cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The International Marketing Course in the AACSB Schools

The present study examines the AACSB member schools with respect to the International Marketing course. It is based on an analysis of the responses of 384 schools and relates the frequency of offerings to the number of other international business courses regularly offered, number of other international business courses not regularly offered, number of professors having an interest in international topics, number of students for the present academic year (1984–85), and, growth of the student body during the last three years. The study examines separately the graduate and the undergraduate levels of instruction for this course.
Stability analysis and efficiency determinants: empirical evidence

ABSTRACTEfficiency determinants analysis is a main contemporary component in the productive efficiency literature. Two-stage data envelopment analysis (DEA) procedure supposed a turning point in the methodology as the significance of a certain exogenous factor can provide policymakers with accurate information for future strategic decisions, but a deeper scrutiny into the importance of each factor remains unsettled. This article provides a novelty theoretical extension and empirical application for the two-stage DEA bootstrap procedure. We define the stability coefficient (SC) whose magnitude reveals the effect of each exogenous factor in the efficiency estimates. We present empirical evidence to examine the hypothesis that the efficiency of the 17 Spanish tourism regions for the average period data 2005–2013 is determined by a group of contextual variables, illustrating how the SCs strengthen knowledge concerning the significance of each potential attractor. The results help us to classify the significan...
Money: Anthropological Aspects

Money, in various cultures and at various times in history, is defined primarily by what it does, and secondarily by what form it takes. In anthropology, money falls into two major categories of cultural constructs: (a) special money which is used in a limited sphere of transactions and is also called special-purpose money, primitive money, or ritual money, and (b) general money used extensively in many social spheres but used primarily for commercial exchange, and also referred to as general-purpose money.
Seeing Marcellus in Aeneid 6

This paper will examine the claims of the excudent alii (‘others will hammer out’) priamel of Aeneid 6.847–53 within the immediate context of the parade's end, where Marcellus, parading the spolia opima, is used to exemplify the claims made about fine and speculative arts belonging to the Greeks, and war and the arts of empire to the Romans. It will be shown that certain, highly specific memories of the elder Marcellus are cued by the priamel that run directly counter to Anchises’ claims. The paper will look at how these claims are spoken in character, and driven by specific narrative motives, and it will relate the mismatch of exemplified to exemplifier to certain larger patterns within the Aeneid of things being left unsaid only to stand out all the more by being left unsaid. The paper concludes with a speculative essay on the necessary reductions and revisions that go into the making, and reading, of culturally instrumentalized monuments.
An inverter-current-feedback based reactive power sharing method for parallel inverters in microgrid

This paper proposes a method to improve the reactive power sharing performance of parallel inverters in a low-voltage islanded microgrid. The proposed method utilizes only the output capacitor voltage and the inverter side current to implement the droop control loop, virtual impedance loop and inner voltage control loop for inverter control. This eliminates the need for extra grid side current sensors and therefore reduces implementation costs. A frequency adaptive reactive power compensation module is added to the reactive power droop loop to improve the accuracy of reactive power sharing. The system stability with the proposed method is analyzed based on the Thevenin equivalent model of the voltage source inverters (VSIs). Moreover, a second-order general integrator (SOGI) filter is introduced into the inverter current based virtual impedance loop to improve the stability. Simulation and experimental results are presented to verify the effectiveness of the method.
IMPACT OF VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY ON PATIENTS UNDERGOING CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE BETWEEN THE YEARS 2008 THROUGH 2012: NATIONWIDE INPATIENT SAMPLE DATA ANALYSIS

Background: Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) is a universal disorder, involved in the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease (CAD). The atherosclerotic character of vitamin D deficiency is known to increase cardiovascular events. This study was done to review the impact of VDD on CAD in the US for years
Creative Environments, Conditions, and Settings

Autonomously creative people (e.g., artists, writers, and inventors working in their own garages or kitchens), do much of their creative work outside of organizations and without the support which creative organizations often attempt to provide people who work within them. As a consequence, independently creative people usually find it necessary to seek out or construct working environments of their own in order to support and facilitate their creative work. Interestingly, the environments they often seek out and construct tend to share a number of functionally significant social and physical features. This article attempts to identify those features and suggests how they may help people meet the challenges presented by their creative projects. Attention is focused on the functional characteristics of: creative workspaces (e.g., studios, offices, and libraries); creatively supportive spouses, partners, and friends; informal settings which promote personal interactions (e.g., cafes and creatively active neighborhoods); larger settings specifically designed to foster creative work (e.g., artists’ colonies and centers for advanced studies); and historically creative cities (e.g., Paris, Vienna, and New York).
Course Revision in Introductory STEM Courses: An Exploratory Study at an HBCU Community College

