telecommunications platforms.
Minimal response in watershed nitrate export to severe soil frost raises questions about nutrient dynamics in the Hubbard Brook experimental forest

Experimental and theoretical work emphasize the role of plant nutrient uptake in regulating ecosystem nutrient losses and predict that forest succession, ecosystem disturbance, and continued inputs of atmospheric nitrogen (N) will increase watershed N export. In ecosystems where snowpack insulates soils, soil-frost disturbances resulting from low or absent snowpack are thought to increase watershed N export and may become more common under climate-change scenarios. This study monitored watershed N export from the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest (HBEF) in response to a widespread, severe soil-frost event in the winter of 2006. We predicted that nitrate (NO3 −) export following the disturbance would be high compared to low background streamwater NO3 − export in recent years. However, post-disturbance annual NO3 − export was the lowest on record from both reference (undisturbed) and treated experimental harvest or CaSiO3 addition watersheds. These results are consistent with other studies finding greater than expected forest NO3 − retention throughout the northeastern US and suggest that changes over the last five decades have reduced impacts of frost events on watershed NO3 − export. While it is difficult to parse out causes from a complicated array of potential factors, based on long-term records and watershed-scale experiments conducted at the HBEF, we propose that reduced N losses in response to frost are due to a combination of factors including the long-term legacies of land use, process-level alterations in N pathways, climate-driven hydrologic changes, and depletion of base cations and/or reduced soil pH due to cumulative effects of acid deposition.
Merging of super-Alfvénic current filaments during collisionless Weibel instability of relativistic electron beams.

The theoretical framework predicting the long-term evolution, structure, and coalescence energetics of current filaments during the Weibel instability of an electron beam in a collisionless plasma is developed. We emphasize the nonlinear stage of the instability, during which the beam density of filaments increases to the background ion density, and the ambient plasma electrons are fully expelled from the filaments. Our analytic and numerical results demonstrate that the beam filaments can carry super-Alfvenic currents and develop hollow-current density profiles. This explains why the initially increasing magnetic field energy eventually decreases during the late stage of the instability.
Interpreting species‐specific variation in tree‐ring oxygen isotope ratios among three temperate forest trees

Although considerable variation has been documented in tree-ring cellulose oxygen isotope ratios (δ(18)O(cell)) among co-occurring species, the underlying causes are unknown. Here, we used a combination of field measurements and modelling to investigate the mechanisms behind variations in late-wood δ(18) O(cell) (δ(18)O(lc)) among three co-occurring species (chestnut oak, black oak and pitch pine) in a temperate forest. For two growing seasons, we quantified among-species variation in δ(18)O(lc), as well as several variables that could potentially cause the δ(18)O(lc) variation. Data analysis based on the δ(18) O(cell) model rules out leaf water enrichment (Δ(18)O(lw)) and tree-ring formation period (Δt), but highlights source water δ(18) O (δ(18) O(sw)) as an important driver for the measured difference in δ(18)O(lc) between black and chestnut oak. However, the enriched δ(18)O(lc) in pitch pine relative to the oaks could not be sufficiently explained by consideration of the above three variables only, but rather, we show that differences in the proportion of oxygen exchange during cellulose synthesis (p(ex)) is most likely a key mechanism. Our demonstration of the relevance of some species-specific features (or lack thereof) to δ(18)O(cell) has important implications for isotope based ecophysiological/paleoclimate studies.
Improving the rate of convergence of ‘high order finite elements’ on polygons and domains with cusps

Let u and uV ∈ V be the solution and, respectively, the discrete solution of the non-homogeneous Dirichlet problem Δu=f on ℙ, u|∂ℙ=0. For any m ∈ ℕ and any bounded polygonal domain ℙ, we provide a construction of a new sequence of finite dimensional subspaces Vn such that ** where f ∈ Hm−1(ℙ) is arbitrary and C is a constant that depends only on ℙ and not on n (we do not assume u ∈ Hm+1(ℙ)). The existence of such a sequence of subspaces was first proved in a ground–breaking paper by Babuska [8]. Our method is different; it is based on the homogeneity properties of Sobolev spaces with weights and the well–posedness of non-homogeneous Dirichlet problem in suitable Sobolev spaces with weights, for which we provide a new proof, and which is a substitute of the usual “shift theorems” for boundary value problems in domains with smooth boundary. Our results extended right away to domains whose boundaries have conical points. We also indicate some of the changes necessary to deal with domains with cusps. Our numerical computation are in agreement with our theoretical results.
The Urban Ecology of Bias Crime: A Study of Disorganized and Defended Neighborhoods

