Predictive equation for acquisition of hepatitis B in hospital workers in a general hospital

A cross-sectional study was performed to obtain risk factors for hepatitis B disease, HBsAg carriers and immunised personnel, among 2470 workers in a general hospital in Madrid, Spain. The data obtained were analyzed with multiple logistic regression to obtain beta coefficients for variables. The results of the analysis show that being a nurse or being regularly exposed to blood are the most important risk factors for hepatitis B acquisition. The length of time working at the same job activity was also a risk factor. The resulting beta coefficients allow the construction for a hepatitis non-immunised, HBsAg carrier and immunised HBV status, which can select subjects for a hepatitis B vaccination program.     

Methodological issues in outcome studies of school-based interventions for the prevention of adolescent depression.

Several methodological and ethical issues are addressed in the context of 3 related school-based studies of the primary and targeted prevention of depressive symptoms and disorder in high school adolescents. These issues include obtaining S consent and the protection of confidentiality, minimizing attrition over long-term follow-up periods, the "unit of assignment" issue common to most school-based research, and ensuring therapist fidelity to the intervention protocol. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A multi-agent decision support system for stock trading

A distributed problem solving system can be characterized as a group of individual cooperating agents running to solve common problems. As dynamic application domains continue to grow in scale and complexity, it becomes more difficult to control the purposeful behavior of agents, especially when unexpected events may occur. This article presents an information and knowledge exchange framework to support distributed problem solving. From the application viewpoint the article concentrates on the stock trading domain; however, many presented solutions can be extended to other dynamic domains. It addresses two important issues: how individual agents should be interconnected so that their resources are efficiently used and their goals accomplished effectively; and how information and knowledge transfer should take place among the agents to allow them to respond successfully to user requests and unexpected external situations. The article introduces an architecture, the MASST system architecture, which supports dynamic information and knowledge exchange among the cooperating agents. The architecture uses a dynamic blackboard as an interagent communication paradigm to facilitate factual data, business rule, and command exchange between cooperating MASST agents. The critical components of the MASST architecture have been implemented and tested in the stock trading domain, and have proven to be a viable solution for distributed problem solving based on cooperating agents     

Measurements of single chain form factors by small-angle neutron scattering from polystyrene blends containing high concentrations of labelled molecules

A series of small angle neutron scattering measurements on blends of normal polystyrene (PSH) and labelled (deuterated) polystyrene (PSD) have been made with concentrations of PSD from 5 to 50 mol %. It is shown that the single chain form factor of the polymer in bulk can be obtained from a single concentration measurement for any concentration of labelled molecules, providing the molecular weights of the parent and labelled molecules are the same and the molecular weight distributions are narrow.     

Functional Properties and Food Applications of Rapeseed Protein Concentrate

Rapeseed protein concentrate (RC), prepared with 2% hexameta-phosphate, was tested for its functionality and performance in some foods. The RC had good nitrogen solubility, fat absorption, emulsification, and whipping capacities but poor water absorption and gelling properties. It increased the emulsion stability, and protein but lowered the fat content of wieners. It also increased the cooking yield, reduced the shrinkage and tenderized meat patties. Results were similar to soybean isolate except for the poorer color and flavor. The cooking yield of RC supplemented wieners was less than the all-meat control and soybean-supplemented wieners. A 9% RC dispersion mixed with an equal volume of eggwhite produced a meringue of comparable stability and texture to that of eggwhite alone.     

Should industrial/organizational psychologists be licensed?

A historical review of licensing among industrial/organizational (I/O) psychologists demonstrates that the American Psychological Association (APA) policy on such licensing is inconsistent. Arguments for and against licensure for this group are presented. Job analysis and APA data are drawn upon to show that few I/O activities may pose the personal risk that would seem to require the protection of a license. Alternatives are discussed for changes in present APA policy and state licensing requirements. (16 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A NEW CORPORATE ORDER Changing Priorities for IS

For the past three decades, IS managers have been faced with the tasks of honing their craft, improving productivity, and serving as the keepers of information technology for the corporation. For the most part, they have done a commendable job. However, the rules of the game are changing. Old solutions are no longer extensible to current problems, and today's problems are unlike any faced in the past. This article takes a fresh look at what the top priorities for IS managers should be in the coming years.     

Algebraic-grammatical models of parallel computation

The survey focuses on algebraic-grammatical models of parallel processes, representation of knowledge about classes of algorithms in terms of a variety of production systems (structured design grammars), and program generation tools.Translated from Kibernetika i Sistemnyi Analiz, No. 5, pp. 5–13, September–October, 1991.     

Neutron-activation determination of elements with overlapping resonances in neutron-absorption cross sections

Translated from Atomnaya Énergiya, Vol. 66, No. 6, pp. 423–424, June, 1989.