ABSTRACTThis paper presents the results of an exploratory study of a professional development-based effort at one of the nation’s 14 federally designated Historically Black Colleges and Universities community colleges. Course revisions included introductory courses in its Natural Sciences department. The goal was to improve students’ critical-thinking and reading skills in science through faculty professional development opportunities, to improve success across all science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) curricula. This study examines faculty-selected professional development efforts combined with time release for course revision, and how it impacted students’ attitudes toward science and students’ critical-thinking skills. Six of the department’s 11 full-time faculty instructing introductory science courses received training in WestEd’s Reading Apprenticeship program and on critical-thinking skills. These faculty then revised their courses as they chose based on techniques learned during...
Turismos diaspóricos: mapeando conceitos e questões

Resumo O estudo do turismo nas ciencias sociais possui hoje o reconhecimento merecido e ja nao e mais necessario comprovar a sua relevância para o entendimento das sociedades e culturas, principalmente em um mundo marcado pela intensificacao das mobilidades. No entanto, algumas das vertentes do turismo, como o turismo sexual e o ecoturismo, tem sido mais estudadas do que outras. Este artigo visa contribuir para o desenvolvimento do estudo dos turismos diasporicos, que tem atraido um interesse cada vez maior de viajantes e pesquisadores. Analisando as intersecoes entre turismo, diaspora e raca, o artigo tem dois objetivos centrais: mapear os principais conceitos que tem sido utilizados nas analises dos turismos diasporicos e discutir algumas das suas questoes centrais. A apresentacao dos conceitos nao tem um intuito meramente taxonomico, visando, em vez disso, gerar ferramentas que possam aprofundar as analises. Ja as questoes aqui discutidas, embora nao abranjam a totalidade das experiencias diasporicas do turismo, indicam alguns dos principais caminhos a serem percorridos nesses estudos, tais como as analises sobre as conexoes entre turismo e identidades, as hierarquias inerentes a diasporas e os paradoxos da mobilidade privilegiada de turistas pertencentes a grupos raciais subordinados.
Additive Manufacturing of Fused Silica Glass Using Direct Laser Melting

A direct method for additive manufacturing of fused silica glass without any post treatment has been developed. By applying laser to process the fused silica paste, three-dimensional fused silica glass with high transparency wes obtained. © 2019 The Author(s)
An Algorithm for Automated Separation of Trabecular Bone From Variably Thick Cortices in High-Resolution Computed Tomography Data

Objective: Structural measurements after separation of cortical from trabecular bone are of interest to a wide variety of communities but are difficult to obtain because of the lack of accurate automated techniques. Methods: We present a structure-based algorithm for separating cortical from trabecular bone in binarized images. Using the thickness of the cortex as a seed value, bone connected to the cortex within a spatially local threshold value is identified and separated from the remaining bone. The algorithm was tested on seven biological data sets from four species imaged using micro-computed tomography ( μ -CT) and high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT). Area and local thickness measurements were compared to images segmented manually. Results: The algorithm was approximately 11 times faster than manual measurements and the median error in cortical area was −4.47 ± 4.15%. The median error in cortical thickness was approximately 0.5 voxels for μ -CT data and less than 0.05 voxels for HR-pQCT images resulting in an overall difference of −28.1 ± 71.1 μ m. Conclusion: A simple and readily implementable methodology has been developed that is repeatable, efficient, and requires few user inputs, providing an unbiased means of separating cortical from trabecular bone. Significance: Automating the segmentation of variably thick cortices will allow for the evaluation of large data sets in a time-efficient manner and allow for full-field analyses that have been previously limited to small regions of interest. The MATLAB code can be downloaded from https://github.com/TBL-UIUC/downloads.git .
Interest Group and Political Party Influence on Growth in State Spending and Debt

Does more lobbying by more interest groups, especially groups representing a state’s largest business sector, lead to greater spending and debt? Or does the blame really rest with state lawmakers a...
Communicating risk differences between electronic and combusted cigarettes: the role of the FDA-mandated addiction warning and a nicotine fact sheet.