This article examines the neighborhood characteristics that affect bias crime and compares bias crime to other kinds of criminal offending. Two frequently asserted arguments are tested. The first argument is that bias crime is like other criminal offenses in that it is more likely to occur in communities with high levels of social disorganization. The second argument is that bias crime is unique in that it occurs as a defense against neighborhood in-migration of ethnic "others"\---|the so-called "defended neighborhoods" argument. Findings show that accounting for the spatial distribution of bias crime requires both perspectives. Bias crime, like robbery, assault, and vandalism, is more likely to occur in neighborhoods with concentrated disadvantage and residential turnover, two of the three factors identified in social disorganization research. However, unlike other kinds of crime, holding constant attributes of disorganization, the effect of nonwhite in-migration on bias crime is greater in neighborhoods with a high percentage of white residents than communities with a low percentage of white residents. This confirms the central empirical implication of the defended neighborhoods perspective. Additional analyses show that these effects hold in analyses of specifically anti-black bias crimes and violent bias crimes. The conclusion suggests that research on social problems like bias crime should balance the emphasis on the unique features of the problem with attention to the common generative processes that the problem shares with a wider set of behaviors and outcomes.
A low-cost WLAN “Green” PIFA antenna on eco-friendly paper substrate

This work shows for the first time the practical application of paper as a substrate in real-life wireless local area network (WLAN) applications. Photographic paper is used here in the design, fabrication and testing of a printed inverted F-antenna (PIFA) operating at 2.45GHz. Although paper substrates exhibit relatively high dielectric losses (tanδ ∼ 0.07 at 2.45GHz), the maximum gain achieved by the fabricated antenna is +1.2 dBi and its total simulated efficiency is approximately 82% at resonance. The simulation results of the return loss, as well as the radiation pattern of the antenna agree with the corresponding measured results that are presented in this work.
AmpÈre's Law for a Linear Uniform Cylindrical Current

The derivation of a magnetic flux-density vector Boarr from Ampere's law requires additional symmetry and field-line arguments to be complete, if the more complicated Biot-Savart law is to be avoided in undergraduate text treatments. A widespread reason for a zero radial component Boarr of due to an infinite straight current is refuted.
ROBERT J. ALEXANDER'S U.S. LEFT‐WING INTERVIEW COLLECTION AND ARCHAEOLOGY OF DISSIDENT COMMUNISM

Robert J. Alexander (1918–2010), a pioneering Latin American specialist, who focused much of his scholarship on the governmental systems, political parties, leaders and labor movements of Mexico, Central America and South America, is also known for his collection of an estimated 10,000–12,000 Latin American/Caribbean interviews amassed from the late 1940s to the turn of the twenty-first century. During this same 50-year period, Alexander, who also possessed a strong interest in U.S. radicalism, assembled a smaller interview collection of U.S. left-wing activists that include those involved in Lovestoneite, Trotskyist, Shachtmanite, etc. organizations. In addition to his voluminous writings on Latin America, Alexander also devoted significant energy during the last three decades of his life to writing the history of dissident communist movements (i.e., the Communist Right Opposition, Trotskyism, and Maoism) throughout the world. The purpose of this article is to discuss and analyze Alexander's collection of interviews of U.S. political and labor radicals while critically examining his major works on dissident communism. In spite of the contributions he has made in these fields, I conclude that there are serious methodological flaws with Alexander's writings on dissident communism although his U.S. left-wing interview collection of political and labor radicals is invaluable for the study of the twentieth-century U.S. radicalism.
Combinatorial test design in practice

Combinatorial testing is a specification based sampling technique that provides a systematic way to select combinations of program inputs or features for testing. It has been applied over the years to test input data, configurations, web forms, protocols, graphical user interfaces and for testing software product lines. This tutorial introduces the fundamentals of combinatorial testing, including both practical and theoretical foundations, to provide a comprehensive introduction that is relevant to both test practitioners and software engineering researchers. The tutorial will present an overview of Combinatorial Test Design (CTD) and describe some state of the art research advances and domains where CTD has been applied. It will present the theoretical underpinnings of CTD and explain a few algorithmic techniques used to generate CTD samples, as well as describe recent work on practical extensions to these algorithms that allow for a broader use of CTD. A session devoted to modeling test problems using CTD will follow, with attendees obtaining hands-on experience using several realistic problems.
Differences between Return and Nonreturn Migration: An Econometric Analysis:

Abstract : The regression equations presented in this report furnish strong and consistent indications that potential return and nonreturn migrants respond quite differently to the factors that condition migration decisions. The importance of treating return and nonreturn migration separately, and recognizing their differences in theories of human migration is underscored. Despite admittedly crude data and some necessary approximations, these differences show through with notable consistency, suggesting that the true underlying relationships may be quite strong. This exercise should be repeated using data that permit a more exact delineation of return migration--for example, residence histories supplemented with information on contemporaneous economic conditions during the reference period. A second notable finding--that return migration probabilities are positively (and significantly) related to distance warrants further investigation with independent data. Finally, this investigation should be extended to other age-sex groups.
Synergistic potentiation of interferon activity with maitake mushroom d‐fraction on bladder cancer cells