Introduction The US Food and Drug Administration requires e-cigarettes to carry a nicotine addiction warning. This research compared the effects of messages communicating comparative risk of electronic and combusted cigarettes (CR messages) with and without the mandated warning and tested the effects of showing a nicotine fact sheet (NFS) before exposure to CR messages with warning. Method In an online experiment, 1528 US adult smokers were randomised to one of four conditions: (1) three CR messages, (2) three CR messages in condition one with an addiction warning, (3) an NFS followed by the three messages in condition 2 and (4) control messages. Outcomes included message reactions and perceived effectiveness, e-cigarette-related and cigarette-related beliefs and behavioural intentions and nicotine-related beliefs. Results CR messages with and without an addiction warning did not differ. The NFS condition produced higher odds of correctly understanding the risk of nicotine and stronger beliefs that switching to e-cigarettes could reduce health risks (response efficacy) than other treatments. Compared with control, all messages made it more likely for people to report e-cigarettes are less harmful than cigarettes and increased response efficacy and switch intentions to e-cigarettes. Only NFS condition increased correct beliefs about the risk of nicotine and self-efficacy about switching to e-cigarettes. Conclusion Including an addiction warning on CR messages did not reduce intentions to switch to e-cigarettes. Communicating accurate risk of nicotine together with CR messages and addiction warning increased smokers’ self-efficacy beliefs about switching completely to e-cigarettes, making it a potentially promising antitobacco communication strategy.
Abstract C33: Effects of curcumin on pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Without an early method of diagnosis or effective treatment plan, the prognosis for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is grim, which begs for the development of additional treatment options. The plant-derived chemical, curcumin, has recently shown some promise as a potential therapy when tested in xenograft models of PDAC, glioblastoma, lung, breast, cervical, and colon tumors and is currently being tested in early clinical trials of certain cancers. However, efficacy studies against PDAC have not included preclinical mouse models with an intact immune system. To address the potential complication of a fully functional immune system on curcumin effectiveness, we assessed the effects of curcumin on murine PDAC cell lines both in vitro and in vivo. Murine PDAC lines were previously derived from genetically engineered KrasG12D; Trp53R172H; Pdx-1 Cre (KPC) mice, which spontaneously produce metastatic PDAC that closely mimics human disease. The dose- and time-dependent toxicity of curcumin was assessed using various cell lines in vitro, and our findings support previously published results. To assess effectiveness in vivo, tumor cells were implanted subcutaneously into syngeneic, C57Bl/6J mice. Once tumors were established, curcumin (or vehicle alone) was administered via intraperitoneal (i.p.) or intratumoral injection. Treatment efficacy was assessed by measuring tumor growth and the overall survival of mice. We found that curcumin treatment had no impact on tumor growth or overall survival of immunocompetent mice. To circumvent potential solubility issues common to curcumin and illustrate the importance of the immune system in treatment resistance, we repeated our in vivo studies using curcumin encapsulated in liposomes. In addition, we used T cell-depleting antibodies for a subset of mice to mimic athymic mice used in previously published xenograft models. T-cell depletion was verified prior to tumor cell implantation by flow cytometry. Once tumors were established, liposomal curcumin or mock treatment was administered via i.p. injection. For T cell-depleted mice, we found that treatment with liposomal curcumin stalled tumor growth and increased overall survival compared to mock treated mice. For T cell-replete mice, we found that treatment with liposomal curcumin had no impact on tumor growth or overall survival compared to mock treated mice, which agrees with our findings. Taken together, our data suggest that the presence of T cells causes a difference in responsiveness to curcumin in vivo. This finding warrants additional studies in order to understand this mechanism and enhance its potential success in the clinic. Citation Format: Adrianna M. Vaskas, Joseph A. Fraietta, Kristen B. Long. Effects of curcumin on pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Pancreatic Cancer: Advances in Science and Clinical Care; 2019 Sept 6-9; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(24 Suppl):Abstract nr C33.
S3 Sacral-Alar Iliac Screw: A Salvage Technique for Pelvic Fixation in Complex Deformity Surgery

Sacral-alar iliac (SAI) screws constitute a relatively new technique for pelvic fixation. Since their initial description in 2007, SAI screws have gained wide popularity among the spine surgery community. In 2013, we first described the possibility of using both S1 and S2 SAI screws for pelvic fixation in revision surgeries for adult degenerative scoliosis. Although a previous radiological study has suggested the feasibility of S3 and S4 SAI screws, to the best of our knowledge, there has been no report in the literature on the clinical use of such techniques. In this brief technical note, we present the first clinical report of the use of S3 SAI screws as a salvage method for pelvic fixation in a patient with suboptimal anatomy that prevented proper placement of S1 and S2 SAI screws. We also discuss the recommended anatomical entry points and trajectory of such screws.
P217 ‘Stigma and level of care among health care providers to HIV/AIDS patients’

Background According to United Nations, ‘Philippines has become one of eight countries that account for more than 90 percent of new HIV infections in the region’. (Regencia, 2018) Nonetheless, despite interventions adopted, challenges persist that hinder the efficient implementation of HIV/AIDS program. Methods The method employed is the Descriptive Correlational Method, a standardized questionnaire on stigma and researcher made questionnaire, to assess level of care and characteristics. Respondents were physicians, nurses, HIV/AIDS Core Team and medical technologists from three different training hospitals in Cagayan de Oro City that underwent Cluster Sampling. Results were statistically analyzed through Spearman Rho for the correlation between characteristics, Stigma and Level of Care and Mean frequency for variables among three training hospitals. Results Majority of the respondents had an average age of 26 to 30 years old (41.2%), female (62.2%), Roman Catholic (72.5%) and College graduates (72.9%), followed by medical degree holders at 8.4%. Nurses comprised 69.3% followed by physicians at 9.2%, a majority with an average of one (1) to five (5) years in practice (51.4%). Religion, profession, workplace and years of experience were significantly correlated with Stigma and years of practice and place of work showed significant relationship with Level of Care. Stigma was inversely correlated with Level of care. Stigma among three hospitals, public and two private hospitals scored average with the highest mean coming from one private hospital at 113.42 compared to a public hospital with a mean of 107.25. Conclusion It can be determined that there is marked stigma among healthcare workers in Northern Mindanao towards HIV/AIDS patients with a correlate effect on the care and services provided. Disclosure No significant relationships.
Cargo modulates the conformation of the nuclear pore in living cells

Abstract While the static structure of the nuclear pore complex (NPC) continues to be refined with cryo-EM and x-ray crystallography, the in vivo conformational dynamics of the NPC remain under-explored. We developed sensors that report on the orientation of NPC components by rigidly conjugating mEGFP to different NPC proteins. Our studies show conformational changes to select domains of Nups within the inner ring (Nup54, Nup58, Nup62) when transport through the NPC is perturbed and no conformational changes to Nups elsewhere in the NPC. Our results suggest that select components of the NPC are flexible and undergo conformational changes upon engaging with cargo.
E-124 Combined diluted n-BCA glue and particle embolization followed by a ‘Sugar Rush’ D5W Bolus in middle meningeal artery (MMA) embolization for chronic subdural hematomas: a prospective safety and technical feasibility study

Introduction In recent years, embolization of the middle meningeal artery (MMA) for treatment of refractory or recurrent chronic subdural hematomas (SDH) has gained momentum. The rationale is the formation of the neo-membrane, with the MMA providing feeding vessels to the outer membrane connected to the dura mater. Various techniques like the use of polyvinyl particles and Onyx have been explored. We present the technical feasibility of using very diluted n-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate (NBCA) for embolization. Methodology Patients were enrolled from Westchester Medical Center from September 2019- March 2020, with chronic refractory or recurrent subdural hematomas. Informed consent was obtained from patients and/or families. Embolization of the frontal and parietal branches of the MMA was performed using a very dilute mixture of 1:6 n-BCA and ethiodized oil, with 5% dextrose (D5) boluses from the guide catheter to improve the distal penetration of the glue. Visibility was improved by using Tantalum powder. Cases with ophthalmic collaterals from the MMA were excluded. The prowler select plus Codman Neuro (Johnson & Johnson), 2.3. 0.021 was used for all cases. Follow up CT head was performed at day 7, day 21 and 3 months. Results A total of 11 patients were prospectively enrolled. The mean age was 71 years, male to female ratio of 2:1. 10 of the 11 cases were traumatic, one was a patient with lupus on anticoagulation. A total of 5 of 11 patients were on anticoagulation at the time of the SDH. Nine of the 11 patients had prior neurosurgical intervention including subgaleal drains and burr holes. The 7 day follow-up CT head was available for 9 of 11 and demonstrated improvement (>50% reduction in SDH volume) in 7/9 (77%), with 2/9 (22%) showing an unchanged or stable SDH. Day 21 CT head was available for 5/7 patients (71%), all demonstrating significant further improvement (>75% reduction in SDH volume). There were no intra or post procedural complications (non-target embolization or unintentional retention of the catheter) in the 11 patients enrolled (0%). Conclusion Embolization of the MMA using very diluted n-BCA and ethiodized oil (1:6) is safe and effective for chronic SDH patients with a low risk of recurrence, and is considered an effective therapeutic intervention to arrest hematoma enlargement and promote resolution. The use of a ‘sugar rush’ D5 bolus improves distal penetration of the glue. Disclosures G. Kaur: None. K. Dakay: None. J. Cooper: None. C. Bowers: None. J. Santarelli: None. C. Gandhi: None. F. Al-Mufti: None.
Deep Convolutional Neural Networks Applied to Ultrasonic Images for Material Texture Recognition

Texture recognition nondestructively by estimating the grain size has been widely used for the characterization of the physical and structural integrity of materials. As the ultrasonic signal passes through the materials, signal energy attenuates due to scattering and absorption, which are functions of the frequency and grain size distribution. Thus, the scattering and attenuation of ultrasonic echoes can be utilized for grain size evaluation and microscopic texture analysis. In this paper, we propose to investigate the performance of using deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to learn grain scattering features and classify materials. An ultrasonic testbed platform is assembled to obtain 3D ultrasonic data from heat-treated steel blocks with different grain sizes. The 3D acquired data are utilized to construct 2D images (B-Scans and C-Scans) to train the proposed deep CNNs classifiers for texture analysis. Several state-of-the-art deep CNNs are trained and compared to classify the grain scattering textures of three heat-treated steel blocks. These deep CNN classifiers are pre-trained on large datasets (ImageNet) followed by further training with transfer learning (TL) using experimental ultrasonic images. A lightweight TL based deep CNN classifier known as LightWeightTextureNet (LWTNet) was utilized to classify material textures with high validation accuracy of 99.58%.
Does Noblesse Oblige? The Effects of Firm Reputation and Celebrity on Earnings Surprises and Investor Reactions