OBJECTIVE To examine whether the combination of interferon (IFN)-α and maitake mushroom D-fraction (PDF), a bioactive mushroom extract, might potentiate the anticancer activity of IFN-α in bladder cancer T24 cells in vitro. MATERIALS AND METHODS Effects of recombinant IFN-α2b (0–50 000 IU/mL), PDF (0–700 µg/mL), or their combinations were assessed on T24 cell growth at 72 h. Cell cycle analysis and assays for double-stranded DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) were performed to explore possible antiproliferative mechanism of these agents. RESULTS IFN-α2b was able to induce a significant (≈50%) growth reduction at 20 000 IU/mL, which further declined to ≈66% at 50 000 IU/mL. PDF had no effects up to 200 µg/mL, but there was an ≈20% and ≈53% growth reduction at 400 and 700 µg/mL, respectively. When the varying concentrations of IFN-α2b and PDF were combined, 10 000 IU/mL of IFN-α2b combined with 200 µg/mL of PDF resulted in an ≈75% growth reduction. This was accompanied by a G1 cell cycle arrest, shown by cell cycle analysis. Concurrently, DNA-PK activity in IFN-α2b/PDF-treated cells was almost three-fold higher than controls. CONCLUSIONS The combination of IFN-α2b (10 000 IU/mL) and PDF (200 µg/mL) reduced growth by ≈75% in T24 cells. This appears to be due to a synergistic potentiation of these two agents, inducing a G1 arrest with DNA-PK activation. Therefore, the IFN-α2b/PDF combination could trigger DNA-PK activation that may act on the cell cycle to cease cancer cell growth.
Aeromonas Hydrophila Keratitis in Freshwater Turtles

Abstract Two privately owned semiaquatic freshwater turtles, 1 Chinese striped-neck turtle ( Ocadia sinensis ) and 1 Chinese box turtle ( Cuora flavomarginata ), presented with unilateral, white, corneal opacities consistent with keratitis. Under sedation the corneal lesions were debrided and samples were collected for cytology and bacterial culture. Cytology of the corneal lesions in both cases were similar, showing a monomorphic population of large Gram-negative rods. Aerobic bacterial culture revealed pure and heavy growth of Aeromonas hydrophila in both turtles. In both cases treatment was successful and consisted of corneal debridement followed by topical treatment with antimicrobial drugs. Antibioitic selection was based on susceptibility testing and resolved the corneal lesions with no reoccurrence of the condition reported. Primary keratitis has been rarely described in reptiles, with no apparent publications identifying A. hydrophila as a primary pathogen associated with keratitis in reptiles. In humans, A. hydrophila has been identified in several cases of keratitis, usually following a traumatic event within an aquatic environment.
Social Capital: Similarities and Differences Between Future Educators and Urban Youth Leaders

ABSTRACTThis study examines differences in social capital between two demographically disparate groups: future education professionals and youth leaders living in urban communities. This is important because there is growing scholarly evidence of a positive relationship between social capital and student achievement. Social capital, defined as a constellation of privileges, is parallel to “the concepts of financial capital, physical capital, and human capital—but embodied in relations among persons” (Coleman, 1988). The impact of the varying access to social capital and its attendant resources may have profound implications on the interactions within the classroom; thus, this study measured this construct in a sample of students in education preparation programs (n = 145) and a sample of youth leaders living in urban communities (n = 119). There were significant differences between groups in: community participation, value of life, and feelings of trust and safety. Educational and consultative strategies ...
Concepts of shock wave propagation

abstract Those aspects of shock wave propagation which differ qualitatively from linear wave propagation are discussed and illustrated. These include amplitude attenuation, energy dissipation and their interrelations, spectral intensity distribution and its variation with distance, and the relations of wave structure to thermodynamic, shear, and time-dependent material properties. Pertinent formulae are derived and calculations are given for a rigid-locking solid. These illustrate the concentration of energy at low frequencies as the wave progresses and provide upper limits for the rates of attenuation of peak shock pressure in plane and spherical geometries.
New remarkable Late Jurassic teleosts from southern Germany: Ascalaboidae n. fam., its content, morphology, and phylogenetic relationships