We examine the effects of firm reputation and celebrity on 1) the likelihood that a firm generates a positive or negative earnings surprise and 2) how investors react to positive and negative surprises when they occur. We find that firms endowed with high reputation and celebrity status receive greater market rewards for positive surprises and fewer market penalties for negative surprises relative to firms that do not possess these intangible assets. In addition, the market reacts more positively to positive surprises by celebrity firms than to positive surprises by high reputation firms. We contribute to organizational research and management practice by highlighting how a firm's specific endowment of intangible assets can lead to the possibility of non-conforming behavior and generate asymmetric evaluations of this behavior in the marketplace.
On Young’s Convolution Inequality for Heisenberg Groups

Young’s convolution inequality provides an upper bound for the convolution of functions in terms of Lp norms. It is known that for certain groups, including Heisenberg groups, the optimal constant in this inequality is equal to that for Euclidean space of the same topological dimension, yet no functions attain exact equality. We characterize ordered pairs of functions that nearly achieve equality for Heisenberg groups. The analysis relies on a characterization of approximate solutions of a certain class of functional equations. A result of this type is developed for a class of such equations.
Potential of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) for management of root-knot nematode in tomato.

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) has been shown to induce plant defense responses to different plant pathogens, including reducing northern root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne hapla, penetration and increasing plant mass in tomato. We wanted to further evaluate NAD that are effective against the more economically important species, M. incognita and whether NAD treatments of tomato seedlings in transplant trays can protect plants in the field. Different NAD concentrations (1 mM, 0.1 mM and 0.01 mM) and three application timings (pre; post; pre and post inoculation) were evaluated in growth room and greenhouse trials. The highest tested NAD concentration (1 mM) suppressed second-stage juveniles (J2) infection for all three application methods. Root gall ratings at 30 days after inoculation (DAI) were also suppressed by 1 mM NAD compared to the other two concentrations, and egg mass number was significantly suppressed for all concentrations and application timings compared to the non-treated control. The rate of 1 mM NAD for all three application timings also improved plant growth at 30 DAI. Long-term effects of 1 mM NAD (pre, pre + post, or post applications) on nematode infection, growth and yield of tomato were evaluated in two additional experiments. All NAD applications suppressed root galls after 60 days, but only the pre + post 1 mM NAD application suppressed gall severity at 105 days, as well as suppressed egg counts by 50% at 60 DAT. No significant difference in plant biomass and fruit yield after 105 days was observed among the treatments. Two field trials were conducted in spring and fall 2020 using tomato seedlings (cv. HM 1823) treated with two different NAD concentrations (1 mM and 5 mM in spring; 5 mM and 10 mM in fall) and transplanting seedlings in fumigated (chloropicrin ± 1,3-dichloropropene) and non-fumigated plastic-mulch beds. No significant impact of NAD in terms of reducing RKN severity or overall tomato growth and production was seen in fumigated beds, but in non-fumigated beds 5 mM NAD slightly increased early fruit yield in spring, and 10 mM NAD reduced root-knot soil populations in fall.
Predicting Autonomous Shuttle Acceptance in Older Drivers Based on Technology Readiness/Use/Barriers, Life Space, Driving Habits, and Cognition

Automated shuttles (AS) may improve older adults’ (>65 years old) mobility, and participation in the community, but must be user-friendly and safe. Barriers to acceptance of AS include a lack of trust and hesitation to adopt emerging technology. Technology readiness, perceived ease of use, perceived barriers, and intention to use the technology, are important to inform researchers on older adults’ acceptance and adoption practices of AS. Likewise, age, life-space mobility, driving habits, and cognition predict driving safety among older drivers—but we are uncertain if they also predict older adults’ intention to use the AS. We examined responses from 104 older drivers (Mage = 74.3, SDage = 5.9) who completed the Automated Vehicle User Perception Survey (AVUPS) before and after riding in an AS (EasyMile EZ10). Participants also completed the Technology Readiness Index, Technology Acceptance Measure, Life Space Questionnaire, Driving Habits Questionnaire, Trail-making Test Part A and Part B (TMT A and TMT B). Older drivers’ age, cognitive scores (i.e., TMT B), driving habits (i.e., crashes and/or citations, exposure and difficulty of driving), and life-space were entered into four models to predict their acceptance of AVs—operationalized according to the subscales (i.e., intention to use, perceived barriers, and well-being) and the total acceptance score of the AVUPS. Next, a partial least squares structural equation model (PLS-SEM) elucidated the relationships between, technology readiness, perceived ease of use, barriers to AV acceptance, life space, crashes and/or citations, driving exposure, driving difficulty, cognition, and intention to use AS. The regression models indicated that neither age nor cognition (TMT B) significantly predicted older drivers’ perceptions of AS; but their self-reported driving difficulty (p = .019) predicted their intention to use: R2 = 6.18%, F (2,101) = 4.554, p = .040. Findings from the PLS-SEM, (R2 = .467) indicated the only statistically significant predictors of intention to use were technology readiness (β= .247, CI= .087-.411) and barriers to AV acceptance (β= -.504, CI= .285- .692). These novel findings provide evidence suggesting that technology readiness and barriers must be better understood if older drivers are to accept and adopt AS.
Exhibition Review: Form Follows Fashion

(2007). Exhibition Review: Form Follows Fashion. Fashion Theory: Vol. 11, No. 1, pp. 109-114.
African women, literature, language and culture

This essay will link African women’s writing to culture, including literary culture and the politics of literature. It describes how African women’s literature can act as a mirror, reflecting African cultures to Africans, and how it can serve as a window and a door, revealing African cultures to those outside of them in whole or in part. It ends with a description of “communal agency,” an example of how scholarly writing can act as a door for both those who are and are not a part of a literature’s culture.
MORE ABOUT DERIVATIVES

This chapter discusses the properties of the derivatives of functions. It presents the derivation of formulas for calculating derivatives. The chapter presents some additional rules to simplify the calculation of derivatives. The product rule says that the derivative of the product of two functions is equal to the first times the derivative of the second plus the second times the derivative of the first. The chapter also discusses the quotient rules. The quotient rule states that the derivative of the quotient is equal to the denominator times the derivative of the numerator minus the numerator times the derivative of the denominator all over the denominator squared. The chapter presents the derivation of a result that greatly increases the number of functions of which derivatives can be easily calculated. The use of the chain rule may involve other variables and more complicated expressions requiring several of the rules of differentiation. The chapter reviews the computation of the derivative of a power function and the derivatives of sines and cosines and related functions. It discusses a method called implicit differentiation and higher-order derivatives with a number of examples.
Trends in Microprocessors

Since the first microprocessor, built in 1971, micro-processors have evolved at a dramatic pace in terms of technology, processing power, dissipation, and functionality. This paper makes a brief overview of the history, presents major areas of importance in design and summarisizes some approaches that are currently being considered for the future. The 4 bit 4004 from INTEL CORP. was the first micro-programmable computer on a chip. It consisted of a 4 bit parallel adder, 16 bit registers, an accumulator and a stack on a single chip. Being able to execute 45 instructions, the chip contained 2300 transistors. In the early days microprocessors were programmed in machine language; however, the quick evolution of superior system architectures and superior high level language availability caused an explosion in the domain of microprocessor usage. MOORE's law which states that the number of transistors integrated on a piece of silicon generally doubles every two years has been maintained practically for the microprocessor. In the initial times, Memory, Input/Output, Timer, and other special functions were found on separate chips. As the Technology of processing improved it became possible to pattern much finer geometries on silicon, therefore, either more powerful computers with sophisticated functions could be built economically or the existing Microprocessor became affordable for a vast spectrum of applications such as in toys, TV, automotive, instrumentation, CAD/CAM tools, telecommunication, smart cards, personal computers etc.. A microprocessor is a central arithmetic and logic unit of a computer.
Observation of efficient THz generation with a tuning range of 84-1134 /spl mu/m based on quasi-phase-matched difference-frequency generation in a cubic crystal

We have efficiently generated THz waves continuously tunable in the range of 84-1134 /spl mu/m in a cubic crystal, GaP, based on collinear quasi-phase-matched difference-frequency generation. The highest peak power is 15.6 W at 173 /spl mu/m.
Optimization of Beam-Shaping Assemblies for BNCS Using the High-Energy Neutron Sources D-D and D-T

Boron neutron capture synovectomy is a novel approach for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. The goal of the treatment is the ablation of diseased synovial membranes in articulating joints. The...
Pupillometry in brain death: differences in pupillary diameter between paediatric and adult subjects

AbstractObjectives:The determination of brain death in neonates, infants, children and adults relies on a clinical diagnosis based on the absence of neurological function with a known irreversible cause of brain injury. Evaluation of pupil size and non-reactivity is a requisite for determination of brain death. There are no studies in the literature that quantitatively assess pupil size in brain dead children and adults.Methods:Infants, children and adults diagnosed with brain death were included in the study. Pupils were measured with a quantitative pupillometer (Forsite; Neuroptics, Irvine, CA, USA). Median, minimum and maximum pupil sizes were documented and the results were adjudicated for age, vasopressor use and temperature.Results:Median right and left pupil sizes were 5.01 ± 0.85 mm and 5.12 ± 0.87 mm, respectively, with a range between 3.69 and 7.34 mm. Paediatric pupils were larger than adult pupils (right pupil 5.53 vs 4.73 mm p: 0.018; left pupil 5.87 vs 4.77 mm P: 0.03), and there was no corr...
Compact A6 magnetron with a neodymium permanent magnet

The total efficiency of an HPM (High Power Microwave) system can be significantly increased by replacing the pulsed electromagnet system with a solenoidal permanent magnet. Additionally, the total size and weight of the system can be greatly reduced, thus providing a highly compact HPM source. We will test the feasibility of a permanent magnet on an A6 magnetron that uses a simple mode converter for axial extraction of microwaves.
Errors, Gaps, and Misconceptions in the Disease-Related Knowledge of Cystic Fibrosis Patients and Their Families