Abstract. Complete morphological descriptions, as preservation permits, are provided for a new Late Jurassic fish taxon (Ebertichthys ettlingensis n. gen. et n. sp.) and a revision of some morphological features of Ascalabos voithii Graf zu Munster from the Solnhofen limestones, southern Germany. A new family, Ascalaboidae, is erected to include the two species. The new family is supported by numerous synapomorphies, e.g., maxilla with external row of small conical teeth increasing in size posteriorly, absence of gular plate, low number of vertebrae (34 to 39), deep and narrow supracleithrum – deeper than opercle, and vertebral centrum formation of caudal region including paired chordacentra (pseudo-diplospondyly) that fuse in early ontogeny forming one chordacentrum that is later surrounded by an autocentrum. A phylogenetic analysis based on 173 characters and 42 taxa was performed. Following the phylogenetic hypothesis, the sister-group relationship [Ascalabos + Ebertichthys] + more advanced teleosts stands above the node of Leptolepis coryphaenoides plus more advanced teleosts and below the node of Tharsis plus more advanced teleosts, and the new taxa are interpreted as extinct and primitive forms within Teleostei. The new genus and species is endemic and restricted to one Upper Jurassic locality – Ettling – whereas Ascalabos is known from different localities in the Solnhofen limestones, with the exception of Ettling.
The Deadly Challenges of Raising African American Boys: Navigating the Controlling Image of the “Thug”

Through 60 in-depth interviews with African American middle- and upper-middle-class mothers, this article examines how the controlling image of the “thug” influences the concerns these mothers have for their sons and how they parent their sons in light of those concerns. Participants were principally concerned with preventing their sons from being perceived as criminals, protecting their sons’ physical safety, and ensuring they did not enact the “thug,” a form of subordinate masculinity. Although this image is associated with strength and toughness, participants believed it made their sons vulnerable in various social contexts. They used four strategies to navigate the challenges they and their sons confronted related to the thug image. Two of these strategies—experience and environment management—were directed at managing characteristics of their sons’ regular social interactions—and two—image and emotion management—were directed at managing their sons’ appearance. By examining parenting practices, this ...
Scaling up for CS10K: Teaching and Supporting New Computer Science High School Teachers (Abstract Only)

Increasing need for computing expertise in our everyday lives and in the workforce, paired with declining enrollments in computing by women and underrepresented minorities have made it critical to provide students with experiences in computing before college. CS10K is a national effort to engage 10,000 high school teachers in teaching computer science across the United States. With CS10K projects working on this goal since 2012 having prepared less than 1000 teachers for teaching computer science in high school, there is a need to scale professional development opportunities to local communities. College and university computing faculty have the unique preparation and call for community engagement that make it a win-win to support local high school teachers in learning to teach computer science. We will use the STARS model of building university-based communities that broaden participation in computing, adapted to the context of supporting K12 teachers to become change agents and educators prepared to teach computer science. In this workshop, participants will learn how to implement scalable team-based professional development for K12 teachers new to teaching computer science. We will provide resources to recruit, plan, and support small groups of new teachers to teach the new CS Principles course that will become an Advanced Placement course in 2016-2017. Laptops for attendees are optional.
When Talk Trumps Text: The Democratizing Effects of Deliberation during Constitution-Making, 1974–2011—CORRIGENDUM

In the August 2015 issue of American Political Science Review , Eisenstadt et al. ( 2015 ) did not cite the last three authors in the reference for Mansbridge et al. ( 2012 ). The reference appears in the reference section below.
Technique of Organic Rice Production in Jilin Province

The definition,standard and production technique of organic rice were described in the paper.Based on characters of rice cultivation in Jilin province,growing techniques of organic rice in this area were summed up and integrated.The purpose of this paper was to improve the production level and enlarge plantation area of organic rice,and then boost the comparative benefits of organic rice.
Photoinduced charge separation in wide-band capturing, multi-modular bis(donor styryl)BODIPY–fullerene systems

A new series of multi-modular donor–acceptor systems capable of exhibiting photoinduced charge separation have been designed, synthesized and characterized using various techniques. In this series, the electron donor was a BF2-chelated dipyrromethene (BODIPY) appended with two styryl linkers carrying two electron rich triphenylamine or phenothiazine entities. Fulleropyrrolidine linked at the meso-position of the BODIPY ring served as an electron acceptor. As a result of extended conjugation and multiple electroactive chromophore entities, the bis-styryl BODIPY revealed absorbance and emission well-into the near-infrared region covering a 300–850 nm spectral range. Using redox, computational, absorbance and emission data, an energy level diagram was constructed that helped in envisioning the different photochemical events. Spectral evidence for photoinduced charge separation in these systems was established from femtosecond and nanosecond transient absorption studies. The measured rate constants indicated fast charge separation and relatively slow charge recombination revealing their usefulness in light energy harvesting and optoelectronic device building applications. The bis(donor styryl)BODIPY–fullerene systems populated BODIPY triplet excited states during the process of charge recombination.