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 60 families with a child with cystic fibrosis to assess their medical knowledge of the illness. A 63-item, multiple-choice test with acceptable psychometric properties was administered to 60 mothers, 54 fathers, 29 siblings (aged 10 to 23 years), and 18 patients (aged 9 to 22 years). Parents and patients correctly answered approximately three quarters and siblings two thirds of all items. Family members were most knowledgeable about general cystic fibrosis facts, physiotherapy, gastrointestinal symptomatology and treatment, and anatomy. They were less well-informed about respiratory symptomatology and treatment and nutrition. Parental knowledge of genetics and reproductive risks was mediocre, and that of patients and siblings was poor. Knowledge of terminology was uniformly low. Social class was a significant predictor of parental knowledge. If left uncorrected the misconceptions, gaps, and errors in family members9s knowledge of cystic fibrosis identified in this study could result in inadverent noncompliance in treatment of the patient.
The Internet Gopher

Internet Gopher is a distributed server document search and retrieval system. Gopher combines the features of both electronic bulletin board services (a hierarchical organization of items) and of full-text searchable databases (searches based on the content of documents where all words in the document are considered keywords). The Internet Gopher system is based on a client/server architecture so users on a heterogeneous mix of desktop systems can browse, search, and retrieve documents residing on multiple distributed server machines anywhere on the Internet.
Medical Management of Antimicrobial‐Associated Diarrhea and Colitis

Gastrointestinal complications, including diarrhea, may occur with virtually all antimicrobial agents. Such diarrhea may represent either a common, nonspecific adverse effect, or it may be one of the manifestations of antimicrobial-associated colitis (AAC), a potentially fatal complication. Clostridium difficile and a cytotoxin neutralized by Clostridium sordellii antitoxin has been isolated from the stools of nearly all patients with antibiotic-associated pseudomembranous colitis, many patients with AAC, and approximately 20% of those with antimicrobial-induced diarrhea. Demonstration that C. difficile is responsible for cytotoxin production has allowed for specific therapy for these disorders. General treatment measures include discontinuation of the causative antimicrobial agent(s), bowel rest, and supportive care with fluids, electrolytes and colloids, if necessary. Antiperistaltic agents and corticosteroids are not recommended. Various antimicrobials demonstrate potential efficacy in treating AAC in humans. Oral vancomycin is the most widely tested and is currently the treatment of choice. It achieves high concentrations in the feces and is very active against C. difficile in doses of 125-500 mg by mouth every six hours. Other potentially useful but inadequately tested antimicrobials include metronidazole (500 mg by mouth every eight hours) and bacitracin (25,000 units by mouth every six hours). Tetracycline has been employed with some success in nonspecific antibiotic-associated diarrhea, although it is as yet untested in humans with AAC and may induce diarrhea itself. Both miconazole and rifampin are highly effective against C. difficile in vitro but have not been evaluated in AAC. Anion-exchange resins bind the cytotoxin found in stools of patients with AAC. Cholestyramine has been used with variable response in oral doses of 4 g every six to eight hours. Since these resins may also bind vancomycin, resulting in lowered vancomycin concentrations in the stool, combination therapy should be used cautiously. With specific therapy directed against the toxin and aggressive supportive therapy, surgical intervention is rarely necessary. More recently, investigations have been directed at using bacterial preparations to suppress C. difficile by restoring the normal flora. The development of immunological agents (i.e., vaccines, toxoids, antitoxins) for the prevention or treatment of AAC would be a significant advance in therapy.
HIGH FLUX NANOFIBROUS MEMBRANES FOR WATER PURIFICATION

The fabrication of nanofibers can be accomplished by using a variety of methods, including electro-spinning and a combination of chemical/mechanical processes, especially for cellulose, as a form of green sustainable resource material. Non-woven nanofiber mats have unique properties, such as interconnected pores, a very large surface-tovolume ratio, and a high capacity for surface modifications, making such scaffolds useful for fabrication of high throughput separation membranes. Directed water channels in the barrier layer are formed through the formation of interface between the cross-linked nanofibers and the polymer matrix, while the gap thickness may be regulated by physical interactions or chemical bonding. In the present context, advances in electro-spinning and fundamental studies on nascent cellulose crystals by means of synchrotron x-ray scattering have provided us with new insight to use the fibrous format with varying pore sizes for applications from micro-filtration via ultra-filtration to nano-filtration. We have taken advantage of unique breakthroughs in chemical modifications and physical scale-up transformations to drastically improve filtration membrane development with predesigned properties. In particular, we have, for example, examined the NF membrane performance as influenced by the barrier layer substrate and reduced fouling by using a highly hydrophilic barrier layer. The same concept has been extended to the pervaporation process by using a highly hydrophilic graphene oxide layer. Performance characteristics of nanofibrous scaffolds for water purification applications are presented.
Energy-Performance Trade-offs on Energy-Constrained Devices with Multi-component DVFS

Battery lifetime continues to be a top complaint about smart phones. Dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS) has existed for mobile device CPUs for some time, and provides a trade off between energy and performance. Dynamic frequency scaling is beginning to be applied to memory as well to make more energy-performance tradeoffs possible. We present the first characterization of the behavior of the optimal frequency settings of workloads running both, under energy constraints and on systems capable of CPU DVFS and memory DFS, an environment representative of next-generation mobile devices. Our results show that continuously using the optimal frequency settings results in a large number of frequency transitions which end up hurting performance. However, by permitting a small loss in performance, transition overhead can be reduced and end-to-end performance and energy consumption improved. We introduce the idea of inefficiency as a way of constraining task energy consumption relative to the most energy-efficient settings, and characterize the performance of multiple workloads running under different inefficiency settings. Overall our results have multiple implications for next-generation mobile devices exposing multiple energy-performance tradeoffs.
Expression and characterization of recombinant osteopontin peptides representing matrix metalloproteinase proteolytic fragments

Osteopontin (OPN) is a secreted, arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD)-containing phosphoprotein proteolytically modified by members of the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family. We previously defined the MMP-3 and MMP-7 cleavage sites in OPN and found increased adhesive and migratory activity of a pool of MMP-cleaved fragments compared to full-length OPN. In the present study, we performed mutational analysis of recombinant full-length OPN and generated recombinant OPN fragments corresponding to the MMP-cleaved fragments, which have apparent molecular weights of 40, 32, and 25 kD by SDS-PAGE. Single residue mutations in 167L and 211L do not abrogate MMP cleavage although processing of the putative C-terminal fragment appears to be affected by a 167L to 167A mutation. The N-terminal 40-kD fragment was a stronger adhesive substrate compared to full-length OPN despite the observation that full-length OPN displayed greater binding in soluble phase to endothelial cell surfaces. While the 32-kD fragment showed significant binding to endothelial cell surfaces, the C-terminal 25-kD fragment did not interact with cell surface. Our data indicate that the increased adhesive activity of MMP-cleaved OPN was accountable by the N-terminal 40-kD fragment. We further analyzed receptor binding, using competition with peptides representing the alpha4beta1 and alpha9beta1 binding sites in the 40-kD N-terminal fragment. Using Jurkat cells, we found that a peptide corresponding to 131ELVTDFPTDLPATE144 had no effect on cell adhesion, whereas the peptide SVVYGLR competitively inhibited cell adhesion. These results suggest that a shorter motif that is found in MMP-cleaved OPN, 162SVVYG166, is sufficient to mediate cell adhesion of Jurkat cells to receptors, including the beta1 integrins, which have been previously characterized to bind the SVVYGLR sequence.
Shear flow over a protrusion from a plane wall

Abstract Shear flow past a hemispherical mound on a plane wall is considered in order to determine the total force tending to pull the mound off the wall. The resultant force is shown to be four times as great as that obtained when the force is approximated by using the free steam shear acting on the projected area. In addition it is shown that there must be tensile forces between the mound and the wall to offset a torque produced by the viscous stresses.
Exact value of the n-term approximation of a diagonal operator

This paper determines the exact value of the n-term approximation of a diagonal linear operator from l"p^M to l"q^M, 0
Molecular orbital studies on the conformations of bicuculline and -hydroxy GABA.

Mit Hilfe der MO-Theorie wurden bevorzugte Konformationen fur den GABA Agonisten β-Hydroxy-GABA und den Antagonisten Bicucullin berechnet. In beiden Fallen ergeben sich fast gleiche Abstande zwischen der Ammoniumgruppe und dem Sauerstoffatom wie in der entsprechenden Struktur von GABA selbst.
Familial thyroid disease and delayed language development in first admission patients with schizophrenia

One hundred consecutive first admission patients with a DSM-III-R diagnosis of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or schizophreniform disorder were compared with 100 randomly selected community controls. Childhood histories of physical, medical, and perinatal trauma, as well as physical and cognitive development, were examined by structured interviews with all available mothers of patients and controls. The prevalence of specific psychiatric disorders and several medical illnesses among first degree and more distant relatives was determined by family history questionnaires. The patient group did not have an excess of childhood head injuries, serious infections, or perinatal/birth complications compared with controls. With social class level taken into account, it was found that the acquisition of reading skills occurred significantly later in patients than controls. Family histories of schizophrenia and thyroid disorders were significantly more frequent among patients than controls. These data fail to indicate any childhood physical or medical environmental trauma that could lead to an increased risk for schizophrenia, although patients were substance abusers to a greater extent than controls. This study also confirms the already known contribution of familial factors and suggests an association of the inheritance of thyroid disorders with schizophrenia. Delayed development of reading skills suggests that precursers of illness may appear early in life before psychosis is evident.